Regardless of the scale of your business, efficiency is the key to building and keeping a successful business. Keeping overhead costs low, keeping track of all financial records, and avoiding errors with monthly income and expenditures help owners keep their businesses afloat. In other to be successful in the business climate, business owners need to automate their business processes and procedures. Fortunately, there are numerous tools available. QuickBooks is an easy to use accounting software-set from Intuit, offering a wide range of financial tools that can automate processes like invoicing, account tracking, vendor management, employee records and much more. As useful as QuickBooks is, most people find it complex and overwhelming to navigate. Here are the top four QuickBooks lessons every user should know.
Top Four QuickBooks Lessons
- How to Navigate QuickBooks
- QuickBooks Keyboard Shortcuts
- Customize the QuickBooks Icon Bar
- How to Use The QuickMath Calculator
How to Navigate QuickBooks
QuickBooks Pro is the premium version of the program, and is essentially the same with the trial and free versions. Navigating QuickBooks is quite easy, with its self-explanatory user interface. The homepage consists of a simple illustration of the popular functions and showing how they all flow together. Each of the main sections (Vendors, Customers and Employees) have their own ‘Center’, which is a standalone page that displays available navigation tabs for each functions. An example is the ‘Center’ of the ‘Customers’ section which displays a list of job and customers; click on either of the two to see all the information under it and a drop-down of the list of important transactions. The tool bar at the top of your monitor links you to related tools and tasks, like Word and Excel integration and adding new transactions, new jobs, and new customers. Another notable feature on the interface is the Company Snapshot ,which displays vital information and records like income and expense graphs, vendors to pay, tables of account balances, and customers who owe money at a glance.
Highlights
- QuickBooks homepage consists of simple illustrations of the popular functions.
- Each of the main sections have their own ‘Center’ page.
- While working, you can link to useful tools like Word integration and Excel
QuickBooks Keyboard Shortcuts
One of the many reasons why QuickBooks is ideal is the numerous keyboard shortcuts available. In most windows-based applications, there are keyboard shortcuts; however, the ones in QuickBooks are concise and relevant, including incovice creation (ctrl + l), finding transactions (ctrl + F), and editing transactions selected in a register (ctrl + E). Users can also call up specific transactions or reports (ctrl + M), new invoices, checks, bills, or a list item in a context (ctrl + N), open a memorized report or transaction list (ctrl + T), access quickReports on list items or transactions (ctrl + Q). Business owners can also use keyboard shortcuts like write a new check (ctrl + W) and start application without any company file (press ‘ctrl’ while launching app). There are numerous other shortcuts to simplify the user experience, but these are basic.
Highlights
- There are numerous keyboard shortcuts available when using QuickBooks.
- You can start QuickBooks afresh without any company file (press ‘ctrl’ while launching app).
- Generate QuickReports on list item or transaction (ctrl + Q).
Customize QuickBooks Icon Bar
The software is designed to be personalized and configured for users to set their preferences, depending on the desired purpose of the user. QuickBooks has a default icon tab at the top area of the screen. However, you can modify, add, remove or even replace the icons to be suit your purpose.
To add a new icon: Hover your mouse to the ‘View’ option, then click ‘Customize Icon Bar’ and chose the item you desire from the list to change the label and item description if you wish to. Click OK to save changes.
To remove an existing Icon: Click on ‘View menu’ and select the ‘Customize Icon bar’ option, then chose the icon you want to remove and click on the ‘Delete’ option.
To modify an Icon: Click on ‘View’ option, the click ‘Customize Icon Bar’ option, chose the item you intend to modify, then click ‘Edit’, make your desired change and click on ‘Ok’.
Highlights
- You can add, remove and modify the icons on your QuickBooks interface.
- To edit, use the ‘View’ option and click ‘Customize Icon Bar option’ and follow the prompt.
- Click ‘Customize Icon Bar’ tab to make other changes to your icon bar.
How to Use The QuickMath Calculator
This is also a very cool feature to take advantage of in other to make your experience seamless and enjoyable. When using a few other accounting software programs, you either have the manually input computations to your physical calculator or manage the poor and scanty calculation features on them. QuickBooks comes with it’s own calculator which can be accessed by clicking ‘Edit’ at the top of your monitor and choosing ‘Use Calculator’ from the drop-down menu. QuickMaths is more fun and easier to use by Clicking your mouse point in the area where you intend to calculate (for example; the ‘amount’ area on the check) and press the ‘=’, then a mini-tape pops up; click on ‘C’ just once to clear a previous entry; press ESC (escape) on your keyboard to cancel.
Highlights
- QuickBooks comes with its own in-built calculator.
- QuickMaths is more fun and easy to use.
- Use your keyboard to type the appropriate symbols (e.g. +,=,* or -)
There is a whole lot more to learn about this software in order to unleash its full potential, but these four lessons will go a long way in helping you get started or even more familiar with the interface and operation of QuickBoooks. If QuickBooks is utilized to its maximum potential, you are likely to realize how much more time you can invest in your actual business and build a brilliant customer relationship in a business driven by excellence.