How to Connect QuickBooks Online to Microsoft Excel

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If you’re a financial professional or business owner and also a QuickBooks Online power user, you are definitely aware of the platform’s shortcomings when it comes to data analysis and building impactful reports.

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That means you’re probably manually exporting data from QuickBooks into a spreadsheet platform, like Microsoft Excel, to slice data and make it tell a story.

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However, did you know you can use dozens of third-party integrations to sync your QuickBooks Online data to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet? We’re here to show you how.

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This comprehensive guide will explore several popular solutions for syncing your QuickBooks Online data with Microsoft Excel. We'll discuss each solution's unique features, ease of use, and cost and help you decide what solution is right for your business.

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Why Not Manually Export from QuickBooks to Excel?

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Sure. You could spend hours per month manually exporting QuickBooks Reports and spend even more time combining and organizing that data in your spreadsheet.

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If you are a financial professional with 10 clients, you could spend almost an entire week working hours just to set up your month-end reporting.

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That’s not to mention all the inaccuracies and errors you expose yourself to with manual data entry.

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Mike Amedeo, VP of Operations at 4B Marketing,  said he was spending 3-4 days a month just on reporting and quality assurance before LiveFlow.

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Plus, it’s 2024. Manual exports are so 2000s.

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More Than Data Connection

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The best QuickBooks to Microsoft Excel data connectors do more than move data from point A to point B; they can truly turbocharge your reporting workflows by generating live and impactful dashboards in seconds.

Imagine what you could do with all that free time: create actionable next steps for your clients, work on your short game at the golf course, or even read a book and work on getting that screen time down.

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In this article, we’ll cover a few of the most popular options, starting with LiveFlow and moving to Zapier, Coefficient, and QuickBooks' own solution, Spreadsheet Sync.

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LiveFlow

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Overview

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LiveFlow is a financial planning and analysis (FP&A) platform that syncs with QuickBooks Online and pulls your QBO reports into Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel.

Beyond just a data connector, LiveFlow allows you to use our library of over 100 customizable spreadsheet templates to complete your reporting in record time.

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How to Connect QuickBooks to Excel with LiveFlow

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• Book a free demo to get a walkthrough of the platform

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• Install the LiveFlow Excel Add-in

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• In the Home tab, click the LiveFlow icon

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• Sign in and connect your QuickBooks Online account

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• That’s it. You’re all set to start creating live reporting dashboards with just a few clicks.

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Pros

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• Quick setup and minimal learning curve: If you know your way around Excel, you’ll do great with LiveFlow.

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• Customizable templates: Gain access to over 100 customizable templates for a head start on your reporting.

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• Automated updates: LiveFlow's auto-refresh feature ensures your data is always current, enhancing report accuracy.

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• Outstanding customer support: LiveFlow’s Customer Success Team is with you every step, from onboarding to creating custom financial models.

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Cons

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• QuickBooks Online focused: If you use Xero or another accounting platform, LiveFlow hasn’t rolled out those integrations yet.

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Pricing

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LiveFlow offers a subscription model starting at $500 per month for a team of three users, with special pricing available for accountants.

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Zapier

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Overview

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Zapier is the Swiss Army Knife of data connectors and can pull data to and from over 1000 services and applications. After getting over the learning curve, you can connect pretty much anything on the the internet.

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Zapier acts as a connector between QuickBooks Online and Microsoft Excel using building blocks called Zaps. These Zaps are automated workflows that consist of two parts: a trigger and an action.

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For example you could set up a Zap that triggers every time you get an invoice in QuickBooks Online. When that Zap is triggered, it could send all of the customer information to a row on a given spreadsheet.

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How to Connect QuickBooks to Excel with Zapier

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‍Note: The above video covers How to Connect QuickBooks to Microsoft Excel with Zapier, but the steps are similar with Excel.

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• Create a Zapier account and log in.

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• Create a Zap and choose QuickBooks Online and Microsoft Excel as your apps to connect, then define your trigger and action.

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• Specify the data points you wish to transfer from QuickBooks to Excel.

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• Test the Zap

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• Finalize and turn on your Zap to start the automation process.

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Pros

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• Flexibility: Zapier's wide range of integrations offer unparalleled flexibility in connecting different apps and services.
  
  

• Customization: Because Zapier is so flexible, you can do just about anything with it. However, it will take some understanding of the platform.
  
  

• Bi-directional: Zapier is able to both export data from QuickBooks to Excel and vice versa.

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Cons

• Complexity: For simple tasks like pulling an invoice when it’s entered into QuickBooks, Zapier is fairly simple to setup, however complex reporting dashboards will take a lot of work to automate.
  
  
• Limited Financial Reporting Focus: While Zapier excels in general automation, it lacks specialized features and templates for financial reporting and analysis that could enhance the usefulness of QuickBooks data within Excel.
  
  
• Indirect Costs: The time investment in learning and setting up Zapier, alongside its subscription fees, can add up, affecting overall efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

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Pricing

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Zapier offers various pricing tiers starting from $19.99 per month, scaling up based on the number of tasks and complexity of the workflows needed. Businesses requiring extensive automation might need higher-tier plans to meet their needs.

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Coefficient

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Overview

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Coefficient offers a no-code solution to connect QuickBooks Online directly to Microsoft Excel. It simplifies importing financial data into spreadsheets, aiming to streamline the reporting and analysis workflow for businesses of all sizes. Like Zapier, Coefficient connects data to and from a variety of applications and services.

