Hello... I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving holiday!

There is not much news to share at this time -- so I'll just provide a few reminders and notes this month.

• Information gathering for 1099's -- I know I touched on this in recent months, but one final reminder to review for and vendors that will be receiving a 1099 this year and check to be sure you have their information, including a W9 form.  An email is also good to have, and it will save additional costs for processing (mailing), and the vendor will be able to receive the 1099 earlier and more securely.
• The new invoice layout is expected to be mandatory for all 'QBO Essentials' customers on December 11th.  If you have an 'Essentials' subscription, you should receive an email directly from Intuit regarding the changes, and will not be able to switch back to the old layout after that date.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  There are some good things that come with the change, such as being able to accept payments via PayPal and Venmo.

That is all I have for this month.  I hope to be able to post again before the next Holiday break, but in case things get too hectic and I'm not able -- I wish everyone a Very Merry! 
​
Thank you!

Less News and More Reminders this month...

There is not much QuickBooks news to share this month.  QuickBooks Billpay service is slowly being released, and their 1099 service has some enhancements.  I am not recommending or seeing a benefit of either at this time so will leave those aside for now.

The focus for the next few months is being prepared for the end of the year and reporting requirements and deadlines.

• Payroll.  If you've had any thoughts or questions about changing your payroll service, now is the time to decide where you'd like to be for the new year.  I support both QuickBooks Online Payroll and Gusto, so if you are considering a change and would like to discuss it please let me know asap.  Also, please remind your employees (present and past) to check their information on file, including mailing and email addresses, so they will receive their W2's without issue.
• 1099's - Please review the Expense By Vendor Summary report for vendors requiring a 1099, and be sure that their information (including a completed W9 form) is complete and accurate.  The report is available under the 'Expenses and Vendors' report section, and should be run for 'This Year-to-date' with 'Cash' as the Accounting Method selections.

That's all for now.  Time is pretty scarce from here on in, so deadlines will be taking priority over all other work.
​
I appreciate your patience at this time of year (as always).
Thank you, and Happy Halloween!

"New Invoicing" in QBO is on the way, and bringing some big changes along with it.  In the long-run, this looks like it will be a good thing -- but it may be a bit of a challenge in the beginning.  You may also experience some minor 'glitches' in QBO functionality occasionally -- I expect due to related system updates.
You should receive an email from Intuit/QuickBooks prior to the update -- some time between now and May 2024, and should have the option to switch back to the old layout for a period of time (unless you have a Simple Start subscription, at which time it will be permanent effective October 16, 2023).
Please let me know when you receive your letter.  I am working to stay on top of this change so that I can provide help and guidance when needed.  Presently, it may be the most challenging for those who collect sales tax.  Stay tuned.

Year-end preparations are in the works, as they begin every year about this time.  It is important to have all work up-to-date, W9's on file for eligible Vendors, and any projects complete before the Holidays arrive so everything is in place for the January rush to deadlines.  Please book a time with me if you have any concerns or questions, or would just like to review and plan for the new year.

I am going paperless in the new year, and will be in touch to plan how that will affect you, and to address any concerns you may have.

Thank you!

Hello!

The news this month is the change to the QBO left-navigation bar.  It isn't a major change for those that have been using the accountant-view, but will be for anyone that have been using the business-view.  The change was made to end some confusion caused by the different organization and wording between users.  (Note: There will still be a view named 'Business' view, but it will basically be the same as the Accountant view.
The new navigation is being rolled out in stages, but at a pretty fast pace.  I expect you may already have the option to switch, and if not you should see it very soon.  I recommend that you switch as soon as it is available, since it will be an automatic switch before long.
While I'm not totally happy with everything about it, I do think it is a change for the best.  The redeeming feature is that now the Bookmark section is at the top of the panel, so you can bookmark your favorites for easy access.

Regarding the upcoming year-end (yes, it may seem early -- but you know how quickly it creeps up!);  September will be my cut-off for providing any catch-up or clean-up work.  October through February are simply too busy with the normal and year-end preparation tasks and deadlines to be able to fit in any additional jobs.

Also, 2024 is the year for going Paperless(ish).  I have been working toward setting up a (nearly) paperless system for months now, and while I have a little more planning to do, I will be providing most things digitally beginning Jan 1st.  There of course will be exceptions where it is necessary.  If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.  With all of the resources available to support this, I believe it will be a good move for everyone, and will keep you informed.

