Connecting QuickBooks Online to Careswitch reduces duplicate data entry:
Private-pay and VA invoices sync to QuickBooks automatically.
Payments and write-offs recorded in Careswitch sync to QuickBooks.
Payments recorded by your bookkeeper in QuickBooks appear on matching private-pay invoices in Careswitch.
Medicaid and other third-party claims remain in Careswitch and don't sync.
What syncs between the two systems?
Billing type | Careswitch → QuickBooks | QuickBooks → Careswitch |
Private-pay invoices, including client, family, organization, and Embedded Billing / Stripe invoices | Creates an invoice when sent and updates it when changed. Sends payments, write-offs, and voids. | Shows payments recorded in QuickBooks on the invoice. |
VA invoices | Creates an invoice when the claim is submitted. Sends ERA payments and corrections. | No sync back. |
Medicaid / MCO claims | No sync. | No sync. |
Reimbursement invoices | No sync. | No sync. |
Create and edit invoice contents in Careswitch. Use QuickBooks to view accounting records and record payments received there.
Before you start
Have these ready:
Permission to manage billing settings in Careswitch. Workspace admins have this permission. See Roles and permissions.
An Intuit login with access to the QuickBooks Online company you want to connect.
QuickBooks items for the services you bill, such as Personal Care and Companionship, plus an item for write-offs. If needed, prepare a convenience fee item and payment-correction accounts, explained below.
No other accounting system syncing with the workspace. Only one accounting sync can be active. Turn off NetSuite live sync first if it is enabled.
Complete setup and go live before sending a billing run. Invoices sent before live sync begins aren't copied to QuickBooks afterward. See the FAQ for details.
Step 1: Connect your QuickBooks company
Go to Settings → Billing and find Accounting.
On the QuickBooks Online card, click Connect QuickBooks.
Sign in to Intuit and select the company you want to connect.
The card shows Connected, Needs reattention, or Not connected, along with the company and last sync time. Click Manage to open the QuickBooks settings page and continue setup.
The Connection card shows the company, Realm ID, environment, and Live sync status. New connections start in Test mode. Nothing syncs until you go live in step 6.
A workspace can connect to only one QuickBooks company at a time.
Step 2: Map services to QuickBooks items
This step happens on the QuickBooks settings page, not on the main Billing settings page.
Where to find it
Go to Settings → Billing.
In the Accounting section, find the QuickBooks Online card and click Manage.
On the QuickBooks settings page, the Service items card is the second card, just below Connection.
The item's income account in QuickBooks determines where the service revenue is posted.
An invoice with an unmapped service can't sync. It shows “Missing QBO item mapping for service(s): …” until you complete the mapping.
Step 3: Set up write-offs and convenience fees
In Adjustments & convenience fee, configure:
Adjustments: choose the QuickBooks item for write-offs. This is required to sync write-offs made using Add Adjustment.
Add convenience fee to QuickBooks invoices: enable this only when clients pay through Careswitch's Embedded Billing / Stripe and QuickBooks is used for bookkeeping. Select a Convenience fee item different from the write-off item. The QuickBooks invoice receives a “Convenience fee” line. This setting is off by default.
Including the convenience fee makes the QuickBooks total match the client's full payment through Careswitch. If clients pay through QuickBooks instead, leave this setting off.
See the FAQ and Collecting private-pay payments and convenience fees.
Step 4: Choose payment-correction accounts
In Payment-correction accounts, select the accounts and click Save accounts:
Receivables: your Accounts Receivable account.
Cash / clearing: the account where synced payments are deposited. Choose a Bank or Other Current Asset account. You can't select Undeposited Funds here. If you leave the field blank, payments are deposited to Undeposited Funds.
These accounts are used when a payment needs correction, such as a VA payment being partly taken back or a private-pay payment being reduced.
Careswitch usually voids the payment and posts it again in QuickBooks. If the original payment is in a closed period, included in a bank deposit, or from a prior month, Careswitch posts a dated reversal entry between these accounts instead. The original payment isn't deleted.
Corrections requiring a reversal stay paused, with an explanatory message, until both accounts are selected.
Step 5: Map clients to QuickBooks customers
The QuickBooks customer is always the client receiving care, even when a family member or organization pays. The payer's email and billing address appear on the invoice itself.
Each client maps to one QuickBooks customer, and each customer can be mapped to only one client.
In Customer mapping:
Review the closest name matches, marked Suggested, and change any that aren't correct.
Use Auto-match all to fill in suggestions for clients who are still unmapped.
If a client isn't in QuickBooks, select Create new customer. When you save, Careswitch creates the customer using the client's name, email, and address.
Use Search clients... to find a client.
Click Save customers.
You can also map a client from their profile. The QuickBooks section shows “Linked · last updated [date]” or “Not linked to a QuickBooks customer yet.” Click Edit to select a customer or Create new customer.
What happens if a client isn't mapped?
When an invoice syncs, Careswitch automatically links the client only if a QuickBooks customer has the exact same name and email. Otherwise, it creates a customer.
If QuickBooks already has a customer with the same name but a different email, sync stops and asks you to resolve the duplicate or map the client manually. Mapping clients before syncing helps avoid duplicate customers.
