From scattered requests to a closed loop. One tab.
Today, a traffic-control job lives in five disconnected places — texts, a reporting app, an invoicing tool, and a manual reconciliation in QuickBooks. This is the same job, end to end, inside FiberLytic: every request traceable to its report, its invoice, and its payment. No more hunting for what got paid.
The workflow, today vs. inside FiberLytic
Same five stages. The difference is whether they talk to each other.
Five tools, no link
5 systemsSomeone opens QuickBooks and marks each invoice paid by hand — across 3 separate offices. No way to know which job got paid by which invoice without hunting. This is where the errors happen.
One spine, end to end
1 systemEvery job traces to its invoice and its paid status, all in one place. The paid file is matched automatically, then synced to QuickBooks. The manual office-by-office step is gone.
Follow one job
Press play. Watch a single request travel the whole spine — and close.
How the money closes — ITG's real file
The AP Payment Register from 6/17/2026. One ACH, three invoices, one key.
| Ref. Number | Description | Vendor Ref.the match key | Amount Paid | FiberLytic invoice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 310704 | SFL-JB0002393645 | 20262529 | $1,200.00 | ✓ #20262529 · marked Paid |
| 311075 | SFL-JB0002367874 | 20262531 | $4,800.00 | ✓ #20262531 · marked Paid |
| 311078 | SFL-REQ0002331371 | 20262534 | $1,200.00 | ✓ #20262534 · marked Paid |
Closing the loop in QuickBooks
There are really two closes. The one that hurts doesn't need QuickBooks at all.
Operational — inside FiberLytic
- ITG's paid file is matched on Vendor Ref and the invoice is marked Paid.
- Every job is traceable to its invoice and its paid status, in one place.
- The "hunt for what got paid" is gone. No QuickBooks needed.
- This is Phase 1 — it lands first, on its own.
Accounting — inside QuickBooks
- Records a "Receive Payment" against the invoice so A/R zeroes out and it reads Paid in the books.
- QuickBooks Desktop has no cloud API, so this leg needs a bridge.
- The bridge matches on the same key — the invoice number (= Vendor Ref).
- Optional, and it can be decided later.
Options for the QuickBooks Desktop leg
Same matching key throughout. The choice is about environment and effort.
| Path | How it works | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| A · Desktop on the office PC+ Web Connector | Connector runs on the office machine, talks to QuickBooks in qbXML | No new cost | PC must stay on; 3 PCs; fragile |
| B · Desktop hosted in the cloud+ Web Connector recommended | QuickBooks runs on an always-on Windows server; connector lives there | Always on; one environment for all 3 company files; reliable | Monthly hosting fee (to confirm) |
| C · Managed bridgee.g. Conductor.is, over Desktop recommended | Vendor runs the connector and exposes a clean REST API to FiberLytic | Less engineering; fast to ship | Monthly bridge fee; still needs QuickBooks running (pairs with A or B) |
| D · Move to QuickBooks Online | Native cloud REST API; the payment write becomes trivial | Cleanest integration, future-proof | A product migration — Traffik's call |
| E · No syncFiberLytic is the source of "paid" | Loop closes in FiberLytic; bookkeeper gets a clean report | Zero QuickBooks dependency | The books don't update on their own |
Recommended path: B + C — hosted QuickBooks Desktop (always on) with a managed REST bridge on top. Stable environment, clean API, real automatic close.
QuickBooks Desktop vs. Online
Rated for an operation like Traffik's: automatic reconciliation, 3 offices, field-service sub.
| Criterion | Desktop | Online |
|---|---|---|
| API / integration for the close | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★½ |
| Always-on for automation | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★½ |
| Future-proofing (Intuit's direction) | ★½☆☆☆ | ★★★★½ |
| No migration needed | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Recurring cost | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Multi-office (3 entities) | ★★★½☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Remote / accountant access | ★★½☆☆ | ★★★★½ |
| Feature depth | ★★★★½ | ★★★½☆ |
Ratings reflect Traffik's context, not an absolute product review. Note: Intuit no longer sells new QuickBooks Desktop subscriptions to new US customers — Desktop is now the legacy track. Either way, the operational close in FiberLytic is independent of this choice.
What it kills
The pain the owner named, in order.