One of the first things I do when I sit down at someone's computer to review their Quickbooks file is open up the Preferences window and turn off the Live Community feature. (Edit Menu --> Desktop View --> My Prefs) Otherwise, that window pops up automatically every time you open the program, slowing down your computer and cluttering your desktop.

One frequent problem I see in people's accounting records is how they record money they take out of the business as their "paycheck." I'd like to explain how to do this correctly.

We really do believe in free resources (see our earlier post about this here), and we want to do everything we can to help small businesses succeed. Accordingly, we are offering free Quickbooks setup or a free review of your existing Quickbooks file.

To recap, the challenge was to finally tackle the piles of unfinished business in our lives/homes/offices, particularly those related to bookkeeping. 

Choosing a bookkeeper is just like hiring any other professional to help you in your business, whether an employee, subcontractor, or lawyer. You have tasks that you need to delegate, so you look for someone who is both suited to the task and who fits well in your business. Here are some specific recommendations for choosing a Really Good Bookkeeper.

I had a fun conversation with my sister on Skype this morning:
Lisa: Have you unpacked the boxes in your office yet?
Julie: Yes, the file cabinet is done
Lisa: *pat* on your back
Julie: Some stuff ended up in a laundry basket, though :-/
Lisa: I think the laundry basket thing is a disease
Julie: then it’s a GENETIC disease [our mom always used laundry baskets to organize projects]
Lisa: I know I think I’ve conquered it though
Although I just looked over and realized I have a laundry basket with junk in it
Alas
Julie: :D Not cured, then

I found a post on twitter today (via @robicser) about a free download that may interest you--the Quickbooks 2009 For Dummies guide by Stephen Nelson. I didn't find anything online to suggest the download is unauthorized, so I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity. I intend to read it myself, in case there are some shortcuts I haven't discovered yet. The book applies to all versions of 2009 Quickbooks (Simple Start, Pro, Premier, etc.). See links below.

In most small businesses, the owners handle the financial data and recording themselves, and come tax time, they hand it over to a CPA. “My business is small,” they might think, “and I only have a few transactions a month; when I get big enough to hire employees, I’ll hire an office assistant to do it for me.” There are two problems with this proposal. First, by the time a business reaches that point, it will be much harder to change, adjust, or repair their bookkeeping practices. Second, the typical office assistant does not have the expertise to make those kinds of changes.

I came across a question today on Intuit's forums about how to clean up old open balances, both for vendors and for customers, without messing up the financial statements. This is something I've been meaning to write about for a while, but I haven't gotten around to it until now. So here is at least the first part of Backyard Bookkeeper's guide to cleaning up old mistakes.

I just wanted to post a few thoughts today about taxes. Modern media has really demonized the IRS, and it's really unfair and counterproductive, because now when people get behind, they are more inclined to run and hide. The fact is that's the worst thing you can do. The best course of action is to be proactive and contact them first. Have you ever called the IRS? They're really very nice. Much nicer, to be honest, than any collection agency. There's even a new link up on the IRS website about what your payment options are if you can't pay your balance in full by the due date.