Quickbooks Tips

By: Kimberly Bagley

QuickBooks is a great accounting program for home-based businesses to track their income and expenses. It is easy to learn and simple to use. It has a great Help file. You do not need an accounting background to be able to generate reports such as a Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet needed for tax preparation and managing your business. I have listed a few key points to consider when using QuickBooks.

Cash or Accrual Basis of Accounting? The first step in setting up your company in QuickBooks is to determine if you will track income and expenses on the "Cash Basis" or "Accrual" basis. Most small businesses operate on the cash basis of accounting. What this means is you record your expenses when you write the check or charge your credit card and you record your sales or income when you take the money to the bank and deposit it into your account. This is the easiest way to account for your transactions. Some businesses are required by the IRS to report on the accrual basis. This normally pertains to large publicly traded companies and/or some manufacturing entities. On the accrual basis, you record income at the time of sale, not at the time you receive payment. You also enter expenses when you receive the bill, not when you pay it. The choice is yours on which basis to use. QuickBooks supports both accounting methods.

Simplify the Chart of Accounts!! The most important list in your accounting system is your Chart of Accounts. You track your flow of money through this list of accounts which includes where your income comes from, where you put it, what your expenses are for, and what you use to pay them. QuickBooks' EasyStep Interview walks you through setting up your accounts. The system also offers sample business templates that already have accounts set up for you. You can later delete or add any accounts that were initially setup in this interview to make it match your income and expenses better. Keep your chart of accounts SIMPLE! Too many accounts result in messy reports that are hard to read and analyze. Also, use descriptions for your account id's, not numbers. If you assign account numbers for each account, you will have to memorize the numbers for fast data entry. It is much easier to type in the name of the account when entering transactions. This is a key timesaver!

Utilize Reports QuickBooks has many reports you can run for daily management of your business. The most widely used reports are the Profit

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/quickbooks-tips-22846.html

Check Printing Software 2000 (Free)

Check Printing Software 2000 prints MICR checks for USA and Canadian banks from blank check stock and can also create pre-printed bank checks for accounting applications including Quicken, QuickBooks or Microsoft Money. Version 2 now supports personal and business sized checks, and best of all it is FREE. Download NOW...

This is a free check writing and check printing software at its most basic form. There are no bookkeeping features and checks are printed in one style with the MICR line.

Check Printing Software 2000 is free due to sponsors who discreetly advertise within the program. If you want a version that doesn’t include advertising you can purchase Draft Creator Acceptance Software for $85.00 from their website.

You can write checks from multiple accounts which include your name and address and the financial institution’s name and address. This information is automatically entered in the check fields when you choose the account and you can enter or change text directly in the check fields. You can also enter comments associated with the check that will not be printed. Each check you create is automatically saved and the program will keep track of check numbers so you don’t accidentally use the same check number twice.

An inkjet or laser printer is required to prints checks as well as check stock and a MICR (magnetic) toner cartridge.

Download Check Printing Software 2000 here.

Business Check Printing

Business check printing has become the rage nowadays owing to the efficiency and convenience it provides its users. There are a lot of companies that offer business check printing. Those who cannot find exactly what they need opt to do their own printing. Finding the most suitable software that supports check management and printing may seem quite baffling at first. Yet it is key to printing quality and precise checks later on. Aside from being widely available, software makers also have easy-to-follow instruction guides and even offer tutorials to their clients.

Once you have mastered using the software, you will next need to find a suitable printer that will print your checks the way you want them at a reasonable price. Ink and toners are also widely available. Having suitable quality paper is equally important. Check that the paper you are using conforms with standards set by bank processors.

Though materials for the printing and fabrication of checks are readily available, one must also be cautious in printing business checks. Although it is not necessary to be an expert to be able to print business checks, knowledge and accuracy are needed to print the checks correctly. Being familiar with bank checks and the security measures they employ to optimize fund safety is also of great importance. Remember that there are a lot of people out there eagerly looking out for even the most miniscule flaw that they can turn into a dishonest opportunity for themselves. Employing all necessary security measures to avoid fraud and deceit safeguards your assets.

If unsure as to whether or not you can take on the task of printing your own business checks, be assured that properly analyzing what the market offers may assure you of the services of credible companies that will be more than willing to satisfy your demands.

