Xero For Dummies

Appendix C

Converting from QuickBooks to Xero

A number of different versions of QuickBooks are available, both cloud and desktop. Essentially the features are the same, but they may look a little different and the buttons may be in a slightly different area. The notes in this appendix guide you through extracting and preparing data from the US desktop version of QuickBooks Premier.

Note: Before exporting data and preparing it for import, you first need to create a file directory for the different file versions of the data. Refer to Chapter 3 for more on this, and for an example naming system for this file directory. I’ve continued using the same example naming system from Chapter 3 through this appendix.

Exporting Data

Open your existing system, and start exporting the data following the steps outlined in this section.

Chart of accounts

The Chart of Accounts in Xero is flat; however, in QuickBooks it’s hierarchical. If you want to retain a hierarchical effect in Xero, import the chart of accounts, and then use Tracking and adjust the layout of the report (refer to Chapter 9 for more).

To export the QuickBooks chart of accounts, follow these steps:

1. From the dashboard, go to Reports⇒List⇒Account Listing⇒Account Information.

2. Click the Modify Report button, and then the Display tab. Select Account, Type, Description and Account #, and click the OK button.

3. Click the Export button on the menu bar.

The Export Report window appears.

4. Select the option A New Excel Workbook, ...