Moving from QuickBooks to QuickBooks for Mac

Moving from QuickBooks to QuickBooks for Mac, worth the hassle?

 When you decide to switch your company file from a standard QuickBooks on Windows to the Mac version of QuickBooks, there are some things you need to know:

• Mac 2013 will not have the same features as Pro, let alone Premier and Enterprise. Please review this link before you decide to purchase Mac 2013
• If you do buy Mac 2013, make sure your QuickBooks for windows is no older than two years old.This means if you are using Pro 2010, you have to upgrade to Pro 2013 and then convert the file to Mac 2013. Talk about an added expense.
• Remember that going from Mac to Windows, it has to be the same year.
• Only data files from QuickBooks Simple Start, Pro, Premier, and Premier Accountant can be converted to Mac 2013.
• While the majority of your information will be imported, there are some things that will not
• Any data for multiple currency will be lost.
• Intuit integrated payroll and payroll list items will be lost. (QuickBooks for Mac uses PayCycle and Aatrix Top Pay for payroll services)
• Online banking transactions that were not accepted into the register.
• Online banking aliases
• Customized settings for forms, invoices, estimates, statements, and POs, they can be customized in Mac though.
• Multi User data, such as sales reps info.
• User passwords
• memorized reports
• Business planning, expert analysis and business optimization tools
• Customized price levels
• 3rd party apps are lost (word, outlook, act)
• Merchant services
• Sales orders and back order tracking
• assembly items will be converted into non inventory part items
• budgets created without associated accounts
• workers comp list
• Fixed asset item list
• Multiple ship to addresses, preferred send method, payment info for customer:jobs
• User added columns to list.

There is a lot of info that will be lost during this transition. What would be the best solution? Run a Windows virtual machine on your Mac using VMware or Parallels. This way you don’t have to buy another copy (or two) of QuickBooks. Keep your license number for Windows so you can use it on the virtual machine. This gives you the best of both worlds, you get a Mac and you’re able to keep using vital Microsoft programs such as Office.

How to Track Equipment Rentals Using QuickBooks

Some companies expand their revenue streams by renting out equipment to others. As some business owners may have found out, tracking of rentals and properly accounting for the money they generate is a tedious task. The goal is to show you two ways to track rentals using QuickBooks and QuickBooks Point of Sale.

QuickBooks Only Method

QuickBooks does not have a specific area or tool that allows you to track rentals; however, do not let this stop you.

1. Identify all the equipment you will rent out.

2. Enter the equipment as non-inventory items in QuickBooks

3. Setup the individual equipment names as Other Names

4. Use timesheets to track the rental/reservations

5. Mark the time entries as billable and then create an invoice for billable expenses.

QuickBooks Point of Sale Method

Using QuickBooks POS to track rentals is a lot easier than using QuickBooks. QuickBooks Point of Sale is able to use deposits and set up specific items and fees that can be adjusted on the fly instead of QuickBooks.

1. Identify the equipment you will rent out.

2. Create an inventory item for the equipment.

3. Set the cost to zero, the price to zero, and the quantity to the number of units you have to rent out.

4. Create a non-inventory item named Deposit on Equipment make the price zero

5. Repeat the process above but name the item Rental Fee.

6. When a customer rents the item, create a receipt with the inventory item on the first line of the sales receipt.

7. On the same receipt, Deposit on Equipment item will be the next item you add. The inventory item (the rental) will be 0 dollars, while the Deposit on Equipment will have the amount you are charging for the deposit.

8. Record the receipt, take the payment using standard payment methods.

9. Track the equipment using either a spreadsheet or another process.

10. When the item is returned, locate the receipt and reverse it. This will create a refund for the customer. If the deposit was done using a credit card, the card will be automatically refunded. This process places the rented item back into inventory.

11. Create a new receipt using the non-inventory item Rental Fee and enter the amount for the rental charge.

It may be wise to track rental equipment as a fixed asset in QuickBooks so you can depreciate it for tax purposes. Please speak with your accountant about this.

How to Use the QuickBooks Collection Center

Managing A/R can become an overwhelming experience. The difficulty is further compounded when a company’s A/R is tracked manually or through spreadsheets. The process of tracking printed invoices, updating aging reports, tracking down customer contact information, and the managing call logs and emailings, waste time and increases labor cost.

QuickBooks Enterprise offers a simple and effective solution to this problem. The solution is often overlooked Collection Center. To access this helpful resource, click on the customer center, then click on the Collection Center icon.

Once the new window opens you’ll see the company’s outstanding A/R accounts appear in a table. The columns can be sorted (except for the contact column). All overdue invoices are grouped by customer.

The red numbers represent the total amount past due. The overdue shows the days the invoice is behind, contact would have the point-of-contacts name, and finally notes and warnings. How QuickBooks calculates how the past due days depends on your company’s preferences under the reminders list. QuickBooks will notify you of invoices that are 5 days past the due date, and 15 days before the due date. Invoices that are below 5 days will not show up in this list, but under the almost due (it will be positive number, negative numbers are bills not yet do).

At this screen the bulk of your collection activities will revolve around using notes/warnings. Warnings is a envelope with an exclamation mark. What this represents is that the current customer does not have any email address in the system. QuickBooks uses email to send statements, collection letters, and invoices to customers. Once you fill in an email, this mark will go away. You then get an option to select and send email. At this point you are able to draft up a unique email for the customer, along with the invoices that are past due.

