Import employees into QuickBooks

Overview of importing employees into QuickBooks desktop

In QuickBooks desktop employee lists record payroll and personal data.  You can import employees into QuickBooks desktop from text or Excel files using the Zed Axis software.

Steps to import employees

Follow these steps:
  1. Open your QuickBooks company file as Administrator and open Zed Axis
  2. Select your text file or spreadsheet which contains the employee list that you want to import.
  3. Set up the a Mapping of the columns in your employee list import file to the corresponding fields in QuickBooks
  4. Click Import and your employees will be directly added to your QuickBooks company file.

More help?

For more information about importing employee lists into QuickBooks, search the Knowledge Base, watch the movies in the Learning Centre, or raise a ticket with Zed Support
Download a sample employee list template

Where the fields appear in QuickBooks 


Employee List

Detailed description of the fields


QuickBooks Field TypeDescription 
 Is Activetrue or false Whether the employee record is enabled in QuickBooks, default true
 Salutation str 15Title used for the employee,ie Mr, Ms, Mrs etc...
 First Name str 25First name of the employee
 Middle Name str 5Middle name of the employee
 Last Name str 25Last name of the employee
Supervisor Full Namestr 209Supervisors Full Name (Match name of Employee or Vendor already in QuickBooks)
Departmentstr 31Department for the employee
Descriptionstr 64Role description for the employee
Target BonusamountDollar value target to achieve bonus (eg. 10000.00)
Employee Addr.... strAddress for the employee. More information on importing addresses into QuickBooks 
 Print As str 41Name used when printing on forms
 Phone str 21Phone number
 Mobile str 21Mobile phone number
 Pager str 21Pager number
 Pager PIN str 10Pager PIN
 Alt Phone str 21Alternative phone number
 Fax str 21Fax Number
 SSN str 15Social security number, accept dashes or non dashed
 Email str 1023Email address
Emergency Primary Contact Namestr 40Name of the primary emergency contact
Emergency Primary Contact Valuestr 255Telephone number of the primary emergency contact
Emergency Primary Contact RelationenumRelation of the contact (Values: Spouse, Partner, Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Son, Daughter, Friend, Other)
Emergency Secondary Contact Namestr 40Name of the secondary emergency contact
Emergency Secondary Contact Valuestr 255Telephone number of the secondary emergency contact
Emergency Secondary Contact RelationenumRelation of the contact (Values: Spouse, Partner, Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Son, Daughter, Friend, Other)
Employee TypeenumEmployee type from QuickBooks list, (values: Officer, Owner, Regular [DEFAULT], Statutory)
Part Or Full TimeenumWhether the employee is part time or full time (values: PartTime, FullTime)
ExemptenumIf the employee is exempt or not (values: Exempt, NonExempt )
Key EmployeeenumIf the employee is a key employee (values: Yes, No)
Genderenum(values: Male or Female)
Hired DatedateDate the employee was hired
Original Hire DatedateDate employee was originally hired
Adjusted Service DatedateDate service was adjusted
Released Datedatedate the employee was released
Birth DatedateDate the employee was born
US CitizenenumWhether the employee is a US citizen (values: Yes, No)
EthnicityenumEthnic origin of employee (values: AmericanIndian, Asian, Black, Hawaiian, Hispanic, White, TwoOrMoreRaces )
DisabledenumWhether the employee as a disability (values: Yes, No)
Disability DescstrDescription of the disability
On Fileenum(values: Yes, No)
Work Auth Expire DatedateDate work authority expires
US Veteranenum(values: Yes, No)
Military Statusenum(values: Active, Reserve)
Account Number str 99Employee reference number
Notesstr 4095Employee notes
Billing Ratestr 31Rate that the employees time is billed at
Emp Pay PeriodenumPay period for the employee, match list in QuickBooks (Weekly, fortnightly, etc...)
 Class str 159Class list as appears in QuickBooks
 Clear Earnings true or falseIf set to true then the earnings will be deleted for this employee
 Payroll Item str 31Default payroll items for employee, must match QuickBooks list (You can import multiple payroll items if you separate the payroll items with a semi colon, (ie Salary;Overtime;Sick Leave )
 Earning Rate priceRate the employee is paid at
 Use Time Data to create Paychecks enumIf the employee is paid based on the time entered into a QuickBooks timesheet (values: NotSet, UseTimeData, DoNotUseTimeData)
 Sick Hours Available timeamount of sick leave available in hours
 Sick Hours Accrual Period enumperiod for which accrual is calculated
Values: BeginningOfYear, EveryHourOnPaycheck, EveryPaycheck
 Sick Hours Accrued timehours that are accrued in accrual period
 Sick Hours Maximum Accrual timemaximum hours that can be accrued
 Sick Hours is Reset true or falseShould the accrued amount be reset each year 
 Sick Hours Used timehours used in
 Sick Hours Accrual Start Date dateDate the accrual period started 
 Vacation Hours Available timeamount of vacation leave available
 Vacation Hours Accrual Period enumperiod for which accrual is calculated
Values: BeginningOfYear, EveryHourOnPaycheck, EveryPaycheck
 Vacation Hours Accrued timehours that are accrued in accrual period
 Vacation Hours Maximum Accrual timemaximum hours that can be accrued
 Vacation Hours is Reset true or falseShould the accrued amount be reset each year
 Vacation Hours Used timehours used in
 Vacation Hours Accrual Start Date dateDate the accrual period started

 

Troubleshooting error messages

Feedback

My initial import of employees only had basic personal information - How can I update the existing employees to only add the missing fields? The log mentions that the overwrite option is true. I am not running payroll thru QB Desktop, but do use the names in the payee field for entering manual checks. Another thought is to delete the new employees with no transactions and add them to the Other Names list instead...?
Robin (7/4/2020 at 5:02 PM)
Hi Robin, Yes you can modify the employees records as long as the First Name and Last Name of the employees match then Axis can find those employees in QuickBooks and add or amend the existing details.
Steve (3/16/2022 at 10:34 PM)