Getting Started with Retriever for QuickBooks

Overview

Retriever automatically syncs your QuickBooks reports to Google Sheets, saving you time and frustration from stale spreadsheets. Build dynamic reports that refresh with a single click, saving you hours of repetitive work.

Prerequisites

Here's what you'll need:

• QuickBooks Online account (admin access required)
• Google Sheets account

Watch the Video Walkthrough

Follow along with this video and learn exactly how to get the most out of Retriever.

Initial Setup

Step 1: Install Retriever

1. Install the Retriever app from the Google Workspace Marketplace.

Sign up with Google

Step 2: Open Retriever from Extensions

1. Open any Google Sheets spreadsheet
2. Navigate to Extensions → Retriever for QuickBooks → Open
3. The Retriever app will appear on your screen.

Step 3: Connect to QuickBooks

1. Complete the onboarding process when prompted
2. Connect your QuickBooks account (Retriever is an approved Intuit app partner)
3. Select your QuickBooks company from the dropdown menu

Create Your First Report

Select a Report Type

Retriever offers the following QuickBooks reports:

• Account List
• A/P Aging Detail
• A/P Aging Summary
• A/R Aging Detail
• A/R Aging Summary
• Balance Sheet
• Budget
• Budget vs. Actuals (beta)
• Cash Flow
• Company Info
• Customer Contact List
• General Ledger
• Income by Customer Summary
• Invoice List
• Open Invoices
• Profit and Loss
• Profit and Loss Detail
• Sales by Customer
• Sales by Product
• Transaction List
• Trial Balance
• Vendor Contact List
• Vendor Expenses

Select a period (i.e. date range)

Retriever provides extensive date range flexibility to match your needs with both dynamic and fixed options:

Dynamic Date Options

Your reports will dynamically update based on the time at which it is refreshed.

For example, if we create a P&L for "This Month" in October, it will automatically update to "November" when we refresh it in November.

• All Dates
• Today
• Yesterday
• This Week
• This Week-to-date
• Last Week
• Last Week-to-date
• Next Week
• Next 4 Weeks
• This Month
• This Month-to-date
• Last Month
• Last Month-to-date
• Next Month
• This Fiscal Quarter
• Last Fiscal Quarter
• This Fiscal Year
• Last Fiscal Year
• This Fiscal Year-to-date
• This Year to Last Month
• Last Fiscal Year-to-date
• Next Fiscal Year
• Trailing Period (e.g. trailing 12 months)
• Cell Reference (use spreadsheet cells containing dates for ultimate flexibility)

Fixed Date Option

Specify a specific date range for the report. The report date range will not change, regardless of the time at which it is refreshed.

• Custom

Dynamic dates automatically adjust based on when you refresh the report. For example, "This Month" in October becomes November when refreshed the following month.

Fixed dates (Custom option) maintain the exact date range you specify, though the data within that range will still refresh to reflect any changes in QuickBooks.

Display Columns

Choose how to display columns in your report:

• Dates
• Days
• Weeks
• Months
• Quarters
• Years
• Totals
• Total Only
• Customers
• Vendors
• Employees
• Classes
• Departments
• Products/Services
• ...and many more!

Additional Settings & Preferences

• Accounting Method: Choose between cash and accrual
• Preferences: Customize styling and formatting options
• Filters: Filter by Account, Customer, Class, Vendor, and more fields. To include almost every account except a few, see how to exclude accounts from a Profit and Loss.

Generating the Report

Once configured, click Create Report to generate your report directly in the Google Sheet.

Refresh & Edit Reports

Navigate to the Manage tab in the Retriever app to view all Retriever reports in your current spreadsheet.

Refresh Options

Each report offers two refresh methods:

1. Automatic refresh: Set reports to refresh every hour
2. Manual refresh: Click the refresh button for on-demand updates

Smart Refresh Features

Retriever's intelligent refresh system preserves your customizations:

• Formula protection: Formulas referencing report data automatically update
• Row and column preservation: Added rows and calculations remain intact
• Chart compatibility: Charts linked to report data refresh seamlessly
• Custom formatting: Your formatting and highlighting persist through refreshes

Note: The ability to insert rows and columns is currently available for the Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, and Budget reports.

This feature allows you to add custom calculations, KPIs, and formatting between report rows without losing them during refreshes.

Edit Existing Reports

Use the Edit Report feature to modify report parameters without creating a new report:

• Swap the company
• Adjust date ranges
• Modify accounting methods
• Update filters

Advanced Date Configuration

Trailing Periods

• Trailing periods always display the most recent completed period.
• For example, if you create a trailing 12-month report in October, it will show data through September.
• If this same report is refreshed in November, it will show data through October.

Cell Reference Dates

Create highly dynamic reports using spreadsheet formulas:

1. Set up date cells using formulas (e.g., =TODAY() for current date or =EOMONTH(TODAY(), 0) for end of month)
2. Create calculations (e.g., =TODAY()-90 for a 90-day rolling period)
3. Reference these cells in your report configuration
4. Reports automatically use the calculated dates on refresh

Example: Create a rolling 90-day balance sheet without the need for manual updates.

Drill-Down Feature

Investigate specific amounts directly from your reports:

1. Select any cell containing a monetary value in your report
2. Click the Drill Down button
3. View the underlying transactions that comprise that amount

Available for Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, and Budget vs. Actuals (Actual columns), including when columns are customers, classes, locations, or vendors.

User Management

Inviting Team Members

1. Navigate to the Account tab
2. Click Invite Users
3. Enter the email address associated with their Google Sheets account

   • Note: This doesn't need to match their QuickBooks email
4. Set appropriate roles and permissions

Managing Multiple Companies

Retriever supports connections to multiple QuickBooks companies:

• Add additional companies through the Account section
• Switch between companies using the dropdown menu
• Manage 1 or 100+ QuickBooks companies from one account

Support

Need assistance? Our support team is available to help you:

• Build custom templates
• Configure complex reports
• Optimize your QuickBooks-to-Sheets workflow
• Troubleshoot any issues

Contact me at aubrey@retrieverhq.com if you have any questions or need help.