6 Tips to Get Your Data into QuickBooks Efficiently

There are many choices you can make to increase your efficiency using QuickBooks. Here are a few time-saving tips.

Tip #1 – Download data whenever possible!

One of the best ways to maximize efficiency is to download banking and credit card activity directly into QuickBooks.  There will be some initial set-up time, and you will still want to review the information for accuracy, but in most cases, this step will save you a tremendous amount of time.  Downloading data minimizes the chance of human error and records activity in a fraction of the time it takes to input manually.

Tip #2 – Turn off “Pressing Enter Moves between Fields”

When you turn off this option, using the Tab key will advance you from field to field and the Enter key will record your transaction, eliminating the need for you to reach for the mouse each time you want to record a transaction.

Tip #3 – User preference: Set up auto-recall for checks, bills and credit card charges

If you choose not to download your data into QuickBooks, you can set up a user preference to auto-recall the last transaction for a vendor.  Doing this allows you to move through data entry in QuickBooks much more quickly, especially when you are working with vendor transactions that change only slightly – or not at all – from month to month. However, this preference does have a drawback. Because the entire transaction is recalled, including the memos, the customer/job name (if applicable) and the class (if applicable), you will need to review the transaction carefully to make sure you don’t need to change the customer/job, memo and/or class.

Tip #4 – User preference: automatically place decimal point

This preference allows you to type the all of the numbers for an amount and have QuickBooks place the decimal for you.

Tip #5 – User preference: Show multiple windows

With multiple windows turned on, you can view reports or transactions side by side. If you have a widescreen monitor or if you have QuickBooks spread across two monitors, you can display several windows in QuickBooks at a time. To automatically “tile” the windows, select the Windows menu and then select “Tile Vertically.” Bonus Tip: Regardless of whether you use single or multiple window view, you can toggle between windows using keyboard commands by pressing CTRL+W and then entering the numerical value for an open window.

Tip #6 – Wean yourself off the home page

The home page is designed to simplify QuickBooks use, and serves as a useful training tool. However, once you know the QuickBooks navigation well, the Home page is not the best option for ongoing navigation because it requires you to use your mouse for almost every option you select.

Tip #6 ½ – Download data whenever possible!

This is such a timesaver, it is worth a second mention.

Contact Kaufman, Rossin’s QuickBooks ProAdvisors to learn more about how you can get the most out of QuickBooks.