Connect ODBC Applications on Windows to QuickBooks Online

The QuickBooks Online ODBC Driver enables you to work with QuickBooks Online data outside of the QuickBooks web interface. The driver allows you to use QuickBooks Online data in any application that supports ODBC. For example, Microsoft Access, Excel, SQL Server, Oracle, PHP and Perl. You can query QuickBooks Online as well as adding and updating QuickBooks Online records.

Installing the QuickBooks ODBC Driver

  1. Download the QuickBooks Online ODBC driver.
  2. Install and license the QuickBooks Online ODBC driver on the machine where your client application is installed.

    For example, if you want to analyse QuickBooks Online data in Excel, install the QuickBooks Online ODBC driver on the machine where Excel is installed.

    To do this, execute the file distribution that you obtained in the previous step, and follow the on screen instructions.

    The install program starts the Easysoft License Manager, because you cannot use the QuickBooks Online ODBC Driver until a license is obtained.

    The following types of license are available:

    • Free time-limited trial license which gives you free and unrestricted use of the product for a limited period (usually 14 days).
    • Full license if you have purchased the product. On purchasing the product you are given an authorization code, which you use to obtain a license
  3. In Easysoft License Manager, enter your details.

    You MUST enter the Name, E-Mail Address and Company fields.

    The E-Mail Address MUST be the same as the address used to register and download from the Easysoft web site or you will be unable to obtain trial licenses.

  4. Choose Request License.

    You are asked for a license type.

  5. Do one of the following:
    • For a trial license click Time Limited Trial and then click Next.

      The License Manager asks what software you are licensing. Select Easysoft QuickBooks Online ODBC Driver from the drop-down list and then click Next.

    • If you have obtained an authorization code for a purchased license, select Non-expiring License and then click Next.

      The License Manager requests your authorization code.

      Enter the authorization code and then click Next.

  6. The License Manager displays a summary of the information you entered and allows you to choose the method of applying for your license.
  7. Do one of the following:
    • Choose On-line Request if your machine is connected to the internet and can make outgoing connections to port 8884.

      The License Manager then sends a request to the Easysoft license server to activate your license key automatically. This is the quickest method and results in your details being entered immediately into our support database.

    • The remaining three options (Email Request, Print Request and View Request) are all ways to obtain a license if your machine is off-line (i.e. does not have a connection to the internet).

      Each of these methods involves providing Easysoft with information including your machine number (a number unique to your machine) and then waiting to receive your license key.

      Instead of emailing your details to Easysoft, you can enter them directly at the Easysoft web site and your license key will be emailed to you automatically.

      To use this method, click View Request, and then visit:

      In the Licensing page, enter your machine number (and authorization code for purchased license), click Submit and your license key will be emailed to you.

      When you receive the license key, you can activate it either by double-clicking the email attachment or by clicking Enter License on the License Manager main screen and pasting the license key into the dialog box.

    • Choose Finish to exit the License Manager.

      The installation is complete.

Configuring an ODBC Data Source

Before you can use the QuickBooks Online ODBC Driver to connect your application to QuickBooks Online, you need to configure an ODBC data source. An ODBC data source stores the connection details for the target database (e.g. QuickBooks Online) and the ODBC driver that is required to connect to it (e.g. the QuickBooks Online ODBC driver).

You configure ODBC data sources in ODBC Administrator, which is included with Windows. How you run ODBC Administrator depends on whether your application is 32-bit or 64-bit:

How do I tell whether my application is 32-bit or 64-bit?

Application Notes
Excel There is both a 32-bit and a 64-bit version of Excel. To find out which version of Excel you have, start Excel, and then start Windows Task Manager. In Task Manager, choose the Processes tab. Look for Excel.exe in the list. If this process name is followed by *32, your version of Excel is 32-bit. Otherwise, your version of Excel is 64-bit.
GoodData CloudConnect Deigner is a 64-bit application.
MicroStrategy MicroStrategy is a 32-bit application.
Oracle The Oracle component that interacts with the ODBC driver is called DG4ODBC. There is both a 32-bit and a 64-bit version of DG4ODBC. To find out which version of DG4ODBC you have, start the Windows Task Manager and choose the Processes tab. In a Command Prompt window, type dg4odbc --help. In the Windows Task Manager, look for the DG4ODBC process. If the Image Name is "dg4odbc.exe *32" DG4ODBC is 32-bit. If the Image Name is "dg4odbc.exe" DG4ODBC is 64-bit. Press CTRL+C in the Command Prompt window, when you have used the Windows Task Manager to find out DG4ODBC's architecture.
Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE) The OBIEE component that interacts with the ODBC driver is called the Oracle BI Administration Tool. The Oracle BI Administration Tool is 64-bit.
PHPRunner PHPRunner is a 32-bit application.
QlikView QlikView is a 32-bit application if the Force 32 Bit check box is selected. Otherwise, QlikView is a 64-bit application.
SAP BusinessObjects Central Management Server is a 64-bit application. Business View Manager, Information Design Tool and Web Intelligence Rich Client are 32-bit applications.
SAP Crystal Reports Crystal Reports is a 32-bit application.
SQL Server There is both a 32-bit and a 64-bit version of SQL Server. To find out which version of SQL Server you have, connect to your SQL Server instance, and then run this SQL statement: 
select SERVERPROPERTY('edition')

If you have the 64-bit version of SQL Server and want to use a linked server with the QuickBooks Online ODBC driver, your application is 64-bit.

If you have the 32-bit version of SQL Server or want to use SSIS with the QuickBooks Online ODBC driver, your application is 32-bit.
Tableau Tableau is a 32-bit application.
TIBCO Spotfire TIBCO Spotfire is a 64-bit application.

In ODBC Administrator:

  1. Choose the System DSN tab, and then choose Add.
  2. In the Create New Data Source dialog box, choose Easysoft ODBC-QOnline Driver, and then choose Finish.
  3. Complete these fields in the Easysoft ODBC-QOnline Driver DSN Setup dialog box:
    Setting Value
    DSN QuickBooks Online
    Sandbox Company If your company is in a private sandbox environment, enable this option.

    Enable the QuickBooks Online ODBC Driver to access QuickBooks Online.

  4. Choose the Connect to QuickBooks button.

    An Intuit log in page is displayed in your default web browser.

  5. Enter your QuickBooks Online email address / user ID and password in the spaces provided. If prompted to generate a security code, follow the onscreen instructions to proceed.
  6. When you receive the Connection Authorized message, exit your web browser tab, and return to the QuickBooks ODBC Online Driver DSN Configuration dialog box.
  7. In your application, connect to your newly configured data source and run a sample query. For example: 
    select top 10 * from Account