Finally, I wish you a good September.  Even though September may bring some stormy weather, it also usually brings a little relief from the heat and a promise of Fall.
​Thanks All!

A little late, and a little short this month of July.  I have been tackling some projects that will payoff in the long run by increasing efficiency, but that are time-consuming at the moment.

So, just a little bit of QuickBooks Online Payroll news for sharing.

If you use QBOP (QuickBooks Online Payroll), there are some new features available.

• Document management -- you may now upload and store employee and company documents.  You can create folders, rename documents, and upload PDFs, JPGs, and PNGs.
• Payroll item report and in-product view -- You can now run a payroll item report to see all the payroll items your company uses, and see all your payroll items in bulk.
• Managing Contractors -- On the Contractor List, you can now see if a contractor's W-9 information is ready, missing, or still outstanding.  Select "Finish setup and pay" to send them an invite or reminder to fill out their W-9
• Filed New Hire reports are available in Archived Forms -- While QBOP has been taking care of your new hire reporting, now the New Hire reports are available as PDFs under Archived Forms.
• More employee information -- Emergency contact & preferred name fields
• Automated I-9 Form.

You may not see all of these new features immediately, but they are being rolled out and should be available soon.

A tiny note here -- I have been certified and will also be supporting FreshBooks users.  I chose this as an alternative to QBO for small companies that need a simpler bookkeeping solution.

Thank you All... please let me know if you have any questions about anything!     

Greetings...
This will be a mini blog, as time is short at the moment and there isn't much new to share.
ClientHub - more of you have come aboard (thank you), and I recently added more Resources to our Workspace for easy access.  You should now see links to QBO, Banks, Calendly (to schedule appointments with me), SOS Splashtop (so we can connect), and to my Website so you can access the 'Tools and Links' page.  Each workspace is unique, so yours may have different options.  If there is anything else you would find useful there, please let me know and I will add it if possible.
I have a new mailing address.  I took the liberty of updating my vendor information in your QBO to save you the task, and you will see it on the next invoice you receive.  It will give me faster, easier access to my mail.
Beginning next month, I plan to include a 'Did-You-Know' item here each month, with little tips about QBO that may save you time or add a little fun to your day.
I wish you all a safe and fun 4th!

Greetings...

May was a good month, with just a few teensy hiccups and delays, but overall a good month!

ClientHub is really helping in keeping the workflow running more smoothly, and I expect that will get even better with time and as everyone gets more familiar and more come aboard.  It is the best way to stay connected with me, and to get any tasks or projects put in the works.  Between ClientHub and Calendly scheduling, it should be much easier for us all to keep on top of things.  I thank you for your time and patience in getting connected!

If we haven't already 'hooked-you-up', there is a really helpful app called RightTool that works with QBO that has some really helpful tools to make working in QBO easier.  There is a FREE version that has lots of goodies included, so let me know if you are interested and we can discuss how it can help you in your work.  I couldn't work without it anymore!  It doesn't take much set up or instruction -- you can be up and running in minutes.  Gee, I sound like a salesperson here, but really I just like to share a good thing.

My work schedule will be changing a bit for the summer months, beginning next week.  I will update my availability for appointments in Calendly soon to reflect the new schedule.
I think that's all from me for now.  I wish you a nice Memorial Day holiday :-)

Finally, April 18th is behind us -- and summer is on the way, along with some much-needed rain.
April was another busy month, which is becoming the norm, but each month brings a different kind of busy.  Keeps things interesting!
ClientHub is up-and-running now, and is really beginning to pay off.  I have plenty of fine-tuning left to do, but I can feel the benefits and hope you as a Client will begin to see them also and come to appreciate it as much as I do.  During this time of learning the app, please feel free to ask questions as you go -- I'm still learning too, and it helps to hear things from your perspective also.
I also added RightTool to my Toolbox last month.  It provides many helpful features to make working with QBO easier and more productive.  I recommend it, and there is a free version if you would like to try it out.  Even the free version has a lot of helpful features.
May promises to be much like April, with maybe a slightly less rushed pace.  Besides the usual monthly tasks, I will still be focusing on implementing and fine-tuning the new apps, reorganization, and catching up on some of the larger projects that were too big to tackle during the seasonal crunch.
And looking forward to some May Flowers after these April Showers. :-)
​Stay Cool til next month!

