Auto-associate a Credit Memo with an Invoice when creating a QuickBooks IIF File

Question

We have a system built that exports invoices to an IIF file format so the client can import the invoices and all the invoice line items into QuickBooks.

This same system allows the client to export credit memos to an IIF format so those can be imported into QuickBooks as well.

The default behavior is that the credit is applied to the customer account and not necessarily to a specific invoice. They want to apply the credit to the invoice and to do that they go in to QuickBooks after the import and then associate them together. Unfortunately, the IIF format doesnt appear to support this directly according to http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/Articles/HOW12778

Imported IIF files do not create links between transactions. When you import an invoice and a payment for the invoice, they are not linked after the import. You must link them, and all other pairs, in the Receive Payments window or Pay Bills window. If you need an import solution that links transactions, refer to the Intuit Marketplace for third-party developers.

So can anyone recommend a solution? Or should we recommend the client finally move away from the .IIF file and start using the QuickBooks Web Connector? Is there support for this in there?

Thanks!

Answer 1

So can anyone recommend a solution?

If you're using IIF files (a file format that has been deprecated for about 8 years now, and which is known to cause corruption issues with QuickBooks files) then there is no solution.

You should use the SDK/Web Connector instead, as the XML API is much better supported by Intuit and includes support for linking/applying transactions.

Or should we recommend the client finally move away from the .IIF file and start using the QuickBooks Web Connector?

Yes.

Is there support for this in there?

Nope.