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Modifying QuickBooks Reports Gives You Better Insight Into Past, Future: Part 1

If you make one resolution about improving your accounting procedures in 2012, it should be this: Make extensive use of the tools that QuickBooks offers for report modification. Comprehensive, meticulously-shaped reports that flow out of your carefully-constructed records and transactions are your reward for pounding on the keys every day, conscientiously recording income and expenses.

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QuickBooks Tips And Tricks: Make it Yours
No matter which version of QuickBooks you're using, there are always ways to make your workday easier. As with any software, we tend to learn the features we need and not much more. But small changes in the way you operate can add up to significant time savings and more accurate files. If you jumped into QuickBooks without a thorough introduction, consider these tips.

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Getting Things Done Fast with QuickBooks Keyboard Tricks
You're accustomed to using your mouse to navigate your way through QuickBooks, but you may not realize that there are faster ways to get your work done in QuickBooks. Typically your hands are already on the keyboard, so take advantage of the shortcuts built into the application to save you time. Using this technique might also help minimize wear-and-tear on your wrists. In this article we'll explore a variety of ways that you can quickly carry out tasks in QuickBooks.

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QUICKBOOKS TIPS
This section provides helpful tips to QuickBooks users. Learn about the different tools and how to handle tricky transactions. ...

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Creating Item Records in QuickBooks
Accurate, thorough item records inform your customers and help you track inventory levels correctly. 

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5 Ways You Can Use QuickBooks' Income Tracker
The Income Tracker is one of QuickBooks’ more innovative features. If you’re not using it, you should be.

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Do You Need a More Robust Version of QuickBooks?
Do You Need a More Robust Version of QuickBooks?

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How to Create a Progress Invoice from an Estimate
Not using progress invoices? Maybe you should be.

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Ten Overlooked QuickBooks Reports That You Should Use
Just about every QuickBooks user relies on the Report Center and Reports menu, but if you’re like most, you have a small handful of reports that you tend to rely on. In this article we’ll go off the beaten path and explore ten reports that many users overlook. Even if you are using some of these reports, we’re sure you’ll find a few more to add to your repertoire.

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Does This Icon Make Me Look Fat?
Spring is a good time to clean up and slim down QuickBooks and its data.

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Use QuickBooks’ Tools -- and Common Sense Procedures -- To Prevent Financial Fraud
You work hard for your money. Strong internal controls can keep it from disappearing unnecessarily.

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Is 2013 The Year You Finally Go Mobile With Financial Data?
Using QuickBooks Mobile, you’ll improve business relations, put out fires before they start and unchain yourself from your office computer.

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Say Good-Bye to 2012 and Ready QuickBooks for 2013
We hope you'll be ringing out a successful financial year at month's end. In any case, here's what you should know about preparing for 2013.

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Are You Defining Items in QuickBooks Correctly?
Create item records in QuickBooks carefully, and QuickBooks will return the favor by running useful, accurate reports.

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QuickBooks 2013 Gives You A Reason To Upgrade
Tired of QuickBooks' cramped, claustrophobic screens and uneven interface? You'll be pleased to see the 2013 version.

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QuickBooks Can Do Much More Than You Think
No, you'll never max out all of its features, but here are some tips on tools that extend QuickBooks' usefulness – and save you time.

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QuickBooks Reports Help You Maintain Balanced Inventory Levels
Running out of products too frequently? Having to sell cheap because inventory is overloaded? Use QuickBooks' reports.

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Job-Tracking Adds Precision to Your QuickBooks Company
Does your business have clients whose work sometimes requires multiple steps drawn out over weeks or months, like remodeling projects or court cases? If so, and you're not using QuickBooks' Jobs features, you're missing out on the opportunity to track and evaluate the financial impact of these complex tasks.

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Cutting Expenses Key To Profitability, But How? Some Tips
It may seem like a no-brainer – cut expenses to make more money – but many small changes can result in significant savings.

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Billing for Time and Expenses: How It Works
QuickBooks handles billable expenses capably, but it's critical that you understand the process thoroughly before proceeding.

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Portable Productivity: Smartphones Do Invoices, Expenses, Time Billing
These three web-based apps – accessible via your smartphone -- provide mobile access to QuickBooks data.

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QuickBooks Income Tax Reports And Filtering Options: Target The Right Output
April 15 is getting uncomfortably close. QuickBooks, of course, can't do your taxes for you. But it helps you lay some of the groundwork. Following up on last month's column on customizing reports, we'll look at the program's tax-related reports and its powerful report-filtering options. 

