QuickBooks Desktop: Troubleshooting Importer Issues

These are the most common reasons an import might fail and their solutions. Customer Service can help if your problem isn’t solved using one of the solutions below. Contact us at 800 770-4959.

  1. The Timesheets.com Importer App won’t start and you get an error message. This can happen when you fail to install the second file from the setup instructions. Return to the export setup page in Timesheets.com and re-download the Timesheets Importer App setup file. Re-open the file and make sure to run the file named “QBFC11.” This file is necessary for our importer to be able to connect to QuickBooks.
  2. Time tracking isn’t enabled within QuickBooks. In QuickBooks, click Edit, then Preferences. Select the Time & Expense section and the Company Preferences tab. Make sure the “Do you track time?” question is set to “Yes.” If this is not enabled, the importer application log will indicate that time can’t be imported because the feature is not enabled.
  3. The CSV file won’t load into the Importer App. When the CSV file doesn’t load, it’s usually because the file was opened in an editor such as Microsoft Excel and then saved. Opening the CSV export file before saving it alters the format. In order to avoid this problem, re-export the file and save it directly to your hard drive without opening it first. Advanced users who want to make direct changes to the file should use a plain text editor like Notepad and should avoid changing the format of the data in any way. 
  4. The import completes, but window with this message appears: “Not all data was imported successfully.” There could be several reasons for this error, and you can usually find out what they are by reviewing the application log in the available via the top menu in the Timesheets.com Importer. Usually, however, the error occurs for one of two reasons:
    1. When you try to import data, but someone’s weekly timesheet is currently open for editing in QuickBooks. If you try, data will import for other users but not the one already open in QuickBooks. QuickBooks prevents two people from changing the same timesheet at the same time. You’ll need to close the weekly timesheet in QuickBooks, then re-export the payroll data for only that user and complete your import again. Be careful not to import the entire original file a second time or you will duplicate entries for the rest of your workers.
    2. When you try to import project or billable time from the project timesheet and the employee is set to have timer activities transferred to paychecks. The project timesheet in Timesheets.com doesn’t have payroll items and but the setting requires them, so there’s a conflict. To resolve, either disable the feature in QuickBooks, or contact Timesheets.com for assistance on the best method to solve the problem.
  5. An window pops up at the end of the import with one or more specific error messages about your data. There are several reasons an error window could display, but all are easily fixed. Read the first message to determine what type of error it is and compare it to the below options. Repeat this process until all of the error messages are gone when you try your import.
    • Missing Service Item. Check that the Service Item is on the Item List in QuickBooks and that its TYPE is Service and not some other type.
    • Missing Payroll Item. Check the spelling and capitalization of your payroll items in QuickBooks, and that they are properly assigned to each employee. Also check that they match the spelling and capitalization of payroll items in the Timesheets.com Importer App Settings. We recommend using Copy/Paste to ensure exact matching.
    • Missing Employee ID. Check that you have an employee ID in QuickBooks and a matching ID in Timesheets.com. If an ID is missing in Timesheets.com, add the ID in user settings and re-export your file.
  6. This error message appears: “Object reference not set to an instance of an object.” A vendor or other list item is not properly set up in QuickBooks. Some special characters like the “&” sign may not work in vendor or other list item names. If you experience mismatch problems, try removing special characters from both lists (Timesheets.com and QuickBooks) and then try your import again.

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