Ask the Accountant… Question: I produce my month-end statements and then do my reconciliations whenever the statements are ready. Is that the right order? Answer: Reconciliations are an important step in keeping your data up to date. Reconciliations are a safeguard that your numbers are correct, or at least entered in your system. A reconciliation…
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What You Should Know About QuickBooks Payment Reminders
Ask the Accountant… Question: QuickBooks can send payment reminders to clients. What do you know about it? Answer: That is a new feature in QuickBooks that might be helpful, but . . . I have reservations about it for our industry, because the automated nature of the payment reminders takes away the personal nature of…
Read MoreDo I Have to Use QuickBooks Payroll?
Ask the Accountant… Question: If I convert to QuickBooks, do I have to use QuickBooks Payroll? Answer: There is no requirement to use QuickBooks Payroll. Our businesses generally involve very few, if any, employees. And payroll is rarely a needed function. My clients who do have a payroll typically use outside payroll services, or have…
Read MoreWhich 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 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 MoreMust I Upgrade QuickBooks Each Year?
Ask the Accountant… Question: I Google searched for QuickBooks support. They told me that I have to upgrade to QB Premier 2020 even though I am in QuickBooks Premier 2019. Is that true? Answer: I get many calls about this. Internet searches for QB support can connect you with non-QuickBooks entities whose business it is…
Read MoreThe Future of QuickBooks Desktop
Ask the Accountant… Question: I’ve heard rumors that QuickBooks Desktop is going away. Is that true? Answer: I’ve heard those rumors for years, but QB Desktop (Pro, Premier and Enterprise) is improved upon year-over-year, and appears to be here to stay. I recently attended a webinar by Joe Woodard about this very subject. He quoted…
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