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QuickBooks 2008: The Missing Manual
There have been many improvements to QuickBooks over the
years, but the program's documentation is not one of them.
Luckily, QuickBooks 2008: The Missing Manual picks up where
QuickBook's help resources leave off. With this book, you
don't just learn how to use the software, you learn why and
when to use specific features.
And you get basic accounting
advice so that it all makes sense to you along the way.
With its Simple Start, Basic, Pro, Premier, and
industry-specific Enterprise editions, QuickBooks can handle
many of the financial tasks companies face, but the price
you pay is an overabundance of features. With this book, you
get advice on which features you need to use to get your
work done efficiently, along with step-by-step instructions
on how to use them. QuickBooks 2008: The Missing Manual
helps you:
Get more out of QuickBooks whether you're a beginner or an
old pro.
Learn how QuickBooks can help you boost sales, control
spending, and save on taxes.
Set up and manage your files to fit your company's specific
needs.
Use QuickBooks reports to evaluate every aspect of your
enterprise.
Follow the money all the way from customer invoices to
year-end tasks.
Discover new tips and tricks on the best timesaving options
for your business.
Build budgets and plan for the future to make your business
more successful.
And a lot more. This book is designed to accommodate readers
at every technical level. If you're a first-time QuickBooks
user, special boxes with the title "Up To Speed" provide the
introductory information you need to understand the topic at
hand. For advanced users, there are similar boxes called
"Power Users' Clinic" that offer more technical tips,
tricks, and shortcuts for the experienced QuickBooks fan.
For a topic as complicated as accounting software, why trust
anything else?
CONTENTS:
The Missing Credits
Introduction
Part One: Setting Up QuickBooks
Chapter 1. Creating a Company in QuickBooks
Opening QuickBooks
Creating a New Company
Steps to Take Before You Create Your Company File
Start Date
Account Balances
Other Important Information
Starting the EasyStep Interview
Company Information
Creating Your Company File
Customizing Your Company File
Modifying Company Information
What's Next
Opening an Existing Company File
Converting from Another Program to QuickBooks
Converting from Quicken Home & Business
Converting from a Non-Intuit Program
Chapter 2. Setting Up a Chart of Accounts
Obtaining a Chart of Accounts
Account Naming and Numbering
Setting Up Account Numbers
Standardizing Account Names
Creating Accounts and Subaccounts
Creating an Account
Viewing Account Names and Numbers
Modifying Accounts
Hiding and Deleting Accounts
Hiding Accounts
Deleting Accounts
Merging Accounts
Chapter 3. Setting Up Customers and Jobs
Before You Create Customers and Jobs
Categorizing Customers and Jobs
Creating Customers in QuickBooks
Creating a New Customer
Importing and Exporting Customer Information
Importing Customer Information
Exporting Customer Information
Creating Jobs in QuickBooks
Creating a New Job
Modifying Customer and Job Information
Adding Notes About Customers
Merging Customer Records
Hiding and Deleting Customers
Deleting Customers
Hiding Customers
Chapter 4. Setting Up Invoice Items
What Items Do
When You Don't Need Items
Should You Track Inventory with Items?
The QuickBooks Item Types
Items for Services
Items for Products
Other Types of Items
Planning Your Items
Generic or Specific?
