QuickBooks Desktop API

This will require Data Admin privileges to setup and Builder for implementation.

iDashboards is able to connect to the Quickbooks Desktop API by using a JDBC driver. A JDBC driver is a software component enabling a Java application to interact with a database. To connect with individual databases, JDBC (Java Database Connectivity API) requires specific drivers for each database. The JDBC driver gives out the connection to the database and implements the protocol for transferring the query and result between the client and the database. iDashboards implements native protocols and does not require additional software installed on the driver host. In other words, iDashboards provides driver connectivity with the JDBC Data Source via the specified driver. This document explains a step-by-step procedure to create the Data Source with a CDATA driver.

CDATA for QuickBooks Desktop

CData JDBC Driver for Intuit Quickbooks is where we get the documentation on making this connection, however CDATA does not like to make it a straight forward process which is why we make articles like this to help you make the connections more easily. This one requires a few steps, with a few different links to get very specific pieces of information to make this connection within iDashboards. The Intuit Quickbooks API is part of the Premium Data Connectors if you do not have these please contact your Client Success Manager. 

Data Connection

Follow the steps below to set up a data source in iDashboards Admin or Data Hub.

1. Log into  iDashboards Admin or Data Hub
2. Go to Data Sources
3. Click New
4. Select the Data Source Type as Generic JDBC
5. In the Create a Data Source window fill in the highlighted fields:
   1. Copy and paste the JDBC Driver Class: cdata.jdbc.quickbooks.QuickBooksDriver
   2. Copy and paste into the Database URL: jdbc:quickbooks:User=test;Password=test;URL=http://localhost:8166;
6. Replace test in the URL with your Quickbooks Admin Credentials
7. Check Quote Table and Column Names and Allow Custom Queries
8. Click Save

Activating the Connection

At this point you are partially connected to QuickBooks. You'll be able to see and select the QuickBooks Data Source in the data set creation page in the Data Hub, but you won't be able to access the data. Complete the steps below to activate the connection. 

1. Download and install the Remote Connector For QuickBooks on the Quickbooks server
2. Open the file you want to connect to using an administrator account in single-user mode
3. Open Remote Connector from the system tray
4. Add a user on the Users tab
   • Enter a User and Password
   • Select the level of access in Data Access By default QuickBooks connects to the currently opened file. If you want to access QuickBooks when QuickBooks is not running, specify a path to the file you want to access.
5.  When you first connect, a dialog will appear in QuickBooks prompting you to  authorize the application.

Please Note:

• Remote Connector does not use the User and Password properties to access QuickBooks; the User and Password properties authenticate the user to Remote Connector. Authentication to QuickBooks is handled based on the Application Name property.
• To ensure that no one is logged into QuickBooks check the Task Manager that the QBW32.exe process is not running under another user.
• The Quickbooks Online Dashboard Pack CANNOT be utilized with this Data Connection.

For More Information:

• Creating a Database URL (Connection String)
• Quickbooks Desktop API Documentation
• iDashboards Admin Manual 10. Managing Data Sources

Disclaimer: iDashboards Technical Support Engineers are not proficient in the Management and Integration of every API that exists as new APIs are being created everyday with each company that wants to provide seamless integration with other software. However, we do our best to help you make these connections because we want to assist you in your success. If you do not see an article for a connection you would like to make please contact iDashboards Support and know that it will take a bit of time to figure out what is necessary for this integration.

If the above is unable to resolve the issue, then please contact iDashboards Support for further assistance.