QuickBooks is an accounting application that many individuals and small business owners use to manage their finances. It allows you to maintain a variety of database files such as customer contact information, budgets and inventory records.

Microsoft Access, on the other hand, is a broader database application, which can store everything from mailing lists to financial data and everything in between. While many users enjoy the convenient financial tracking that QuickBooks provides, they also like the flexibility and advanced query options that Microsoft Access offers.

The good news is that you can merge these two different applications. This allows you to record your financial and business records efficiently, while still being able to create a variety of queries for analytical purposes.

In order to connect Microsoft Access to QuickBooks, you will need to use an ODBC driver like QODBC. While this driver does not import files from or into these applications, it does allow Microsoft Access users to view their QuickBook files externally.

You will still be able to be able to create all the tables, queries, reports, modules and macros using data stored in your QuickBook files, just as you would your files stored in Microsoft Access. Data within these files is updated instantly whether you are working in QuickBook or Microsoft Access.

The process for connecting Microsoft Access and QuickBooks is fairly easy and can be completed within just a few minutes. Below is a look at the seven steps you need to take to connect these two applications.

1. Start by opening up your Microsoft Access application. You can do this by clicking the Start button on your desktop, selecting Microsoft Office and choosing Microsoft Access. Select the Blank Access Database Click the OK button.
2. A default name will appear in the File Name Feel free to edit the name of the file to better meet your specific needs. This name cannot match any other file name within your Microsoft Access database. When you are done, click the Create button.
3. Click the New tab at the top of the box.
4. The Microsoft Access database wizard box will appear. Select Link Table. Click the OK
5. Locate the Files of Type box at the bottom of the screen. Use the drop down box to change the Files of Type from Microsoft Access to ODBC Databases.
6. The Select Data Source box will appear. Select QuickBook Data or another DSN Data Source you set up with your QODBC driver. Click on the OK
7. The Link Table will appear, which lists all the tables from QuickBook that you can now access with Microsoft Access. Select all the QuickBook tables you want to connect to Microsoft Office. Click the OK

You will now be able to view all your QuickBook tables in Microsoft Access. It is important to note that this process technically does not import your QuickBook files into Microsoft Access. Instead, Microsoft Access will open these external files through the QODBC driver.

This allows changes to be updated instantly whether you are working in QuickBooks or in Microsoft Access. This creates fewer errors and ensures your records stay up to date at all times.

If you create a table in QuickBooks, you will need to repeat steps one through seven to make sure these new files are connected to your Microsoft Access.