Time to Talk Payroll

“I Didn’t Know QuickBooks Had Payroll Solutions!”

We talk to accountants and bookkeepers who find it helps them and their clients both to recommend QuickBooks Payroll Solutions. The time is right, because it’s often easiest to switch to a new payroll solution at the beginning of the calendar year. When it comes to choosing the best way to handle payroll, “It’s all a question of deciding who does what,” says Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor Jessica Marshall.

Read more on how Jessica and other professionals talk to clients about how they could benefit from a change in payroll.

Special Bonus. Recorded Webcast from well-known trainer, CPA and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor Joe Woodard, on “Choosing the Right Payroll Solution. (Registration is required before you can download this recorded Webcast. See the note below about this procedure. )

(On the topic of Payroll, see information on a limited offer for deep Payroll Discounts below.)

QuickBooks and Sarbanes Oxley

Bulletproof Your Books with Good Internal Control

CPA and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor Jonyce Bullock wrote the book on using QuickBooks with Sarbanes-Oxley. She explains how QuickBooks, or EasyACCT®, or other software plays its part when it comes to internal controls.

Bonus Download. At no charge to our readers, download Jonyce’s “Bulletproofing Your Books: SOX and the Importance of Good Internal Controls for Small Business.

How to Identify the Profitable Client

Clients Define the Firm

It’s More Than Numbers. CPA Sandi Smith gives pointers on helping you identify the right client for your firm. Profitability means revenue plus additional measures of who you would like your clients to be.

Learn how you to pick and choose your clients to get the business you want.

To Capitalize or Deduct Property Improvements?

New Guidance from the IRS

Repair or Improvement? For real estate, machinery, and equipment, you’re supposed to deduct one and capitalize the other, but a lot of expenses are hard to categorize. Now the IRS has proposed comprehensive guidelines.

Find out what this likely means for you and your clients. Plus, a draft client letter you can adapt as needed to alert your clients or prospects.

Internet Explorer 7 Here as Download

Are Your Clients Ready?

Auto Update May Hit Soon. Two weeks ago Microsoft posted Internet Explorer 7 as a manual download, and soon this file may be rolled out as an Auto Update to Windows. You need to be ready to counsel QuickBooks users. Technologist Bob Spencer helps you help your clients make good decisions when the Auto Update is out.  (See also story in Product Smarts.)

Your Best Tips on Payroll to Date

Since this issue looks at payroll, we’ve listed your payroll tips here. http://accountant.intuit.com/payrolltips

Find more tips or share your own tips with others.

SmartMap Feature Streamlines Trial Balance for Taxes

New Lacerte Feature Helps You Win Big Productivity Gains

Data Can Come from QuickBooks, EasyACCT®. The SmartMap feature automatically assigns tax fields to your trial balance accounts and displays Trial Balance data and the Lacerte data input window, side by side and on one screen. You can also drag and drop tax accounts directly into the tax form and adjust assignments as needed. Plus SmartMap applies assignments to your other clients so you won’t have to set each one up individually in the future. And nothing gets posted to the return until you approve.

How good is this new feature? Here’s what Gregory L. LaFollette, CPA.CITP, Executive Editor of The CPA Technology Advisor, wrote recently on his blog:

“What used to be hard has been rendered so easy and so intuitive that an entry level intern could handle it with aplomb.”

Decisions ahead on Vista Operating System

More Information on its Way

Industry watchdogs expect Microsoft to release Vista as currently announced in January 2007. This new operating system represents a major revision by Microsoft, and could require decisions from you or your clients.

Upgrading QuickBooks software to the latest release of QuickBooks 2007 is the best way to prepare for Vista in most environments. This is because QuickBooks 2007 runs on the upcoming Vista Operating System as well as Windows XP.

Note: QuickBooks 2007 enables you to run as a Windows XP or Vista standard user - the configuration often preferred by information technology professionals. Other benefits include

• Better tools for managing company files on a network.
• Better integration with Internet Explorer 7 to protect confidential information and ensure the integrity of business processes (but note the issues related to Internet Explorer as covered above).
• Enhanced encryption for improved security of sensitive customer data, such as credit card information.

