QuickBooks Integration: Install and Connect the Accounting Server

The ESC Accounting Server acts as a bridge between ESC and QuickBooks. It connects directly to your QuickBooks database and waits for requests from ESC. Whenever an ESC workstation needs information from QuickBooks, the request is sent to the ESC Accounting Server, which communicates with QuickBooks and sends the response back to ESC. This allows you to install ESC on any computer in the office, regardless of whether QuickBooks is installed on it or not.

Direct Connect Method

If only one computer in the office will be running ESC and QuickBooks, installing the ESC Accounting Server may not be necessary.  You may connect using the Direct Connect method instead.  Please see these instructions for more details.

Install the ESC Accounting Server

1. Close any open programs, including ESC.
2. Click the button below to download the installation package - ESC Accounting Server Install.exe. 
   
   
   
   
3. When the download is complete, start the installation by double-clicking the downloaded file.
4. Accept all the defaults as you go through the wizard. You do not need to do anything during the course of the wizard other than click the Next button.
5. Click Close when the installer is finished.

Connect the ESC Accounting Server

The first step in the Accounting Integration process is to connect the ESC Accounting Server to your Accounting database. Here's how to begin:

1. Open QuickBooks and sign in as the Admin.
2. Open the ESC Accounting Server
3. Select QuickBooks in the Accounting Package field.
4. Now click the Retrieve button.
5. QuickBooks will produce a window called an 'Integration Certificate'. Here are the settings you'll need to select:

• "Do you want to allow this application to read and modify this company file?" Yes, always; allow access even if QuickBooks is not running.
• "Login as:" ESC.
• Place a check next to "Allow this application to access personal data..."
• Click Continue
• Click Done

At this point, your QuickBooks database name should appear in the box to the right of the Retrieve button.

Now you may notice some additional settings below your database name:

• Automatically connect when server is started - when this option is checked, the ESC Accounting Server will automatically log into your QuickBooks database when it opens.
• Timer - when the Enabled button is checked, the two time fields below become active. These allow you to set what time you want the Accounting Server to pause itself and what time you want it to resume the connection. If you have automatic backups of your QuickBooks database set to run at a particular time of the day, you can set the ESC Accounting Server to pause at that time to allow the backups to run. It will then reconnect itself at the time you specify.

Once you have completed the ESC Accounting Server setup, click the Connect button on the top half of the screen; this will look like a 'play' button. The Status should change to Connected.

Next Step: The QuickBooks Connection Wizard