Archived clients appear in the list, marked Archived, when an invoice needs their mapping to sync.
Step 6: Turn on live sync
In Go live, click Run test sync & enable. Careswitch checks the connection to your QuickBooks company, then enables live sync. The card shows Live sync enabled.
This check doesn't create a test invoice in QuickBooks. New activity syncs automatically from this point onward.
When invoices, payments, and adjustments sync
Invoices
Private-pay invoices sync when first sent using Send Invoice, Mark Sent, the first Download Invoice, or Charge Now. Resending doesn't create another invoice.
VA invoices sync when the claim is submitted and when a corrected claim is resubmitted.
Changes after syncing, including edits and moved line items, update the same QuickBooks invoice. If QuickBooks already has a payment on it, the invoice isn't overwritten. Activity records “the QuickBooks invoice is already paid — not overwritten.”
Payments recorded in Careswitch
These payments sync if the QuickBooks invoice already exists:
Mark Paid and Record Payment.
Card and bank payments through Embedded Billing.
VA ERA payments, dated using the remittance date.
Write-offs
Add Adjustment creates a credit memo in QuickBooks using the Adjustments item.
Adjustments that bill the amount to a new invoice don't sync. Handle those manually in QuickBooks.
Voids and reopened invoices
Mark Void, Mark Void and Reopen, and Mark Reopened void the QuickBooks invoice and any payments Careswitch pushed to it, subject to the payment checks explained in “Void, reopen, or correct an invoice” below.
Sync timing
Careswitch sends changes to QuickBooks within a few minutes. Failed syncs retry automatically, subject to the retry limits described below.
What appears on the QuickBooks invoice?
Detail | What syncs |
Lines | One line per charge, such as “Jane Doe: 2026-10-01 9:00–13:00, Maria Lopez Reg 4 hrs @ $32.00”. Travel time, mileage, and expenses have separate lines. |
Invoice date | The date the invoice was sent in Careswitch. |
Memo | “Private Pay”, “VA”, or the organization's name. |
Not set by Careswitch | Due date, terms, tax, class, and location. Set these in QuickBooks if needed. |
Not sent | Care notes and Stripe processing fees. |
Invoice numbers
Invoice numbering depends on your QuickBooks settings:
Custom transaction numbers on: QuickBooks uses the Careswitch number, such as CS-PP-1023, so both systems match.
Custom transaction numbers off: QuickBooks assigns the number, and Careswitch displays it.
The middle letters identify the payment type: PP for private pay, VA, GU for guide, LT for long-term care, and AA for area agency on aging. Contact Careswitch support to use GU, LT, or AA numbering for specific payers.
An invoice voided in QuickBooks and reissued from Careswitch receives a new invoice number.
Payments recorded in QuickBooks
For private-pay invoices, payments recorded by your bookkeeper in QuickBooks appear in Careswitch. Careswitch checks for them at least daily, early each morning.
The invoice shows whether QuickBooks has received no payment, partial payment, full payment, or an overpayment, using unpaid, partially paid, paid, or overpaid. Activity records “Payment recorded in QuickBooks.”
Does a QuickBooks payment update the Careswitch status?
This depends on your workspace setting:
Careswitch controls the status (default): QuickBooks payments appear on the invoice, but you mark it Paid in Careswitch yourself.
QuickBooks controls the status: Sent or Partially paid invoices automatically become Partially paid or Paid as QuickBooks payments arrive. If a payment is deleted or voided in QuickBooks, the status moves back. Embedded Billing / Stripe invoice statuses are never updated this way.
Contact Careswitch support to change this setting.
Even when QuickBooks controls status, Open invoices aren't updated automatically. If QuickBooks shows an Open invoice as paid, the banner “QuickBooks shows this invoice as paid” offers Mark Paid or Mark Sent. Mark Sent allows QuickBooks to update the status.
VA payments don't sync back from QuickBooks. They come from the payer's ERA in Careswitch.
Review items needing attention
The Needs Review card on the QuickBooks settings page lists issues requiring a decision:
Label | What it means |
Overpayment | QuickBooks shows more paid than billed: “Paid $X vs $Y billed — $Z over”. |
Unlinked credit | A payment for a mapped client is unapplied in QuickBooks. |
Sync conflict | Careswitch couldn't apply a change, such as a void, because the invoice is paid in QuickBooks. |
Voided in QuickBooks | Someone voided the invoice directly in QuickBooks. |
Reconcile in QuickBooks | A manual correction is needed, such as a deleted or reduced payment on a paid invoice, or a correction that couldn't be posted automatically. |
Each item links to the client's invoice and, where available, offers Open in QuickBooks. After resolving it, click Acknowledge.
Failed sync jobs appear under Recent syncs, rather than Needs Review.
Check sync progress and resolve failures
Recent syncs lists the latest jobs with Type, Status, Client, Billing period, QuickBooks (a record link), and Date.
Status | What to expect |
queued, syncing, synced | The job is progressing normally or has completed. |
failed retryable | A temporary issue. Careswitch retries automatically, with longer waits between attempts, for up to 8 tries. |
failed blocked | Something needs to be corrected before sync can continue. |
superseded | A newer change replaced the job. No action is needed. |
To resolve a failure:
Hover over the status badge to read the error.
