QuickBooks Online exports a selected report as an Excel file; QuickBooks Desktop for Windows can create a report workbook and provides an Excel command to update it. The steps are different, so start by identifying which QuickBooks product you use.
QuickBooks Online: export one report to Excel
- Open Reports, choose Standard reports, then search for and select the report you need.
- In classic view, select Export and then Export to Excel. In the enhanced experience, select Export/Print and then Export to Excel. Intuit notes that report controls can differ between views. See Intuit’s QuickBooks Online export instructions.
- Save the downloaded workbook somewhere easy to find, then open it in Excel to analyze or edit the exported copy.
If the workbook appears incomplete when it opens, check whether Excel has opened it in Protected View. Intuit says to select Enable Editing to view the full report. For information that is not available in basic reports, QuickBooks Online also offers a custom report builder.
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QuickBooks Online: export reports and lists in a ZIP
To export a wider set of data, use Settings > Export data. QuickBooks Online can package reports and lists as Excel files in a ZIP archive. This bulk route is different from exporting a single report, and it should not be treated as a universal export of every transaction type: Intuit distinguishes non-posting transactions, including estimates and purchase orders, from information included in reports. Check Intuit’s export-data guidance for the applicable paths.
QuickBooks Desktop for Windows: create or update a report workbook
- Open the report from Reports > Reports Center.
- Open the report’s Excel menu and select Create New Worksheet or Update Existing Worksheet, depending on whether you are starting a workbook or updating one already associated with the report.
- If the report does not fit the worksheet’s column layout, select Advanced and clear Space between columns. Intuit also documents CSV as an export option.
Intuit’s Desktop help describes exporting reports to Excel workbooks, with the available controls and compatibility depending on the QuickBooks and Office versions. See the Desktop workbook instructions.
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Refresh a Desktop report from Excel
For a Desktop workbook set up through the report’s Excel menu, open the workbook in the locally installed Excel application, go to its QuickBooks tab, and select Update Report. QuickBooks Desktop must be open for the first update. Intuit’s UK guidance says later updates may work while QuickBooks is closed, but that behavior is region- and version-dependent; verify it for your installation rather than assuming it applies everywhere.
This refresh command is a documented QuickBooks Desktop workflow, not a live-sync feature of QuickBooks Online. An Online export is a downloaded file; it does not refresh itself when the underlying QuickBooks data changes.
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What differs between Online and Desktop
| Workflow | QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Desktop for Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Where work happens | Choose and export reports in the online product, then use the downloaded file in Excel. | Choose the report in the installed Desktop product and create or update a worksheet. |
| Scope | A selected report can be exported; a separate Settings export can bundle reports and lists in a ZIP. | The documented steps act on a report workbook. |
| Updating after data changes | No automatic refresh is established for the exported workbook. | Use QuickBooks > Update Report in Excel for the connected report workbook. |
| Important variation | Export controls vary between classic and enhanced report views. | Export and refresh availability can depend on the QuickBooks version and installed Office compatibility. |
Fix Desktop export problems
If the Excel option is missing or a Desktop report will not export, Intuit recommends updating QuickBooks and checking the Office requirements for the specific QuickBooks version. For this troubleshooting path, check the locally installed Office application rather than Office in a browser. Use Intuit’s Desktop export troubleshooting steps.
Payroll reports can have additional Excel-specific steps, including a macro prompt for some reports. Treat that as a payroll-report requirement only; it is not a reason to enable macros for an ordinary exported report.
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