How to Use a Microsoft Access Database to Update QuickBooks Data in Real Time



Update QuickBooks data by creating a linked table in Microsoft Access with the CData QuickBooks ODBC Driver.

CData ODBC drivers connect your data to any database management tool that supports Open Database Connectivity (ODBC). This includes many of the most popular productivity tools, adding new capabilities for document sharing and collaboration. Using the CData ODBC driver for QuickBooks, you can update live QuickBooks data in Microsoft Access; for example, you can make updates that can be immediately seen by other users.

About QuickBooks Data Integration

CData simplifies access and integration of live QuickBooks data. Our customers leverage CData connectivity to:

  • Access both local and remote company files.
  • Connect across editions and regions: QuickBooks Premier, Professional, Enterprise, and Simple Start edition 2002+, as well as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and UK editions from 2003+.
  • Use SQL stored procedures to perform actions like voiding or clearing transactions, merging lists, searching entities, and more.

Customers regularly integrate their QuickBooks data with preferred tools, like Power BI, Tableau, or Excel, and integrate QuickBooks data into their database or data warehouse.


Getting Started


Connect to QuickBooks as an ODBC Data Source

If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.

When you are connecting to a local QuickBooks instance, you do not need to set any connection properties.

Requests are made to QuickBooks through the Remote Connector. The Remote Connector runs on the same machine as QuickBooks and accepts connections through a lightweight, embedded Web server. The server supports SSL/TLS, enabling users to connect securely from remote machines.

The first time you connect, you will need to authorize the Remote Connector with QuickBooks. See the "Getting Started" chapter of the help documentation for a guide.

Create a Linked Table to Customers Data

Follow the steps below to create a linked table, which enables you to access live Customers data.

  1. On the External Data tab in Access, click ODBC Database.
  2. Select the option to link to the data source. A linked table will enable you to read from and write data to the Customers table.
  3. Select the CData QuickBooks data source from the Machine Data Source tab.

  4. Select the Customers table. For more information on this table, see the "Data Model" chapter in the help documentation.
  5. Double-click the linked table to make edits. The linked table will always have up-to-date data and any changes will be reflected back to the underlying table.

Ready to get started?

Download a free trial of the QuickBooks ODBC Driver to get started:

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QuickBooks Icon QuickBooks ODBC Driver

The QuickBooks ODBC Driver is a powerful tool that allows you to connect with live data from QuickBooks directly from any applications that support ODBC connectivity.

Access QuickBooks data like you would a database - read, write, and update Customers, Transactions, Invoices, Sales Receipts, etc. through a standard ODBC Driver interface.