QuickBooks Online-and-ERPAG-sync-errors

QuickBooks Online & ERPAG Sync Errors 

Which are the common error messages you get when you sync the documents from your ERP software with QuickBooks Online? How to solve errors between MRP and QuickBooks Online sync?

The emergence of cloud computing and, in particular, the Application Programming Interface (API), has made great strides in linking diverse applications. Application users imagine that the process is simple and that only one “click” is enough and the data will be synchronized, something like receiving and sending an e-mail. But in practice, there are problems from the technical side that are completely incomprehensible and frustrating to the users.

Apart from the inaccessibility of the service, the most common problems are related to so-called “Dirty data”. By “dirty data” we do not consider anything bad, the data from one system being sent to another system does not satisfy the logical control of the database entry.

Example:

In ERPAG, the “SKU” must be unique, while the item name can be repeated. When entering data in ERPAG, it will be allowed to enter it with the same name (eg SKU: 00155 Name: Small Bolt and SKU: 00156 Name: Small Bolt). From our point of system identification and functioning, the name of the product is not relevant.

With QuickBooks Online  the situation is different, as it will not allow the manual entry of a new item if the identical name is previously entered, so it will not allow even an API entry. From the point of view of QuickBooks Online, this is “dirty information”.

In this text, we will describe the most common mistakes, problems with synchronization, and how to solve them.

In ERPAG by “clicking” on the info icon you can see the error message on each document.

The solution depends solely on the error message description.

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2. Online Status

Cause:

Every online service has its own “downtime”, a time when it is unavailable. The reasons for the unavailability of the service may vary, from some error through security to regular maintenance and system updates. In most cases, ERPAG initiates synchronization so that the operator does not know if the QuickBooks Online services are available, and only when synchronization is activated an error occurs.

Error Descriptions:

The service is temporarily unavailable.

An error occurred on the server while processing the request. Resubmit request once; if it persists, contact developer support.

Solution:

Whether the QuickBooks services are available you can check on these two official Intuit links:

http://status.quickbooks.intuit.com/

https://status.developer.intuit.com/

The system will then execute the logical control of the entered items.

If this is not possible, one of the solutions is to change the name in QuickBooks Online (for example, add a suffix).

ERPAG connects an item according to the SKU data, during the next synchronization, it will be newly created with the “unique” name.

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4. The customer and supplier (vendor) have the same name

Cause:

QuickBooks Online does not allow the supplier, customer or employee to have the same name.

In practice, it happens that at some point the buyer is also our supplier. This is a fairly common case in some European countries, as national accounting standards require that when a customer returns goods, this transaction must be entered as a new input of goods, Instead of voiding sales orders, we need to make a purchase order.

Error Description:

Another customer, vendor or employee is already using this name. Please use a different name.

Solution:

Since there is no code/key (as there is an SKU in the item) in the QuickBooks Online list of the customers and suppliers, the search is done first via “Display name” and then through the “Company name”, and if the data is not found, then a new customer or supplier is automatically created.

In order to solve this problem, we need to manually open the Customer or Supplier (Vendor) in QuickBooks Online , where “Display name as” will be unique (eg we can add a suffix) and such a name cannot exist in ERPAG. “Company” information must be identical to the one in ERPAG.

Example (top picture):

When we activate synchronization from ERPAG, the application will search first for the “Acme Ltd” in “Display name”, and after it has not been found it will search through “Company”, since this information is identical, the invoice will be created for this customer.

Note:

When ERPAG automatically opens a customer or supplier, the “Company” and “Display name as” data are identical.

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5. The administrator locked the books

Cause:

When the accounting period ends, administrators have a good practice to “close the books” with the appropriate date. This way, they prevent the documents from being accidentally inserted into the finished period.

Error Descriptions:

The account period has been closed.

The account period has been closed and account books can not be updated through the QuickBooks Online Services API. Please use the QuickBooks Online website to make these changes

Solution:

The first question is whether this document should really be booked under that date?

If it doesn’t need (and it will be posted under another given) in ERPAG, through the “bulk” action, we can change the status to “ignore”

While we create it manually in the QuickBooks Online with the wanted date.

If it is necessary to enter the documents into business books with that date (the administrator or accountant must decide), then it is necessary to “unlock” the books in QuickBooks Online.

Note:

“Closing the books” is probably done for a particular reason, so please always consult with your administrator or bookkeeper.

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6. The transaction is made later of the date of inventory tracking

Cause:

When manually opening a new item (or XLS import), a date is added which is later than the transaction date.

This can happen when the dates between the sales and purchase order are different (for example, we synchronized the purchase order one month after Sales order).

Example: An item is opened (as in the picture) where “As of date” is 13th of June 2019.

While we are trying to synchronize the document from 11th of June 2019.

Error Description:

Transactions with inventory (QOH) products can’t be dated earlier than the Inventory Start Date for the product.

Solution:

In QuickBooks Online, for that item, you need to set the proper date, like it’s pictured below.

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7. Duplicate Document Number

Cause:

When opening the QuickBooks Online database, there are already predefined values. One of the default values is a warning (ie a ban on the API call) if we try to enter a new document (for example, invoice) and there is already a document with an identical number in the database.

We will not go into the reasons why it was done in QuickBooks Online , although ERPAGs document numbers are mostly unique as well. In case of Splitting, Voiding or Return of Goods, the newly created document retains a unique number. Then there is a problem with synchronization.

Error Description:

Duplicate Document Number Error: You must specify a different number. This number has already been used.

Solution:

In QuickBooks Online, in the Company settings, turn off the parameters as shown in the pictures below.

There is another solution considering the voided documents – to change the status to ‘ignored’ through the bulk action.

And then void the document in the QuickBooks Online .

Note: Void options are a little bit advanced, so we advise to contact your Administrator or Accountant before proceeding with such action.

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8. Business Validation Error

Cause:

In order to work faster, data is often sent asynchronous, i.e. the order of sending data does not have to correspond to the order of receipt.

Example:

We sent a request to open a new supplier and then a Bill document related to that partner. Bill came first to the server (ie to the database). Since the data has not yet arrived (or it’s not already entered in the database), the document is not valid because there is no supplier in the database.

Error Description:

BadRequest inner Validation Exception was thrown. Details: Business Validation Error: Error occurred when setting up Styles due to parallel requests.

Solution:

Simply run the synchronization again in a few moments.