Installation Preparation

Before You Install

Use this checklist to make sure the Windows workstation, QuickBooks Desktop environment and shipping-to-invoice workflow are ready for Ship2Invoice.

1. Confirm the workstation

Ship2Invoice should be installed on a supported Windows 11, 64-bit Intel or AMD workstation that also has the supported QuickBooks Desktop client installed.

  • Windows 11 is fully updated.
  • QuickBooks Desktop is installed and operating normally.
  • At least 8 GB RAM is available; 16 GB or more is recommended.
  • The workstation has reliable access to the QuickBooks company file.
  • The person performing initial installation has appropriate Windows permissions.
  • Windows Task Scheduler is available and enabled.
  • Windows display scaling is 100%, 125% or 150%.

Review the Supported Environment before installation.

2. Choose the production workstation

Ship2Invoice and the QuickBooks Desktop application should run on the same supported Windows workstation.

The QuickBooks company file may be stored locally or on a network file server as long as the QuickBooks Desktop client on the Ship2Invoice workstation can open and use that company normally.

Do not plan to run Ship2Invoice on one computer while QuickBooks Desktop runs only on another computer unless A Simple Solution has specifically validated that configuration.

3. Prepare QuickBooks access

During initial setup, a QuickBooks administrator must authorize Ship2Invoice as an integrated application for the intended company.

  • Confirm the correct QuickBooks company.
  • Have a QuickBooks administrator available for first-time authorization.
  • Confirm the intended Windows user can open the company normally.
  • Make a normal QuickBooks backup before the first controlled Live Invoicing test.

4. Gather your workflow information

Ship2Invoice is configured around the customer's actual shipping and invoicing workflow. Be ready to identify:

  • shipping methods used for parcel and LTL shipments;
  • how shipped quantity is recorded;
  • how partial shipments should be invoiced;
  • customers that should remain manual;
  • information that must be present before an invoice may be created;
  • freight handling;
  • invoice-date rules; and
  • other customer-specific invoicing requirements.

5. Have representative Sales Orders ready

Prepare recent or test Sales Orders that represent the workflows Ship2Invoice will encounter.

  • a normal parcel shipment;
  • an LTL shipment;
  • a partial shipment;
  • a customer that should remain manual; and
  • an order missing information that should go to Needs Attention.

Keep Ship2Invoice in Observe Only while these examples are reviewed. Do not enable normal Live Invoicing until the configuration and representative invoice behavior have been validated.

6. Multiple QuickBooks companies

Ship2Invoice supports separate Company Profiles for multiple QuickBooks Desktop companies in validated deployments.

Each Company Profile maintains company-specific configuration, workflow settings and processing context. Enabled profiles are processed sequentially rather than concurrently.

Licensing remains per QuickBooks company. A business using more than one QuickBooks company will normally require a separate Ship2Invoice entitlement for each licensed company.

Tell A Simple Solution during setup if more than one QuickBooks company will be automated so the deployment can be configured and validated appropriately.

7. Understand the validation sequence

  1. Install Ship2Invoice.
  2. Connect the intended QuickBooks company.
  3. Configure the Company Profile and workflow.
  4. Run in Observe Only.
  5. Compare Ship2Invoice decisions with the actual process.
  6. Preview or validate a representative invoice.
  7. Perform a controlled Live test.
  8. Review the resulting QuickBooks invoice.
  9. Enable scheduled Live Invoicing after validation is complete.

8. Support data

Run reports and Support Bundles may contain business information needed for troubleshooting, including customer names, Sales Order identifiers, item information, shipment details and processing results.

Do not send Support Bundles outside the approved support process. Passwords, payment credentials and private signing material are not intended to be included in Ship2Invoice Support Bundles.

See the Privacy Policy for additional information about support data.