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Customer is currently using QB Desktop for their accounting needs. They want to develop a cloud based (SaaS) business application in .NET. I have never worked with QB applications so my questions are basic.

  1. What is the shortest way I can integrate the client's QB data with cloud based MVC app ?
  2. How is the app in Intuit App Center different from QB Online app ? Can I use the QB Online right away instead of developing my own app ?
  3. If I have to develop an app ( that will available Intuit App Center), will I be able to provide all functionality that exists in QB Desktop ? I read on Intuit site that not all functionality is available in v3.
  4. How the clients(tenants) will use this QB app ?

Thanks.

tereško
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Chandrashekhar
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2 Answers2

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1) What is the shortest way I can integrate the client's QB data with cloud based MVC app ?

You only have one option here - the QuickBooks SDK. You can use the Web Connector which may give you a jump-start, or you can build your own Web Connector alternative.

2) How is the app in Intuit App Center different from QB Online app ?

You won't be listed in App Center - it's not available to QuickBooks for Windows anymore (unless you had an existing app and were grandfathered in).

App Center is for QuickBooks Online only, and uses a completely different API.

Can I use the QB Online right away instead of developing my own app ?

... what?

QuickBooks Online is a separate program. It's a web-based accounting software. You'd still need to integrate it into your website.

3) If I have to develop an app ( that will available Intuit App Center), will I be able to provide all functionality that exists in QB Desktop ?

You both don't need to, and won't be able to if you're developing for QuickBooks for Windows.

4)How the clients(tenants) will use this QB app ?

Just like you use any other website on the rest of the Internet...

Keith Palmer Jr.
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  1. Intuit Apps (in app center) is for publishing an app that "many" other clients will use to connect to "their" quickbooks.
  2. You will have to use the quickbooks SDK / Web connector to facilitate comms between your app and the clients' Quickbooks. (Note - You won't be listed on the App Center) - Thanks Keith
  3. There is an option to conenction the desktop Quickbooks to the intuit cloud.. and gain access to it in that way. This basically "syncs" your quickbooks data to intuit, and keeps changes in the cloud data version synced with the desktop version (and vice versa). I could not use this, as it was not avialable in my UK version of Quickbooks... (It seems Quickbooks has discontinued this option in anyway - Thanks Keith)
  4. You have the option of using the webconnector, provided by quickbooks, which is an intermediate layer that can connect to your own WCF service, and basically ask: "Do you have any work for me to do in Quickbooks?" The webconnector exposes the Quickbooks SDK functionality, and you can tell it do do something for you in Quickbooks. This happens on a pre-determined interval.
  5. I have done what you are looking at doing, and I have chosen to NOT use the web-connector, as I simply could not make it work to "wait" for whenever the web-connector connects to my service. With multiple concurrent clients using my app, I cant see how you can realistically make this work, even if you implement your own queues etc. It simply will be too sluggish.
  6. I created my own intermediate layer, a self hosted WCF app that sits next to quickbooks desktop. This app exposes wcf functions, than I wired to the quickbooks SDK. I connect to my WCF from my website (necessary port forwarding and security in place), and tell my intermediate layer what I want to do, or what I want to retrieve. I.e. Create invoice, get client details, etc.
  7. I have had about 30-40 concurrent clients on the website, all accessing quickbooks (behind the scenes)... creating invoices, getting balances, getting statements etc in real time, over a 4mb dedicated DSL (Where quickbooks sits)

I hope this gives you some ideas.

Also, see this answer that I received to my previous question that is similar to yours.

Connecting to QuickBooks using API

Community
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Louis van Tonder
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