Naming Items
Subitems
Taxing Decisions
Setting Up Sales Tax
Sales Tax Codes
Sales Tax Items
Creating Items
Service Fields
Inventory Part Fields
Non-Inventory Part Fields
Other Charge Fields
Subtotal
Group
Discount
Payment
Sales Tax Item
Modifying Items
Hiding and Deleting Items
Hiding Items
Deleting Items
Chapter 5. Setting Up Other QuickBooks Lists
The Vendor List
Entering Address Information
Additional Info
Filling in Expense Accounts Automatically
Categorizing with Classes
Price Levels
Creating a Price Level
Applying a Price Level
Customer and Vendor Profile Lists
Sales Rep List
Customer Type List
Vendor Type List
Job Type List
Terms List
Customer Message
Payment Method List
Ship Via List
Vehicle List
Memorized Transactions
Fixed Asset Items
Creating and Editing List Entries
Creating Entries
Editing Entries
Merging List Entries
Hiding and Deleting List Entries
Hiding Entries
Deleting Entries
Sorting Lists
Printing Lists
Blasting Out a Quick List
Customizing a Printed List
Chapter 6. Managing QuickBooks Files
Where to Store Your Company Files
Backing Up Files
Backing Up to Your Computer Right Away
Automated QuickBooks Backups
Choosing Standard Settings for Your Backups
Restoring Backups
Sending Company Files to Others
Creating a Portable Company File
Opening a Portable Company File
Verifying Your QuickBooks Data
Running the Verify Data Utility
Reviewing Problems
Running the Rebuild Data Utility
Cleaning Up Data
Running the Clean Up Company File Tool
Cleaning Up After Deleting Files
Part Two: Bookkeeping
Chapter 7. Tracking Time and Mileage
Setting Up Time Tracking
Turning on Time Tracking
Setting Up the People Who Track Time
Setting Up Items and Customers for Time Tracking
Entering Time in Timesheets
Filling in Weekly Timesheets
Entering Time for One Activity
Setting Up the Standalone Timer
Exporting Lists for Timer Users
Distributing Timer
Importing Workers' Time into QuickBooks
Using Timer to Track Time
Installing the Timer
Setting Up the Timer Program
Setting Up an Activity
Entering Time
Creating an Export File of Your Time
Running Time Reports
Tracking Mileage
Adding a Vehicle
Setting the Mileage Rate
Recording Mileage Driven
Generating Mileage Reports
Chapter 8. Paying for Expenses
When to Pay Expenses
Entering Bills
Automating Recurring Bills
Memorizing a Bill
Using a Memorized Bill
Creating Memorized Groups of Bills
Purchasing Inventory
Creating Purchase Orders
Receiving Inventory and Bills Simultaneously
Receiving Inventory Before the Bill
Handling Reimbursable Expenses
Setting Up Reimbursements as Income
Recording Reimbursable Expenses
Paying Your Bills
Selecting Bills to Pay
Modifying Payment Amounts
Applying Discounts and Credits
Setting the Payment Method and Account
Saving Paid Bills
Producing Checks
Writing Checks by Hand
Setting Up QuickBooks to Print Checks
Printing Checks
Writing Checks Without Entering Bills
Using the Write Checks Dialog Box
Adding Checks to an Account Register
Paying with Cash
Paying with Credit Cards
Recording Vendor Credits
Paying Sales Tax
Sales Tax Payment Preferences
Producing Reports of the Sales Tax You Owe
Remitting Sales Taxes
Chapter 9. Invoicing
Choosing the Right Type of Form
Sales Receipts
Statements
Invoices
Sales Forms and Accounts
Creating Invoices
Creating an Invoice
Filling in Invoice Header Fields
Entering Invoice Line Items
Applying Subtotals, Discounts, and Percentage Charges
Adding a Message to the Customer
Choosing How to Send the Invoice
Adding a Memo to Yourself
Invoicing for Billable Time and Costs
Setting Up Invoicing for Time and Expenses
Adding Billable Time and Expenses to Invoices
Invoicing for Backordered Products
Using Pending Invoices for Backorders
Using Sales Orders for Backorders
Memorizing Recurring Invoices
Using a Memorized Invoice
Editing a Memorized Invoice
Estimating Jobs
Creating an Estimate
Creating Multiple Estimates
Creating an Invoice from an Estimate
Creating Progress Invoices
Progress Invoicing Options