It was a 'mad' month, what with getting work turned in for the March 15th tax deadline AND scrambling to earn the CPE's required to maintain my certifications AND just work in general -- but it has all been well worth it and rewarding in the end.
I now have my Advanced QuickBooks Online Certification, and have completed Excel University Volume 1 courses -- which I can highly recommend if you would like to advance your Excel skills and knowledge.  The course material was 100% relevant and useful, and was always engaging.
It has also been a kind of exciting month.  I have begun catching up on some things that I really wanted to accomplish, and am doing some reorganizing, which will help me be more productive.
One thing you will be seeing from me in the very near future is an invitation to Client Hub.  This app will be a great way for us to communicate, share documents and information, and work together, all in one place.  When you receive your invitation, please take a few minutes to set up a login and perform the first very short task.  I think it will be really be a benefit to us both.
Good things are happening with QuickBooks Online also, and I will keep you updated as things progress.  In the meantime, please feel free to get in touch if something new comes up that you would like to ask about.
So, that's all for now.  I hope you are enjoying Spring, and I'll be back next month with more updates. 

Happy New Year (a little late)!
For all of you who are using QuickBooks Online, you may be seeing new things pop-up due to New Features that are being rolled out this month and next.
If you do see something new and you're curious and would like to learn, please feel free to just give me a call or drop me a line or choose an appointment time to ask questions and learn about them.
This is also true for questions about anything current.  You may be surprised to find that there may be a solution to something, or a new trick to learn, that can make your job easier and more efficient.  There are so many features that can help, and I love to share them.
I hope you're having a good January -- I know mine has been super-busy with everything that must be done for year-end (including the dreaded 1099's) -- and hope to hear from you.

It is a crazy time for us all -- but life goes on as usual (sort of)...
I haven't had time to post, although there has been a need with all of the out-of-the-ordinary things happening, but am going to try to catch up a little now.

PPP Loans:
I have been monitoring the situation, but please let me know if you receive a request to complete an application for forgiveness and need help.  QuickBooks and Gusto both are providing special reports for this purpose, and I am deferring to your accountant when appropriate.

Familys First Coronavirus Act:
Under this act, Employers pay Employees for Covid-related time off and deduct the cost from their 941 payroll tax payments.  There will be a link (see Tools and Links) with detailed information on this, but please be aware of the requirement to pay employees in certain circumstances and know that it needs to be recorded in a specific way.

Payroll Tax Deferral (Employee SS):
This is the latest via executive order that went into effect September 1st.  Under this order, social security deductions from (most) employees pay are to be deferred until December 31, 2020, and then repaid by the employee between Jan 1 and April 30, 2021.
However, payroll providers have requested clarification as there are many unanswered questions so it hasn't yet gone into effect in QuickBooks or Gusto payroll pending more information.  Stand-by on this one.  In my humble opinion, it will cause many many headaches in implementation, reporting, and re-collection from employees.

Fun Stuff:
So, it's not all doom-and-gloom.  Lots of things going on with Intuit!  
Payroll -- changes that were planned to go into effect months ago were post-poned due to the pandemic.  You may be receiving some notices about the changes -- I believe by October 1st.   Please contact me if you have any questions.  The payroll options are all changing (for the better I think), so please feel free to get in touch to discuss what plan is best for you or to ask any questions you may have.
QuickBooks Labs has some interesting new things!

• QuickBooks Themes (dark theme) -- I really like this one, as it is easier on my eyes.  It is a little bit quirky at the moment, but feel free to give it a try -- you can always switch back if you don't like it.
• Tags -- this could be a very useful feature.  There is a very short video to watch to see if it is something you would like to try.
• Cashflow Dashboard Widget -- for those who like a picture of your inflow/outflow of cash.
• Community Reports -- tap into customized shared reports to save time setting up commonly used reports that aren't 'standard'.
• If you try any of the features in labs, please be sure to leave feedback!  Especially if it is something you really would like to see made permanently available.  Labs is just that -- features being tested to see if they should become an added feature in QuickBooks!

Okay, that is all I have for now.

