Mercury Books is a full accounting system, not an integration to existing software. It is designed to substitute any system you use today. If you currently connect Mercury to QuickBooks Online, Xero, or NetSuite, this article explains what changes when you turn on Books, what stays the same, and how to try Books without disrupting what you have.
One accounting system at a time, for transaction enrichment
Mercury supports the use of one accounting system for transaction enrichment, the applying of GL codes and classes, to Mercury transactions. This means you can connect Mercury Books, or a third party system like Quickbooks, Xero or Netsuite, but not both at once.
The reason is straightforward. Two systems both trying to be the record of your finances means two charts of accounts, two sets of categorizations, and two versions of the truth.
While Mercury only supports one accounting system for transaction enrichment, you can connect your Mercury accounts to multiple accounting systems as a bank feed.
What changes when you turn on Books
When you turn on Books while connected to a third-party accounting system, one specific thing changes — and one specific thing doesn't.
- Enriched syncing stops. The GL coding you'd been doing in Mercury for that system no longer flows to it. That work moves into Books.
- Your bank feed keeps working. Basic transaction data — amount, date, and description — continues syncing to your other system, and you can keep categorizing transactions there.
So you don't lose your connection. What you lose is Mercury doing the coding work on the other system's behalf.
Trying Books without committing
This is the path if you want to see how Books handles your books before you move off your current system:
- Turn on Books. Your bank feed to your other system keeps running
- Keep categorizing in your other system as you have been, so your existing books stay current
- Set up Books in parallel — pick an entry start date, bring in your chart of accounts, connect your accounts
- Work a month in both, then compare
You'll be doing the coding twice for a period, which is the cost of running a proper comparison. Keep the trial short and focused on one month rather than an open-ended parallel run.
Tip: Use the same month in both systems and compare the Profit & Loss line by line. That tells you more than a general impression of the interface.
Moving fully to Books
Once you've decided, close out your final period in your old system and set your entry start date in Books to your cutover date.
See Moving to Books from QuickBooks Online or Xero for the full walkthrough.
Switching back
If you decide a third-party system fits you better, you can go back to it. To cancel your subscription, reach out to our team or manage your subscription via Settings > Books Details.
FAQs
Will connecting Books disconnect QuickBooks entirely?
No. Your bank feed keeps running. What stops is the enriched GL coding sync from Mercury.
Can I run Books and QuickBooks in parallel indefinitely?
You can, but you'd be maintaining two sets of books, and they'll drift. Treat it as a short comparison rather than a permanent arrangement.
Does Books sync out to QuickBooks or Xero?
No. Books is an accounting system in its own right, not a feed into another one.
Will my QuickBooks history be available in Books?
No. Keep your old system's records for periods before your cutover date, and export the reports you'll want later.
Can I have Books connected for one entity and QuickBooks for another?
Yes. Each business has its own accounting setup.
Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.