Import from QuickBooks, NetSuite, and Xero
A practical checklist for moving from QuickBooks, NetSuite, or Xero to a simpler invoicing tool, and for keeping the records the IRS expects.
Many US businesses outgrow, or simply want to simplify, the accounting system they started with. The safe way to change is to treat the old system as the archive and start issuing new invoices from a clean cutover date. 4invoices does not connect to QuickBooks, NetSuite, or Xero and has no import tool, so moving data is a manual job: you export lists from the old system and type or paste the details you need into new invoices. 4invoices is an invoicing tool, not an accounting system. It does not replace your books, your payroll, or your tax filings, so keep your accountant and your bookkeeping process in place.
- Treat the old system as the read-only archive; start new invoices at a cutover date.
- 4invoices has no connector or import tool for QuickBooks, NetSuite, or Xero.
- Keep tax records for the period the IRS expects, generally at least 3 years.
- 4invoices is not an accounting system; keep your books where they are.
How it works
Pick a cutover date. The first day of a month is easiest. Issue invoices in the old system up to that date and in the new tool afterward.
Export what you need. Export your customer list, your product or service list, and your open invoices from the old system as a spreadsheet or PDF.
List your tax rates. Write down the sales tax rate you apply for each kind of sale, so you can enter it on the lines of new invoices.
Continue the invoice numbering. Start the new numbering after your last number, so no two invoices share a number.
Keep the old system available. Keep a read-only copy or an export of your history for the retention period, and let your accountant confirm what to keep.
Legal references
- Internal Revenue Code § 6001 — the requirement to keep records that support your tax return.
- IRS Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records — guidance on records and how long to keep them.
- IRS guidance on how long to keep records — generally 3 years from filing, longer in some situations, so confirm with your accountant.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose my QuickBooks history?
Not if you keep the old account or a full export. The IRS expects you to retain records that support your return, so keep them for the period the IRS guidance and your accountant specify.
Can I run 4invoices and QuickBooks in parallel?
You can, but two systems make duplicate invoice numbers and unmatched payments more likely. Choose one system for each period and keep a single numbering sequence.
Does 4invoices import from QuickBooks, NetSuite, or Xero?
No. It has no import tool and no connector to those products. You enter your customers and invoice details in 4invoices yourself. What it does: it creates invoices with a tax rate per line, supports any currency with an exchange rate, and gives you a PDF, with a 6-month free trial without a card.
What about my sales tax codes?
4invoices does not map tax codes. You enter the rate that applies to each line yourself, based on what you and your accountant determined for the sale.