Invoice templates

I am sure most of you that are using the newer versions of QuickBooks have found there is a new screen that comes up when you go to customize your invoice. I actually made a new invoice for my business using this feature and it worked (and looks) great!

But, did you know there is another place where you can find default invoice templates that you can modify and make work for your business?


Intuit's templates 

and you will find all sorts of templates in all different colors and schemes.

Happy Customizing!

Lynda

Check out my website www.artesanibookkeeping.com

Password Removal tool

No, do not use that tool on your computer.   But there are times when you wish you could when you are having trouble logging in.

Did you even know that QuickBooks had such a thing?  Well they do.  Follow the link below to access it:

Password Removal Tool

Now, the question is:  Do you really need to use this tool?  Well, if you have the Admin password but not a users password, the answer is no.  All you would have to do is log in as the Admin and then go to Company>users and just change the lost user's password.

Also, before you go through the steps to remove a password make sure you have exhausted this list of possible errors that would cause you from not being able to log in as Admin:

1. The most common is the caps lock is on.  Make sure it is not on (unless your password is all caps).


2. Make sure the "num lock" key is not pressed or lit.


3. Accessibility Settings can stop a password from being accepted. Click the Windows Start button and select Control Panel. Select Accessibility Option. Be sure none of the boxes on any of the tabs are checked.


4. An incorrect log in screen can show up when you open QuickBooks.  Make sure you have the correct user name.


5. I have seen a stuck key on the keyboard cause a password to not be able to take.


6. You accidentally added a space on the password.  I have found that to happen when someone uses a name for their password and they just enter a space by accident.  You are not allowed to have spaces in a password.  


7. Try opening another company in QuickBooks and make sure you can get in with the password for the other company file.

Of course, with QuickBooks 2009 & 2010 (& Enterprise 2008-present), we have a reset password box that allows us to answer a security question and then reset our password.  But with the earlier versions of QuickBooks, when all else fails, go to the password removal tool.

Lynda

Check out my website www.artesanibookkeeping.com

Emailing issues

Has this happened to you? You get an error message that says "QuickBooks is unable to send your email to Outlook.  Close any open Outlook windows and try again"

So what is wrong?  Sounds simple enough.  But then the fix does not work.  This error may be caused by your email preference not being set to the correct option.  Here is how you check to see what you have selected: This error may be caused by your email preference is not set to the correct option: Go to edit Preferences Send forms Click the my preferences tab and set it to say "send email using" and pick your preferred option, i.e. Outlook, Outlook Express, etc.  BUT, then you will need to close QuickBooks and close all other windows on your PC.  Then shut down and restart your computer.  Then restart QuickBooks and try to resend your report or invoice. BUT, if this does not fix the problem, you need to go right back to those preferences and try Plan B.  This time select QuickBooks email as your selection.  Click okay.  Then go back to Edit>preferences, select Outlook, click okay.  Send your report or invoice. BUT,  if this still does not resolve your issue.  You will need to shut down QuickBooks, shut down all other programs, shut off and restart your PC.  Now, try to email a test email out of your MS Word program using your Outlook program.  If you have Windows 7 or Vista, then there could be a Compatibility Mode issue with QuickBooks.   You will need to close QuickBooks program.  Then you will need to right-click on the desktop icon for QuickBooks and select properties, click the Compatibility tab and then make sure that the checkbox labeled "Run this program in compatibility mode for" is not checked.  Then open QuickBooks and try to send a report or invoice. Wow!  Having fun yet?  Now you can see why people get so frustrated.

Lynda

Check out my website www.artesanibookkeeping.com

Sales tax makes me bananas! Sales tax with vendor bills

I just visited a client's office and that I found the most amazing detail that this bookkeeper had entered on her records.  Not only had she been calculating sales tax for her employer to pay to the state that they collected it for on items that they sold that were taxable, but she was also calculating it on any bills that they received from vendors and had entered into a sales tax expense account!  Yes, she had a sales tax expense account on her records.  I asked her why she tracked this and she told me it was to show how much money the company paid in sales tax.

So, I had to explain to her that when you pay the sales tax, that is just included in what the item cost to you.  For example, if you purchased bananas for your breakfast and they were taxable, then the bananas cost you the entire amount that you paid for them including the tax. If the bananas were $1.00 and you paid 7 cents in tax, then the bananas cost $1.07.  You do not need to break down the sales tax that you paid. 