Check Printing provides detailed information on Check Printing, Check Printing Companies, Check Printing Software, Business Check Printing and more. Check Printing is affiliated with Checking Accounts.

Noble Checks specializes in a variety of computerized, manual, quickbooks and laser checks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Gluckman

Check Fraud and Verification

Before buying personal or business checks you should inform yourself of the best ways to protect yourself from check fraud. Since man has written checks check fraud has existed. Like any fraud, check fraud emerged as crafty con artists discovered they could photocopy checks or alter checks to steal money from innocent victims. Thanks to technological advances and craftier con artists, check fraud is as common as a cup of coffee.

As a consumer you should concern yourself with ways to prevent or reduce the chances that checks you write will fall victim to fraud. Fortunately there are many ways to reduce the likelihood of fraud. Whether you are a fan of cheap checks, high quality business checks or personal checks that express your personality, there is security available for you. Chances are you'll find what you're looking for and the security to protect you from check fraud with a little planning.

Once you know what to look for, there s no reason you should fall victim to thieves, crafty or otherwise. Let's take a look at some common security measures check companies use to protect you from thieves.

Check Security

Many check companies including Deluxe™ checks now offer consumers special features to help prevent the likelihood of fraud. Among the more common measures adopted to protect consumers include:

• Microprinting - micro printing is simply print on the check that is small enough to prevent someone from photocopying the information on the check.
• Erasure Protection - this protection prevents anyone from erasing information on the check. A white spot appears if someone tries this.
• Original Document - each check is printed with the words original document that can't be photocopied.

Other companies including Quicken™ checks and Quickbooks™ checks are taking measures to ensure your safety. Among the security features adopted by these companies include:

• Small print. Like Deluxe™ checks this prevents thieves from photocopying your information.
• Erasure protection.
• Special detail including foil and embossing. This also makes it difficult for thieves to photocopy checks.

Of course the best thing you can do to protect yourself from thieves is balance your checkbook and reconcile monthly statements. This should let you know if someone is writing false checks in your name. Top stub checks provide an easy and convenient place for you to write down transaction details if you don't have time to document purchases in your check register immediately.

Worried that cheap checks won't provide the same protections? Fear not! When buying cheap personal checks find out whether the print on the checks is small. This will help prevent photocopying. Foil and embossing is also available on some styles. This, and any intricate design will help reduce the likelihood that someone will photocopy your checks. The simpler the check, the easier it may be for a thief to copy.

Lastly, if your someone steals your checkbook be sure to contact your bank immediately. There are several measures you can take to protect your identity. You can either transfer funds to a separate account or stop payment on the series of checks in the checkbook stolen. Your bank should provide you with extra information about protecting your identity.

Check Verification

Retailers are also protecting themselves from check fraud. The number one way they are doing this is through check verification. There are several check verification companies that use machines to verify whether a check will clear or not. The more common companies include:

• SCAN
• TeleCheck
• Check Rite
• Equifax
• ChexSystems

If one of these machines dings your check as bad and you know you have cash in your account, it is possible someone might be passing checks in your name. You can call the check verification company to find out and correct any wrong information.

Keep in mind while most people don't intentionally write bad checks or checks they know will bounce, if you do these machines are likely to stop you cold in your tracks.

Now that you know how to protect yourself from check fraud and what security measures are available to help protect you, why not get those daffy duck checks you have been dreaming about?

About The Author:
Antigone Arthur is a successful freelance writer with 10 years of professional experience providing consumers with informative articles on such topics as Deluxe checks, Quickbooks checks, and Quicken checks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Antigone_Arthur

Quick Tour Through QuickBooks

QuickBooks is accounting software targeted at assisting small businesses in organizing their financial bookkeeping. It is developed by Intuit® and was first released in 1992. It is currently the #1 selling accounting software package for small businesses.