The final aspect of the collection center is the notes. This is just a timestamped notepad that records every time you open the notes. This is a great way to track conversations, promises, insults, or any other useful information. Whenever you speak with a customer, you should always focus on writing everything down.

The collection center is a great way to track outstanding A/R balances. Proper use and solid company policies will keep cash flow up and overdue balances low. The collection center, however, will not remind you to contact people with overdue balances. You have to check this every few times a week to maintain on top of A/R.

How to Set Up QuickBooks for a Used Car Dealership

Setting up QuickBooks to sync with your company function is an important step. Many times, people focus on their Chart of Accounts, however, the item list is the major part of proper accounting. A well thought out chart of accounts is useless if your item list is woefully lacking the same amount of thoughtfulness.

I am using for example how to set up an item list for a used car dealership.

1. Work with your accountant to set up a chart of accounts, or you can select Automotive Sales or Repairs as the industry when setting up a new company file.

2. Open your item list and create an inventory item for the cars you are selling.

4. Use the last four digits of the VIN.

5. Create a non-inventory or other charge item for your cost. Make sure these are mapped to the COGS accounts you’ve set up.

6. Create a Customer:Job. You can name it by car or make a general customer named _Auto Sales. Each car you buy would go under the customer as a job. You would use the name or VIN as the job name.

7. When you purchase a vehicle, use a PO. Enter the vendor then enter inventory item (make sure the VIN you created matches the car you are buying). Enter purchase price. Save and close. Then Receive the item into inventory.

   1. You can do the same process using the write a check feature in QuickBooks or entering a credit card charge. Make sure you place the VIN on the item tab.
8. When you sell a car. Go to the job under the customer you created and create the invoice. Make sure you use the same item!
9. Add your fees to the invoice. (DMV, Environmental Fees, etc…)
10. Your Finished!

New 1-4 User Licenses for QuickBooks Enterprise

Business finances have always been the bane for small business owners. The very idea of having to understand complex tax law, obscure accounting rules, and remembering which expense account your latte goes too. Technology will continue to jog, maybe sprint, to more efficient and cost effective solution. While this is a good thing, the bad news is that one person is now able to do the job of two individuals. For a small business owner, you tend to do the job of an entire department. Using the right technology is key to keeping your business strong, agile, and current. Those who ignore the power of technology are playing a risky game in which the price of failure is, failure.

When it comes to accounting software, you need more than just something to handle debits and credits. Intuit’s QuickBooks Enterprise gives you that power to handle not only inventory, but track leads, customers, collections, send emails, and gives you the insight to see how you company is doing. QuickBooks Enterprise is easy to setup and use, unlike other programs that seem to require a PhD in accounting to setup and use.

Originally, QuickBooks Enterprise was out of the reach for some small business owners. QuickBooks Enterprise came with a standard 5 user license at a cost of $3000. Some companies are still agile enough that one person is able to handle the accounting aspect for the entire company but $3,000 is a lot of money to shell out in a month.

Intuit understands that QuickBooks Enterprise will benefit small companies as well as mid-market firms.

They responded by creating 1,2,3, and 4 user license options for their flagship QuickBooks Enterprise Financial Software. Now companies can buy 1 user license for QuickBooks Enterprise! This allows the business owner to use the full features of QuickBooks Enterprise while saving over $2,000 off the old licensing costs.

For companies that have a need for more than one but less than five users, there are specific licenses for you also. You can buy QuickBooks Enterprise at the best possible price from QB Ninjas here. QB Ninjas is one of fewer than 150 Intuit Solution Providers and Premier Resellers in the United States. We also hold Intuit ProAdvisor, QuickBooks Enterprise and QuickBooks Point of Sale Certifications.

Visit us online at www.qbninjas.com

If you have any questions, or would like more information, please call us at 321-600-4941. Our QuickBooks professionals will gladly assist you!

How to Use QuickBooks for Real Estate Management

Accurate record keeping helps you to see how well your company is doing, but also is a way to bring in more investors or get loans from banks. How do you track real estate in QuickBooks? Specifically, how do you track properties that are being leased out to tenants?

Using classes to track expenses and income for properties is a great way to manage your business. Here is how you could setup your classes.

Tracking invoices, bills, even line items using classes will help generate specific reports that can help an investor. Classes allow a user to see P/L (Premier can show balance sheet for classes) for each class, this can be invaluable for the investor who would like to see which property is profitable and which isn’t. This is a great way to track property if you are a property manager or you manage property for others. Follow this template to see how to setup your class list:

Name of Owner of Property:

Address of Property:

Unit 1 (2nd floor etc…)

Unit 2

OR

Address of Property:

Unit 1

Unit 2

Setting up your customer list also allows you to pull additional reports and helps during tax time. If you rent properties out, you can structure your customer list like this:

Name Of Tenant:

Address of Property

OR

Name of Owner:

Address Of Property:

Name of Tenant and Unit/Floor #

Vacant and Unit/Floor #

Address of Property:

Name of Tenant

Vacant (this tracks what is spent to maintain house when vacant)

It all depends on your personal preference. Please consult with your accountant to determine what tax information you need to record and track. Using Jobs and Classes are sure fire ways to improve accounting and managing of your company’s finances.

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