QuickBooks Direct

Comprehensive QuickBooks Online API integration for accounting, invoicing, payments, and financial reporting

QuickBooks API Skill for OpenClaw

A complete QuickBooks Online direct API integration skill for OpenClaw providing full access to accounting, invoicing, customer management, inventory, payments, and financial reporting through the Intuit QuickBooks API.

Overview

This skill enables OpenClaw to interact with QuickBooks Online for:

• Customer & Vendor Management: Create and manage business relationships
• Invoicing: Generate, send, and track invoices
• Payments: Record and reconcile payments
• Inventory: Manage products, services, and stock levels
• Financial Reports: Generate P&L, Balance Sheets, Cash Flow, and aging reports
• Estimates: Create quotes and proposals
• Bills: Track accounts payable
• Purchase Orders: Manage procurement

Prerequisites

1. QuickBooks Developer Account

   • Sign up at https://developer.intuit.com
   • Create a new app in the Developer Portal
   • Enable "QuickBooks Online API" scope

2. App Credentials

   • Client ID from your QuickBooks app
   • Client Secret from your QuickBooks app
   • Redirect URI: http://localhost:3001/callback

3. Node.js

   • Version 18.0.0 or higher
   • npm or yarn package manager

Installation

1. Install Dependencies

bash

cd "c:\Users\Shaun\Desktop\Quickbooks skill"
npm install

Required packages:

• axios - HTTP client for API requests
• express - OAuth callback server
• open - Browser automation for OAuth

2. Configure Credentials

Create config.json from template:

bash

cp config.json.template config.json

Edit config.json with your QuickBooks app credentials:

json

{
  "client_id": "YOUR_CLIENT_ID_HERE",
  "client_secret": "YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET_HERE",
  "redirect_uri": "http://localhost:3001/callback",
  "api_environment": "sandbox",
  "access_token": "",
  "refresh_token": "",
  "realm_id": "",
  "token_expiry": 0
}

3. Add to Configuration

For OpenClaw:

Add to your OpenClaw configuration:

json

{
  "skills": {
    "quickbooks": {
      "path": "~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/Quickbooks-openclaw",
      "enabled": true,
      "autoStart": true
    }
  }
}

Authentication

First-Time Setup

1. Use the qb_authenticate tool with your credentials:

text

Use qb_authenticate with client_id and client_secret

2. A browser window will open automatically
3. Log in to your QuickBooks account
4. Authorize the application
5. You'll be redirected to localhost (handled automatically)
6. Tokens are saved to config.json

Token Management

• Access tokens expire after 1 hour (refreshed automatically)
• Refresh tokens last 100 days (renewed on refresh)
• The skill automatically refreshes tokens before they expire
• Re-authenticate if you see "Not authenticated" errors

Available Tools

🔐 Authentication

qb_authenticate

Initiate OAuth2 authentication flow.

Parameters:

• client_id (required): Your QuickBooks app Client ID
• client_secret (required): Your QuickBooks app Client Secret
• redirect_uri (optional): OAuth redirect URI (default: http://localhost:3001/callback)

Example:

json

{
  "client_id": "ABxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx",
  "client_secret": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
}

---

👥 Customer Management

qb_create_customer

Create a new customer.

Parameters:

• DisplayName (required): Customer display name
• CompanyName: Company name
• GivenName: First name
• FamilyName: Last name
• PrimaryEmailAddr: Email address object
• PrimaryPhone: Phone number object
• BillAddr: Billing address object
• ShipAddr: Shipping address object

Example:

json

{
  "DisplayName": "Acme Corporation",
  "PrimaryEmailAddr": {
    "Address": "[e-mail]"
  }
}

qb_get_customer

Get customer details by ID.

Parameters:

• customer_id (required): Customer ID

qb_query_customers

Query customers using SQL syntax.

Parameters:

• query: SQL query string (default: "SELECT * FROM Customer")

Example:

json

{
  "query": "SELECT * FROM Customer WHERE Active = true"
}

---

🧾 Invoice Management

qb_create_invoice

Create a new invoice.

Parameters:

• CustomerRef (required): Customer reference object
• Line (required): Array of line items
• TxnDate: Transaction date (YYYY-MM-DD)
• DueDate: Due date (YYYY-MM-DD)
• CustomerMemo: Message to customer
• BillEmail: Email address for invoice

Example:

json

{
  "CustomerRef": { "value": "123" },
  "Line": [{
    "Amount": 500.00,
    "DetailType": "SalesItemLineDetail",
    "SalesItemLineDetail": {
      "ItemRef": { "value": "1" },
      "Qty": 10,
      "UnitPrice": 50.00
    }
  }],
  "DueDate": "2026-03-15"
}

qb_get_invoice

Get invoice by ID.

