Transaction Pro Importer
(“TPI”) for QuickBooks Pro, Premier and Enterprise is the most popular and powerful QuickBooks Import tool available. Most of our users will start with just importing of a simple Excel file but once you get started you will start to see all the advanced and very powerful options available within TPI.
As mentioned above the most common use of TPI is to import Excel files to QuickBooks but did you know that there are many other formats supported as described in Features 1 and 2 below.
Feature 1: Not only will TPI import data from ANY version of Excel from the oldest versions (eg 2003) to the current versions of Excel but you can also import data from csv or text files with various delimiters. Read more about all the file formats supported on our support forum.
Feature 2: In addition to all the file formats listed in Feature 1 above TPI can also import from Microsoft Access or any ODBC compliant database.
TPI has the most extensive options available. In addition to three options screens if you cannot find the option you need take a look at Feature 3 below.
Feature 3: Additional options and automation capabilities are available via our command line parameters. Read more about command line parameters here. These are very easy to implement and are available to all users.
See something within your import file that needs to be modified/changed you an edit it right within TPI as described in Feature 4 below.
Feature 4: Edit import file data right within the TPI File Contents and the Import File Fields mapped to QuickBooks screens. These changes are not saved back to your original import file but can be useful if you notice minor changes that need to be made to the data. Also you can remove entire rows from the import file by selecting the rows and then selecting the button to delete selected rows. I use this all the time when testing a new import as I may only want to import a few lines.
There are also a lot of very advanced mapping options available described in Features 5 – 8 below.
Feature 5: You can have an unlimited number of map files that will work with all your different file layouts. TPI by default remembers that last map used by import type so if you need to use a different map just select the load map button at the bottom of the TPI mapping screen.
Feature 6: It is not required but if you use a header row in your import file with the same names as in the QuickBooks field column on the TPI mapping screen no need to do any mapping just select the field match button at the bottom of the screen.
Feature 7: You can use simple formulas or combine multiple fields into one QuickBooks field. Read more here.
Feature 8: TPI pre-validates all your data when you select next on the mapping screen. TPI checks for required fields, length of fields and for the proper data type so a really safe way of importing to QuickBooks.
Below are two remaining powerful features, Features 9 and 10, available within TPI.
Feature 9: Payee Alias Mapping is available. Easily translate a portion of a field to a Name and Account to be used on all future imports. Read more here.
Feature 10: The ability to save changes made to data within the TPI product during the same import session. This can be helpful if you modified data on the second screen, the File Contents screen, and you want to retain those changes while you go forward and back within the same TPI session. You will need to select No on this screen after selecting the Next button at the bottom of the TPI mapping screen.
Many of these hidden features were discussed above at a very high level. If you would like us to provide additional details on any of these features please post a comment below and we will post some additional articles to help get you started.