Question: When is the best time to buy QuickBooks Premier 2018? Answer: Premier 2018 was released in September 2017. So far, the reports are good. It works well, and bugs have been few. However, conventional QuickBooks wisdom is to wait until January to avoid as many of the inevitable early glitches, updates and fixes as…
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Where Can I Get QuickBooks Software?
Question: Where should I look for QuickBooks software? Answer: My advice is to buy only from a proven source. The safest source is to buy directly from Intuit. But, there are many resellers that provide some attractive offers. I’ve heard a full range of reports from good to bad. Be careful in your selection of…
Read MoreCan I Print Checks in QuickBooks?
Question: Can I print checks in QuickBooks? If so, do you have any tips for buying the checks? Answer: Yes, you can print checks in QuickBooks. When doing so, the transaction is recorded directly into your general ledger (into the account you designate). Also, when writing a check to pay a supplier purchase order, the…
Read MoreInventory Versus Non-inventory Parts
Question: In QuickBooks, do I set up my items as “non-inventory part” or “inventory part?” Answer: Most always, ad specialty transactions are of the “non-inventory part” variety. The items ordered are customized to our clients’ specifications—drop shipped directly to them, and we, the distributor, do not take physical possession. And in QuickBooks, these transactions are…
Read MoreSave Time When Making Sales Tax Changes
Question: I need to change sales tax settings for a large number of my customers. Do I need to go into each customer to make the changes? Answer: No, fortunately! QuickBooks has a wonderful feature to save you time with that chore. Go to “Lists”>”Add/Edit Multiple List Entries”>”Select Customers” from the dropdown box at the…
Read MoreWhat Do You Know About Buying Groups?
Question: What do you know about buying groups? Answer: There are variations of buying groups in our industry—from a couple of distributors banding together loosely to companies that offer other services and approaches. To answer this question fully, I went to Jamie Coggeshall, president of AIMastermind (AIM), a group that purely is a buying group.…
Read MoreDifferentiating Customers and Vendors in QuickBooks
Question: I have a vendor who has become a customer. QuickBooks will not let me use the same name. What do I do? Answer: You can use a variation of the name, such as “ABC Company” for the customer and “ABC Company Inc.” for the vendor. Alternatively, you can do something as simple as adding…
Read MoreDon’t Like Showing Item Numbers to Clients?
Question: I don’t like to show item numbers to my clients. Is there a way to avoid that in QuickBooks? Answer: Yes. You can customize templates to include only the fields you want and eliminate those you don’t. (And, it is a good idea to not show item numbers on customer forms, as it makes…
Read MoreUsing ‘Leading Periods’ to Organize Sales Orders
Question: I use QuickBooks Premier. I have orders where copy or instructions are frequently the same. When I create these sales orders, is there a way to get these words onto the order without retyping them every time? Answer: Yes. You can save and reuse words or phrases that you use often by creating a…
Read MoreSetting Up Items for Blank Goods
Question: How should I set up items for blank goods in QuickBooks? Answer: “Blank goods,” or orders that are then screen printed or embroidered by other vendors, are one of the most complex of orders in our industry. I recommend setting up a blank wearable by its item number and description only—not including color or…
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