QuickBooks Point of Sale: To Import or Not to Import My QuickBooks Items

When setting up QuickBooks Point of Sale (QBPOS), one important decision is whether to import your items from QuickBooks Desktop or create them anew in QBPOS. This decision can significantly impact the efficiency and accuracy of your inventory management.

The decision to import items from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Point of Sale depends on several factors, including the current state of your item list, the complexity of your inventory, and your business's specific needs.

Importing can save time and ensure consistency because there is no need to enter item information into QuickBooks financial software manually. Imported items are immediately available for use.

Another benefit is efficiency. You can consolidate your items in the point-of-sale program, resulting in more efficient purchasing and inventory control and more meaningful reporting.

The last benefit is that there are fewer data entry errors. Less manual data entry means a lower likelihood of data entry errors.

But it may also introduce unnecessary complexity and irrelevant data. Conversely, starting fresh allows for a more tailored and streamlined setup but requires more upfront work.

If you have many outdated inventory items in QuickBooks, you may not want to transfer them to your point-of-sale system. In this case, it's a good idea to spend time cleaning up your QuickBooks item list by updating old records and deleting or deactivating unused items. You can always import these items later, if needed.

The other reason you might not want to import your QuickBooks items is that they may not be defined to take advantage of the advanced inventory features of the point of sale. For example, if you only have the Pro version, you won't be able to group your items into styles.

It may be easier to start fresh by manually entering your items at the point of sale to take full advantage of the features not available in QuickBooks financial software.

Evaluate your inventory needs, the state of your current data, and the specific requirements of your point-of-sale operations to make the best decision for your business.

[This video tutorial describes the pros and cons of whether or not to import your QuickBooks items in QuickBooks financial software- QuickBooks Point of Sale.]

Contact us to schedule your free consultation to get the most benefit from your software. We provide custom software solutions to optimize business processes and gain a competitive advantage.