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Modifying QuickBooks Reports Gives You Better Insight Into Past, Future: Part 1
If you make one resolution about improving your accounting procedures in 2012, it should be this: Make extensive use of the tools that QuickBooks offers for report modification. Comprehensive, meticulously-shaped reports that flow out of your carefully-constructed records and transactions are your reward for pounding on the keys every day, conscientiously recording income and expenses.

more »

Customer Refunds: Are You Doing Them Right?
Refunds. You probably wince at the word. Some – like customer refunds for returns – are fairly uncomplicated, thanks to QuickBooks' tools. Others, not so much. You may find yourself unable to balance your accounts receivable.

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QuickBooks Tips And Tricks: Make it Yours
No matter which version of QuickBooks you're using, there are always ways to make your workday easier. As with any software, we tend to learn the features we need and not much more. But small changes in the way you operate can add up to significant time savings and more accurate files. If you jumped into QuickBooks without a thorough introduction, consider these tips.

more »

QuickBooks 2012: New Paths to Better, Faster Financial Management
As it usually does this time of year, Intuit has introduced new versions of its Pro and Premier products. QuickBooks 2012 promises to help you get better organized, save steps, and acquire more in-depth financial insights.

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Classes or Types? When To Use Them
QuickBooks' standard reports are critical to understanding your company's past, present, and future. But the program also offers innovative tools that can make them significantly more insightful and comprehensive.

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Tracking Bills in QuickBooks, Worth the Effort
Next to payroll, paying bills is probably your least favorite task in QuickBooks. You don't have to use this feature – you can keep stacking bills on your desk, scrawling the due dates on a paper calendar, and writing checks.

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Add/Edit Multiple List Entries Simplifies Record Changes
Data entry and modifications in QuickBooks can be tedious. Beginning with QuickBooks 2010 Pro Edition and above, that job got a lot easier. The Add/Edit Multiple List Entries tool does just what its name implies: It lets you add entries to your lists of customers, vendors, services, inventory parts, and non-inventory parts. It also makes changing one or several of them quick and easy.

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Job-Tracking Adds Precision to Your QuickBooks Company
Does your business have clients whose work sometimes requires multiple steps drawn out over weeks or months, like remodeling projects or court cases? If so, and you're not using QuickBooks' Jobs features, you're missing out on the opportunity to track and evaluate the financial impact of these complex tasks. 

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Are Your QuickBooks Company Files Tamper-Proof?
Every month, we provide information on how to better use QuickBooks. By implementing the best methods for managing your accounting data, you can actually improve your financial bottom line.

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Sales Orders in QuickBooks: Why? When? How?
There aren't that many different types of forms to keep straight in QuickBooks, but you likely don't use all of them. You probably use invoices and purchase orders frequently, and may fill out the occasional sales receipt or credit memo or estimate.

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QuickBooks Helps You Make a Statement
How do you let customers know they owe you money? Probably by sending invoices. And how's that working for you? If your customers are all conscientious and pay on time, maybe that's all you need to do.

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QuickBooks 2011 - Pump Up Your Productivity
Just about every QuickBooks user relies on the Report Center and Reports menu, but if you’re like most, you have a small handful of reports that you tend to rely on. In this article we’ll go off the beaten path and explore ten reports that many users overlook. Even if you are using some of these reports, we’re sure you’ll find a few more to add to your repertoire.

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Changing Seasons, Changing Prices
Changing the prices of your company’s services and inventory items can solve one of two problems, depending on why you’re looking for a solution. Say your materials suppliers have upped their prices. You may choose to increase your affected products to maintain your profit margin. Or maybe an item or service has not been moving well. A drop in price might trigger improved sales.

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Taxes 24/7/365
The reasons for putting off tax preparations are endless – and understandable. So tax filing deadlines may become the culmination of marathon sessions with your records, which can make mistakes more likely.

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Go Back to School With the Educational Tools of QuickBooks
We know. When you first cracked your copy of QuickBooks, you wanted to dive in and start generating invoices. Fortunately, QuickBooks is intuitive enough that you were able to do just that. And its help system is so robust that you were able to get procedural questions answered quickly and easily.

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Turn Over a New Cliche and Adopt Best Practices
Turn over a new leaf. Make a New Year’s Resolution. Make a fresh start. Get your ducks in a row. All familiar clichés, but their message is valid: At this time of year, you probably feel like renewing your commitment to running a more successful, productive business.

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Repetitive Transactions. Memorize Them.
Filling out invoices the first time can be a pain, especially if they’re lengthy. But doing the same thing repeatedly if the identical invoice recurs regularly? No need.

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Settle Up Fast with Quickbooks’ Bill Paying Tools
Some of the financial crystal ball-types are telling us there are signs that the recession may be drawing some of its last breaths. But those bills are still coming in, and you may have had a long, dry summer and less income that you can use to meet those business obligations.

