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Convert CSV to QBO: why journal entries don't need a .qbo file

Updated

The short answer

You do not convert a journal entry CSV to .qbo. A .qbo (Web Connect) file carries bank or card transactions for the bank feed. Journal entries are imported as a plain CSV with Settings, Import data, Journal Entries, so keep the file as CSV and make the columns match.

How to do it by hand

  1. Decide what the data is. Bank or card transactions you want in the bank feed: that is what a .qbo file is for. Debits and credits you have worked out yourself, like a month of sales: that is a journal entry.
  2. For journal entries, keep the CSV. Use the columns Journal No., Journal Date, Account Name, Debits, Credits, Description.
  3. Open Import data. In QuickBooks Online choose Settings, then Import data, then Journal Entries, and upload the CSV.
  4. Map the columns and import. Confirm each column maps to the right field and finish the import.
  5. For bank transactions instead. Use the bank upload screen, which accepts CSV with its own column layout as well as .qbo files. That is a different format from the journal entry one.

Why this happens

Both formats exist for different jobs. Converting your sales totals to .qbo would present them as bank transactions that need matching, which is the wrong place for revenue.

When the manual way is not enough

If you already have a CSV and are unsure it is laid out right, drop it into the free journal entry CSV checker. It runs in your browser and never uploads the file.

The faster path: Studio Month-End writes the journal entry CSV straight from your studio sales export, so there is nothing to convert. Free covers one studio and one month's import file download, ever; Studio is $19/mo and Bookkeeper is $59/mo for up to 15 studios. Your export is read in your browser and never uploaded. Try it free, or see pricing.