Install TimeForge with Quickbooks 2013

Open the TimeForge Accounting Translator

With your QuickBooks company file open, open the TimeForge Accounting Translator. To use TimeForge you need a TimeForge account and a TimeForge Web Service account.

If you already have a Web Service account, click Click here to enter your existing Web Service account information.
If you are a new user, click Click here to sign up for a brand new TimeForge account.

Then click Click here to allow access to the open company file.

TimeForge Accounting Translator with links to enter Web Service account information, sign up, get help, and allow access to the open company file

Allow TimeForge to access your company file

QuickBooks asks whether to allow the application, which calls itself TimeForge, to read and modify the company file. Select Yes, whenever this QuickBooks company file is open, then click Continue.

QuickBooks Application with No Certificate window with “Yes, whenever this QuickBooks company file is open” selected

QuickBooks warns that the application is not signed with a digital certificate. Click Yes to allow the access.

QuickBooks Confirm to Proceed window asking “Are you sure you want to allow this access?”

QuickBooks confirms that TimeForge can read and modify QuickBooks data (not including personal data) whenever the company file is open. Click Done.

QuickBooks Access Confirmation window listing the access rights granted to TimeForge

The Translator now shows your company file as the Current Project.

TimeForge Accounting Translator showing the company file TF Test.qbw as the Current Project

Choose the payroll item types

In the Translator, open the Options menu and select Settings. Under Payroll Setting, choose the QuickBooks payroll item type to import each kind of payroll with:

Select payroll item type to import payroll with (for example, Hourly)
Select payroll item type to import overtime payroll with (for example, Overtime)
Select payroll item type to import double overtime payroll with

Check Get approved attendance from all locations if you want attendance from every location, then click Save.

Translator Settings window with three payroll item type drop-downs, the Get approved attendance from all locations check box, and Save and Cancel buttons

The drop-downs list the payroll items set up in your QuickBooks company file.

Payroll item type drop-down open, showing the options Hourly and Overtime

Compare the employee lists

Open the Options menu and select Employee List. The Translator lists the Employees in TimeForge, but not in QuickBooks and the Employees in QuickBooks, but not in TimeForge. Hours can only be imported for employees who are in both.

Translator Employee List window with one list of employees in TimeForge but not in QuickBooks and another of employees in QuickBooks but not in TimeForge

Add missing employees to QuickBooks

For each employee who is in TimeForge but not in QuickBooks, add them in QuickBooks with the same name. On the employee’s Payroll Info tab, add the earnings items they’re paid with (for example, Hourly and Overtime, with their rates), and check Use time data to create paychecks.

QuickBooks New Employee window on the Payroll Info tab, with Hourly and Overtime earnings items and Use time data to create paychecks checked

The employee now appears in the QuickBooks Employee Center.

QuickBooks Employee Center with the newly added employee selected

Open the Translator’s Employee List again to check: the employee you added is no longer listed under Employees in TimeForge, but not in QuickBooks.

Translator Employee List after adding the employee, who no longer appears in the TimeForge-only list

Transfer your time sheets into QuickBooks

Open the Options menu and select Synchronize. In the Transfer window, choose the Start Date and End Date of the hours to import, then click Transfer.

Translator Transfer window with Start Date and End Date fields and Transfer and Cancel buttons

Synchronizing can take several minutes. Choose Yes, please notify me with a pop-up window to be told when it’s done, or No thanks, just synchronize the information, then click Continue.

Message Notification window asking whether to be notified when the synchronization is done

The status bar at the bottom of the Translator reads SYNCHRONIZING while the hours are imported.

Translator with SYNCHRONIZING in the status bar

Review the imported time sheets

In the QuickBooks Employee Center, select the employee, open the Enter Time menu and select Use Weekly Timesheet.

QuickBooks Enter Time menu open, showing Use Weekly Timesheet and Time / Enter Single Activity

The hours imported from TimeForge appear on the employee’s weekly timesheet under their payroll item, ready for you to run payroll.

QuickBooks Weekly Timesheet showing 4 hours of Hourly time imported for Tuesday

If you have more than one location

Open the Options menu and select Locations.

Translator Options menu with Settings, Synchronize, Employee List and Locations

Click Add, enter the Location Name and Location PayrollId, and click Save. Repeat for each location. To change a location, select it and click Edit.

Translator Locations window with Add and Edit buttons, and a Location window with Location Name and Location PayrollId fields

When you synchronize, the Transfer window now has a Locations drop-down. Choose the location to import hours for before you click Transfer.

Translator Transfer window with the Locations drop-down open, listing two locations