Overview

Before LedgerSync pushes a bank transaction to QuickBooks Online, it checks whether QuickBooks already has a matching entry that LedgerSync did not create, for example one someone entered by hand. If it finds one, it holds the transaction back and flags it so you can decide what to do. This stops duplicate entries in QuickBooks without you having to compare lists by hand.

How Duplicate Detection Works

When LedgerSync syncs a categorized transaction to QuickBooks, it looks for a QuickBooks entry that LedgerSync did not create and that matches the transaction on all of these:

• The same QuickBooks account
• The same direction, money in or money out, as LedgerSync would record it (a deposit is never matched with an expense)
• The same amount
• A date no more than 3 days before or after the bank transaction date

If the QuickBooks entry has the same date as the bank transaction, a matching amount is enough. If the dates are different but within 3 days, the entries must also agree on their text:

• If both have a check number, the check numbers must match.
• Otherwise, the description, memo or payee text on both sides must share at least one word.
• If one side has no text at all, the text check does not stop the match.

LedgerSync ignores QuickBooks entries with a zero amount when it looks for duplicates.

If a likely duplicate is found, the transaction is held back (not synced) and shows as Skipped in the Sync Status tab.

What You See When a Duplicate Is Detected

Go to Rules Engine and choose QuickBooks.

• On the Transactions tab, the transaction row is highlighted in amber, with an amber warning icon at the right end of the row.
• On the Sync Status tab, each sync shows a Skipped Transactions count next to the Synced Transactions and Failed Transactions counts, so you can quickly see how many were held back.
• Click a sync on the Sync Status tab to see its transactions. A held-back transaction shows the status Skipped.

How to Resolve a Skipped Transaction

You have two options.

Option 1: Confirm it is a duplicate (do nothing). If the transaction really is already in QuickBooks, leave it as it is. Each time it is synced, LedgerSync runs the check again and holds it back while the matching QuickBooks entry is there.

Option 2: Sync Anyway. If the transaction was flagged by mistake (the QuickBooks entry is for something else), click the amber warning icon on that transaction's row on the Transactions tab, then click Sync anyway to confirm. LedgerSync pushes it to QuickBooks without the duplicate check, so only do this once you are sure it is not already in QuickBooks.

When Does This Happen Most Often?

• A bank transaction failed to sync, and the accountant entered it in QuickBooks by hand as a workaround.
• The same transaction is later synced again from LedgerSync.
• The duplicate check catches the second attempt and holds it back, avoiding a double entry.

Need Help?

Contact LedgerSync Support at support@ledgersync.com.

Related article: The Sync Status Tab