Do we need to delete all the existing data in Quickbooks Desktop in order to implement webconnector?

Question

I am using PHP and trying to integrate webconnector to synchronize my item details with Quickbooks destop. What I don't understand is that how to map an Item that is already in Quickbooks to the same Item that I am trying to update from my Website. I don't have the Reference number of any of the Items that are already present in the Quickbooks. One solution that I can think of it to delete all the existing record and then add them again so you will get there reference number in return. But this is not feasible.

Answer 1

QuickBooks for Windows has a dual primary key system, where you can refer to objects by either FullName, or by ListID.

So, something like this is perfectly valid when creating an invoice, and requires no ListID values to be present:

<InvoiceLineAdd>
   ...
   <ItemRef>
       <FullName>Your Item Name Here</FullName>
   </ItemRef>
   ...
</InvoiceLineAdd>

You can also do an ItemQuery at any time to get the ListIDs for anything you don't already have. e.g. do this to get all of your item ListID and FullName values from your existing items:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<?qbxml version="7.0"?>
<QBXML>
  <QBXMLMsgsRq onError="stopOnError">
    <ItemQueryRq requestID="SXRlbVF1ZXJ5fDEyMA==" >
    </ItemQueryRq>
  </QBXMLMsgsRq>
</QBXML>

Soooo...

I don't have the Reference number of any of the Items that are already present in the Quickbooks.

You don't need them... but if you really do want to use them, do a query to get them.

One solution that I can think of it to delete all the existing record and then add them again so you will get there reference number in return.

Good golly no! Query for them! Or don't even use the ListID, and use the FullName instead.