Authentication in QuickBooks: Quick Guide in 5 Steps 🧩

Step 1: Create Your Application and Obtain Credentials

Go to https://developer.intuit.com/app/developer/dashboard and generate your unique credentials to authenticate with QuickBooks. This is the first step to start integrating QuickBooks into your business!

Once everything is set up, you will have your unique credentials; here’s an example:

Step 2: Download and Configure the SDK

Visit the QuickBooks documentation to download the SDK for your programming language. Configure your SDK client with the generated credentials.

const createOauthClient = (production = false) => {

return new OAuthClient({

clientId: process.env.QUICKBOOKS_CLIENT_ID,

clientSecret: process.env.QUICKBOOKS_SECRET,

environment: production ? ‘production’ : ‘sandbox’,

redirectUri: production ? process.env.QUICKBOOKS_REDIRECT_URL_PROD : process.env.QUICKBOOKS_REDIRECT_URL_SANDBOX,

})

}

Step 3: Generate the Authorization Link

Use your SDK client to generate the authorization link that will redirect your users to the QuickBooks page to grant permission to your application.

Example with the JavaScript SDK:

javascript

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const makeAuthorizationRequest = async (production = false) => {

const oauthClient = createOauthClient(production)

const authUri = oauthClient.authorizeUri({

scope: [OAuthClient.scopes.Accounting, OAuthClient.scopes.OpenId, OAuthClient.scopes.Payment],

})

return {url: authUri}

}

Step 4: Create a Redirect Endpoint

Set up an endpoint to receive the redirection from QuickBooks after users authorize your application. Make sure to add this endpoint to the list of redirect URLs in your developer dashboard.

Step 5: Exchange the Authorization Code for a Token and Make an API Request

Once you receive the authorization code and the Realm ID, exchange them for an access token using your SDK client. This token will allow you to make calls to the QuickBooks API on behalf of your users.

Example with the JavaScript SDK:

javascript

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const createBase64 = (data) => Buffer.from(JSON.stringify(data), ‘utf-8’).toString(‘base64’)

const exchangeAuthorizationCode = async (url, production = false) => {

const oauthClient = createOauthClient(production)

const authResponse = await oauthClient.createToken(url)

return createBase64(authResponse.token)

}

Don’t forget to transform it from Object to base64! Here are some examples:

Make a Request to the QuickBooks API

With the access token, you can make requests to the QuickBooks API. Here’s an example of how to make a GET request using Postman

Open Postman and create a new request.

Select the GET method and the URL of the QuickBooks API you want to access. In this example, we will use the endpoint to get company information:

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GET https://sandbox-quickbooks.api.intuit.com/v3/company/<RealmID>/companyinfo/<RealmID>

Add the necessary headers

Authorization: Bearer <access_token>

Accept: application/json

Send the request and check the response. If everything is set up correctly, you will receive company information in JSON format.

Recommendations and Potential Errors

Recommendations

Review the official documentation: QuickBooks documentation is full of useful resources.
Handle your credentials securely: Use environment variables to store sensitive information.
Implement error handling: Properly capture and handle any errors during the authentication process.
Update and refresh tokens: Access tokens have a limited lifespan, so make sure to refresh them before they expire.

Potential Errors

Invalid Redirect URI: Ensure that the configured redirect URL matches exactly with the one used in the code.
Invalid Grant: Exchange the authorization code for an access token as soon as possible.
Network Errors: Implement retries and error handling to minimize the impact of network issues.
Token Expiry: Implement token refresh logic to avoid failures in QuickBooks API requests.

Benefits of Integrating QuickBooks with Konvex’s Unified API

Acceleration of Integrations

Konvex’s unified API allows you to integrate QuickBooks and many other ERP APIs using the same endpoints, simplifying and speeding up the integration process.

Time and Cost Savings

Using a single API reduces development time and implementation costs, enabling a more efficient and quicker integration. This way, you avoid the need to integrate independently, saving costs with your current team.

Increased Value for Your Clients

Offering fast and efficient integrations with multiple ERPs enhances the customer experience and strengthens your value proposition. You increase your revenue while reducing customer churn rate.

Simplified Maintenance

Managing integrations with multiple systems is easier and less costly with a unified API, making maintenance and updates more manageable.

If you need more information about a specific step or encounter any issues during the process, don’t hesitate to contact us. The Konvex team is here to help you integrate QuickBooks and many more systems into your business quickly, securely, and efficiently!