March 31, 2009 | Vol. IX, No. 3
March 31, 2009 | Vol. IX, No. 3
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If you're in the final stretch for the individual tax deadline, save this issue for later (but if you have current payroll clients, see our notes below). Otherwise, if you can read this now, just realize we're on the sidelines here, cheering you on as you round the final stretch.
P.S. We want to hear from you! This month, find out how you can get Intuit to really listen, by applying to join our Advisory Council. Next month, by popular demand, we open up our QuickBooks Rates Survey so we can update rates information for your planning purposes later this year. The last survey was published in 2007 (at our Rates Central). ~ B.T. |
Coast to Coast. QuickBooks User Groups around the country bring together local QuickBooks ProAdvisors®, users, developers, trainers, and consultants to share knowledge and network with each other. We've found many fast-growing groups from San Francisco, California, to St. Petersburg, Florida.
Pictured: The Bay Area QuickBooks and Business Coaches Meetup Group , led by CPA/MBA Steve Peterson.
Thanks to enabling technology like Meetup.com, these groups are growing like crazy, and CPA Sandi Smith visits with some of the largest groups in the country to identify factors critical to success.
Next Step: Learn the secrets of the most successful QuickBooks Users Groups here.
Increasing QuickBooks Performance for Large Files and Multiple UsersProblem: Some clients experience a loss of performance as files get big and they add users. Joe explains the likely causes and offers suggestions to make improvements.
In this new article, Joe Woodard, Intuit Solution Provider and Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, provides technical insights so you can better support your clients who use QuickBooks, especially with large files or multiple users.
Joe provides numerous, practical tips for increasing the performance of QuickBooks, especially when the data files are large and there are 5 or more users logged into the file.
Next Step: Learn more now how improve QuickBooks performance for large files or multiple users.
Plus: Learn more about Joe's special Webinar supporting this article and the upcoming conference. [Note 1]
Payroll and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009The team at Intuit Payroll has provided up-to-date coverage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 since its passage in February on its Payroll Support site. Check here for the most recent Payroll Updates and information about the effect of ARRA 2009 on payroll compliance for you and your clients.
And see our related coverage of ARRA 2009 on income taxes just following in this newsletter.
New Tax Landscape with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 spells changes in income and payroll taxes that affect the current tax year, creating new obligations and new opportunities for your clients. We've collected several resources and links so you can learn more, including analysis of the effect of the new law on individuals and businesses, and sample letters to adapt for income tax clients.
Special to ProSeries and Lacerte Users
Don't Miss Out. Each week during tax season, ProSeries and Lacerte teams post the latest information and important alerts about known issues, top support topics, helpful tips and much more for federal and state returns. Don't miss out on these important updates, available in-product and on our Web sites as shown:
Secure That Flash Drive!
With increased use of flash drives as a default for convenient storage, Technologist Dr. Bob Spencer knows many practitioners and firms need to tighten up their security on all that data floating around. Here are step-by-step instructions to walk you through a sample installation using a free utility.
Plus advice and sample policy language for documenting this improvement to internal control.
Get your step-by-step instructions on flash drive security here, plus tips and boilerplate to help you perfect your own documentation of internal control.
Get Paid on the Spot: Straight from Your Cell PhoneNow you and clients can accept credit and signature debit card payments by using your mobile phone. The new Intuit GoPayment Service supports optional peripherals too, including
Plus you get QuickBooks integration of the payments processed.
Next Step: Learn more about how to accept credit cards by cell phone with Intuit GoPayment here. [Note 2]
Bonus: See our video of GoPayment in in action. See how easy it is to get paid right from your cell phone. [2:18 min.]
For DevelopersThe Intuit Developer Network has officially launched QuickBooks® SDK (Software Development Kit) 8.0 Beta. This release focuses on multi-currency support and other new features, opening up more of the QuickBooks functionality that accountants need.
Learn how you can get the most recent QuickBooks Software Developer Kit here.
As tax season wraps… the accountant conferences and trade shows begin.
Intuit will participate in many of these events in the coming months. We are partnering with the event managers to include Intuit Academy training as well as exhibiting. Don't miss your opportunity to meet face to face with product experts from Intuit or learn what's new from your peers in the Intuit booth. The show season kicks off in May with the following events:
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New Jersey Accounting Business & Technology Show
Accounting Technology New York Show & Conference |
Plan Ahead: See a full list of events here.
Discount on The Sleeter Group's QuickBooks Consultants Reference GuideThe Sleeter Group is offering a special 15% discount on the QuickBooks Consultants Reference Guide to readers of Intuit ProConnection. This 500-page book covers tricks and work-arounds for many difficult client situations.
Note: In their most recent newsletter, QuickBooks ProAdvisors receive a 30% discount. For general information on the QuickBooks ProAdvisor program, look here.
Scaling New HeightsFrequent contributor Joe Woodard is offering Scaling New Heights, his first conference ever. [Note 1] Joe, an Intuit Solution Provider and Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, has shared QuickBooks expertise all over the country. The conference runs May 18-19, 2009 and will be held in Atlanta, Georgia. Learn about all the training opportunities — with four powerful learning tracks — offered. Learn more at the "Scaling New Heights" website. [Note 3] |
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By Anne Cole, Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, The Wren Group
Troubleshooting Item problems can be a challenge because setup issues (i.e. using a single-sided item) don't stand out on the income statement. Often the only indicator that there is a problem is that the income is either grossly over- or under-stated.
To easily find items that are not set up correctly, I show the Item list, right-click anywhere on the screen and click "customize columns". Add the COGS account and move it up under the Account column. Any blank in the COGS account column means that the item was set up as a single-sided item (the sub-contractor box not checked) and is a likely culprit.
You can also easily see that the items are set up with the proper income and COGS account without having to check every single item.
Our Thanks: We thank Anne for this useful tip. Anne is just one of the many ProAdvisors, bookkeepers, and CPAs who send us their favorite tips to share with clients or peers. Let me hear from you, too! ~ Your Editor
Apply Now for Accountant and Advisor Council. Intuit wants to hear from you if you are interested in joining a select group of accounting and tax practitioners: the 2009-2010 Accountant and Advisor Customer Council. Members meet twice a year at an Intuit location and join in several teleconference calls throughout their term to provide Intuit's product managers, marketers and top executives with action-oriented feedback.
New Faces Are Good. Don't worry if you have not been actively involved with Intuit in the past. We want to reach out to ProAdvisors and other practitioners who have not been part of the conversation previously.
Next Step: Learn more and apply here.
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COMING IN MAY. After a long hiatus, the QuickBooks Rates Survey is Coming Back! We will be collecting your information on rates and then share the information out by late Summer as you plan ahead and check how much you're charging. Plus: Part 2 on Multi-Currency, and much more.
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