If you use the desktop version of QuickBooks for your accounting software and Patriot Software to run payroll, you may want to export your payroll data into QuickBooks.   An Intuit Interchange Format (IIF) file is a file specifically used to import transactions into QuickBooks. You can create this file using Patriot and then upload it to your QuickBooks, so that you have all your payroll data easily accessible.  If you use QuickBooks Online, see the help article Integrating Patriot Software with QuickBooks Online.

Setting Up Your Export for QuickBooks Desktop

First, you will need to select QuickBooks Desktop by going to Settings > Payroll Settings > Payroll Integration Options.

You will then be able to add your QuickBooks account names in order to match the information from Patriot Software into QuickBooks.  This is a set-up process that you’ll only need to do once, or whenever your QuickBooks account names change.

There are categories of payroll information that you’ll need to assign QuickBooks account names in order to create a journal entry for your payroll.  You may use the same accounts for multiple categories.

You must type the name of your QuickBooks account name exactly how you have it set up in QuickBooks (including spaces) in order for the export file to match it to the correct account. Do not include the account number or the dot before the account name.  Otherwise, if the account names don’t exactly match, QuickBooks will create a new account with the name you have entered in Patriot Software.  You will then need to change it to the correct class in QuickBooks.

Below is how the screen looks if you are a Full-Service Payroll customer.  If you are a Basic Payroll customer, the only slight difference is Employee Tax and Employer Tax Remittance will be “applied to” the account of your choice, instead of “withdrawn from,” since Patriot is not withdrawing money for Basic customers.

Gross Pay – Gross pay is the total compensation you pay to your employees.

Net Pay – Net pay is the employee’s actual check amount after taxes and deductions have been taken.

Employee Taxes – Employee taxes are your employee’s tax obligations that you withhold from their pay and remit on their behalf.

Employer Tax (Expense) – This includes all employer taxes such as Social Security, Medicare, unemployment, and any other employer-paid taxes you may have in your state.  If you are a basic payroll customer, select the account to apply these entries.  If you are a Full-Service payroll customer, select the account these taxes will be withdrawn from.

Employer Tax (Remittance) – This represents the asset or liability account you will use to record your employer taxes expense.  If you are a basic payroll customer, select the account to apply these entries.  If you are a Full-Service payroll customer, select the account these taxes will be withdrawn from.

Employee Deductions – This includes all employee deductions, such as 401(k) or health insurance. You will only see this if you have at least one company level deduction set up in your Patriot Software payroll account.  You will enter an account for each employee deduction.

Employer Contributions – This includes all employer-paid contributions such as employer 401(k) contributions or the company portion of health insurance premiums.  You will only see this if you have at least one company level contribution set up in your Patriot Software payroll account.  You will be required to enter both an expense and liability account for each company level contribution in your Patriot Software payroll account.

Creating the QuickBooks File

You can create an IIF File any time after you run a payroll.  Go to Payroll > Payroll Tasks > Export Payroll.

• Enter the Start Date and End Date range for the pay dates you want to include.
  
• Select the employees to include.
  
• For the Source, you can include all payroll sources, or select certain types of payroll information.
  
• Enter a Starting Journal Entry (JE) Number for QuickBooks.
  
• Click “Run Export.”
  

The IIF file will download.  Save this file to your computer, and import it into QuickBooks.  We recommend that you also read Intuit’s help articles on importing transactions into QuickBooks and backing up your QuickBooks information prior to importing.

If you need to change account names after you have downloaded the file, you can re-run the export to recreate a new QuickBooks IIF file with new account names at any time.