Expense Categories for Quickbooks

LeighSmith

We have QB set up for each of the seven company departments to have their own travel, mileage, food, etc. expense categories. So, there isn't just one category to map to in Expensify. How do you set up Expensify expense items to recognize the correct GL code per department since we have seven mileage GL codes based on department? Thank you.

Sheena Trepanier

Hi @LeighSmith, the name in Expensify for a category imported from QB will match exactly what that account is named in QB. This means if you have an account named "Marketing - Client Dinners" in QB, that is how it will appear in Expensify.

You also have the option of applying a mask to the name that is imported from QuickBooks Online once it's synced into Expensify. For example, if you had an account named "Marketing - Client Dinners" in QB, but only wanted employees to see "Client Dinners" in Expensify, you could apply a mask to the name instead. Then, when expenses using "Client Dinners" is exported to QB, the category name as it appears in QB is used instead. The mask is simply a way for admins to make choosing categories quick and painless for employees.

Cheers!

Rachael Hopkins

Hi @LeighSmith Welcome to the Expensify Community!

I see you haven't connected QuickBooks as yet - are you using Desktop or Online?

You would either want to rename the GL accounts in QB with the department name e.g. Marketing - Mileage, Legal - Mileage, Partners - Mileage etc.

OR you could set up one Policy per department, and disable the categories you don't want them to use.

The first option might take a little prep, but it will be easier to maintain in the long run. Managing seven policies might get not-fun real quick!

LeighSmith

Thank you so much! So - will Expensify automatically name the categories to whatever they are in Quickbooks GL accounts? For example we have an Expensify category called Client Dinners, but we do not have that in QB. It has a different name in the GL ledger. But I want to make sure that I understand that whatever it is called in QB will determine what it is called in Expensify once it is integrated. (And it is QB Desktop)

LeighSmith

We actually already have the GL set up the way you suggest by departments. I am just not sure how that shows in Expensify.

LeighSmith

@Sheena Trepanier Do you ever take a phone call for me to ask questions that are difficult to explain here?

Karisa Latta

Thanks @LeighSmith !

Without the direct integration for QuickBooks Desktop, your categories won't ever map or upload to QB correctly. Have you tried following our connection guide?

Once you successfully connect Expensify to QuickBooks Desktop, your category list in Expensify will automatically update with GL items from QuickBooks - identical names and even possibly the GL Codes (Control plan only). Any expenses coded in Expensify before you make the connection will need to be edited so they have a QB GL account applied.

I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have more questions.