I would like to thank you all for being so patient with my current work schedule.  I think we are all managing the best we can under the circumstances, and I truly appreciate your understanding and flexibility.

Whew -- the January rush is (finally) over, and I am ready to get on with the February work of reviewing and wrapping up 2019.  This month will be all about getting everything complete and tidy for tax preparation.

A couple of notes of interest...

The AIPB (American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers) states that even though the IRS does not require it, you may want to ask for (not demand) a new W4 from your employees for 2020 to avoid any possible year-end tax surprises.  The IRS Advisory Council recommends that all employees be asked to file a new W-4.  I feel that this is something they should complete at home so they can have their personal information at hand and have some privacy.

For Payroll Clients -- depending on the payroll service plan you are on, I would like to make you aware that there are some changes in the works, and especially that there are additional services available for you and your employees if you are interested, including health care plans, 401Ks, HR services, workers comp, donation matching, etc.  It's a good time to be making changes and get 2020 off to a good start!  Please feel free to ask me if you're interested in anything.

Finally, I plan to post whenever there is something I feel is important to share to keep you informed about changes and issues that may affect you.  I am also going to try out sending this via newsletter.  I promise to try to keep the posts and newsletters short, sweet, and infrequent.   Please sign up if you are interested.

It is turning out to be an even-busier-than-expected year-end with unexpected changes cropping up.

• The half-cent sales tax for the Indian River Lagoon passed. The tax rate will be a total of 7% effective on Jan 1 2017.   That is actually 6% State sales tax plus 1% County surtax. If you need any help setting that up in QuickBooks, please let me know.  In QuickBooks it needs to be set up as two separate taxes and combined.
• The Florida Minimum wage is increasing from $8.05 to $8.10 on Jan 1st 2017.
• I expect you will begin receiving your new Florida Unemployment rate notices (Form RT-1) within the next few weeks.  When you receive them, please shoot a copy to me for my records asap so I can make the changes.
• The DOL's - Department of Labor's - new FLSA regulations go into effect December 1 2016.  In case you aren't familiar with this or need to discuss it, please let me know.  The link to the page on their website with more information is:  https://www.dol.gov/WHD/overtime/final2016/
• The new W2 and 1099 deadlines are still in effect for this year, so please be sure to gather and confirm all of the information needed to process them without any delays.  It is a good time to have your employees confirm their information is correct and current, and to review for 1099's and gather any W-9's you may be missing.  Before people disappear for the Holidays is best.

That's all for now.
I wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Normally, January is a nearly-impossibly busy time for bookkeepers, and the upcoming January is unfortunately going to have a newly-added twist.

New Due Dates for W2's and some 1099's -- In an effort to thwart identity theft and false refunds by receiving the information earlier, the due dates to submit these year-end reporting forms has been moved up one month to January 31 2017 for 2016 reporting.

W2's are now not only due to be sent to the recipients by the end of January, but also sent to the government as well.

1099's that have non-employee compensation in Box 7 must also be sent to the government by the end of January.  Otherwise, file them by February 28 2017 if filing on paper, or by March 31 2017 if you file electronically.

So, my request and recommendation here is this.  Since January is quite full as it is, I will be contacting all of my customers shortly to discuss plans to ensure we are ready before the end of 2016 to be able to meet the deadlines.  This means having all information up-to-date, accounts reconciled to current, checking all employee and subcontractor/1099-recipient information is complete and accurate and up-to-date.  I believe this would best be completed before the Holidays arrive, but after the up-coming quarterly payroll reports are completed.  I encourage beginning the reviews on your own in the meantime to expedite the process.

QuickBooks 2017 Release Date is September 19, 2016
If you are due for an upgrade, this new version has some nifty new features.   More news to come when it is officially released.  In the meantime, if you have any questions please feel free to give me a call and I will be happy to answer them.

Just one quick shortcut tip on this day of 'Sixes' -- a key I use so often that I often forget to recommend it -- and a good key word for summer!  The key is the one all alone (usually) at the very top left of your keyboard that just says ESC - aka "Escape" key, aka "get-me-outta-here" key.

The ESC key has many uses, but we will stick to how it is helpful in QuickBooks here.  There are two main reasons I use it that I can think of off-hand.

