Pool Brain supports a 2 way automatic sync with Quickbooks Online so that when you change information in either program, it will automatically update in the other.
For example, if you change the name of a customer or edit an invoice amount in Quickbooks Online, it will automatically change the customer name and/or invoice amount in Pool Brain and vice versa.
This way you can choose which platform you want to work from without having to worry about data inconsistency, manual review or needing to input the info twice. (although we always recommend you work from Pool Brain primarily)
Below is a detailed breakdown on which fields in Quickbooks online (QBO) are mapped to which fields in Pool Brain (PB).
Mapped = fields that update when the other is updated in either program
Customer Information Fields
Customer name in PB = display name in QBO
Primary contact first name in PB = first name in QBO
Primary contact last name in PB = last name in QBO
Primary contact email in PB = email in QBO
Primary contact phone number in PB = phone number in QBO
Billing address in PB = billing address in QBO
(shipping address in QBO is synced to PB on initial import as an additional address but will not update with any 2 way sync changes after that)
Archive customer in PB = make customer inactive in QBO
Additional addresses and contacts in PB are not synced to QBO as QBO only has space for a single billing and shipping address and one set of contact info.
"Sub customers" in QBO are not synced to PB
Invoice Related Syncing
(Invoices, payments and refunds sync toggle must be turned on in settings)
Invoice created in PB = same in QBO
Please note that QBO does not allow us to sync "Bundles" to QBO so instead, we sync the LINE ITEMS within a bundle on an invoice in PB to the invoice in QBO. Line item name, quantity, price/rate and tax setting are all synced on the invoice from PB to QBO.
If you edit anything on an invoice in QBO that has bundle line items on it, the change will NOT sync back to PB. This is the only exception to full two way syncing listed here. PB to QBO sync will always work as stated.
Invoice product or service added/removed in PB = same in QBO
Invoice product or service description in PB = same in QBO
Invoice due date in PB = same in QBO
Invoice billing address in PB = same in QBO
Invoice service address in PB = invoice shipping address in QBO
Invoice notes field in PB = message on invoice field in QBO
Discount % option in PB = discount percentage option in QBO
Discount $ option in PB = discount fixed value option in QBO
Deleting an entire invoice does not sync but deleting line items does - zero out the invoice instead or delete in both programs
Payment Related Syncing
(Invoices, payments and refunds sync toggle must be turned on in settings)
Payment created in PB = same in QBO
(Payment method selected such as cash, check, ACH, etc will also reflect in both places. If payment method is left blank in QBO when creating a payment, it will be categorized as "other" in PB)
Account Credit created in PB = payment created in QBO with adjustment/credit as the payment method
Payment/credit applied or unapplied to an invoice in PB = same in QBO
Editing payment/credit amount in PB = same in QBO
Payment/credit notes field in PB = payment memo field in QBO
Payment/credit voided in PB = same in QBO
Refunding a payment in PB = refund receipt created in QBO
(if a payment is created originally in QBO, it will need to be refunded in QBO which will be indicated on the payment that was synced in PB)
Deleting actions do not sync - zero out the payment instead
Sales Taxes Setup and Syncing
Sales tax on an invoice can be automatically synced from PB to QBO and vice versa, but it requires a specific setup. QBO has very specific limitations on what we can manage for taxes.
To use and sync taxes:
In Pool Brain, go to settings as an admin user and scroll down to Billing Defaults section. At the bottom, you'll see an area called "Tax Rates".
Click "Add" to create a new tax rate
Enter a tax name and a percentage amount
IMPORTANT: The sales tax NAME and PERCENTAGE amount must be identical in both programs or it will not work and may cause billing discrepancies
Choose whether you want a default tax type to be added to all newly created invoices or leave default as "None"
Setup tax rate(s) in Quickbooks Online with names and percentage amounts that exactly match whatever you added in Pool Brain
Products and Services related Syncing
(products and services sync toggle must be turned on in settings)
Creating any product/service in either program will create the same in the other program
Editing any of the fields below in either program will update the same in the other program
Name in PB = same in QBO
Part number field in PB = SKU field in QBO
Description in PB = same in QBO
Price in PB = Sales price/rate in QBO
Cost in PB = same in QBO
Category / sub category in PB = same in QBO
Charge tax checkbox in PB = Taxable / non taxable status in QBO