Backward Compatibility. Only QuickBooks 2007 will run on the Vista Operating System, as prior versions of QuickBooks were developed on pre-Vista technology and will not run properly on Vista. We know as a practical matter that many of you are supporting clients on previous versions of QuickBooks. For now the bottom line is that a user who upgrades to Vista will need to run QuickBooks 2007.

Intuit is currently investigating workaround options provided by third parties for you or clients who are on QuickBooks 2006 and earlier versions and want to use the Vista operating system.   Meanwhile, however, you may investigate these options with Microsoft directly:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/default.mspx

Recommendations for QuickBooks Clients about IE7

New Internet Explorer 7 Resource Center

Find Most Current Answers Here. From the most current list of Intuit products and how they work with Internet Explorer 7 to instructions on how to decline the Auto Update or roll back to Internet Explorer 6, the new resource center provides answers for you and your clients.
(See also more general article in “Your Best Tips.”)

Limited Time QuickBooks Payroll Discounts*

Special Discount Is for New Users Only

From time to time an Intuit business division will offer a deep discount on some of its products. Now through January 31, QuickBooks Payroll is offering payroll solutions at the following discounted prices:

• $50 off QuickBooks Standard Payroll (suggested retail $199)
• $100 off QuickBooks Enhanced Payroll (suggested retail $299)
• $100 off QuickBooks Enhanced Payroll Plus: Pro or Premier (suggested retail: $399 & $499, respectively)
• $150 off QuickBooks Assisted Payroll over 12 months (suggested retail from $59 a month)

Spread The Word to Clients New to QuickBooks Payroll. This limited time offer may be the right incentive to some clients who have yet to purchase a QuickBooks Payroll solution. Have your clients call 1-877-882-4167.
And for You? Interested in buying QuickBooks Enhanced Payroll for Accountants? If you are a first-time buyer, QuickBooks Enhanced Payroll for Accountants is also $100 off (suggested retail $299). Call 1-800-669-8213.
If You Are a QuickBooks ProAdvisor, These Discounts May Also Apply to Your Clients. QuickBooks ProAdvisors receive year-round discounts on many Intuit products, including QuickBooks Payroll. Throughout the year, the ProAdvisor discount on payroll offerings is 20%. Because the discounts for this special discount exceed standard ProAdvisor discounts, if you are a ProAdvisor and would like to purchase a payroll product for client new to payroll, you can use this special discount offer.* QuickBooks ProAdvisors should place the order at 1-800-365-9608.

Annual Update Seminar Tours for Lacerte® and ProSeries® Tax Software

Lock in Early Bird Discount
Whether you want to use Lacerte or ProSeries professional tax software, Intuit is hitting the road to bring update seminars closer to where you serve your tax clients.

Tours Run Dec. 1 to Jan. 5 – Register Now for Early Bird Discount before Sold Out. Save $30 if you act quickly. The tours offer an early bird discounted price of $99 if purchased through November 17. The regular price is $129. Each seminar runs four hours, and CPE credit is available if applicable.

Lacerte. Reserve your spot at one of 52 locations by going to
http://accountant.intuit.com/lacerteupdate

Proseries. Reserve your spot at one of 24 locations by going to
http://accountant.intuit.com/proseriesupdate

Or Try a Webinar. These popular seminars are also offered in two-hour formats if you are not able to make on of the seminars. More information is provided at the links above. (See our note about new registration procedures for training.)

Updated Documents on Network Installations

Single Location for Latest Updates

For you and your clients, Intuit has now updated its Network Installation Center for Network Installations in QuickBooks 2006 and 2007.

Find answers to FAQs, a Network Installation Guide (can be used by your clients, but gives complete coverage for typical installations in an accounting or bookkeeping office), and a Technical White Paper (for IT administrators or others technologically minded) to assist you in working with QuickBooks 2007.

