How do I export a trial balance from QuickBooks Online for my year end?
In QuickBooks Online, go to Reports, open Standard reports and find Trial Balance, which QuickBooks lists under For my accountant. Set the report period to end on your financial year end, check that the accounting method is accrual, then use Export/Print and choose Export to Excel or Export as CSV. Run last year's trial balance the same way.
Key facts
| Where | Reports > Standard reports > Trial Balance (in the For my accountant group) |
|---|---|
| Accounting method | Settings > Account and settings > Advanced > Accounting: Accrual or Cash; reports default to it |
| Financial year | First month of the financial year set in Settings > Account and settings > Advanced |
| Export | Export/Print > Export to Excel or Export as CSV (Classic view: Export icon, also Export to PDF) |
| Bulk export | Settings > Export data includes the Trial Balance report |
As at 28 October 2026.
Export the trial balance
- Check the settings. In Settings > Account and settings > Advanced, confirm the first month of the financial year and set the accounting method to Accrual, so unpaid invoices and bills are included.
- Open the report. Go to Reports, select Standard reports and search for Trial Balance by name, or find it under For my accountant.
- Set the period. Choose a custom report period that ends on the last day of the financial year and run the report.
- Check the totals. Confirm that the debit and credit totals are equal.
- Export. Open Export/Print (Modern view) and select Export to Excel or Export as CSV; in Classic view use the Export icon.
- Repeat for last year. Run the same report to last year's year end for the comparatives.
Check before you upload
| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| The report date is the last day of the financial year | The accounts are made up to the accounting reference date, or a date up to 7 days either side of it |
| Year-end journals are posted | Depreciation, accruals, prepayments, stock and the tax charge belong in the trial balance you export |
| Debits equal credits | If the totals differ, something is wrong in the books; the accounts cannot balance |
| Last year's closing balances are the opening balances | The comparatives must agree with last year's accounts |
| The director's loan account is right | An amount a director owes the company is disclosed in the notes and may lead to s455 tax |
| VAT and PAYE accounts agree to the returns | They are creditors for taxation and social security, which the balance sheet formats show separately |
| Suspense and clearing accounts are empty | A balance there is an unexplained item that has to be cleared before the accounts are prepared |
QuickBooks's year-end guide adds two points: set the first month of your financial year before running year-end reports, and reconcile your accounts so the data balances at the year end. It also notes that undeposited funds count in income until you record the bank deposit, so move them to the bank account first.
Work out any s455 tax on a director's loan with the s455 calculator, and the filing date with the filing deadline calculator.
QuickBooks specifics
- Comparatives in one report. Some QuickBooks reports have a Compare another period option (Previous period, Previous year); QuickBooks does not list Trial Balance among them. Export the previous year as a separate report.
- Close the books. QuickBooks recommends closing the books after the year-end review, which prevents unwanted changes to the closed period. Close only after the year-end journals are posted.
- Several reports at once. Settings > Export data exports reports, including the Trial Balance, to Excel for a chosen date range.
- QuickBooks Sole Trader. Its data export covers only the Profit and Loss report and the customer list; it is a product for sole traders, not for limited companies.
Using the export with StatutoryAccounts.io
StatutoryAccounts.io is built to read a trial balance export as Excel, CSV or PDF, suggest the Companies Act line item for each nominal account with AI and let you confirm the mapping. The best file is the Excel or CSV export rather than a PDF: it keeps the account names and amounts in columns. Keep last year's trial balance as well, unless the comparatives come from the accounts filed at Companies House.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the trial balance in QuickBooks Online?
Under Reports, Standard reports: search for Trial Balance by name. QuickBooks groups it with the reports For my accountant.
Should I run the trial balance on cash or accrual basis?
Accrual, for statutory accounts. A cash-basis report leaves out unpaid sales and purchase invoices, so debtors and creditors would be missing.
Can QuickBooks show last year in the same trial balance?
QuickBooks's compare option is not listed for the Trial Balance. Run the report to last year's year end and export it separately.
Which export format should I use?
Excel or CSV, from the Export/Print menu. A PDF works for reading but is harder to import reliably.
Sources
- QuickBooks (UK): Run a report
- QuickBooks (UK): List of QuickBooks Online reports available in Modern view
- QuickBooks (UK): Compare time periods in reports
- QuickBooks (UK): Year-end guide for QuickBooks Online
- QuickBooks (UK): Export your data from QuickBooks
- The Small Companies and Groups (Accounts and Directors' Report) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/409), Schedule 1
- Companies Act 2006, section 390
- Companies Act 2006, section 413
- Corporation Tax Act 2010, section 455
Prepare your statutory accounts
Create an account and set up your company from the Companies House register; your first set of accounts is free. The trial balance import and the CT600 are in preparation.
Join the waitlistGeneral information about UK company law and tax, not legal or tax advice. The directors remain responsible for the accounts and returns they approve and file.