Service Autopilot
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How to in Service Autopilot
- Open 7-Step Setup Wizard: In Service Autopilot, launch the 7-Step Setup Wizard and stop at Step 2 to configure accounting sync settings (do not go past Step 2 before your sync is complete).
- Select QuickBooks sync option in Step 2: When Step 2 prompts about QuickBooks, choose the QuickBooks sync option (select Yes if you will sync with QuickBooks; if you do NOT sync with QuickBooks click No to continue).
- Enter next invoice number and Sales Tax in Step 3: Invoice Settings: In Step 3: Invoice Settings (Invoice Settings / Invoice Preferences area), enter the next invoice number to keep invoices in order and set your default Sales Tax rate so synced invoices use correct tax values.
- Create test clients: After finishing the wizard steps, create a couple of test clients in Service Autopilot to verify invoices and customer data sync correctly before running a full production sync.
- Edit Invoice Preferences on an Account: Go to CRM > Accounts, click the Account name, on the Review Invoice overlay click Edit, open Invoice Preferences, adjust the 'When to Invoice' setting (Monthly / Weekly / Daily) as needed, then click Save Account.
- Run QuickBooks Comparison report: Go to Reports > Report Center > SA Reports > QuickBooks Comparison and run the QuickBooks Comparison report to audit balances and identify mismatches between Service Autopilot and QuickBooks.
- Use the Legacy App to enter payments: On the Legacy mobile app open the Invoice screen, tap the Payment icon then tap Enter Payment, choose Charge / Enter Card / Swipe Card as applicable, then tap Make Payment so the invoice and payment appear in the client record in Service Autopilot.
- Force a mobile-to-SA sync (Legacy App): In the Legacy App tap the Menu icon, select Sync Everything, confirm by tapping Yes to push/pull mobile changes into Service Autopilot immediately; alternatively use Pull to Refresh on the current screen.
- Review and resolve sync errors daily: Regularly run the QuickBooks Comparison report and correct data issues (fix corrupt QuickBooks data, remove invalid characters like colons in Service names, ensure account names and parent/child relationships are correct) to avoid snowballing sync errors.
FAQ for Service Autopilot
Do I have to stop in Step 2 of the 7-Step Setup Wizard to configure QuickBooks?
Yes — the guide warns not to go past Step 2 until your QuickBooks sync is configured and complete so invoices and account mappings are set before proceeding.
How can I verify invoices and customer contacts synced correctly?
Run Reports > Report Center > SA Reports > QuickBooks Comparison to audit balances and compare Service Autopilot data with QuickBooks records; create test clients/invoices first to validate.
What if the sync fails or items do not appear in QuickBooks?
Check for data issues first (corrupt QuickBooks data, invalid characters in Service names), ensure QuickBooks is not blocking the connection (close open invoices/payments), then rerun reconciliation via the QuickBooks Comparison report and correct the flagged items daily.
Can I enter payments on the mobile app and have them sync to accounting?
Yes — use the Legacy App payment flow (Payment icon → Enter Payment → choose Charge/Enter Card/Swipe Card → Make Payment); then sync the app (Menu icon → Sync Everything) so payments appear in the client record in Service Autopilot and are eligible to sync to QuickBooks.
Common mistakes when using Service Autopilot
Attempting initial sync while QuickBooks has an invoice or payment open.
Close any open invoices or active payment entry screens in QuickBooks before syncing; the QuickBooks Connector will be blocked if an invoice or payment is open.
Including special characters (for example, a colon) in a Service name.
Remove or rename Services to eliminate colons or other problematic characters before syncing; the guide notes such characters can cause item-level errors that prevent invoices from syncing correctly.
Merging invoices inside Service Autopilot before syncing.
Do not merge invoices in Service Autopilot as this causes sync issues; keep invoices separate or handle merges after confirming how they will map in QuickBooks.
Not resolving sync errors regularly, letting them accumulate.
Review and clear sync errors daily and run the QuickBooks Comparison and Balance reports monthly to audit and correct mismatches before they create hours of cleanup.