Ask the Accountant… Question: Which QuickBooks Online product is right for me? Answer: If you have read my blogs, you know that I am not a big fan of QBO (QuickBooks Online) for an ad specialty distributor. However, there are some circumstances where QBO is the better choice, such as when you are using an…
Read MoreAuthor: Harriet Gatter
Don’t Fall for QuickBooks Online
Ask the Accountant… Question: My QuickBooks Premier 2018 had an update today. There was an error message about a security risk because of a browser. Now my QuickBooks isn’t working. What now? Answer: Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 has been the default browser for QuickBooks Desktop. Microsoft stopped its support of Internet Explorer on June 15,…
Read MoreHow to Designate a Vendor as a 1099 Vendor in QuickBooks
Ask the Accountant… Question: When I try to designate a vendor as a 1099 vendor, it is greyed out. How do I change that? Answer: There has been a recent change to Preferences in QB Premier regarding 1099 status of vendors. Now, you must turn on the 1099 option in “Preferences” > “Tax: 1099” (toward…
Read MoreHow to Get Rid of All of Your QuickBooks Windows Easily
Ask the Accountant… Question: I usually end up with lots of windows open in QuickBooks Premier. Is there an easier way to close them than one at a time? Answer: To close all your open windows in QuickBooks Desktop (Pro, Premier, or Enterprise), go to “Window” at the top of the screen, and then “Close…
Read MoreHow to Turn Multiple Orders Into One Invoice
Ask the Accountant… Question: I have several sales orders for one client, but my client wants just one invoice. Can I do that in QB Premier? Answer: Yes, you can. When you are ready to create one invoice for multiple sales orders already created in Premier, go to “Create Invoices” on the Home Page and…
Read MoreHow to Keep Notes in QuickBooks Premier
Ask the Accountant… Question: I want to keep notes in QuickBooks Premier. How do I do that? Answer: For Customers, you can go to Customers > Customer Center. Highlight a customer, and you will see the transactions related to that customer – estimate, sales order, invoice. Click on one of these, and there will be…
Read MoreIs Being a Distributor a Long-Term Business?
Ask the Accountant… Question: I have been a distributor for over 25 years, and would like my daughter to take over my business in the next five years. She is concerned that being a distributor is not a long-term business. What do you think? Answer: Being an ad specialty distributor is definitely a long-term, lifetime…
Read MoreHow Can I See My Full Screen While Managing Orders?
Ask the Accountant… Question: When I am working in the Order Management screen in SAGE Online, sometimes I can’t see the right side of the screen. Can I fix that? Answer: Yes, it can happen and is quite annoying, as some of the icons on the right side of the screen, such as the Create,…
Read MoreCan You Hide Cash Payments? (Short Answer: No)
Ask the Accountant… Question: I was recently asked about receiving cash payments from customers. After showing him how to record cash payments against a customer invoice, it became clear that he wanted to keep the cash, not record it as income. Answer: Truthfully, I have never been asked this before and was floored. When I…
Read MoreItems Purchased: Are They Inventory?
Ask the Accountant… Question: When I buy items from suppliers, isn’t that inventory? Answer: In our industry, we order items that have been customized specifically for one customer. We rarely take possession of the items – only so we can deliver them to the customer ourselves or our customer will pick them up. These instances…
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