Correct the cause. Common issues include an unmapped service or client, a missing Adjustments item, missing payment-correction accounts, or a duplicate customer name in QuickBooks.
Click Retry.
Click Sync to run a sync pass when needed. The invoice's Activity also records results, including “Invoice synced to QuickBooks” and “QuickBooks sync failed.”
Void, reopen, or correct an invoice
Careswitch checks for QuickBooks payments before certain actions:
Mark Void and Mark Void and Reopen are blocked if a payment is applied in QuickBooks. You'll see “This invoice has a payment recorded in QuickBooks. Unapply or refund the payment in QuickBooks before voiding it in Careswitch…” Unapply or refund the payment in QuickBooks, then try again.
Mark Void and Reopen is also blocked by a write-off credit memo. Delete that credit memo in QuickBooks first.
Mark Reopened remains available when QuickBooks has a customer payment. In this case, Careswitch keeps the QuickBooks invoice and its number rather than voiding it.
Record write-offs in Careswitch using Add Adjustment so the credit memo syncs. Avoid creating the credit memo directly in QuickBooks.
Create and edit synced invoice contents in Careswitch. If you void an invoice directly in QuickBooks, Careswitch flags it Voided in QuickBooks, and further changes won't sync.
For the full process, see Creating, reviewing, and sending invoices. For VA claims, see When a claim is rejected or denied.
Reconnect or disconnect QuickBooks
Needs reattention: your QuickBooks sign-in has expired. Click Reconnect and sign in again. Queued jobs are held and resume after reconnection.
Reconnect to the same company: mappings and history are preserved.
Connect to a different company: mappings and settings are cleared, queued jobs are canceled, and a new test sync is required. Careswitch warns “Connected, but a different QuickBooks company was selected.”
Disconnect: click Disconnect QuickBooks on the settings page. Queued jobs stop, and invoices no longer sync until you reconnect. Mappings are retained. After reconnecting, use Run test sync & enable again to resume live sync.
FAQ
Which invoices sync?
Private-pay invoices, including family, organization, LTC, and Embedded Billing / Stripe invoices, plus VA invoices. Medicaid and other third-party claims and reimbursement invoices don't sync.
Which system should I use to make changes?
Manage invoice contents in Careswitch. QuickBooks is authoritative for payments recorded there. Record outside payments in QuickBooks or use Record Payment in Careswitch, which sends them to QuickBooks. Record each payment in only one system.
Will a payment recorded in Careswitch appear in QuickBooks?
Yes, if the invoice is already in QuickBooks. Mark Paid, Record Payment, Embedded Billing card and bank payments, and VA ERA payments sync. Don't enter the same payment again in QuickBooks.
How do I fix a failed sync?
Find the job in Recent syncs, hover over its status to read the error, correct the cause, then click Retry. Common causes are missing client or service mappings, items, or accounts.
Will older invoices sync when I go live?
No. There isn't a one-time import of older invoices. Invoices sent before live sync won't appear unless reopened and sent again. Go live before sending a billing run you want in QuickBooks.
Does QuickBooks automatically mark Careswitch invoices paid?
Not by default. Payments are shown, but you control the Careswitch status. Contact support if you want QuickBooks payments to update status automatically. This option excludes Embedded Billing invoices.
How soon do QuickBooks payments appear in Careswitch?
Careswitch checks at least daily, early each morning. A payment recorded today may appear tomorrow.
Does resending or correcting create a duplicate invoice?
No. It updates the same QuickBooks invoice. If the invoice was voided in QuickBooks, or voided and reopened in Careswitch, sending it again creates a new QuickBooks invoice with a new number.
Who is the QuickBooks customer when a family member pays?
The client receiving care. The family member's email and billing address appear on the invoice, which is filed under the client's customer record.
Can I map an archived client?
Yes. Archived clients appear in Customer mapping, marked Archived, when an invoice needs the mapping.
Who can connect QuickBooks?
Users with permission to manage billing settings, including workspace admins. This permission also covers mapping, the settings page, and the QuickBooks section on client profiles.
Can a workspace connect to two QuickBooks companies?
No. Connecting a different company clears existing mappings. To connect in a different QuickBooks environment, disconnect the existing connection first. QuickBooks and NetSuite can't sync at the same time.
Should I enable Add convenience fee to QuickBooks invoices?
Only when clients pay through Careswitch's Embedded Billing / Stripe with convenience fees enabled and QuickBooks is used for bookkeeping. It makes the QuickBooks total match the full payment. Leave it off if clients pay through QuickBooks. Ask your bookkeeper if you're unsure.
Why doesn't a VA payment recorded in QuickBooks appear in Careswitch?
VA payments sync only from Careswitch to QuickBooks. They originate from the payer's ERA in Careswitch.
Why can't I void an invoice?
QuickBooks has an applied payment or, for Mark Void and Reopen, a write-off credit memo. Unapply or refund the payment, or delete the credit memo, in QuickBooks before voiding in Careswitch.