Using Web TimeSheet Billing Integration 29 Standard Data Transfer Phases There are typically four phases to follow when working with the in- tegration module. These phases should be performed in the order shown in the diagram, to ensure a successful transfer of informa- tion between QuickBooks and Web TimeSheet. • Initial transfer of Employees, Customers and Vendors data types Before any time and expense data can be transferred to QuickBooks, the employees, vendors, and customers in QuickBooks must match the users and clients found in Web TimeSheet. For example, a user in Web TimeSheet must exist as an employee in QuickBooks before time data entered by that user can be transferred. This synchronization is most easily accomplished by enter- ing the data in one application and then performing a mass transfer to the other application using the integration mod- ule. If you are more comfortable working in QuickBooks, you may choose to enter all of your employee, vendor, cus- tomer and job data in QuickBooks, and then transfer the data to Web TimeSheet. Alternatively, if the majority of your data is already in Web TimeSheet, or you are more familiar with this application, you may choose to transfer the data from Web TimeSheet to QuickBooks. If you already have data in both Web TimeSheet and Quick- Books, you will need to exercise caution when performing the initial transfer. Make sure that all employee, vendor and customer names are identical to any users and clients cur- rently being used to avoid creating duplicate data. Once this phase has been completed, you will only be required to transfer these data types after changes are made to them in either application. • Initial transfer of Jobs/Items data type After employee, customer and vendor information has been transferred, make sure the Jobs/Items data type exists in both applications. This information can be transferred from QuickBooks to Web TimeSheet, or from Web TimeSheet to QuickBooks. Exactly what information is transferred, and how it is organized in the other application, depends on the relationship defined between the data structures used in the two applications. The relationship will determine what information is drawn from the source application, and where it is deposited in the target application. For more information on defining the relationship, see Chapter 5, Defining the Relationship between Data Structures on page 31. • Regular transfer of Time Tracking and Vendor Bills data types Once the two applications share the same data for the Employees, Vendors, Customers and Jobs/Items data types, use Web TimeSheet to enter time and expenses. Time and expenses can be entered in Web TimeSheet, and then transferred to QuickBooks as needed. Time and expense data can be transferred only from Web TimeSheet to QuickBooks. START Is the employee, vendor, customer, and job data consistent between the two applications Transfer employee, vendor, and customer data Transfer job data Transfer time and expense data Wait until next transfer period NO YES