Uses can include:

• Expense tracking
• Invoice preparation
• Financial Statement preparation
• Inventory tracking

Competitive products include:

• Simply Accounting By Sage®
• Peachtree® by Sage
• Microsoft® Office Accounting Professional

There are 4 flavors of QuickBooks currently offered:

• QuickBooks SimpleStart-
  • Print checks, pay bills, track sales and expenses
  • Create estimates & invoices
  • Accept credit cards
• QuickBooks Pro- All Quick Books SimpleStart functionality, plus:
  • Payroll capabilities
  • Interoperability with Microsoft® Office
  • Inventory tracking
  • Download capabilities for credit card & bank transactions
• QuickBooks Premier- All QuickBooks Pro functionality, plus:
  • Business planning & forecasting tools
  • Advanced pricing capabilities
  • Advanced cost tracking tools
• Enterprise Solutions- All Quick Books Premier functionality, plus:
  • Multiple user capabilities (up to 20 concurrent)
  • Increased capacity for inventory tracking
  • Advanced reporting tools (including financial statement templates)
  • Employee Organizer tool

There are also some targeted functionality products that allow businesses to use QuickBooks as a complement to less feature-rich accounting software:

• QuickBooks Payroll (including Basic, Standard, Enhanced, Assisted, Online, and Direct Deposit variations)
• QuickBooks Point of Sale (including Basic, Pro, Pro Multi-Store, Merchant Service, and Gift Card Service variations/add-ons)
• Customer Manager
• Invoice Manager
• Credit Card Processing
• Other various transaction and remote services

Additionally, Intuit released an online service called QuickBooks Online Edition in 2001, which has gradually matured into a best-in-class accounting service for small businesses.

There are many other helpful online resources for finding out more about QuickBooks and what it can do to improve your business. Some of these include:

• QuickBooks' Support site on quickbooks.com
• QuickBooks Support Forum (also found on QuickBooks' website)
• Jennifer Thieme's Expert QuickBooks Articles on Ezine Articles (http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_A._Thieme)

Finding the best accounting software for your business can be a challenge. If you would like more information on how you can "make technology your #1 employee", go to the TeknoCoach website ( http://www.teknocoach.com ) and check out our solutions and services.

Chris Smith is a pioneer in applying "coaching" principles to technology planning for small & medium-sized enterprises. He is founder and owner of TeknoCoach™, a company which is committed to helping small businesses "make Technology their #1 employee".

If you have:

• a need for website improvement
• a need for a business continuity/disaster recovery planning
• a need for employee training on technology
• a need for some specialized research on technology solutions

then you need to go to the TeknoCoach website (http://www.teknocoach.com) to find out what TeknoCoach can do for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_L_Smith

Check Printing Software - Choosing the right Check Printing Software for your Business

Check printing software can save you both time and money. With check printing software, you do not need to store preprinted checks, it significantly reduce fraud. And some check printing software allows you design your own checks and print checks on blank computer stock.

Check printing systems vary in price, performance and functionality. A search of the internet may yield countless results not necessarily in order of price, quality or reputation. You may also find that cost is not necessarily related to quality. The following steps will show you how to select the right check printing software for your business.

Step 1: Shortlist Your Requirements

You first need to decide what kind of check printing software would be suitable for you.

If you just need basic printing function, a stand-alone application is a good solution. Such software will allow you format your own checks, change logo, change labels, change labels position and print your check on blank computer check.

If you need to print regular payroll checks or checks for re-occurring payments, then you need should opt for more complex accounting software with built in printing feature.

Step 2: Decide Upon Your Budget

You need to decide how much you intend to spend on this check printing system. Most stand-alone check printing software cost you less than $50. But payroll software with printing feature may cost more than hundred dollars. QuickBooks Payroll Standard is $199, Peachtree Pro Accounting 2008 is $169 and ezPaycheck 2007 is $89.

I recommend: contact Halfpricesoft for its recently released free version check printing software, ezCheckPrinting Lite. For general users, its basic check designing and printing features should satisfy your requirements.

Step 3: Compare Different Options Available

Once you shortlist your favorite options that suit your requirement then it is a good idea to compare all the features offered by each software. This would help you to narrow down your list to two -three good software.

Step 4: Trial Version

Download the trial versions or ask your local vendor to give you the CDs to test software. You should be pretty familiar with the software before you make any serious purchase. Simple jobs like creating a check design should be as simple as possible.

Step 5: Make a Purchase

Once you decide upon your favorite software and get familiar with it, you can think about making a purchase.

Tips:

Try before you buy - Choose software with most comfortable graphical interface. It should be easy to navigate and handle.

Casey Yang is a freelance writer focusing on small business management.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Casey_Yang