> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.dash.fi/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect QuickBooks Desktop

> Connect Dash.fi to QuickBooks Desktop and start syncing card transactions to your general ledger.

<Note>
  QuickBooks Desktop syncs on a schedule rather than in real time. Account creation and transaction sync are tied to QuickBooks Desktop's next scheduled sync, so timing depends on how often that sync runs.
</Note>

## Before you start

You'll need:

* An active QuickBooks Desktop company file with the Web Connector running
* Admin or accountant access in both Dash.fi and QuickBooks Desktop
* Administrator access in Dash.fi

## Step 1: Open accounting setup

1. Log in to Dash.fi and go to **Accounting** in the left-hand menu.
2. Select **Card Transactions**.
3. If no accounting platform is connected, you'll see a setup prompt. Click **Setup Integration**.
4. You'll be taken to **Settings → Integrations**. Select **QuickBooks Desktop**.

## Step 2: Connect to QuickBooks Desktop

Follow the on-screen prompts to authorise Dash.fi against your QuickBooks Desktop company file. Once the Web Connector is configured, Dash.fi can read your chart of accounts and post transactions on each scheduled sync.

## Step 3: Set up your account map

Once you're connected, Dash.fi prompts you to map your credit card to a GL account in QuickBooks Desktop. You can either:

* **Use an existing account** — pick a credit card liability account that already exists in QuickBooks Desktop.
* **Create a new account** — Dash.fi creates the GL account for you.

QuickBooks Desktop only accepts changes during a scheduled sync, so the new-account path runs asynchronously. The next sections explain what to expect.

### How async account creation works

When you choose **Create a new account**, Dash.fi queues the request and waits for QuickBooks Desktop to pick it up. You'll see one of three states on the setup screen:

| State                            | What it means                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Setting up**                   | Dash.fi has queued the new account and is waiting on QuickBooks Desktop's next scheduled sync. The screen tells you it can take a while depending on your sync frequency, and that you can leave the page — Dash.fi finishes setup automatically. |
| **Ready**                        | QuickBooks Desktop created and returned the account, and Dash.fi linked it to your card. Click **Continue** to finish setup.                                                                                                                      |
| **Couldn't create your account** | The sync didn't complete the request. Retry, or switch to **Use an existing account** to map your card to one that already exists in QuickBooks Desktop.                                                                                          |

You don't need to keep the setup page open. Leave or refresh — when you return, Dash.fi reconciles the in-flight job and shows the latest state. If a job sits in the queue too long without QuickBooks Desktop picking it up, Dash.fi marks it as failed so you can retry or switch to an existing account.

## Step 4: Map expense categories

Go to **Accounting → Categories**. Map each Dash.fi spend category to a GL account in your QuickBooks Desktop chart of accounts. Dash.fi suggests the most likely GL code for each category — review and confirm or adjust.

## Step 5: Verify the connection

Return to **Accounting → Card Transactions**. After QuickBooks Desktop's next scheduled sync, cleared card transactions appear in the review queue. Reviewed transactions sync back to QuickBooks Desktop on the following scheduled sync.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How long does account creation take?">
    It depends on your QuickBooks Desktop sync schedule. Account creation completes on the next scheduled sync after you submit the form. If your Web Connector runs every 15 minutes, expect setup to finish within 15 minutes; if it runs hourly, expect up to an hour.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I leave the setup page while account creation is in progress?">
    Yes. Dash.fi finishes setup in the background. When you return to **Settings → Integrations → Accounting**, the page reconciles the in-flight job and shows the current state automatically.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if account creation fails?">
    If QuickBooks Desktop never picks up the job, or the sync rejects it, the setup screen shows **We couldn't create your account**. Click **Try again** to requeue, or pick **Use an existing account** to map your card to an existing credit card account in QuickBooks Desktop.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why don't transactions appear immediately after I review them?">
    QuickBooks Desktop only accepts new records during a scheduled sync. Transactions you mark **Ready** in Dash.fi are posted on the next sync run.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>