First, there are the times that you click in to a transaction (putting you into Edit mode) either on purpose or by accident, and want to be absolutely certain you do not inadvertently make any changes to that transaction.  So, instead of clicking on 'Save and New' or 'Save and Close' buttons, just push Escape to return to the previous screen you had open without recording any changes.

Second, there are the times that you have 'Zoomed' in multiple times from a report to follow the history and info of a number (for instance report to transaction to transaction history to another transaction, etc), and would just like to return to the report you began with, without having to close a bunch of windows first or inadvertently changing any data.   Just use the Escape key to take you back the way you came, closing one window at a time, until you are back at the beginning.

I'm sure once you are used to reaching for this 'Tool', you will wonder how you ever survived without it, and will begin to find some of the other uses it has.

Well, I was gathering the information for a new post today and decided instead to just wish everyone a nice Memorial Day weekend, because sometimes it's just good to take time to reflect and rest.     

This will be a very short post about a few shortcuts that are useful in Lists, that I use on a daily basis.

When you are in a list, such as Vendors, Customers, Items, etc.

Ctrl + N (hold down the Ctrl key while pressing N) will get you to a 'New' blank entry screen.   This is the same as choosing Add New, or New Vendor/Customer/etc.
Ctrl + E = Edit
Ctrl + D = Delete
Note:  For Edit and Delete, you need to first have what you would like to edit or delete highlighted (selected) in whatever list you are working in.

I find these really easy to remember - N=New, E=Edit, D=Delete

​That's all for now!

Here is the second installment of keyboard shortcuts that I find most useful and easy to remember, namely Dates.  These are easy to learn, and can also cut down on your data entry time, which is good is more ways than one.

Use these when you have just tabbed or advanced into a date field on forms:

• Next/Previous Day -- using the "+" or "-" (plus or minus) keys when you are in a date field advances the date forward one day at at time (plus key), or backward one day at a time (minus key).   This can be most helpful when you are entering data that falls within a shorter time frame.
• Shortcut Letter Keys -- Certain Letters will bring a particular date into the date field.   The only one I truly recommend using here is "T" for Today.   Pressing the letter T on your keyboard while in a highlighted date field will, as you can guess, enter in the current date.   I use this frequently to bring back the current date if Plus/Minus would take too many keystrokes.  Some of the other shortcut keys are: W=first day of the Week; K=last day of the weeK; M=first day of the Month; H=last day of the montH; Y=first day of the Year; and R=Last day of the yeaR.  They really aren't too difficult to remember, as you can see they are the first and last letters of the time period you are seeking, but I haven't found that they are useful often enough in my work.
• Alt-Down Arrow:  By pressing Alt + Down Arrow on your keyboard, you can bring up the Date Calendar to select a date to enter in the field.  A little note here, once you pull up the Date Calendar, besides being able to select the date using your mouse, you can also use the shortcut letters and/or the directional keys (up, down, left, right) to navigate to the date, and press Enter to select it -- this keeps you from having to reach for the mouse each time you need to enter a date.  This one is big on my list of recommend-to-learn keyboard commands for an additional reason, and that is because it works in any field that has a drop-down list, such as Vendors, Customers, Items, etc.  Being able to bring up the drop-down lists and navigating to the item you need without reaching for the mouse can be a big time-saver.
• Manual Date Entry -  Just a quick tip from me here.  When it is easiest to just type in the date in a date field instead of using any of the shortcuts, if you type the full six-digit date (ex: 050616), it is not necessary to enter the "/" (ex: 05/06/16).
  

So, that is installment #2 for you.   I look forward to any comments, suggestions, or questions you may have!    ​

Below is an excerpt from The American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB) 2016 Bookkeeping Tips e-letter.
I highly recommend a membership in the AIPB as the best way to stay informed and up-to-date on news and issues that can directly affect your business.
For all summer hires (or hires any time of the year):
 
