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How to Fix “Invalid Reference to Customer” Error in Webgility Desktop

This article guided Webgility Desktop on how to resolve ‘Invalid Customer Reference’ errors that occur when posting orders from the Webgility Desktop into QuickBooks Desktop. The issue commonly arises following changes to QuickBooks company files or during customer data synchronization.

 

Overview

This article describes how to resolve 'Invalid Customer Reference' errors encountered when posting orders from the platform to QuickBooks Desktop. The issue typically arises after changes to company files or customer data synchronization.

Symptom

  • Orders fail to post to QuickBooks Desktop.
  • The error message refers to an invalid customer reference.

Possible Causes

  • Recent changes to the QuickBooks company file.
  • Refresh or changes to customer data (e.g., renaming, merging, or removing customers).
  • Incorrect or outdated order posting settings within the integration.

Step-by-Step Resolution

1. Confirm Customer Data Synchronization

  • Ensure that the latest customer information is synced between the Webgility Desktop and QuickBooks Desktop.
  • From the Webgility dashboard, navigate to Connections > Get latest data and settings > Check customers > Download data.
  • Wait for synchronization to complete and verify that all customers appear correctly.
  • Guidance on reconciling data sync issues: If customers are missing, duplicated, or out-of-date in either system, manually compare customer lists in QuickBooks and the Webgility Desktop. Update or correct records as needed, and retry the sync. 

2. Review and Update Order Posting Settings

  • Go to QuickBooks Integration Settings on the platform.
  • Check the Customer Mapping section:
    • Verify that the customer associated with the order exists in the current QuickBooks company file.
    • If the customer has changed, update the mapping to the correct or current customer.
  • Specific steps for verifying customer data in QuickBooks:
    • Open QuickBooks Desktop and navigate to Customers > Customer Center.
    • Search for the customer referenced in the order.
    • Confirm the customer is active (not deleted, inactive, or merged).
    • Check customer name, details, and spelling match between QuickBooks and the platform. Correct any discrepancies.

3. Test Order Posting

  • Attempt to re-post the affected order(s) to QuickBooks Desktop.
  • If successful, confirm no further errors appear.
  • If the error persists, proceed to the next step.

4. Refresh Company File Connection

  • Under Connections > Accounting/POS/ERP > Edit Connection, select Test Connection.
  • After reconnection, sync customers again and retry posting orders.