Datplan guide
How to Download QuickBooks and Xero Data Without Storing It in the Cloud
A practical guide to pulling accounting API data without defaulting to a cloud reporting warehouse, with notes on Xero, QuickBooks and Datplan source availability.
Start with the privacy question
When users ask how to download accounting data without storing it in the cloud, they are usually asking a wider question: can reporting data be pulled, prepared and reviewed without sending it into another hosted analytics warehouse?
The answer depends on the source, the API, the tool and the workflow. Some systems provide direct exports. Some provide APIs. Some third-party connectors store data in their own cloud platforms. A privacy-first desktop workflow takes a different approach.
What a desktop pull workflow looks like
A desktop API pull workflow means the user authorises access to the source provider, chooses the relevant company or tenant and runs a sync through the app. The pulled data is then used in the app for dashboards, exports, audit review and BI-ready outputs.
This gives the user a more direct relationship between the source account and the reporting output. It also makes the workflow easier to explain: choose source, choose tenant, click sync.
Xero data pulls
For Xero reporting, Datplan DataPull supports finance-focused outputs such as Trial Balance-derived financial summaries, invoice summaries, invoice lines, payments, dashboards and fact/dimension style exports where supported.
This makes it useful for management reporting, P&L review, account movement, invoice analysis, payment review and BI-ready export workflows.
QuickBooks data considerations
QuickBooks is included here because many accounting teams compare Xero and QuickBooks data workflows. Before choosing a tool, always check whether the specific source is available in the app, whether provider approval is complete and which endpoints are supported.
Datplan source availability is shown on the website and inside the signed-in app. Do not assume a source is live unless it appears as a supported Datplan source.
Avoiding unnecessary cloud storage
The key is not to avoid the internet entirely. Authorised API pulls, sign-in, source access, payment status and usage checks may require online services. The important distinction is whether provider datasets are being pushed into a cloud reporting warehouse as the default reporting store.
Datplan DataPull is designed around privacy-first direct API pulls into a desktop reporting workflow, with exports and dashboards created from the pulled app data.
Questions this guide answers
Does this mean no online services are used?
No. Sign-in, source access, payment status and usage checks may require online services. The distinction is that Datplan is not positioned as a cloud reporting warehouse.
Does Datplan currently support every accounting source?
No. Check the Sources page and the signed-in app for current source availability before purchasing a source tier.