·   Obtain W-4s from all summer employees, even the owners’ children, students working part-time and foreign students.
·   Withhold FITW from all employees, including the owner’s spouse or child, unless a W-4 claims exempt.
·   Withhold FICA from all employees, even high school students and those who receive SS benefits.Exception: Those under 18 working for sole-owner parents.
Pay overtime for hours actually worked over 40 hours in the workweek. You are not required to include as hours worked paid time off (holidays, vacation days). Do not substitute paid nonwork hours for work hours to make all hours straight time, thus avoiding overtime pay.
Example: Julia works 12 hours a day the first 4 days of the workweek, but not on the 5th day, a holiday, for which she is paid for 8 hours. She is correctly paid 40 hours’ straight time + 8 hours’ overtime + 8 holiday (nonwork) hours. Julia’s employer cannot substitute the 8 hours’ holiday pay for the 8 hours’ overtime to avoid paying the overtime rate.
Paid holidays and vacations
·   Under federal law, paid holidays for part-time and summer help are always optional, but check state laws.
·   No paid vacation is required—but if you provide paid vacation, some federal and state laws apply.
Benefits
·   For temps and part-timers, benefits are optional; but if offered, they should be explained in a written benefits plan.
 
Always check your state’s laws.

So, it has been a very long time since I've posted anything new here.  Some people make resolutions at the beginning of a new year, but I think I'll make a resolution here in spring to keep up with this blog a bit more regularly.
I plan to begin sharing the little tidbits of news and helpful tips that occur from time-to-time that I think may be helpful or of interest to QuickBooks customers and Bookkeepers.   Please let me know if there is anything you would particularly be interested in seeing here, I always appreciate feedback (good and not-so-good) and new ideas.
This blog is going to brief for now -- sort of a beginning tip of the day, but I consider it an important one....

There are many keyboard shortcuts in QuickBooks, and I highly recommend that you learn them along the way to help your work flow more smoothly and efficiently.  I think that once you begin using them regularly, and they become second nature, you will find the benefits well worth the effort.  When you are doing data entry especially, it means being able to keep your hands on the keyboard without constantly reaching for the mouse.  For now, I will be covering only tips for QuickBooks Desktop PC versions.  If you are interested in shortcuts QuickBooks Mac or QuickBooks Online versions, please let me know.

Today I just want to cover a little about moving through the data entry forms, such as Enter Bills, Write Checks, Enter Invoices, etc.  Everyone has their own style, and if you feel totally comfortable with yours you may not want to read any further.   However, if you are just beginning with QuickBooks, or data entry feels a little clumsy and inefficient to you this bit of information (from experience) may help you.

First, go to Edit - Preferences - General - and be sure the box next to the option 'Pressing Enter moves between fields' is checked.  This will enable you to just click the 'Enter' key when you have finished entering data in a field to move to the next data field.  (You will still be able to alternatively use the 'Tab' key to move through the fields.)
My first tip in this series, especially in the beginning, is when you are in a data entry form, (such as Enter Bill or Create Invoice, or Write Check, etc.) always begin with the first field (where your cursor is blinking), enter the data in that field and then use 'Enter' to move from field to field entering the data requested in each -- or using 'Enter' to skip and continue to the next field.   This way, you will not be as likely to miss changing or entering important data that can cause issues along the way.  For instance, some fields contain default data such as dates, due dates, previous entry information, etc. that may not be accurate or correct.  Dates are very important in QuickBooks, so a 'default' date left in place of a correct date can have a negative impact on reports and processing.
When you have finished entering data in that form and are ready to enter another, try the first shortcut I'll cover here,which is also one of the most-used 'Ctrl-Enter' (This means hold down the Control key while pressing Enter, which can be accomplished with your right thumb and index finger).  This has the same result as clicking on 'Save and New' button, but your hands don't need to leave the keyboard.
So....  try this out for a while if you like.  I guarantee that even though it may feel a bit awkward at first, it will become second nature in a short time and will save you a ton of time in the long run!
​Thanks, and I look forward to hearing your feedback!

I am really excited about the New Online version of QuickBooks that is rolling out.   It is being introduced gradually -- New subscribers will have it automatically, and current subscribers are being updated along the way.
It is packed with new exciting and time-saving features and navigation, and I plan to be recommending it in the near future to some of my existing desktop clients -- something I have never really considered before.
So, stay tuned, and if you would like to sneak a peek, please go the Tools and Links tab above, and watch a quick 15-minute video that gives a brief overview and provides the address to go 'play' with a sample company.   You may also want to subscribe to Michelle Long's You Tube videos offered -- she is a fantastic source for all things QuickBooks, and I give her my thanks for providing these wonderful (and free) resources!