I have found a workaround for the variations issue and syncing to qb. Instead of variations, I created a hidden category and linked the items from the main category to their pages in the hidden category via a table. (sizes and color options in table links to prod page). I think that will work (site is still unpublished) but there is still a prob.

In qb, all the products which have variations (or attributes) are listed with the same prod name and the attributes have the color/size options. I want the prod names to just reflect the color/size in ns. The problem, obviously, is that qb won't recognize these products. Since the only difference in qb with the products is their attributes, how do I get qb to recognize the prod since there is no place in ns to input the attributes?

Naturally, having the part number syncable to the item number in qb would solve this problem immensely so that the prod name could be adjusted to the website in a more useful manner. This really is an absolute necessity for the function of integration to work properly. I hope this is a top priority for the ns team .

I would love to hear how others have worked around this...

Marcia

One solution might be to use the Stone Edge Order Manager for inventory and order management. The Order Manager can automatically combine the "parent SKU" with the selected attributes to generate a "sub SKU" which represents the specific product (color, size, style, whatever) that your customer ordered. It then uses the sub SKU (which is just another product in the Order Manager) for inventory management, purchasing, pick lists, etc.

Thank you Barney but we are not in a position to add more software. I really need to make what we have work for us.

I agree with Marcia. This is hedious how these orders are syncing into QB. The product/item numbers should be the criteria for matching and not the product name. This is supposed to be saving me time by doing this order syncing and yet, I am spending hours just editing orders, customers, items, to fit into NS's scheme when NS should be trying to fit into QB's scheme. I still don't understand why when orders are downloaded or synced to QB from NS that my inventory in QB is changed. It should be the other way around. There should be information on NS telling you this before syncing your first orders.

Angel

I see that support for the latest QB web connector was added in the latest QB update. Was any support added to fix the issues discussed in this (and many other) post?

I must say that this is a severe limitation as one would intuitively just assume that the Part No. assigned to each variation would correspond to the QB item name/no. I had set it all up assuming this and then found out that I get quite bizarre item names from NS.

I am trying to revisit the variations issue again as we are now using the QB Item# as the NS Part#. I was hoping that when updating with Web Connector, it would see the variation part# and update inventory. Alas, it did not.

Will this EVER be addressed???

I am waiting for the answer to this also. We have the ability to add product numbers to each variant, therefore, the product number should be the "key" and not the product name. Netsol, we will continue visiting this issue until we get a time frame or some kind of communication from you.

Hey Folks,

Currently, the best method we have for syncing variations with QB and the store is as follows:

1.) Have a unique part number for each of your variations in the store (not the part number under the general tab for the basic product).
2.) That same variation part number in the store should be entered in the MPN (Manufacturer Part Number) in QB.
3.) Once you have verified those two fields are filled in and identical you would go to Operations >> QuickBooks >> Account Settings and check "Import product on next sync".
4.) Run Web Connector and then go to Operations >> QuickBooks >> Import Products and verify those variations that you attempted to sync to NOT appear in that list. You can also place a test order to verify.

I assure you that we are investigating better ways of doing things like this and hope that we can keep on improving this integration for you guys to make it easier and easier.

Hi Stephen,
You lost me on step 4. Can you explain it further please?

Thanks,
Angel

Sure thing. After you "Import products on next sync" and run Web Connector to complete the sync process, the section Operations >> QuickBooks >> Import Products will show any products you have in QB that do not currently sync up with any products on the store. If the products do not display on that screen, they have either just been synced together, previously synced, or some other issue may have prevented them for showing up at all. If you have new products show in that view that do not exist in QB, then you can select those product, select the categorie(s) you want them to show up in and then save them to those categories.

Does that help out at all?

Now I understand. Your saying to go into each our our QB items and add the product number in the MPN field. Not a simple fix and is a daunting task to do this but I appreciate your time in explaining it. I hope Netsol finds a "seemless" integration process for this like other carts out there have.

