QuickBooks Tips
Last updated Dec 2009
The following tips are a compilation of our own experience plus those of the best QuickBooks trainer that I know, Joe Woodard.
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Increase Multi-User Performance: If your program works slowly try the following:
- Edit / Preferences
Using each user’s name and password, access the Preferences and Select the following options:
Desktop View
- Check: “Don’t save the Desktop”
- Uncheck the box that reads, “Show home page when opening a company file.”
Reminders
- Uncheck “Show reminders list when opening a Company file.”
Reports & Graphs Preferences –
- Check “Prompt me to modify report options before opening a report” so you see the modify report window before QB displays a Report.
- Check “Don’t Refresh reports”
Other Preference choices to consider –
Do Use the following: Account numbers / Prompt to assign Classes, Date Warnings, Closing Date / Automatically use discounts and credits / Multiple Windows / Automatically open drop-down lists when typing / Bring back all one time Messages / Automatically recall information / Turn off pop-up messages for products and services
Consider doing the following:
- Automatically place decimal point
- Save transactions before printing, this reduces the risk of employee fraud by creating an entry in the audit trail
- Pressing Enter moves between fields. You can use the tab key to advance between fields and then the enter key to record the transaction allowing you to enter all of the information into the QB window without using the mouse. This mouse-free entry increases user productivity.
Other ideas to improve performance:
- As you use QB, close QB windows you no longer need
- Turn off other programs that you do not need.
- In windows, turn off as many systems processes as you can. To view a list of active processes, open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and click the Processes tab. If you have no open application and your computer is running more than 40-60 processes, consult your IT professional.
-Consider using Terminal services if you use QB Pro and your data file is over 200MB or if you use QB Enterprise and your data file is over 500MB.
- Create a Portable Company file. When you reopen the portable file, QB re-indexes the data file and reduces the size. Caution: Do this no more than twice a year. If you still have problems call your IT professional.
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Reduce the potential for Data File corruption
Access the Product Information window by opening the QB data file and then press F2.
Look for:
- Most recent QB update
- Size of file is Less than 500MB for QB Pro and 1GB for QB Enterprise
- Client lists are not nearing the 28,000 limit for items and 14,000 limit for customers, vendors, employees and other names.
- Database fragments are less than 10. If > 10, several times per year, you can:
– Resort the lists in the file using the “Resort List”. This has to be done for each specific list i.e. Chart of Accounts, Item list etc, Select the list that you want to resort then select “Account” or “List”, as appropriate, then select “Resort list”.
– Rebuild the file. Select the File menu, select Utilities and then select “Rebuild Data”.
– Create a Portable Company File and then restore the Portable Company file.
– Run the Windows Defragmentation utility on the drive on which QB is stored.
– Do NOT use wireless if using your QB on a network.
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Improve Cash Flow
- For clients who have consistent monthly charges or are only able to pay a set amount per month, Obtain credit card authorization from the client and process a regular monthly transaction.
- Offer Pre-Paid support plans. (E.g. 10 hour blocks of time) Advantages:
- a clearly defined remote support agreement
- a discounted hourly rate (e.g. 20% discount) minimum 10hr block of time
- a simplified billing process
- -$0- in uncollected billings
- Accept Credit Cards and process them through QB to reduce bad debt, increase cash flow, allow clients recurring monthly payment options, offer clients short term payment plans. Consider stating on the authorization that you will process the customer’s card only if they do NOT pay by the due date. Consider setting a policy where the customer signs an authorization form before you deliver services or products.
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Improve Efficiency
- Use remote access technologies aggressively. (I.e. Go to My PC, Log-me-in,) Benefits: Owners, select employees or accounting professional can remotely access QB data from any place with internet access to enable them to: view financial information, work from home, share bookkeeping responsibilities, prepare Financial statements, Tax returns, technical issues, answer employees questions.
- Set boundaries to protect billable time: Set aside four hours of your day in a distraction-free zone: Delegate, Delegate, and Delegate; Spend no more than one hour per day answering E-mail.
- Memorize recurring transactions and set them to automatically enter. I.e. Rent, Maintenance contracts
- To find missing or duplicate Invoices – Filter the missing check report by Transaction type for invoices and by Detail level for “Summary only”.
- Use auto filtering when exporting reports to excel. Click on Export button, select one of the excel options, and then click “Advanced Tab”. On the Advanced tab, you can – delete space between column, change row height, change auto fit, freeze panes, show gridlines, custom date, etc.
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Reduce the chances for posting Changes to Prior Periods
- Four layers of protection for the Previous Reporting period. (1) Set a closing date. (2) Set a closing date password. (3) Edit user preferences for all users to prohibit them from bypassing the closing date. (4) Create a user profile for the File Administrator.
- Make certain that all users, including a separate user name for Administrator and CPA, have their own login name. This provides tighter protection for “closed” periods and the ability to track who has made changes.
- If you use Premier, use Premier Accountant Edition. This allows Client Data Review – a utility to locate and fix some of the most common data entry errors.
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Improve your image and your referrals
- Seek appropriate Feedback from the client at the completion of each engagement about the timeliness, professionalism and success in meeting the client’s expectations. The most Basic question is: “On a scale of 1 to 10 how likely are you to recommend our company to a friend or colleague?”
- Include a page of testimonials from satisfied clients and a biography of every billable professional on you Web site.
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Other Miscellaneous Ideas
- Use Google to research QB error messages.
- Use Credit memos and Bill Credits rather than customer & vendor discounts to provide more accurate income by item etc
- Create subsidiary Ledgers for any balance sheet account by: (1) Associate each posting with a customer or Job name. (2) Create a Custom Summary Report with the following settings:
a) On the Display Tab total the columns by Customer / Job
b) On the Display Tax, click “Advanced” then “Non-Zero in the Display Rows section.
c) Filter by Account for the “Client Pre-Payments”
d) Set the date range to “All”
e) Title the report “Open Pre-payments for Client”
f) Memorize the report for future use.
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