How to import a QBO file into QuickBooks Desktop

A QBO file is a bank statement in the Web Connect format. This guide covers getting one into QuickBooks Desktop and onto the right account.

Before you start

• Back up your company file. Use File → Back Up Company → Create Local Backup. Imported transactions can be removed afterwards, but a backup is quicker.
• Check the date range. Import only dates you have not already entered, so that you do not create duplicates of transactions typed in by hand.
• Have the QBO file ready. If your bank only offers CSV, convert the CSV to QBO first.

Import the file

1. Open your company file in single-user mode.
2. Choose File → Utilities → Import → Web Connect Files.
3. Browse to the .qbo file and open it.
4. QuickBooks asks which account the statement belongs to. Choose Use an existing QuickBooks account and select it from the list, or choose Create a new QuickBooks account.
5. Click Continue. QuickBooks confirms that the data has been read.

Review the transactions

1. Open Banking → Bank Feeds → Bank Feeds Center.
2. Select the account and open the transaction list.
3. For each transaction, confirm the payee and account, then add it to the register. Transactions that match existing entries are marked as matched.

If the account does not appear in the list

QuickBooks links each account to one bank feed. If the account you want is missing from the list in step 4, it is probably already linked to a different feed. To free it:

1. Open the Chart of Accounts, right-click the account and choose Edit Account.
2. Open the Bank Feed Settings tab and select Deactivate All Online Services.
3. Save, then import the QBO file again.

Deactivating stops automatic downloads for that account until you set them up again, so only do this for accounts you update by file.

Seeing an error message instead? See how to fix Web Connect import errors.