I'm looking at the item fields available in QB and I do not see a field for MPN. I've noticed that when I sync with Web Connector, one of the numbers that comes over is the Alternative Look Up number. I've copied the item numbers there but that doesn't seem to work either. Where do I find the MPN field in QB?

I am not at or near my computer with QB on it, but I had to add it via customization or something like that. You will then have to go into each QB product and add the product number to the MPN field, which is already in the Item number/name field. Hope this helps.

Angel

Thank you Angel, for your help, but I don't see MPN as an option in the customize column.

Okay, I'm at my home computer where QB is. I am using QB 2009.
Open your item list, click on view in the top menu, then customize columns. This will allow you to add the MPM to your tiems.

We are using QBPOS ver 7.0 and there is no option for MPN in the customize column and no way to enter a custom heading. This wouldnt' be the same as a UPC number, would it?

Netsol's expert on QB would have to answer that.

The "MFG" equivalent for Point of Sale is the "Alternate Lookup field". Please bare in mind that the number in the Alternate Lookup Field in Point of Sale has to match up EXACTLY to the Part number field on the individual variation under the Variations tab and not the part number under the general tab. If you have already managed to syncronize the product in question with a product on your store you will be unable to re-sync it to the variation and may need to create a new product in QuickBooks to accomplish this task.

I've changed all my variations to show the alternate lookup number in the Mfr. Part No: and the Part No: and it still doesn't completely update inventory and sync with QB. Apparently the inventory did update on one of the product's variations. I've scrutinized that product with another product that didn't update inventory (the only thing difference between them is color, all the variations are size and are the same for both) and I can't figure out why one updated and the others didn't.

Did you go to Operations >> QuickBooks >> Account Settings, select "Import products on next sync", click save, and then run a sync with Web Connector prior to downloading your orders with those variations?

We haven't published the site so we have no actual orders.

I just did an "Import prod on next sync" and only a few products (in the various sizes) showed up there as "new". If it found the variations, it certainly didn't update inventory.

The way I have set up this particular category is with 4 products, all the same except for color, and 12 variations of size for each. So that is 48 individual products listed in QB (about, we don't have every size!). On this last import, only 10 imported as new. One of the products seems to have been updated, that is 12 variations with the correct inventory. So what about all the others? I've tried logging out to see if that would work. QB is syncing with something for those other products but I dont' know where.

After you do a "import products on next sync" that will only sync the variations between the store and QB. You will then want to verify that "Import products on next sync" is NOT selected and then "Import inventory on next sync" is.

I you go to Operations >> QuickBooks >> Import products and you see products listed there, that means that those are NOT currently synced with a product on your store. The cause of that is either the product name or part numbers do not match up or a product that it matches up to on the store has already been synchronized with another product in QB.

I understand all that. There were prod there that were also in my variations with the correct numbers but I will double check that there are no duplicates.

BUT...as of this latest sync with QB, 3 of the 4 colors(products) updated their inventory in the variables! Not sure if it's because I put the item number in both the MPN and part no but it worked. I just wish it worked with the final product...will keep plugging away at it!

@StephenMCTech

What is the reasoning behind mapping QB MPN -> NS ECOM Part Number vs having QB MPN -> NS ECOM MPN ??

I was able to get the QB Inventory Items in the Import Products Section to "Disappear" from the list when I changed this to NS ECOM Part Number as you suggested, however, I plan to setup QB POS at a later point in time and I am concerned that by changing the QB MPN to PN(I am actually using the equivalent of a UPC/SKU) that I will have issues integrating QB Financials with QB POS. Also, from a Purchase Order Perspective I will no longer have the Mfg Part Number on the PO I generate. I am setting all of this up from scratch so I'd like to set this up in such a way that I can minimize the amount of workarounds and rework later.

Is there a documented mapping(outside the Help Overview on the site) as to what fields map to where and how?

Also, does QB POS Integrate any better than QB Financials or are they pretty much the same?

Thanks!

-nick

With the new upgrade for NS...will there be a resolution to this problem syncing to QB?