Getting Started
Getting Started with KitchenAPI
What KitchenAPI does and how to go from sign-up to your first converted invoice.
What KitchenAPI does
KitchenAPI turns your Design Flex exports into QuickBooks-ready invoices in seconds, so you don't have to re-key line items by hand. You upload the file your design software produces, KitchenAPI maps it to the format QuickBooks expects, and the result lands in QuickBooks or downloads as a file — depending on your setup.
KitchenAPI supports three output paths:
- QuickBooks Online (direct API push) — estimates and invoices post straight into your QuickBooks. No file to download or import. This is the recommended path for QuickBooks Online.
- QuickBooks Desktop (IIF file) — produces an IIF file you import into QuickBooks Desktop.
- CSV export — a clean, validated CSV for third-party import tools (like SaasAnt or Transaction Pro) or other systems.
The basic flow
- 1Sign up with your name, company, and email. You'll confirm your email with a one-time code each time you sign in (KitchenAPI is passwordless).
- 2Connect QuickBooks (for API push) — open Settings, click Connect QuickBooks, and sign in with your Intuit account. No passwords are stored. You can skip this if you're using IIF or CSV export instead.
- 3Create a pipeline — a saved setup that knows your output format and how your fields map.
- 4Upload a Design Flex export and review the fields.
- 5Run the conversion. With API push, your estimate or invoice is submitted to QuickBooks automatically. With IIF or CSV, your file downloads for manual import.
Each of these steps has its own help article. If you'd rather have us set everything up for you, see White-Glove Setup.
What you'll need
- A Design Flex export file (XML).
- For API push: a QuickBooks Online account (any tier). For IIF: QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier, or Enterprise (2018 or newer). For CSV: a third-party import tool or target system that accepts CSV.