Department budget management requires current expense data, but QuickBooks doesn’t provide real-time departmental tracking in spreadsheet format. Manual exports create delays that make proactive budget management nearly impossible, especially for departments with high transaction volumes.
Here’s how to establish near real-time expense tracking that keeps department-specific spreadsheets current with minimal delay from your QuickBooks transactions.
Implement automated real-time tracking using Coefficient
Coefficient provides the closest thing to real-time QuickBooks expense tracking available, with hourly refresh capabilities that keep your QuickBooks department spreadsheets current throughout the business day.
How to make it work
Step 1. Connect QuickBooks with department-specific imports.
Use Coefficient’s “From Objects & Fields” method to create targeted expense data imports from Bills, Expenses, Purchase Orders, and Journal Entries. Include department identification fields from your QuickBooks class tracking system during setup.
Step 2. Apply department filtering during import.
Configure department-specific filters using your QuickBooks class tracking codes. Set up separate imports for each department or use combined filtering with AND/OR logic to capture related department expenses in single imports.
Step 3. Schedule hourly refresh cycles.
Set up hourly refresh intervals to achieve near real-time tracking. Add manual refresh buttons for immediate updates when needed, and configure timezone-based scheduling to ensure refreshes occur during your business hours.
Step 4. Organize tracking with department-specific sheets.
Create separate spreadsheet tabs for each department with isolated expense data, or build multi-tab workbooks with department-specific views. Use dynamic date filtering to automatically focus on current period expenses without manual date adjustments.
Start tracking expenses in near real-time
Hourly refresh cycles provide the closest thing to real-time departmental expense tracking available for QuickBooks data. Department leads get current spending visibility while finance teams maintain automated, consistent tracking across all departments. Set up your real-time expense tracking system and eliminate the delays that prevent proactive budget management.