Importing or exporting data with Intuit Information File (IIF) files

Intuit Interchange Format (IIF) files are text files that QuickBooks uses to import and export data. You will find the QuickBooks IIF import and export utilities on the File menu in the program.

Importing and exporting IIF files created by QuickBooks is fairly easy because QuickBooks formats the file for you.

However, creating IIF files from scratch or adapting data from another program is technically complex and may be difficult if you don't have experience formatting delimited text files. In that situation it may be faster and easier to enter the information directly into QuickBooks unless you have very large amounts of data to import.

Use IIF files to:

• Export lists from one QuickBooks company file and import them into another.

• Import transactions into QuickBooks from another program.

• Import QuickBooks Timer activities into a company file.

• Share data between different QuickBooks editions and platforms (such as Pro, Premier, and Enterprise; or Windows and Macintosh)

IIF limitations:

• Imported IIF files do not create links between transactions. For example, if one transaction is an invoice and another transaction is a payment for the invoice, the transactions will not be linked after importing the data. In this example you must open the payment in the Receive Payments window and apply it to the invoice after importing the data. If you need an import solution that links transactions, refer to the QuickBooks Solutions Marketplace for a listing of third-party QuickBooks developers.

• You must be in single-user mode to import or export data. This is to prevent other users from accessing data as it is being imported.

• You must be logged in as the Admin user. The QuickBooks Administrator is the only user that can import or export data. If you have not created users and roles in your company file, you are logged in as the Admin user by default.

• Payroll data cannot be imported or exported.

• Transactions can be imported but not exported. You can only export lists. However, you can import both lists and transactions.

• The amount of imported data. Refer to Maximum number of list items and transactions QuickBooks can process for details.

Lists that can be imported and exported using IIF files:

Chart of Accounts	Customer:Job	Vendor
Employee	Other Names List	Customer Type
Vendor Type	Class	Job Type
Item	Payment Terms	Payment Method
Shipping Method	Customer Message	Budgets
To Do Notes	Sales Rep	Price Level
Sales Tax Code

Transactions that can be imported using IIF files:

Account beginning balances	Vendor bills	Vendor bill refunds
Cash sales to customers	Cash refunds to customers	Credit card refunds to customers
Checks	Credit card transactions	Credit memos to customers
Deposits	Estimates	General journal entries
Invoices	Payments from customers	Purchase orders
Account transfers of funds

Sample IIF files and instructions:

QuickBooks IIF Import Kit
Contains an IIF import guide and examples of specific IIF transaction files that you can use as templates to import transactions.

Bundled and individual IIF file samples
Download IIF file examples in one bundle or individually by transaction type. Includes a sample company file to practice importing IIF files. Each IIF file contains a transaction and its associated list items (account, customer, item, etc.), showing how to combine different types of data in the same IIF file.

Caution: Make sure all accounts in your IIF file are created in QuickBooks prior to importing. If you import a transaction with an account that is not already created in the QuickBooks data file, that account will be created as a new bank account.

If this solution does not resolve the issue, you can read discussions and post messages and questions relating to your issue on the Intuit QuickBooks Community site for free or you can contact a technical support agent for additional guidance. Fees may apply.