Frequently Asked Questions

What is FileBooks Link?
Does FileBooks Link move data both ways?
What versions of FileMaker Pro does FileBooks Link support?
What versions of QuickBooks can I use?
How can FileBooks Link work for Macintosh users?
Will FileBooks Link work with solutions bound to a runtime version of FileMaker?
Will FileBooks Link work with databases hosted with FileMaker Server?
Will FileBooks Link work with Quicken?
How is FileBooks Link different from the QuickBooks IIF format?
Do all users need FileBooks Link installed on their computer?
Do all users need QuickBooks installed on their computer?
How is FileBooks Link licensed?
Do you offer a distribution or developer license?

What is FileBooks Link?
FileBooks Link is a FileMaker Pro plug-in which enables FileMaker solutions to share data in real-time with QuickBooks, allowing true application integration.

Does FileBooks Link move data both ways?
Yes. FileBooks Link allows virtually all data to go from QuickBooks to FileMaker Pro, and from FileMaker Pro to QuickBooks.

What versions of FileMaker Pro does FileBooks Link support?
The FileBooks Link plug-in may be used with FileMaker Pro versions 4.0 and above. However, the sample files provided with the plug-in must be opened in FileMaker Pro 5.0 or above. If necessary, you can download a trial version of FileMaker Pro from the FileMaker Web site at www.filemaker.com to view these instructional files.

What versions of QuickBooks can I use?
Intuit allows FileBooks Link to integrate with most of its QuickBooks products. Check the chart below to see if your version is supported.

*Additional compatible versions of QuickBooks include Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Southeast Asia.

How can FileBooks Link work for Macintosh users?
The Macintosh version of QuickBooks, including the current version of Pro for Mac, does not offer an API that allows integration with external applications like the one available for Windows versions of QuickBooks. Until a better option is offered by Intuit, we recommend that you design your environment around at least one Windows computer (98 or above) running QuickBooks 2002 or above to allow integration with your FileMaker solution. A single windows-based computer running FileMaker, FileBooks Link and QuickBooks can be used to transfer all required data between FileMaker and QuickBooks. Once the data is available in your FileMaker solution, Macintosh users can access the information in FileMaker using FileMaker's built-in networking.

Will FileBooks Link work with solutions bound to a runtime version of FileMaker?
Yes. The FileBooks Link plug-in needs to be installed in the System or Extensions folder of the runtime solution folder.

Will FileBooks Link work with databases hosted with FileMaker Server?
Yes. The FileBooks Link product needs to be installed on each computer that will link to QuickBooks.

Will FileBooks Link work with Quicken?
No. FileBooks Link does not work with Quicken. The required API is specific to QuickBooks and Intuit has not created a comparable option for Quicken.

How is FileBooks Link different from the QuickBooks IIF format?
FileBooks Link provides dynamic two-way communication between QuickBooks and FileMaker Pro.  The QuickBooks IIF format is an import/export file format that allows only batch communication with a limited set of data in QuickBooks.  FileBooks Link eliminates the batch processing and post-process data manipulation while also providing error trapping and data format translation.

Do all users need FileBooks Link installed on their computer?
Yes. All users who want real-time access to QuickBooks from FileMaker Pro need FileBooks Link installed on their computer. Also see "How is FileBooks Link licensed?" below.

Do all users need QuickBooks installed on their computer?
No. Using Intuit’s free Remote Data Sharing utility, FileBooks Link can communicate with a copy of QuickBooks running on a different computer. This feature allows users to access QuickBooks data without requiring a licensed copy of QuickBooks on each computer.

How is FileBooks Link licensed?
FileBooks Link is licensed per QuickBooks company file, regardless of the number of users connecting to the company file. One company file is the same as one set of books.

Do you offer a distribution or developer license?
See the detailed Fact Sheet on our Volume Licensing Agreement or contact sales@filebookslink.com for more information.