How to Import General Ledger into Conto
This guide shows you how to export the general ledger from QuickBooks and import it into Conto. The export steps differ between Desktop and Online, but the import into Conto is the same.
Prerequisites
Section titled “Prerequisites”- QuickBooks Desktop (Pro, Premier, or Enterprise) or QuickBooks Online
- Recommended: import your lists first — IIF for Desktop or Excel files for Online
Step 1: Export the General Ledger
Section titled “Step 1: Export the General Ledger”QuickBooks Desktop
Section titled “QuickBooks Desktop”- Navigate to Reports > Accountant & Taxes > General Ledger
- Click Customize Report
- Set your date range
- Leave accounts as All (or select specific accounts)
- Click OK
Then export to Excel:
- Click Excel > Create New Worksheet
- Click Export and save the file
If your report is too large for Excel, choose Create a comma separated values (.csv) file instead.
QuickBooks Online
Section titled “QuickBooks Online”- Go to Reports (left sidebar)
- Search for “General Ledger” or scroll to the “For my Accountant” section
- Click General Ledger
- Set the date range to cover the period you want in Conto
- Click Run Report
- Click the Export icon (next to Print) > Export to Excel
Step 2: Verify the Export
Section titled “Step 2: Verify the Export”Open the exported file in Excel and confirm the required columns are present — at minimum Type, Date, Name, and either Debit/Credit or Amount.
Step 3: Import into Conto
Section titled “Step 3: Import into Conto”- Go to the client’s import page in Conto
- Upload your
.xlsxfile (or.csv) - Conto auto-detects the file type and validates columns
- Review the preview — Conto calculates your readiness score
- Confirm the import
Required Columns
Section titled “Required Columns”Always required:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Transaction type (Check, Bill, Credit Card, etc.) |
| Date | Transaction date |
| Name | Payee or payer name |
Value columns (one of these pairs):
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Debit | Debit amount |
| Credit | Credit amount |
Or a single Amount column (Conto accepts either format).
Optional:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Num | Check number or document reference |
| Memo | Transaction description |
| Split | Offset account |
| Account | GL account name (present in QBO exports; QBD uses account header rows instead) |
Verification
Section titled “Verification”After importing, confirm:
- Transaction count looks correct for the date range
- Readiness score is displayed
- Key vendors appear in the transaction history
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”Export option is grayed out (Desktop)
Section titled “Export option is grayed out (Desktop)”Check your user permissions: Company > Users > Set Up Users and Roles.
Export times out (Online)
Section titled “Export times out (Online)”Break the date range into smaller chunks — quarterly or yearly. Upload each file to Conto separately. Alternatively, try the Transaction Detail by Account report.
Exported file is empty
Section titled “Exported file is empty”Verify data exists for the selected date range. In QBO, click Run Report before exporting — you can’t export a report you haven’t generated yet.
Missing transactions after import
Section titled “Missing transactions after import”Verify your date range and that no account filters excluded data during export.
”Wrong file type” error
Section titled “”Wrong file type” error”You uploaded a different file (e.g., Vendor List or Chart of Accounts). Re-upload the General Ledger export.
”Missing required columns” error
Section titled “”Missing required columns” error”Your GL export is missing Type, Date, Name, or value columns. Re-export:
- Desktop: Reports > Accountant & Taxes > General Ledger — ensure all columns are included
- Online: Reports > General Ledger — check that the report wasn’t filtered to exclude columns