I know that sometimes calculating sales tax and the set up of items for this can be a little tricky.  And you definitely want to be sure to prepare your sales tax return properly and accurately.  The sales tax module works wonderfully in QuickBooks when set up properly.   If you do not know how to do this, you need to hire and expert to get you going in the right direction.  

So, the moral of the story is you should never have a sales tax expense.  I will expand on proper sales tax setup in a follow-up posting.

Lynda

Check out my website www.artesanibookkeeping.com

Backup using QuickBooks backup feature

I know I probably sound like I preach this feature so often (this will make the 6th time I have blogged about backing up your data file).  However, I just recently visited a client who was not using QuickBooks backup at all.  

His company was quite large and had 3 users using QuickBooks, all logging into a server.  The server was being backed up daily.  When I asked if he backed up, he said "of course" and proceeded to tell me how it was being backed up.  My data file is backed up nightly.  Our whole system is backed up.  So he was backing up all files on the server, including the data file nightly.  When I checked his data file (he had some problems with the functionality of his data file and QuickBooks) I found he had many database fragments. 

The reason you need to use the backup function of QuickBooks is that it re-sorts the data and verifies it.  It helps to keep your data file healthy.  I set up an automatic backup of his file through QuickBooks backup and we made a file folder that this backup copy would be located.  Now, he will be using QuickBooks backup and still be backing up all his files on his server.  He won't even have to think about it.  

So, backup backup backup, even if you have a server, use the QuickBooks backup feature.

Lynda

Check out my website www.artesanibookkeeping.com

Internal Controls: How to protect your client from an employee who may steal from them

Well, I received an email recently from Intuit stating that I needed to pass some ongoing CPE courses to continue my Advanced Certification status and add two years to my expiration date.  I have to say that I am always a believer in ongoing education.  These courses were no exception. It was an 8 hour course that could be taken in pieces (which I did, one per day).  The most interesting one to me was the one on how to protect your clients and their data file, which was titled "Internal Controls".   Not only did this class provide information on ways that you can protect your client from an employee who may steal from them, but it also provided data regarding the size and types of companies that are more prone to this type of behavior.  It was amazing to me that the smaller companies are the more likely types of businesses to be have the most money or time stolen by an employee. 

I have a client who had this happen to them.  Some of the scenarios that were covered in the class would have helped my client, if he knew me before this happened.  The checks and balances were not in place.  

The class also emphasized that "time" is one of the most frequent ways an employee steals from an employer.  This can be from an employee going to Dunkin Donuts while he is on the clock or an employee texting while on the job.  The latter example I have experienced first hand from an employee that I had working on my staff.  Regardless, both examples are out right stealing from the employer.  

The main theme throughout this class is to keep your honest employee honest.  Have the checks and balances in place so the opportunity to steal is less. Being upfront with your employees and let them know they are being monitored is one of the best ways to protect yourself from this type of stealing.

 Lynda

Check out my website www.artesanibookkeeping.com

Buying or upgrading to a new version of QuickBooks

This has been a popular topic on the QuickBooks Forum.  And I can understand why.  If you have ever perused the website where you will purchase Quickbooks, you can find this to be a confusing place.  There are tons of different versions, industry versions, types.

Do I want QuickBooks Online?

Do I want QuickBooks Pro?

Do I want QuicBooks Premier?

Enterprise?

Do I want payroll, which type?

Ahhh!  Help!

Well, I also have seen some fine answers on the forum for the questions above.  If the person writes a clear question and explains his type of business, how many users, etc. etc.  Some of the forum posters give quite a bit of information to the users and they really go that extra yard to help the people get into the correct product.  Kudos to Intuit for designing a knowledge base that costs them little to host and does a good job for their customers.  I learn things from the forum daily. (Thanks Michelle Long,  Charlie Russell, Ray White and William Murphy -- especially William Murphy for the laughs as he climbs the leaderboard on his quest to become CEO of Intuit).

So, the quick answer to the above title of my blog is, "it depends on your individual needs".  You can always contact a ProAdvisor (like me) for assistance.  We will be more than happy to help you get into the correct product. 

 Lynda

 

Check out my website www.artesanibookkeeping.com