Fine-Tuning a Progress Invoice
Producing Statements
Creating Statement Charges
Generating Customer Statements
Previewing Statements
Generating Statements
Finding Invoices (and Other Transactions)
Searching with the Customer Center
Using the Find Command
Editing Invoices and Sales Receipts
Voiding and Deleting Invoices and Sales Receipts
Handling Refunds and Credits
Creating Credit Memos
Creating Refund Checks
Applying Credits to Invoices
Sending Sales Forms
Setting Print Options
Aligning Forms and Paper
Choosing a Send Method
Print One Form
Printing in Batches
Printing Mailing and Shipping Labels
Printing Packing Slips
Emailing Sales Forms
Emailing One Form
Emailing in Batches
Chapter 10. Managing Accounts Receivable
The Aging of Receivables
Accounts Receivable Aging Reports
Customer & Job Reports
Receiving Payments for Invoiced Income
Applying Credits to Invoices
Discounting for Early Payment
Deposits, Down Payments, and Retainers
Setting Up QuickBooks for Prepayments
Recording Prepayments
Applying a Deposit, Down Payment, or Retainer to an Invoice
Refunding Prepayments
Applying Finance Charges
Finance Charge Preferences
Assessing Finance Charges on Overdue Balances
Cash Sales
Creating Sales Receipts
Creating a Batch Sales Template
Reconciling Excess and Short Cash
Making Deposits
Choosing Payments to Deposit
Recording Deposits
Depositing Money from Merchant Card Accounts
Chapter 11. Doing Payroll
Choosing a Payroll Service
Applying for a Payroll Service
Setting Up Payroll
Setting Up Compensation and Benefits
Setting Up Employees
Setting Up Payroll Taxes
Entering Historical Payroll
Running Payroll
Printing Paychecks and Pay Stubs
Paying Payroll Taxes
Preparing Payroll Tax Forms
Chapter 12. Bank Accounts, Credit Cards, and Petty Cash
Entering Transactions in an Account Register
Opening a Register Window
Creating a Transaction in an Account Register
Handling Bounced Checks
Setting Up QuickBooks to Handle Bounced Checks
Recording Bank Charges
Reinvoicing for Bounced Checks
Transferring Funds
Reconciling Accounts
Preparing for the First Reconciliation
Preparing for Every Reconciliation
Starting a Reconciliation
Reconciling Transactions
Reconciliation Reports
Modifying Transactions During Reconciliation
Stopping and Restarting a Reconciliation
Correcting Discrepancies
Undoing the Last Reconciliation
When Your Bank Makes a Mistake
Managing Loans
Setting Up a Loan
Adding a Loan to Loan Manager
Modifying Loan Terms
Setting Up Payments
What-If Scenarios
Tracking Petty Cash
Recording ATM Withdrawals and Deposits to Petty Cash
Recording Purchases Made with Petty Cash
Chapter 13. Making Journal Entries
Balancing Debit and Credit Amounts
Some Reasons to Use Journal Entries
Creating General Journal Entries
Filling in General Journal Entry Fields
Checking General Journal Entries
Reclassifications and Corrections
Recording Depreciation with Journal Entries
Chapter 14. Generating Financial Statements
The Profit & Loss Report
Understanding the Profit & Loss Report
Generating a Profit & Loss Report
Other Profit & Loss Reports
The Balance Sheet
Understanding the Balance Sheet
Generating a Balance Sheet Report
The Statement of Cash Flows
Understanding the Statement of Cash Flows
Generating a Statement of Cash Flows
Chapter 15. Performing End-of-Year Tasks
Viewing the Trial Balance
Generating Year-End Financial Reports
The Year-End Profit & Loss Report
The Year-End Balance Sheet
Generating Tax Reports
Sharing the Company File with Your Accountant
Creating an Accountant's Review Copy
Sending a Copy Directly to Your Accountant
Merging Accountant Changes into Your Company File
Canceling an Accountant's Review Copy
1099s
Generating 1099 Reports
Printing 1099-MISC Forms
Closing the Books for the Year
Part Three: Managing Your Business
Chapter 16. Managing Inventory
The QuickBooks Inventory Process
Setting Up Inventory Items
Purchasing and Selling Inventory
Running Inventory Reports
Inventory Valuation: How Much Is Inventory Worth?
