Ask the Accountant… Question: What is the perfect system for a promotional products distributor? Answer: I wish I had the perfect answer for that. Unfortunately, there is not a perfect system for our complex and unique industry regardless of cost. Ad specialty distributors have had to figure out their own systems, mostly by trial and…
Read MoreChannel: Ask the Accountant
Which Edition of QuickBooks Premier Is Right for You?
Ask the Accountant… Question: I am downloading QuickBooks Premier. There is a question about which edition I want. Which one do I pick? Answer: When you purchase QuickBooks Premier, there will be options of editions when you download the program. The edition that is best suited for our industry is Manufacturing and Wholesale. By selecting…
Read MoreAre You Making Any Money? Useful Calculations for Your Business
Ask the Accountant… Question: Recently, I had a question about what a balance sheet shows, so I thought I’d tackle income statements as well. Answer: The income statement is also known as a profit and loss statement, or a P&L. It shows what you have earned and what you have spent to produce a profit…
Read MoreWhat Is a Balance Sheet? And Why Does Your CPA Ask for It?
Ask the Accountant… Question: My CPA always asks for a balance sheet, but I don’t know what that is exactly. Answer: A balance sheet is one of the two standard financial statements that describes the condition of your business. (The other is an income statement.) Your balance sheet is a snapshot of a particular day…
Read MoreWhat’s the Best Way to Track Your Orders?
Question: Do you have any suggestions for a good way to track orders? Answer: Our industry is complicated, and each order involves many steps and details. I used to track orders manually—step by step for each order. Today there are several automated solutions…
Read MoreHow Should You Be Pricing Your Products?
Ask the Accountant… Question: I am new to the business and don’t know how to price the items I am selling. Any tips? Answer: In general terms, you would like your gross profit percentage to be around 40 percent and higher would be better. Your gross profit margin is the amount left over after you…
Read MoreRemember to Order Specific Checks for QuickBooks
Ask the Accountant… Question: Do I have to order specific checks to print in QB Premier? Answer: Yes, QB Premier has a particular format when printing checks. You don’t have to order directly from Intuit. However, if you are ordering from another source, make sure they know which QB program you are using and the…
Read MoreWhy Do I Have Negative Amounts in My Accounts Payable Aging Report?
Ask the Accountant… Question: I am having small negative amounts left over in my accounts payable aging report after I record paying suppliers. What am I doing wrong? Answer: Negative amounts in your accounts payable are usually the result of the QuickBooks supplier purchase order not matching exactly the invoice from the supplier before creating…
Read MoreWhy Am I Getting Duplicate Customers When Integrating SAGE and QuickBooks?
Ask the Accountant… Question: I am integrating SAGE Online with QuickBooks Premier. I am getting duplicate customers and vendors. Why is that happening? Answer: When integrating two software packages, if any data in the receiving system is not identical to that being exported, it will be identified as a new and different entry. For instance,…
Read MoreOrderMaster Support Is Going Away—What Now?
Ask the Accountant… Question: I have used OrderMaster for a long time. Is there any support for the software? Answer: Unfortunately, no. OrderMaster is no longer supported. It was sold as a stand-alone product that users owned and loaded onto their computers. It has remained static while your computer operating systems have continually advanced. The…
Read More