How to Import Customer or Vendor Contacts from Outlook, Excel or Gmail to QuickBooks

In this article, we are going to show you how to import customer or vendor contacts from Outlook, Excel, or Gmail to QuickBooks software. It is important to learn this process in case you may need to transfer the customer’s and vendors’ data to another software or creating a backup of the current company file. So, let’s see how you can do this and what things you are going to need to do this process. All the details for importing the customer or vendor contacts are provided here. For more details contact us on: +1-844-405-0904

Things you need to do before you Import customer or vendor contacts from Outlook, Excel or Gmail

• This size limit of the file is 2MB or 1000 rows only. For importing the larger file than the size and row limit you need to split the file into multiple parts and then import them separately.
• You can’t import the subaccounts. So, if you want to import them, first you need to convert them into the parent account. After you import these accounts, you can change them back again to subaccounts.
• You need to re-import those files which are imported incorrectly, by doing this your customer’s and vendor’s list will not be overwritten. Before re-importing, you need to delete the incorrect customer and vendors list. This step is done to avoid any kind of duplications or you can also edit each one individually.
• Make sure that every name field is unique. For instance, a vendor, a customer, and an employee can’t have the same name.
• While importing you can only add one email address, even though, you can also add another but later.
• Things you need to keep in mind while importing contacts from Excel. (Even if you are exporting the excel file using Outlook or any other software.)
  • The first row should be of column headers only.
  • Contacts should be on the Sheet1 of the spreadsheet.
  • Make sure that, the spreadsheet that you are importing shouldn’t contain any formula, blank rows, or charts.
  • Before importing, review the spreadsheet for any kind of errors like #REF! #NAME? #N/A or #VALUE!
  • Remove any special characters like (:) and (“).

How to Export Contacts from Outlook

• Go to File> Open and Export> Import/Export option.
• After that Import and Export Wizard will open, here, first you need to select the export to a file option and then select the Comma Separated Values option.
• Next, select a  location at your computer where you want to keep the customer contact information and then follow the instructions as mentioned on the screen to save the export file.

How to Exports Contacts from Gmail

There are two ways for importing contacts from Gmail. Here, we are going to discuss both of them.

NOTE: Once you are connected with Gmail, you need to choose which contacts you want to add either as a vendor or a customer. Remember that, any of your contacts will be automatically neither a vendor or a customer.

Method 1: Link Gmail Contacts

• Go to the left-side navigational panel and Click on the Create ⨁ icon.
• From here, select the Invoice option under the Customers section.
• Then, click on the Customers drop-down menu and select the Add New option.
• Next, choose the Connect your Gmail Account option.
• Click on Allow next.

NOTE: If you disconnect the Gmail then you won’t be able to access the Gmail contacts anymore in QuickBooks Online and hence, you will not be able to add any other vendors or customers. It will not remove any of the contacts and vendors that already have added in QuickBooks Online, by simply disconnecting the Gmail.

Method 2: Export Gmail contacts to a file

For this, you need to create an export file.

• Open your Gmail account.
• At the top left corner of the Gmail window, select Gmail> Contacts option.
• Then, click on the More drop-down menu and select the Export option.
• Here, you can either choose to export all contacts at once or by one group only.
• Next, select the Outlook CSV>Export.
• Select Save to Disk option and OK.
• Save file on your system.

Create an Excel File to Import

You can also create your own spreadsheet so that you import the customers and vendors. To do this, follow the instructions mentioned below.

• First of all, you need to create a new excel spreadsheet.
• Below, we are going to demonstrate how you need to modify your top column of the excel spreadsheet for the header. While creating the spreadsheet make sure that there are no blank cells left in the sheet or at the header of the sheet.
• Fill in all contact information into the spreadsheet. If you don’t have any particular information then leave that field blank. In the QuickBooks Online, note the import maps to the billing address.
• Once all the information is filled, you can save the spreadsheet either as .xls or .xlxs.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

Full Name

Company

Email

Phone

Mobile

Fax

Website

Street

City

State

Zip

Country

Opening Balance

Date

Resale Number

Verify the file that you just exported

Export only if everything seems right, if you exported the wrong contact information then it will be a very complex process to fix it manually or removing the imported contacts.

• First of all, open the CSV file that you just created and review it for any kind of anomalies.
• Make sure that, all the columns of row 1 of your spreadsheet should be the same as we mentioned in the above table and even the order should be the same. Also, look for the blank column or the blank header at the top of the spreadsheet, if there are fill them. You should be using the Sheet1 too.
• The look for the missing information or the incorrect information, if you found any then correct them. If the problem is relatively big then you may require to re-import the spreadsheet. The address fields here are map to the Billing address for that contact in the QuickBooks Online.
• If everything seems fine then you can either save the spreadsheet in the .xls or .xlsx format. If the file is exceeding the 2MB or 1000 rows limit then you’ll be required to split it into multiple sheets and then import them separately.

How to Import your Contact

To complete the import process, you need to sign in to the QuickBooks Online Company file.

• Go to the left side navigational panel and click on the invoice option under the Customer option.
• Then choose the import data option under the Tools.
• Next, you’ll find a list from which you need to select the customer/vendor that you want to import.
• Click on the Browse button.
• Then, you need to find and select the excel file that you just created and click on Open and then Continue.
• Map your data and then select Next.
• If needed then you can modify the information in the sheet.

The Bottom Line

We hope that now, you have learned how to import or vendor contacts from Outlook, Excel, or Gmail into QuickBooks software. If you stuck any roadblock in the procedure then you should have assistance from an expert. You can contact our team of Intuit Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors for an instant fix of any error regarding QuickBooks. Get in touch with us by calling at +1-844-405-0904 24/7 toll-free number.