Understanding discrepancies between Tabs billing reports and QuickBooks Online

Last updated: April 28, 2026

When comparing Tabs billing exports with QuickBooks Online (QBO) data, you may notice differences in totals. This article explains the common causes of these discrepancies and how to reconcile them.

Common causes of discrepancies

Invoice line item detail in Tabs exports

Tabs invoice exports show invoice line item detail, meaning invoices with multiple line items will appear multiple times in the export - once for each line item. When calculating totals, make sure to sum unique invoice numbers rather than all rows to get the accurate total.

Credit card fee handling

Tabs handles credit card fees differently in Tabs versus QBO:

  • In Tabs: The original invoice is amended to include CC fees when a customer pays by credit card

  • In QBO: A separate CC fee invoice is created because QBO does not allow edits to SENT invoices

CC fee invoices are only created when customers actually initiate credit card payments, not when invoices are initially sent.

Timing differences for CC fee invoices

CC fee invoices in QBO are created based on when payment occurs, not when the original invoice was dated. This means:

  • A March invoice paid by credit card in April will generate a CC fee invoice in QBO dated in April

  • These CC fee invoices won't appear in a Tabs export filtered for April invoices since the original invoice was dated in March

Invoice sync conditions

Tabs only syncs certain invoices to QBO:

  • DRAFT invoices are not synced

  • SCHEDULED invoices are not synced

  • Only SENT invoices are synced to QBO

How to reconcile the reports

  1. When reviewing Tabs exports, sum by unique invoice numbers (not individual line items)

  2. Account for CC fee invoices that may be dated in your reporting period but relate to invoices from previous periods

  3. Remember that credit memos also sync to QBO and should be included in your reconciliation

Revenue recognition integration

The same Tabs invoice export that you use for reconciliation can also be used for revenue recognition purposes. The export includes integration items that tie to GL accounts and dollar amounts for each invoice line item, helping you understand how billing amounts impact your accrued and deferred balances.