Parameters:

• invoice_id (required): Invoice ID

qb_send_invoice

Send invoice via email.

Parameters:

• invoice_id (required): Invoice ID
• email (required): Recipient email address

qb_query_invoices

Query invoices using SQL syntax.

Parameters:

• query: SQL query string

Example:

json

{
  "query": "SELECT * FROM Invoice WHERE Balance > 0"
}

---

📦 Item/Product Management

qb_create_item

Create a new product or service item.

Parameters:

• Name (required): Item name
• Type (required): Item type (Service, Inventory, NonInventory)
• Description: Item description
• UnitPrice: Sales price
• IncomeAccountRef: Income account reference
• ExpenseAccountRef: Expense account reference (for inventory)
• QtyOnHand: Quantity on hand (for inventory)

Example:

json

{
  "Name": "Consulting Services",
  "Type": "Service",
  "UnitPrice": 150.00,
  "IncomeAccountRef": { "value": "79" }
}

qb_get_item

Get item by ID.

Parameters:

• item_id (required): Item ID

qb_query_items

Query items using SQL syntax.

Parameters:

• query: SQL query string

---

💰 Payment Processing

qb_create_payment

Record a payment received.

Parameters:

• CustomerRef (required): Customer reference
• TotalAmt (required): Total payment amount
• TxnDate: Transaction date
• Line: Array of payment line items linking to invoices
• PaymentMethodRef: Payment method reference

Example:

json

{
  "CustomerRef": { "value": "123" },
  "TotalAmt": 500.00,
  "Line": [{
    "Amount": 500.00,
    "LinkedTxn": [{
      "TxnId": "456",
      "TxnType": "Invoice"
    }]
  }]
}

qb_query_payments

Query payments using SQL syntax.

---

📊 Financial Reports

qb_get_profit_loss

Generate Profit & Loss report.

Parameters:

• start_date (required): Start date (YYYY-MM-DD)
• end_date (required): End date (YYYY-MM-DD)

Example:

json

{
  "start_date": "2026-01-01",
  "end_date": "2026-01-31"
}

qb_get_balance_sheet

Generate Balance Sheet report.

Parameters:

• date (required): Report date (YYYY-MM-DD)

qb_get_cash_flow

Generate Cash Flow report.

Parameters:

• start_date (required): Start date
• end_date (required): End date

qb_get_aged_receivables

Generate Aged Receivables (A/R Aging) report.

Parameters: None

qb_get_aged_payables

Generate Aged Payables (A/P Aging) report.

Parameters: None

---

💼 Vendor & Bill Management

qb_create_vendor

Create a new vendor.

Parameters:

• DisplayName (required): Vendor display name
• CompanyName: Company name
• PrimaryEmailAddr: Email address object
• PrimaryPhone: Phone number object

qb_create_bill

Create a bill for a vendor.

Parameters:

• VendorRef (required): Vendor reference
• Line (required): Array of bill line items
• TxnDate: Transaction date
• DueDate: Due date

qb_query_vendors

Query vendors using SQL syntax.

---

📝 Estimates & Quotes

qb_create_estimate

Create a new estimate/quote.

Parameters:

• CustomerRef (required): Customer reference
• Line (required): Array of line items
• TxnDate: Transaction date
• ExpirationDate: Expiration date

qb_query_estimates

Query estimates using SQL syntax.

---

🛒 Purchase Orders

qb_create_purchase_order

Create a purchase order.

Parameters:

• VendorRef (required): Vendor reference
• Line (required): Array of PO line items

---

💵 Sales Receipts

qb_create_sales_receipt

Create a sales receipt (cash sale).

Parameters:

• CustomerRef (required): Customer reference
• Line (required): Array of line items
• TxnDate: Transaction date

---

🏦 Chart of Accounts

qb_query_accounts

Query chart of accounts.

Parameters:

• query: SQL query string

Example:

json

{
  "query": "SELECT * FROM Account WHERE AccountType = 'Income'"
}

---

🏢 Company Information

qb_get_company_info

Get company information.

Parameters: None

---

🔍 Generic Query

qb_query

Execute any SQL query against QuickBooks entities.

Parameters:

• query (required): SQL query string

Example:

json

{
  "query": "SELECT * FROM Customer WHERE Balance > 100 ORDER BY DisplayName"
}

Supported Entities: Account, Bill, BillPayment, Class, CreditMemo, Customer, Department, Deposit, Employee, Estimate, Invoice, Item, JournalEntry, Payment, PaymentMethod, Purchase, PurchaseOrder, RefundReceipt, SalesReceipt, TaxCode, TaxRate, Term, TimeActivity, Transfer, Vendor, VendorCredit

---

⚡ Batch Operations

qb_batch

Execute multiple operations in a single batch request.

