Quick Start Guide

Use this guide to get a QuickBooks-connected grant workspace running without changing your books by accident.

1. Confirm your QuickBooks admin

QuickBooks app authorization requires a QuickBooks admin. If someone else owns QBO admin access, invite that person to GrantLink before the connection call.

2. Connect QuickBooks

1. Open Settings > QuickBooks Sync.
2. Click Connect QuickBooks Online.
3. Authorize the correct QuickBooks company.
4. Run the first sync if it does not start automatically.
5. Confirm the company name, realm ID, last sync status, and sync history.

3. Set QuickBooks permissions

Open Settings > QuickBooks Permissions and choose how GrantLink may interact with QuickBooks:

• Read-only reporting: recommended for first setup; GrantLink does not write to QBO.
• Selected writebacks: enable only specific writes, such as transaction grant tag updates or claim invoices.
• Full writeback / automation: only for teams that intentionally want all supported writes enabled.

4. Configure grant mapping

Open Settings > QuickBooks Mapping and answer how you already track grants:

• QuickBooks Customers
• QuickBooks sub-customers/jobs
• QuickBooks Projects
• QuickBooks Classes
• app-only tracking

Then choose how functional expenses are tracked, usually Classes, Departments/Locations, or none.

5. Import or create grants

If grants already exist in QuickBooks, go to Grants > Import from QuickBooks. Select a candidate and review the matched QBO activity before creating the linked grant.

If the grant is not in QuickBooks, use Add Grant and enter the award, period, funder, budget, and reporting details manually.

6. Review allocations and budgets

Use the Ledger and grant Allocations tab to review synced transactions, allocate expenses, split shared costs, and assign budget lines or funding share classifications.

7. Build reports

Use the grant Reports tab or Chats > New Chat to create draft reports from synced GrantLink data. Review the scope and numbers before publishing or sharing.