How to Export Bank Rules from QuickBooks Desktop
This guide explains the options for exporting bank rules from QuickBooks Desktop. Unlike QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop does not have a native export/import feature for bank rules - this is a known limitation that users have been requesting for years.
Important Limitation
Section titled “Important Limitation”QuickBooks Desktop does not support native export of bank rules. Bank rules are company file-specific and cannot be directly exported to a file or transferred between company files.
This means you cannot:
- Export rules to Excel or CSV
- Import rules from another Desktop company file
- Transfer rules from QuickBooks Online to Desktop
Workaround Options
Section titled “Workaround Options”Option 1: Full Company Backup (Recommended)
Section titled “Option 1: Full Company Backup (Recommended)”Your bank rules are included in a full company backup. This is the best way to preserve your rules.
- Go to File > Back Up Company > Create Local Backup
- Select Local backup and click Next
- Choose a backup location and click Save it now
- Click Finish
The resulting .qbb file contains all your bank rules along with your complete company data.
Limitation: You cannot extract just the rules from the backup - it’s all or nothing.
Option 2: Manual Documentation
Section titled “Option 2: Manual Documentation”Create a spreadsheet documenting your rules for recreation:
- Go to Banking > Bank Feeds > Bank Feed Center
- Click Rules to view your existing rules
- Manually record each rule’s conditions and actions in a spreadsheet:
- Rule name
- Bank account
- Conditions (description contains, amount equals, etc.)
- Actions (payee, category, class, etc.)
This allows you to recreate rules manually in a new company file.
Option 3: Third-Party Tools
Section titled “Option 3: Third-Party Tools”Some third-party applications may offer bank rules export functionality:
- Visit the Intuit App Store
- Search for data export or migration tools
- Review capabilities to see if bank rules export is supported
Note: Third-party tool availability and capabilities vary. Research thoroughly before purchasing.
Option 4: Submit a Feature Request
Section titled “Option 4: Submit a Feature Request”Request this feature from Intuit:
- In QuickBooks Desktop, go to Help > Send Feedback Online > Product Suggestion
- Describe the need for bank rules export/import functionality
- Submit the feedback
If You’re Migrating to QuickBooks Online
Section titled “If You’re Migrating to QuickBooks Online”QuickBooks Online does support bank rules export:
- Go to Banking or Transactions menu
- Navigate to the Rules page
- Click the arrow next to New rule
- Select Export rules
- The file saves as
[company] Bank_Feed_Rules.xls
Important: These exported rules cannot be imported into QuickBooks Desktop - only into another QuickBooks Online company.
Verification After Backup
Section titled “Verification After Backup”To confirm your backup includes bank rules:
- Restore the backup to a test company file
- Navigate to Banking > Bank Feeds > Bank Feed Center
- Click Rules and verify your rules appear
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”Rules not appearing in Bank Feed Center
Section titled “Rules not appearing in Bank Feed Center”Ensure you have bank feeds set up for at least one account. Bank rules only appear if you have active bank feed connections.
Cannot find Rules option
Section titled “Cannot find Rules option”In older QuickBooks Desktop versions, go to Banking > Bank Feeds > Rules directly, or look under Lists > Bank Rules.
Lost rules after file transfer
Section titled “Lost rules after file transfer”If you transferred a company file without using the official backup method, rules may not transfer. Always use Create Local Backup instead of copying the .qbw file directly.