Always Updated. This is the best site for access to materials, because it will contain the most recent versions of these documents. Two of the documents are currently in Version 1.1.

Visit the QuickBooks Network Installations page.

New Training Registration Procedures

Separate Account and Login Required. Some of you may have noticed our training and CPE courses site from the Accountant Training Network now uses a new interface that makes it easier to find and track your courses. However, the new solution also requires that you create a new account with a distinct login. This is an additional account and login over and above any existing login you may have as a QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Accountant Community Forum, ProSeries or Lacerte User, or reader of the Intuit ProConnection Newsletter.

Weve Heard Your Response. We know the creation of yet one more login increases complexity, as some of you have told us. We dont mean to make your life more difficult, and apologize for any inconvenience. We know this isnt ideal and we are looking for a long term solution to consolidate logins.

Matt Stevens, QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Published Author on Construction

QuickBooks ProAdvisor Matt Stevens came to QuickBooks by way of helping builders and contractors succeed in the construction industry. With more than 25 years of experience in all areas of construction, from field supervision to project management and administration, Matt runs the Stevens Construction Institute.

Matt just rewrote the book on helping construction companies succeed. What was at first a publication meant only for clients of his Institute is now a national publication from McGraw-Hill: Managing a Construction Firm on Just 24 Hours a Day. The book comes with over a hundred best practices and many checklists, forms and templates. If you have construction clients, you should learn more about this book.

Special Bundle. Get the book with over 60 additional Excel templates, plus a 15-day subscription to Institute courses, available only from Matt, by visiting his Web site now. Quantities are limited.

Book Only. Visit McGraw-Hill or your favorite bookstore, to obtain the book. (Includes checklists, forms and templates, but not the additions of the special bundle.)

Respond Now and Be Entered to Win an All-New 4G or 8G iPod Nano

Tell us how you charge for services. We respect your time. You will be asked to answer no more than 30 questions. Intuit expects to publish results in January 2007. These surveys are among the most popular we publish.

Get Your Information Early. All respondents are emailed survey results before they are published generally if we have a valid e-mail address.

We need your data to reflect your practice. All answers are confidential; comments are quoted anonymously, and your results are reported only in the aggregate.

The 4G option comes in your choice of silver, aqua, light green, or, while supplies last, the special edition red iPod nano. You can also choose the 8G option, available only in black. We also will provide you with the option of free etching (up to 46 characters) to personalize your iPod. Options are subject to availability.

Read the Rules and Regulations.

Take the survey now.

Keeping You in Charge

We publish the Intuit ProConnection Newsletter for you each month to give you the information and tools you need to succeed as an accountant, bookkeeper, tax preparer, technology consultant, or related practitioner. You control your subscription, and we want to make sure it works for you.

For all of these, please write to the Editor, at IPC-Editor@Intuit.com.

For general matters or issues, you can mail letters and comments to Intuit Inc., Customer Communications, 2800 E. Commerce Center Place, Tucson, AZ 85706.

STAFF
Brandon Wilson, Publisher
Bill Teague, Managing Editor
Kevin Segedi, Web Production

WHERE WAS THE OCTOBER NEWSLETTER?

You may have noticed that you did not receive an October newsletter. This edition, Issue Number 10, is coming out instead on November 3. We will still be publishing twelve numbers in 2006, and you will be receiving the same amount of content.

COMING NEXT IN NOVEMBER: CHALLENGES OF THE ESTABLISHED FIRM

In our next issue this November, we take a look at some of the challenges facing those of you who work in larger firms. Whether you are on staff or a manager or partner, we hope to have useful information to help you succeed.

DID YOU KNOW?

• QuickBooks Payroll Solutions are recommended by more accountants than any other payroll solution.
• Over 850,000 small businesses use QuickBooks Payroll.
• QuickBooks ProAdvisors get support through the Grow Your Practice Center and a free Web site for a year, discounts on most Intuit products, and additional product information.
• When small business owners come to QuickBooks.com to look for expert help, Intuit links to the Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor Referral Web Site.