The Raken + QuickBooks Desktop integration syncs your Members, Projects, Pay Types, and Cost Codes between QuickBooks Desktop and Raken — eliminating the manual effort of managing data in two systems. When payroll time comes, you sync completed time cards from Raken to QuickBooks Desktop with a click.
Quick Answer
The QuickBooks Desktop integration is CS-managed. To get started:
Contact your Customer Success Manager or email help@rakenapp.com to request access.
Your Raken integration specialist will schedule an onboarding call to guide you through setup.
QuickBooks Desktop integration requires the Performance Plan.
How It Works
The integration uses the QuickBooks Web Connector — a free app that runs alongside QuickBooks Desktop and manages the data sync between Raken and QuickBooks. Once set up, the Web Connector runs automatically every 30 minutes, keeping the following data in sync:
Members / Employees — synced from QuickBooks Desktop to Raken
Projects (Customers & Jobs) — synced from QuickBooks Desktop to Raken
Pay Types (Payroll Items) — synced from QuickBooks Desktop to Raken
Cost Codes (Service Items) — synced from QuickBooks Desktop to Raken
When it's time to process payroll, you select the time cards you want to export from Raken Timesheets and sync them to QuickBooks Desktop. The Web Connector picks them up on its next run (up to 30 minutes) and posts them into QuickBooks Desktop.
Data Mapping
The table below shows how data maps between QuickBooks Desktop and Raken, and in which direction.
QuickBooks Desktop | Raken | Direction |
Members | Workers | QBD → Raken |
Projects (Customers & Jobs) | Projects | QBD → Raken |
Pay Types (Payroll Items) | Pay Types | QBD → Raken |
Company Cost Codes (Service Items) | Cost Codes | QBD → Raken |
Time Cards | Time Cards | Raken → QBD (on-demand) |
What to Expect During Onboarding
Your Raken integration specialist manages the connection process from start to finish. Here's what the process looks like:
Request access — Contact your CS Manager or email help@rakenapp.com. Your specialist will confirm eligibility and schedule an intro call.
Intro call — Your specialist walks through the integration, confirms your data mapping, and agrees on next steps.
QuickBooks Web Connector setup — You'll need to install the QuickBooks Web Connector on the machine running QuickBooks Desktop and have it set to run on the auto-run schedule. Your specialist provides setup instructions.
Data preparation — Your specialist helps you align your Raken data with your QuickBooks Desktop records before connecting to avoid duplicate entries.
Connection & initial sync — Your specialist connects the integration and confirms the initial data sync is successful.
Time card sync test — You run a test sync of time cards together to confirm the end-to-end flow is working.
Go live — Your team starts using the integration as part of your standard payroll process.
How to Sync Time Cards to QuickBooks Desktop
Log into the Raken web app and click Time in the left side navigation.
Click Time cards, then click Timesheets.
Select the pay period you want to sync.
Select all or specific time cards, then click Sync.
The QuickBooks Web Connector will pick up the synced records on its next scheduled run (within 30 minutes) and post them to QuickBooks Desktop.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Does QuickBooks Desktop need to be open for the sync to work?
The QuickBooks Web Connector must be running on the machine where QuickBooks Desktop is installed. QuickBooks Desktop itself does not need to be open — the Web Connector can run in the background — but the machine must be on and connected.
What version of QuickBooks Desktop is required?
You need an active QuickBooks Desktop account with the most up-to-date version of the QuickBooks Web Connector installed, an administrator account with full access, and Time Tracking enabled in your QuickBooks Desktop settings.
How often does the sync run?
The QuickBooks Web Connector syncs every 30 minutes by default. This is the maximum frequency supported by the Web Connector architecture — real-time sync is not available with QuickBooks Desktop.
Can I use this integration with QuickBooks Online instead?
These are separate integrations. If you use QuickBooks Online, see the Raken + QuickBooks Online Integration article.
Technical Specifications
Compatibility: Web app only (Raken side); QuickBooks Desktop (Windows) required
Sync method: QuickBooks Web Connector (auto-run every 30 minutes)
Sync direction: Inbound automatic (QBD → Raken); outbound on-demand (Raken → QBD)
Plan required: Performance Plan
Role required: Account Administrator
Onboarding: CS-managed
Considerations
Requires the Performance Plan.
The QuickBooks Web Connector must be installed and running on the machine hosting QuickBooks Desktop.
Maximum sync frequency is 30 minutes — real-time sync is not available with QuickBooks Desktop.
Data cleanup in both Raken and QuickBooks Desktop is required before connecting — your integration specialist will guide you through this to avoid duplicate records.
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More Questions?
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