Accessing Settings
To open PrimeConnect's settings, click "Settings" in the top navigation bar. The Import Settings window opens, displaying all configurable options organized into logical sections.
Settings are saved automatically when you change them — there is no separate "Save" button. Changes take effect immediately and apply to all subsequent operations. Settings persist across app restarts and updates; they are stored in PrimeConnect's local database, not in the QuickBooks company file.
Import Behavior Settings
The import behavior section controls how PrimeConnect processes data during import operations. These settings affect every import you run, regardless of entity type.
Getting these settings right before your first import saves time and prevents common issues. The two most impactful settings are Update Existing Records and Decimal Places, described below.
Update Existing Records
This toggle controls what happens when PrimeConnect encounters a record in your import file that already exists in QuickBooks. PrimeConnect determines "existing" by matching on key fields specific to each entity type — for example, Customer Name for customers, Reference Number for transactions, or Item Name for items.
| Setting | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Enabled (ON) | If a matching record exists in QuickBooks, PrimeConnect updates it with the values from your import file. Fields present in the import are overwritten; fields not included in the import are left unchanged. This is useful for bulk-updating existing records — for example, updating customer email addresses or item prices. |
| Disabled (OFF) | If a matching record exists in QuickBooks, PrimeConnect skips the row and reports it as "Skipped — already exists." Only new records (those not found in QuickBooks) are created. This is the default and is the safest option for initial imports. |
Decimal Places
This setting controls the number of decimal places used for monetary amounts during import. It determines how PrimeConnect rounds values when writing them to QuickBooks.
- Range: 0 to 6 decimal places.
- Default: 2 (standard for USD, EUR, GBP, and most currencies).
- When to change: Increase to 3 for currencies like Bahraini Dinar (BHD) or Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) that use 3 decimal places. Increase to 4-6 for unit pricing or exchange rate calculations that require extra precision. Set to 0 for currencies with no decimal subdivisions (like Japanese Yen).
This setting only affects import operations. Exports always output the full precision stored in QuickBooks.
19.995 and the decimal places setting is 2, the value will be rounded to 20.00. Set the decimal places to at least 3 to preserve the full precision of your source data.Auto-Create References
This is the most important settings group in PrimeConnect. It controls whether missing references — items, accounts, customers, and other entities referenced in your import file but not yet present in QuickBooks — are automatically created during the import process.
When you import transactions (like invoices), each transaction references other QuickBooks records: a Customer, one or more Items, an Account, and potentially Classes, Sales Reps, Payment Methods, and more. If any of these referenced records do not exist in QuickBooks, PrimeConnect needs to know what to do.
With auto-create enabled for a reference type, PrimeConnect automatically creates the missing record in QuickBooks with default values, then proceeds with the import. With auto-create disabled, the import wizard pauses at the Missing References step so you can resolve each missing reference manually.
Reference Type Toggles
PrimeConnect provides 12 individual toggles, one for each reference type. This gives you granular control over which types are auto-created and which require manual resolution.
| Reference Type | Default | What Gets Auto-Created |
|---|---|---|
| Items | OFF | Service items, inventory items, non-inventory items. Created with the referenced name and default account. |
| Accounts | OFF | General ledger accounts (expense, income, bank, etc.). Created with the referenced name and inferred account type. |
| Customers | OFF | Customer records. Created with the referenced name and minimal default fields. |
| Vendors | OFF | Vendor records. Created with the referenced name and minimal default fields. |
| Employees | OFF | Employee records. Created with the referenced name. Note: payroll-related fields are not auto-populated. |
| Payroll Items | OFF | Payroll item records. Created with the referenced name and basic wage/deduction type. |
| Classes | OFF | Class records for departmental/segment tracking. Created with the referenced name. |
| Sales Representatives | OFF | Sales rep records. Created with the referenced initials and name. |
| Payment Methods | OFF | Payment method records (Cash, Check, Credit Card, etc.). Created with the referenced name. |
| Currencies | OFF | Currency records for multi-currency company files. Created with the referenced currency code. |
| Sales Tax Groups | OFF | Sales tax group records. Created with the referenced group name. |
| Inventory Sites | OFF | Inventory site records (QuickBooks Enterprise only). Created with the referenced site name. |
Recommended approach: For initial imports into a clean or new QuickBooks file, enable auto-create for the reference types your import data needs. For imports into a production company file with established data, keep auto-create disabled so you can manually verify each missing reference against your existing QuickBooks records.
General Preferences
Beyond import-specific settings, PrimeConnect includes general application preferences that affect display and behavior:
- Theme and display: PrimeConnect uses Material Design for its interface. Display settings control visual elements like window sizing and layout preferences.
- Notification preferences: Configure whether PrimeConnect shows notifications for completed operations, available updates, and license-related events.
- Update behavior: PrimeConnect checks for updates automatically in the background. When an update is available, it downloads silently and applies when you restart the app. See the Updates & Installation article for details.
- Data storage location: PrimeConnect stores its databases (settings, operation history, license data) in the local application data folder. This location is fixed and cannot be changed through the settings UI.
Resetting to Defaults
If you want to restore PrimeConnect's settings to their original default values, you can toggle individual settings back manually. The default values for each setting are:
- Update Existing Records: OFF (skip duplicates)
- Decimal Places: 2
- All auto-create toggles: OFF (manual resolution required)
To reset, simply switch each toggle to match the defaults listed above. Settings take effect immediately — there is no separate "apply" or "save" step.