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How to Export Journal Entries and Import to QBO or Xero

Tofu doesn't support Journal Entry as a document type yet. Here's the workaround: upload your documents as AP Bills, AR Invoices, or Direct Expenses, turn on Journal Entry Format, then export using a Journal Entry template and import into QBO or Xero.

Written by Jess B

Tofu doesn't have a dedicated Journal Entry document type yet. In the meantime, you can achieve the same result by uploading your documents as AP Bills, AR Invoices, or Direct Expenses, then exporting them using a Journal Entry export template. This works whether your entity is integrated with an accounting software or not.

Step 1: Turn on Journal Entry Format

  1. Go to Entity Settings.

  2. Click Features.

  3. Under Extraction Types, find the extraction type you want to update (AP Bills, AR Invoices, or Direct Expenses).

  4. Click the Transaction Format dropdown and toggle it to Journal Entry Format.

Note: Changing this setting doesn't apply to existing extractions. You'll need to create a new extraction for the change to take effect.

📘 For a full walkthrough of what changes during review (credit accounts, Credit Line Items, Journal Entry Review section), see: Understanding Journal Entry Format in Tofu.

Step 2: Upload and Extract Your Document

Upload your document as usual, as an AP Bill, AR Invoice, or Direct Expense. Tofu will extract it with the additional Journal Entry fields since the setting is enabled.

Step 3: Review the Extraction

Review the extraction as you normally would, and confirm the credit (or debit, for AR) accounts assigned to each line item are correct. Debit and credit totals must match before you can save or verify.

Step 4: Export and Import

Once the extraction is verified, export it and choose a Journal Entry template. These templates are available for both integrated and non-integrated entities.

Available Journal Entry templates:

  • Xero Manual Journal (CSV)

  • QuickBooks Online General Journal Entry

⚠️ Important: If Auto-Publish is turned on together with Journal Entry Format, the extraction will still auto-publish in Transaction Format (single entry) instead of Journal Entry Format. This is because Xero and QuickBooks Online can't accept a direct Journal Entry publish yet. If you need the Journal Entry format, export the file and import it manually.

🔑 Quick Tips

  • Journal Entry export templates are currently available for Xero and QuickBooks Online only.

  • This workaround supports AP Bills, AR Invoices, and Direct Expenses. Bank Statement support is planned for a future update.

  • Re-extract existing documents after turning on Journal Entry Format to see the change reflected.

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