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For a deeper dive into how Coefficient stacks up against the competition, check out this article.

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How to Connect QuickBooks to Excel with Coefficient

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• Open Excel

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• Go to the File tab then click Get Add-Ins

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• Search for Coefficient and Install

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•  Access the Coefficient Add-In from within the Excel Home tab

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• Authorize Coefficient to access your QuickBooks Online account to allow data flow into Excel.

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• Choose which financial reports or data points you wish to import into your spreadsheets.

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Pros

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• Ease of Use: Coefficient's straightforward setup process makes it accessible for users without technical expertise.
  
  
• Real-Time Data Sync: It offers the convenience of syncing data in real-time, keeping financial reports current.
  
  
• Array of Integrations: Like Zapier, Coefficient connects with a variety of apps, like Salesforce, Looker, and Google Analytics.

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Cons

• Focus on Data Sync Over Reporting: Coefficient excels in data synchronization but lacks deeper integration features like a vast library of reporting templates that elevate and speed up financial analysis and reporting.

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• Time Sink for Power Users: Because Coefficient is more of a data connector than a financial planning and analysis platform, you will spend a lot of time creating reports in Excel.

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Pricing

Coefficient operates on a subscription model, with pricing starting at $99 per month per user. This can become a consideration for businesses looking for a comprehensive solution that balances functionality with cost efficiency.

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QuickBooks Spreadsheet Sync

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Overview

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It wouldn’t be right for us to wrap up this article without covering QuickBooks’ own data connector. Spreadsheet Sync is an offering from Intuit, the makers of QuickBooks Online, that is available on the Advanced pricing tier.

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Spreadsheet Sync is a basic data connector that can push QuickBooks reports to Excel. For more information, we have a detailed overview of the tool here.

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How to Connect QuickBooks to Excel with Spreadsheet Sync

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• Open Excel

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• In the File tab, select Get Add-Ins

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• Search for Spreadsheet Sync and install the Add-In

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• Select Launch Add-In Spreadsheet Sync in the Home navigation bar.

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• Select Sign in.

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• Enter your QuickBooks Online user ID and password in the Spreadsheet Sync panel.

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• Select Sign in.

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• Choose the reports or data you’d like to sync with your spreadsheet.

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Pros

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• Does the Job: Assuming you have QuickBooks Online Advanced, this does sync data with Excel and automatically refresh it for no additional cost.‍

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• Bi-Directional: Spreadsheet Sync can sync data to and from QuickBooks Online and Microsoft Excel.

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Cons

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• Limited Customization: Any additional columns and rows you add to the live dashboards will be erased once the report is refreshed. This isn’t great for users who have complex businesses with bespoke reporting needs.

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Pricing

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QuickBooks Spreadsheet Sync is available with the Advanced tier of QuickBooks Online. Pricing for QBO Advanced starts at $200 per month.

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Choosing the Right Solution for Your Business

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So, now that you know about the most popular data connectors and FP&A platforms that can sync your QuickBooks Online data with Excel, what’s the next step? How do you choose the right platform for your reporting needs?

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Assess Your Reporting Needs

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Begin by evaluating the complexity of your financial reporting. If you are an enterprising accountant, fractional CFO, or part of finance team working with demanding clients or stakeholders, you may need more than just basic data syncing.

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Platforms like LiveFlow include powerful templates, tools and support for your comprehensive analysis and dynamic reporting. It allows you to create customizable dashboards that tell a story with your data, and save you hour per month and days per year in your reporting workflow.

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Consider Ease of Use

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For finance teams seeking to maximize productivity, the ease of setup and ongoing management is crucial. So, platforms that offer a straightforward, intuitive user experience can significantly reduce the learning curve, allowing your team to focus on the important stuff, like data analysis and communicating findings with your team.

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Evaluate Customization and Flexibility

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The ability to tailor reports to the specific needs of your stakeholders can be priceless, especially if you work with clients in specific niches that require a more bespoke touch.

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Platforms like LiveFlow provide a high degree of customization and flexibility in how data is presented and can significantly enhance the value of your financial reports.

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Think About Future Scalability

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As your business grows, your financial reporting needs will also. Opting for a solution that can scale with your business—handling increased data volume and more complex reporting requirements—is essential for long-term success.

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That thinking should also carry over to the scaling of your chosen platform’s pricing, as tools like Zapier can scale in price depending on your use.

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What About Your Support?

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The final crucial element in choosing a third-party integration platform to connect your QuickBooks Online data to Microsoft Excel is customer support.

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From onboarding to creating your first dashboard, having a knowledgeable team behind you to answer any questions that come up is important to ensure you and your team get the most bang for your buck.

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Turbocharging Your Financial Reporting with the Right Platform

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Your clients and stakeholders rely on you to tell a story with their data and communicate it clearly to them.

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So, whether you run a business, or are a financial professional, the ability to quickly generate live, impactful reports from your QuickBooks Online data is not just an advantage—it's a necessity. 

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Now that you know how to connect your QuickBooks Online reports to Microsoft Excel, the ball is in your court.

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Since you’re already here, we would like the opportunity to show you around the LiveFlow platform. A lot of smart financial minds love LiveFlow and we think you will, too.

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