"Can't change the type of a name or a add a duplicate name"

If you receive "Error on line X - You can't change the type of a name or a add a duplicate name," it means that a payee name that you are trying to import already exists in QuickBooks as a different type, for example, as a Customer.

Example error message

What is happening: You are trying to import a payee name which QuickBooks assumes is a Vendor, however the name is already in your QuickBooks files, maybe as a Customer or Employee. For example, your payee is "John Smith" but he is already in your Customer file; since the name types don’t match, QuickBooks gives an error.

Solution:

  1. Using Excel, open the .IIF file that you are trying to import and look at the lines (rows) just above the line reported by QuickBooks to determine the name which is causing the issue. For example, if QuickBooks complains about "line 15," look at rows 13 and 14 (the rows just above the transaction which ends on line 15).
  2. Next, in QuickBooks, use the search function (Edit > Search or F3) to locate the name and see what TYPE it is.
  3. Now that you know the type of the existing name, you have two choices:
A. Change the name in QuickBooks. For example, if the name is "John Smith" and it exists your QuickBooks Customer Center, change the name to John Smith_c to identify it as the customer entry. You'll know that "John Smith" is the Vendor and "John Smith_c" is the Customer.
B. Change the name in your statement and re-convert (or change the name directly in the .IIF file). For example, if the name in your statement is "John Smith", change it to John Smith_v to distinguish it as the Vendor.

If you're unsure, let me know and/or email the file and I'll help you figure it out. Please include screenshots whenever possible.