How the Tabs <> QuickBooks Online Integration Works

Last updated: June 12, 2026

Overview

The Tabs <> QuickBooks Online (QBO) integration syncs customer, invoice, payment, and accounting data between both systems.

Tabs pulls data from QBO on a scheduled basis and pushes transactional data to QBO as activity occurs in Tabs.

What Syncs from QBO to Tabs

During initial setup, Tabs imports existing supported records from QBO. After setup is complete, Tabs continues to sync supported records on an ongoing basis.

Tabs imports the following objects from QBO:

  • Close Periods

  • Customers

  • Products / Items

  • Chart of Accounts

  • Bank Accounts (included as part of the Chart of Accounts import)

  • Historical invoices

  • Payments

What Syncs from Tabs to QBO

Tabs pushes the following objects to QBO:

  • Customers

  • Invoices

  • Credit Memos

  • Payments

  • Journal Entries

Customer Sync

Customer sync is bi-directional.

QBO → Tabs

Existing customers in QBO are imported into Tabs during initial setup and ongoing syncs.

Tabs → QBO

New customers and customer updates created in Tabs sync to QBO automatically. Customers from your CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce) sync to Tabs, then to QBO. Customer names must match across systems.

Customer Requirements

Before invoices can be sent:

  • Customer name must exist

  • Billing address should be populated

  • Primary email should be populated

  • If a customer requires a foreign currency, it must be enabled in your QuickBooks Online account.

    • Parent and sub-customers must have matching currencies—QuickBooks will reject invoices in currencies that don't match the customer's set currency.

Invoice Sync

When an invoice is sent in Tabs:

  • The invoice syncs to QBO automatically

  • The invoice is marked as sent

  • Tabs remains responsible for invoice delivery and numbering

Draft Invoices

Draft invoices do not sync to QBO.

Invoices are only synced after they are sent.

Invoice Changes

Tabs is the source of truth for invoices.

Changes made directly in QBO do not sync back to Tabs.

Invoice Reset Behavior

If a sent invoice is reset back to draft in Tabs:

  • The corresponding invoice is removed from QBO

  • Re-sending the invoice recreates it in QBO

Credit Memo Sync

Creating a credit memo in Tabs automatically syncs the credit memo to QBO.

Supported workflows include:

  • Creating credit memos

  • Applying credit memos

  • Credit memos created as part of invoice reconciliation (bad debt write off or bank fees)

📌 Note: Creating a credit memo in QBO does NOT sync back into Tabs. Credit memos created in QBO must be applied in QBO.

Payment Sync

Payment sync is bi-directional.

  • When a partial or full payment is applied in Tabs, it syncs to QBO.

  • Payments applied via Stripe or Plaid sync to QBO and back to Tabs.

  • Payments manually applied in QBO also sync back to Tabs.

  • Removing a payment in Tabs syncs the removal back to QBO.

Journal Entry Sync

Journal Entries sync from Tabs to QBO through the Close Management module in Tabs.

Key Details

  • User must go through Tabs' Close Management to generate and submit revenue journal entries, they do not automatically push to QBO without user action

  • Entries are pushed in batches of up to 250 entries

Items and Chart of Accounts

Tabs products map to existing items in QBO. To add a new product, create and configure the item in QBO first.

  • Tabs does not support creating new items directly, as this could affect data consistency between the two systems.

GL Accounts

Tabs pulls GL accounts from QBO but does not modify or add them. When sending an invoice, the GL impact is determined by the accounts mapped to the QBO item.

For cash reconciliations and month-end close, you can configure which GL accounts Tabs pushes to within the Tabs account mapping settings.

Currency Handling

If multi-currency is enabled in QBO, Tabs will use the customer's currency on invoices with the exchange rate provided by QBO.

Tax Handling

Tabs supports QuickBooks tax, Avalara, and Anrok tax providers. When pushing an invoice or credit memo to QBO, Tabs uses the tax provider's codes and maps them to the respective invoice items.

For US QuickBooks accounts:

  • Taxable customers: TAX is applied

  • Tax-exempt or reverse-charged customers: NON is applied

Invoice Field Mapping

QuickBooks Online

Tabs

Customer

Customer

Customer email

Primary billing contact email

Billing address

Customer address

Invoice date

Invoice issue date

Due date

Due date

Invoice number

Invoice number

Line item: Product/Service

Tabs product

Line item: Description

[Product name]: [Line item description]

Line item: Tax

QuickBooks, Anrok, or Avalara tax code (depending on mapping)

Line item: Quantity

Line item qty

Line item: Rate

Line item rate