Quickbooks Interface

Quickbooks Interface

Accounting Background:
Jayhawk Software has many years of experience in working with our utility customers and their accounting needs. Because of our prior experience in developing an interface for our Solus software with the Cougar Mountain accounting software, and recognizing the needs of some of our smaller customers, we developed an interface with QuickBooks. QuickBooks is less expensive than a comprehensive accounting package and has recently added and improved features such as standard file import capability, period locks and “Classes” feature, which make it a suitable option for smaller cities and districts. With this in mind, we developed an interface with QuickBooks that has similar ease of use and functionality as our Cougar Mountain Interface.

Solus QuickBooks Interface:
Solus integrates via the QuickBooks File menu import into the GL Journal and Bank Account for ALL utility transactions created in Solus (with incrementing export file numbers and type/batch reference numbers, so it is very easy to keep the two balanced).  It works with the QuickBooks “GL accounts” or can also utilize “Classes”. We have customers using either of those setups on many different levels (cash-basis or accrual-basis).  Also, we have more than just “utility billing” integration because we started with that and have kept adding features as customers needed/requested. (And we hope to add more for other payment receipts and municipal court in the future, which are currently tracked by reports for manual entry into any accounting system.)  Here are some examples of how utility transactions would affect QuickBooks:

  • Utility Payments – Payment Receipts import into Bank accounts typically by bank deposits totals (our software can do “cash-basis” only or accrual-basis – see next…)
  • Utility Bills – If using Accounts Receivable, it imports batch totals into GL A/R and revenue accounts (our software keeps the billing/payment account detail so AR detail is not needed in QuickBooks)
  • Utility Service Deposits – In GL and Bank accounts – advanced tracking from payment to refund (creates refund checks to customers) with options for interest and applying toward balance due
  • Other Utility Billing Adjustments/Transactions – into GL or Bank accounts (depends on what they are, if affect bank account or only GL)

The initial Solus setup is very simple and the time/frequency of posting from Solus to QuickBooks is completely flexible (the clerk can do as often as needed, from daily to only once a week/month/etc. as needed for the city’s typical process.) This integration not only saves time, but helps greatly reduce errors by incorrect keying or missing transactions.  Solus requires all transactions to be posted before a month can be closed and every entry done in Solus that should affect accounting will export (but only once) so nothing is missed, or duplicated.

Although we are well versed in the interface between Solus and QuickBooks, we do not provide support services for the QuickBooks software itself. We recommend that you have your auditor or accountant involved and utilize them if possible for any QuickBooks setup and support. We also have public accountants that are very familiar with QuickBooks that we can refer for additional assistance if needed.

Additional Information:
Are you interested in a demo or getting more information from one of our training and support “experts” with accounting backgrounds? Call our Sales Department at 620-365-8065 today to get started with a quote or a demo or email sales@jayhawksoftware.com!