Parameters:

• operations (required): Array of batch operations

Example:

json

{
  "operations": [
    {
      "bId": "bid1",
      "operation": "create",
      "entity": "Customer",
      "data": { "DisplayName": "Customer 1" }
    },
    {
      "bId": "bid2",
      "operation": "query",
      "query": "SELECT * FROM Invoice WHERE Balance > 0"
    }
  ]
}

Usage Examples

Create and Send an Invoice Workflow

text

1. First, create or find a customer:
   "Find customer with name 'Acme Corp' using qb_query_customers"

2. Create an invoice:
   "Create an invoice for customer ID 123 with consulting services 
    for 10 hours at $150/hour, due in 30 days"

3. Send the invoice:
   "Send invoice 456 to [e-mail]"

Financial Reporting Workflow

text

1. Get month-end reports:
   "Show me the profit and loss for January 2026"

2. Check cash flow:
   "What's the cash flow for last quarter?"

3. Review outstanding receivables:
   "Show me the aged receivables report"

Inventory Management Workflow

text

1. Check low stock items:
   "Query items where quantity on hand is less than 10"

2. Create reorder purchase order:
   "Create a purchase order for vendor 789 to reorder low stock items"

3. Update item prices:
   "Update the price of item 'Widget Pro' to $299.99"

SQL Query Syntax

QuickBooks uses a SQL-like query language:

Basic Query

sql

SELECT * FROM Customer WHERE Active = true

With Conditions

sql

SELECT * FROM Invoice WHERE Balance > 0 AND DueDate < '2026-03-01'

Pattern Matching

sql

SELECT * FROM Customer WHERE DisplayName LIKE '%Corp%'

Ordering Results

sql

SELECT * FROM Invoice ORDER BY TxnDate DESC

Limiting Results

sql

SELECT *, MAXRESULTS 50 FROM Customer

Multiple Conditions

sql

SELECT * FROM Item WHERE Type = 'Inventory' AND QtyOnHand < 10

Error Handling

The skill provides detailed error messages:

• Authentication Errors: "Not authenticated. Please run qb_authenticate first."
• API Errors: Full QuickBooks error details with status codes
• Validation Errors: Missing required fields or invalid data
• Rate Limit Errors: "Too Many Requests - retry after delay"

Configuration

All configuration is stored in config.json. This file contains both your app credentials (Client ID and Secret) and the OAuth tokens that are saved after authentication.

API Environment

The skill supports both Sandbox and Production environments via the api_environment setting in config.json:

• sandbox (default): QuickBooks Sandbox API for development and testing
• production: QuickBooks Production API for live company data (requires app verification)

To switch environments, update config.json:

json

{
  "api_environment": "sandbox"  // or "production"
}

Important: Production mode requires your app to be verified by Intuit. Start with sandbox for development.

Security Considerations

⚠️ Credential Storage: This skill stores OAuth tokens and client secrets in plaintext in config.json on your local filesystem. To enhance security:

• Set restrictive file permissions on config.json (read/write for owner only)
• Never commit config.json to version control (included in .gitignore)
• Store the skill directory in a secure location
• Regularly rotate your client secrets in the QuickBooks Developer Portal
• Consider encrypting your disk or using a secure secret management solution
• Do not enable autoStart until you've verified the skill behaves as expected

Rate Limits

• Sandbox: 500 requests/minute per app
• Production: Varies by subscription (500-1000/minute)

The skill automatically handles rate limiting with proper error messages.

Security

• OAuth2 authentication (no password storage)
• Tokens stored in config.json (excluded from git)
• Automatic token refresh
• Secure HTTPS API communication
• No credentials in code

Troubleshooting

"Not authenticated" Error

Run qb_authenticate with your credentials.

"Token refresh failed"

Delete config.json and re-authenticate.

"Invalid redirect URI"

Ensure redirect URI in config matches your QuickBooks app settings.

Port 3000 Already in Use

Change port in code or kill the process using port 3000.

For more troubleshooting, see TROUBLESHOOTING.md.

Documentation

• README.md - Complete setup guide
• EXAMPLES.md - 50+ practical examples
• API_REFERENCE.md - Full API documentation
• TROUBLESHOOTING.md - Common issues and solutions
• CHANGELOG.md - Version history

Support

• QuickBooks Developer Portal
• QuickBooks Developer Forum
• API Documentation
• API Status

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Please:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Test thoroughly in sandbox
4. Submit a pull request

License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details.

Version

Current Version: 1.0.1
Last Updated: February 21, 2026
Node.js Required: 18.0.0+

Tags

accounting quickbooks invoicing payments financial-reporting bookkeeping erp business intuit api-integration mcp-skill openclaw

---

Ready to use! Run npm install and authenticate to get started.