Move from QuickBooks Desktop to BooksGPT

Moving from QuickBooks Desktop takes one report export. BooksGPT reads the General Ledger straight from a Desktop export and rebuilds your books from it, your own accounts included.

Step 1: Export the General Ledger from QuickBooks Desktop:

1. In QuickBooks Desktop, open Reports, then Accountant & Taxes, then General Ledger.
2. Set the date range to cover all the history you want to bring over.
3. Click Excel, choose Create New Worksheet, and save the file.

CSV and Excel (.xlsx) both work. Both Desktop layouts import fine, whether your export shows Debit and Credit columns or one signed Amount column.

Step 2: Import it into BooksGPT:

1. In the sidebar, open Workspace, then under Setup click Import Wizard.
2. Drop in your file. BooksGPT detects the format and shows a preview.
3. For a Desktop ledger, the wizard first checks that debits equal credits. If the file does not reconcile, nothing is imported.
4. Click Import into this workspace.

What comes across:

• Your own chart of accounts, not a template.
• Every transaction in the export, tied to the right accounts.
• Books that balance. Run a Trial Balance report after the import to see for yourself.

Good to know:

• Re-importing the same ledger replaces the earlier import instead of doubling it, so re-running with a longer date range is safe.
• Do not upload the QuickBooks company file itself (.qbw or .qbo). Export the General Ledger report instead.
• On QuickBooks Online instead? See "Switch from Wave or QuickBooks" to connect your QuickBooks directly, no files needed.

Updated on: 29/07/2026