Inventory Stock Status
Viewing One Inventory Item
Performing a Physical Inventory
Adjusting Inventory in QuickBooks
Adjusting Quantities
Adjusting Quantities and Values
Chapter 17. Budgeting and Planning
Types of Budgets
Ways to Build Budgets
Creating Budgets in QuickBooks
Filling in Budget Values
Copy Across Columns
Adjust Row Amounts
Creating Additional Customer:Job or Class Budgets
Copying Budgets and Creating What-if Budgets
Running Budget Reports
The Budget Overview Report
Budget vs. Actual Report
Profit & Loss Budget Performance Report
Budget vs. Actual Graph
Chapter 18. Tracking Your Business with Reports
Finding the Right Reports
A Quick Guide to QuickBooks Reports
Company & Financial Reports
Customers & Receivables Reports
Sales Reports
Jobs, Time & Mileage
Vendors & Payables
Purchases
Inventory
Employees and Payroll
Banking
Accountant and Taxes
Budgets and Forecasts
List Reports
Custom Reports
A Review of Report Preferences
Company-Wide Report Preferences
Individual Preferences
Running Reports
Printing and Saving Reports
Saving Reports to Files
Customizing Reports
Date Ranges
Subtotals
Customizing the Columns in Reports
Sorting Reports
Filtering Reports
Report Headers and Footers
Fonts and Numbers
Memorizing Reports
Swapping Reports Between Company Files
Exporting a Report
Importing Report Templates
Part Four: QuickBooks Power
Chapter 19. Online Banking Services
Setting Up Your Internet Connection
Setting Up Your Accounts for Online Services
Applying for Online Services
Activating Online Services for Your QuickBooks Account
Exchanging Data with Your Bank
Downloading Statements with WebConnect
Exchanging Data via a Direct Connection
Working with Online Items
Creating Online Items for Direct Connections
Sending a Message to Your Bank
Transferring Funds Between Accounts
Matching Downloaded Transactions
Matching Transactions QuickBooks Couldn't Match
Paying Bills Online
Chapter 20. Configuring Preferences to Fit Your Company
An Introduction to Preferences
Accounting
Bills
Checking
Choosing the Bank Accounts You Use
Setting the Way Company Checks Work
Choosing Company-Wide Payroll Accounts
Desktop View
Window Preferences
Preferences for Saving the Desktop
Choosing a Color Scheme
Setting Up the QuickBooks Home Page
Finance Charge
General
Tuning QuickBooks to Your Liking
Company-Wide General Preferences
Items & Inventory
Jobs & Estimates
Payroll & Employees
Reminders
Reminders on the My Preferences Tab
Reminders for Everyone
Reports and Graphs
Preferences for the Reports You Generate
Preferences That Apply to Every Company Report
Sales & Customers
Sales Tax
Send Forms
Spelling
Tax: 1099
Time & Expenses
Chapter 21. Integrating QuickBooks with Other Programs
Mail Merge to a Word Document
Creating Letters and Envelopes in QuickBooks
Synchronizing Contacts
Using QuickBooks Contact Sync for Outlook
Finding Third-Party Integrated Applications
The QuickBooks Solutions Marketplace
Other Ways to Find Third-Party Programs
Setting Up an Integrated Application
Exporting QuickBooks Data
Exporting Lists and Addresses
Exporting Reports
Importing Data from Other Programs
Importing an Excel Spreadsheet
Importing a Delimited File
QuickBooks Add-on Services
Merchant Services
Intuit Payroll Services
QuickBooks Billing Solutions
Chapter 22. Customizing QuickBooks
Customizing the Desktop
Customizing the Home Page
Customizing the Icon Bar
Adding and Removing Icons
Adding Windows to the Icon Bar
Changing Icon Appearance
Changing the Order of Icons
Customizing Forms
Editing an Existing Form
Basic Customization
Additional Customization
Laying out Forms
Selecting Form Objects
Moving and Resizing Objects
Adding, Removing, and Copying Objects
Formatting Forms
Other Handy Layout Tools
Managing Templates
Creating a New Template
Making a Template Inactive
Exchanging Templates Between Company Files
Chapter 23. Keeping Your QuickBooks Data Secure
Setting Up the Administrator
Assigning the Administrator User Name and Password
Resetting the Administrator Password
Complying with Credit Card Security Regulations
Creating QuickBooks Users
Adding New Users
Resetting a User Password
Restricting Access to Features and Data
What the Access Areas Represent
Setting Access Rights
Audit Trails
Part Five: Appendixes
Appendix A. Installing QuickBooks
Appendix B. Help, Support, and Other Resources
Appendix C. Keyboard Shortcuts
Index
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