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Tune Up Your Business Plan with QuickBooks
Do you have a business plan? If you don’t, even if you’re a sole proprietor, you should. Business plans can be a good barometer for the health of your finances as a way to gauge whether or not you’re on the right path. If you don’t have a business path (or if yours is less than organized or polished), you can use QuickBooks’ tools to create or fine-tune one. We’ll show you how to use these tools to get the job done quickly and easily.

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Save Time for Summer by Memorizing Transactions
Unfortunately, your work with QuickBooks doesn’t end just because it’s summer, the weather’s great, and school’s out. But there are ways to minimize your time spent managing your money and maximize your time at the beach. Memorizing transactions is one such way.

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Recording Infrequent Transactions in QuickBooks
Day-to-day transactions like receiving payments from customers or paying vendors occur so frequently that most QuickBooks users do them automatically. However, from time to time you may encounter an infrequent transaction that will stop you in your tracks. In this article we'll discuss several common tricky transactions and offer advice on how to handle them.

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Getting Things Done Fast with QuickBooks Keyboard Tricks
You're accustomed to using your mouse to navigate your way through QuickBooks, but you may not realize that there are faster ways to get your work done in QuickBooks. Typically your hands are already on the keyboard, so take advantage of the shortcuts built into the application to save you time. Using this technique might also help minimize wear-and-tear on your wrists. In this article we'll explore a variety of ways that you can quickly carry out tasks in QuickBooks.

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Minimize Your Exposure to Fraud
Do you know how to detect and protect yourself from fraud? Most of us want to naively believe it will never happen to us. In reality, fraud impacts small and mid-size businesses far more often than large corporations.

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7 Ways to Use QuickBooks to Manage Collections
In these trying economic times it’s more important than ever to keep a close rein on your accounts receivable. Seemingly no one is immune to sudden changes in financial circumstances, so be sure to monitor your outstanding invoices closely.

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Use Closing Date to Protect Prior Year Data
You’ll likely be closing the books on 2008 soon and your records will become the basis for your tax return. It’s critical that your QuickBooks records for a given year match the corresponding tax return, so consider setting a closing date in QuickBooks so that no one inadvertently changes the supporting documents for your tax return.

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16 Bank Reconciliation Tips and Tricks
Although it may seem like drudgery, reconciling your bank account is a critical accounting task that you should carry out each month. Doing so helps ensure the integrity of your financial reports, since most of your accounting transactions ultimately affect cash in some fashion. Further, QuickBooks is a much more powerful tool for your business if you use it to its fullest extent.  Most likely you’ve been reconciling your bank account all along, so in this article we’ll discuss the tricks and techniques you need to know to streamline the process.

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Seven Ways to Search QuickBooks
Over time, your QuickBooks company can grow in size to the point that it becomes difficult to find specific transactions. For instance, let’s say that you hire a new employee, and want to order another desk to match the ones in your office. You vaguely remember the last time that you ordered a desk, but can’t remember which vendor, or how much you paid. In this article we’ll discuss seven ways that you can search QuickBooks to find transactions such as this, or when necessary, determine if a transaction was deleted.

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Use Accounting Ratios to Stave Off Financial Problems
Does the mere mention of accounting ratios put your teeth on edge, and bring back bad memories of Accounting 101?  It shouldn’t, as ratios can help you quickly determine how your business compares against others. Banks often use ratios to analyze your financial statements as part of the loan approval process, so it’s helpful to know in advance how you’ll be measured. Even better, ratios allow you to compare your business against your peers since many trade groups publish lists of average ratios within an industry. Although ratios may have made you drowsy during accounting class, they can be a fascinating way to measure your company’s financial performance.

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QuickBooks Helps You Navigate Tricky Waters
The price of gasoline is just one of many factors putting pressure on our economy as a whole. Now it’s more important than ever to keep a close eye on your company’s performance. Many business owners compare financial results to an annual budget. If you don’t have your budget in place yet, we’ll show you how to get started. Even if you have, we’ll show you how to use last year’s results as a measuring stick with comparative financial reports. Once you understand these techniques, we’ll explain why you should create a monthly appointment with yourself to ensure that your results continue to measure up—and take action if they don’t.

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Summarize Payroll Data in Excel
This feature is available in QuickBooks 2004 and later, and enables you to generate numerous payroll reports in Excel with just a couple of mouse clicks.  Keep in mind that the mix of reports that you see may vary, based on your version of QuickBooks

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Change Report Options
You don't have to return to QuickBooks if you decide that you want to generate a different tax form worksheet, or perhaps change the report dates.

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Profit & Loss Report Versus Statement of Cash Flows
You don't have to return to QuickBooks if you decide that you want to generate a different tax form worksheet, or perhaps change the report dates.

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10 Tips to Perfect Check-Printing in QuickBooks
If you used small business accounting products in the early days, you know how frustrating it was to print checks correctly from your software. Pre-printed checks weren’t cheap, and you probably printed at least a few that didn’t line up right or were otherwise unusable.

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