How to Connect QuickBooks Online to Tabs

Last updated: August 27, 2026

Overview

The Tabs <> QuickBooks Online (QBO) integration allows Tabs to sync invoicing, customer, and accounting data with QuickBooks.

Once connected, Tabs can:

  • Sync customers between systems

  • Push invoices and credit memos to QuickBooks

  • Import products, classes, and chart of accounts from QuickBooks

  • Sync payments both ways

  • Push journal entries during month-end close workflows

QuickBooks Desktop is not supported. This integration is QuickBooks Online only.

Before You Start

Before connecting QuickBooks Online to Tabs, confirm the following:

  • You have admin access in both Tabs and QuickBooks Online

  • You are connecting a QuickBooks Online company (not QuickBooks Desktop)

  • Automatically apply credits is turned off in QuickBooks Online (see Step 1)

  • Close Management is enabled in Tabs if you plan to sync journal entries to QuickBooks

If Avalara is already connected to Tabs, set up tax rates in QuickBooks first, or disconnect Avalara before connecting. QuickBooks has limited support for third-party tax rates, and running both can miscalculate tax on invoices.

Step 1: Turn off Automatically apply credits in QuickBooks

QuickBooks Online can automatically apply credit memos to the oldest unpaid invoice. Tabs must control when credits are applied. If this QuickBooks setting stays on, credits can attach to the wrong invoice, balances can drift between Tabs and QuickBooks, and invoice sends can fail.

This QuickBooks setting is separate from any credit-application settings in Tabs. Leave Tabs credit application as your implementation team configured it; turn the QuickBooks setting off.

In QuickBooks Online:

  1. Go to Settings (gear icon) and select Account and settings

  2. Select the Advanced tab

  3. Select Edit in the Automation section

  4. Turn Automatically apply credits off

  5. Select Save, then Done

Intuit's documentation for this setting: Create and apply credit memos or delayed credits in QuickBooks Online

Do this before you connect Tabs, and leave it off for as long as the integration is in use.

If you do not see Automatically apply credits (some international QuickBooks Online companies do not show it), contact Tabs Support before connecting.

Step 2: Connect QuickBooks in Tabs

In Tabs:

  1. Navigate to Integrations

  2. Select the QuickBooks integration tile

  3. Click Connect

  4. Sign in to Intuit and choose the QuickBooks Online company Tabs should sync with

  5. Grant Tabs access when prompted

Once connected, Tabs will automatically import:

  • Customers

  • Products / Items

  • Chart of Accounts (including bank accounts)

  • Classes (if class tracking is enabled in QuickBooks)

  • Historical invoices

  • Payments

The QuickBooks tile then shows Manage and Sync instead of Connect.

If the connection expires or needs updated permissions, the tile prompts you to sign in again. Reconnect through the same flow.

Step 3: Configure cash and reconciliation accounts

After connecting, open the QuickBooks integration page in Tabs (Integrations → QuickBooks tile → Manage) and configure the following. Cash and reconciliation accounts are required if you are using Tabs for cash application.

Undeposited Funds Account

The QuickBooks account where incoming invoice cash is posted before it is moved to your bank. QuickBooks only accepts a Bank or Other Current Asset account here.

Earned revenue

The default account credited when recognizing revenue.

Invoice reconciliation accounts

The accounts used for invoice write-offs and reconciliation workflows (for example, Bad debt and Bank fees).

Step 4: Validate the integration

We recommend validating the following before going live.

Customer sync

  • Create or update a customer in Tabs

  • Confirm the customer appears in QuickBooks

Invoice sync

  • Send a test invoice from Tabs

  • Confirm the invoice appears correctly in QuickBooks

  • Confirm the customer received the invoice email from Tabs only (QuickBooks should not send a duplicate)

Credit memo sync

  • Apply a credit memo in Tabs

  • Confirm it syncs to QuickBooks

  • Confirm QuickBooks did not auto-apply it to a different open invoice

If the credit memo applies itself in QuickBooks without an action in Tabs, Automatically apply credits is still on. Turn it off (Step 1) and retry.

Payment sync

  • Record a test payment in Tabs

  • Confirm the payment appears in QuickBooks, deposited to the Undeposited Funds Account you configured

Journal entry sync

  • Run a month-end close workflow in Tabs

  • Confirm journal entries appear correctly in QuickBooks

Need Help?

If you experience issues connecting or validating the integration, contact Tabs Support.