Ask the Accountant… Question: Do I need account numbers in addition to account names? If so, are there particular numbers? Answer: I like using account numbers with account names for accounts in the chart of accounts (COA) because it makes it easier to distinguish one account from another more readily, as some account names are…
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What Is a Chart of Accounts?
A chart of accounts is a list of financial accounts set up in a company to record financial transactions. Accounts fall into six general categories. When your financial transactions are recorded into your accounting system, they are assigned or recorded into the appropriate categories…
Read MoreThe Easiest (and Most Accurate) Way to Calculate Sales Tax on QuickBooks
QuickBooks Online (QBO) is one of several options from QuickBooks. It is very different from QB Premier or Enterprise, which are more robust and better suit our industry. For instance, QBO does not have customer sales orders, which are pivotal in QB Premier and Enterprise. That being said…
Read MoreShould You Enter Transactions as Journal Entries in QuickBooks?
Ask the Accountant… Question: I had some accounting in college. Can I enter transactions in QuickBooks as Journal Entries instead of learning the software? Answer: QuickBooks is designed to follow their designated flow so that your entries are recorded correctly. By doing this, the debits and credits are recorded automatically in the background of the…
Read MoreHow to Add Calculations in QuickBooks Reports
Ask the Accountant… Question: Can I add calculations to reports in QB Premier? Answer: Yes. QB Premier has a wide array of reports, and you can access the QuickBooks Community for contributed reports. All QB Premier reports can be expanded by way of a link to Excel. Click on Excel at the top of the…
Read MoreWhere Can I Find Record of Vendors and Their Yearly Costs?
Ask the Accountant… Question: I have to produce 1099’s for some of my vendors. How do I get a record of these vendors and their costs for the year? Answer: When you set up a vendor in QB Premier, go to: Vendor > Vendor Center > New Vendor > Enter contact information. Under “Tax Settings,”…
Read MoreWhat’s the Easiest Way to Place a Reorder in QuickBooks?
Ask the Accountant… Question: A customer is placing a reorder. Is there an easy way to do that in QB Premier? Answer: Yes. Open the original sales order and click “Create a Copy” at the top of the screen. Make any adjustments to prices in the new sales order, then create the supplier purchase order…
Read MoreWhy Did QuickBooks Premier Become So Expensive?
Ask the Accountant… Question: The price for QB Premier has gone up a lot recently. I found a much lower price online. Is it the same thing? Should I wait and see if the prices come down? Answer: Intuit has significantly increased the prices for QB Premier 2021. The wholesale pricing has nearly doubled, and…
Read MoreWhy Purchase a New Version of QuickBooks?
Ask the Accountant… Question: I have an older desktop version of QuickBooks Premier (too embarrassed to mention the version/year). So far, it seems to work fine. What are the disadvantages of staying on an older desktop QB version? I have a sense there’s something I don’t know but should. Answer: By using an old version…
Read MoreReconcile Before the End of the Period
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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