QuickBooks Software Tutorial

QuickBooks accounting software is designed for any level user from novice to expert. Behind the user-friendly interface lies a traditional double-entry accounting software system where each transaction affects two accounts, thus creating an ongoing balance sheet. You can process transactions and balance accounts, print reports and financial statements and keep track of all your accounts payable and receivable with QuickBooks software.

Instructions

Setup Interview

1. Open QuickBooks and choose "Create a new company." Click "Start Interview."

2. Enter your company name and contact information including mailing address, website and e-mail address and phone and fax numbers.

3. Choose an industry from the list or choose "General Product-based Business" or "General Service-based Business" if your industry is not on the list. Choose your business entity type and your fiscal year begin date. Set an administrator password and save the file.

4. Darken the circles next to the choice for your business for the next few questions. QuickBooks will ask about your business operations to assess what types of forms you will need to fill out on a regular basis. Set your preferences.

5. Add your bank account information and place a check mark next to any income and expense accounts you would like to add to the account list. You may add or remove accounts at any time, but this screen allows you to add an entire list at once rather than one at a time. Finish the setup interview.

Creating Names & Items

1. Click on the customer, vendor or employee center to view the associated list or click the "Lists" menu button and choose the type you would like to add.

2. Click the "New Customer & Job," "New Vendor," "New Employee" or "New Item" drop-down menu and add each customer, vendor or employee your business works with or items you sell. You can also do this each time you invoice a new customer, use a new vendor, hire a new employee or begin selling a new product.

3. Type the name, contact information, personal information and pricing information required for each task. From here on, when you enter a bill, create an invoice or pay an employee you can find all names in the "Name" drop-down menu for each task.

Creating Invoices and Statements

1. Click the "Create Invoices" link on the QuickBooks home page.

2. Enter the customer name in the "Customer:Job" field and choose the payment terms from the "Terms" drop-down menu.

3. Choose the items or services sold from the "Item" drop-down menu. Specify a quantity and price for each item and allow QuickBooks to calculate a total. Save the invoice.

4. Click the "Statements" link on the QuickBooks home page. Specify the customers, dates and any additional options then press "Preview." Check to make sure all necessary statements will be printed.

5. Click "Print" to print each customer statement.

Paying Bills

1. Click the "Enter Bills" link on the QuickBooks home page. Enter the vendor name, date of the bill and the amount due.

2. Choose an expense account from the "Account" drop-down menu. Click "Save and new" to enter another bill or "Save and close" if you are finished.

3. Click the "Pay Bills" link on the QuickBooks home page.

4. Choose the bill you would like to pay from the list of entered bills. Choose the checking account with which you are paying the bill, type the date of the payment and the check number in the appropriate fields. Save the payment and continue or exit.

Reports

1. Click on the "Report Center" link and choose a report from either Company & Financial, which includes income statements and balance sheets; Customers & Receivables, which includes accounts receivable and customer balance information; Sales, which provides a breakdown of sales by customer, item or sales representative; Jobs, Time & Mileage; Vendors & Payables, which includes accounts payable and vendor balances; Employees & Payroll; Banking; Budgets; Lists; or Accounting & Taxes, which includes all account activity and tax information.

2. Choose the date range for the report you would like to run.

3. Choose to print or e-mail the report or click "Memorize" to save the date range for any reports you would like to bring up at a later time. Click "Export" to send the report to a Microsoft Excel file.

References

• "Quickbooks 2011 The Official Guide"; Leslie Capachietti; 2010