How to switch from QuickBooks to ReAI

This guide describes a tidy transition from QuickBooks to ReAI. For overall principles, see How to switch accounting system. If you want to compare price and options, see ReAI vs. QuickBooks .

1) Choose switch date and reconcile in QuickBooks

  • Choose 1 April (or your year-end) or the start of a VAT period for the simplest transition.
  • Reconcile bank, customers, suppliers and VAT up to the switch date.
  • Lock the period so figures cannot change after export.

2) Export data from QuickBooks

From QuickBooks you can extract:

  • Data export (CSV/Excel) – chart of accounts, transactions and journal entries.
  • Trial balance as of the switch date (CSV/PDF) – used as opening balance in ReAI.
  • Customers and suppliers (CSV/Excel) – imported as master data in ReAI.
  • Products/items (optional) – useful for ongoing invoicing.
  • Attachments/receipts (PDF/JPG/PNG) – download and store securely.

Tip: Use clear filenames, e.g. 2025-04-01_trial-balance_quickbooks.csv and 2025-04-01_data-export_quickbooks.zip.

3) Set up in ReAI

  • Create the company and check company number, VAT settings and chart of accounts.
  • Ensure VAT codes match how you want to post going forward.

4) Post opening balance

  • Use the trial balance from QuickBooks at the switch date.
  • Check the balance equals zero and account mapping is correct.
  • Enter open customer and supplier items if you want to track them further.

5) Import master data

  • Import customers, suppliers and any products/items into ReAI.

6) Bank and first transaction

  • Set up bank integration in ReAI and test a payment.
  • Post the first transaction and verify reports (general ledger, balance sheet, profit and loss, VAT).

7) Handling historical attachments

  • Historical attachments from QuickBooks can be stored securely outside ReAI.
  • New transactions in ReAI keep attachments inside the system.

Frequently asked questions

  • Do I need to import all history? No. Many start with an opening balance and retain history via exported reports.
  • What if the chart of accounts differs? Map accounts to the desired chart in ReAI – the key is a correct opening balance and VAT setup going forward.

Summary

Export your data, trial balance, master data and attachments from QuickBooks. Create the company and opening balance in ReAI, import master data, set up bank, and continue bookkeeping smoothly.