Intuit 2010 QuickBooks Financial Software Installation and Setup Guide

PDF

Documento

FINANCIAL SOFTWARE

2010

Installation and

Setup Guide

Copyright

First printing, September 2008

STATEMENTS IN THIS DOCUMENT REGARDING THIRD-PARTY STANDARDS OR SOFTWARE ARE

BASED ON INFORMATION MADE AVAILABLE BY THIRD PARTIES. INTUIT AND ITS AFFILIATES ARE

NOT THE SOURCE OF SUCH INFORMATION AND HAVE NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED SUCH

INFORMATION. THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT

NOTICE.

Trademarks and Patents

Intuit, the Intuit logo, QuickBooks, QuickBase, Quicken, TurboTax, ProSeries, Lacerte, EasyStep, and

QuickZoom, among others, are registered trademarks and/or registered service marks of Intuit Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other parties’ trademarks or service marks are the property of their respective owners and should be treated as such. Features and services within QuickBooks products may be the subject matter of pending and issued U.S. patents assigned to Intuit Inc.

Other Attributions

Telephone and Telegraph Company or of the Regents of the University of California.

This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation

Important

Terms, conditions, features, service offerings, prices, and hours referenced in this document are subject to change without notice. We at Intuit are committed to bringing you great online services through

QuickBooks. Occasionally, we may decide to update our selection and change our service offerings, so please check www.quickbooks.com for the latest information, including pricing and availability, on our products and services.

My QuickBooks License Number: _______________________________________________

My QuickBooks Product Number: _______________________________________________

Installing QuickBooks

Welcome

Welcome to QuickBooks. Whether you’ve been running your business for years or are just starting out, having an organized, efficient way to manage your business can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration.

Use this

Installation and Setup Guide to get up and running as fast as possible.

Note:

Since this guide covers multiple editions of QuickBooks, the name “QuickBooks” is used to refer to any of these editions. When information in this guide applies to a specific edition of QuickBooks, the specific edition name will be used.

What’s in this guide

➋

Hardware and software requirements

➎

Installing QuickBooks

➎

New user installation

❻

Existing user (upgrader) installation

❿

Registering QuickBooks

❿

Getting the latest updates to QuickBooks

❿

Converting data from other applications

⓬

Setting up your company in QuickBooks

⓳

Frequently Asked Questions

Hardware and software requirements

Processor, memory, and disk space for QuickBooks Simple Start/Pro/Premier on

Windows 7, Vista, or XP

•

At least 2.0GHz Pentium 4 processor (2.4GHz recommended)

•

At least 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended) for a single user

•

At least 1GB of RAM for multiple, concurrent users

•

1GB of disk space (additional space required for data files)

Disk space requirements for additional software

•

232MB for Microsoft .NET 3.5 Runtime, provided on the QuickBooks CD

Additional hardware and software

•

Operating systems supported (U.S. versions with Regional Language set to U.S. English recommended):

Windows 7, all editions except Starter and Basic

Windows XP (SP2 or later strongly recommended), all editions

Windows Vista (w/UAC on), all editions

Windows Server 2003

Windows Server 2008

•

64-bit version of above operating systems also supported

•

4x CD-ROM drive

•

Optimized for 1024x768 screen resolution or higher. 1024x768 or higher is required

Database server requirements

•

Microsoft® Windows XP (SP2 or later strongly recommended), Windows 2003 Server,

Windows Vista (w/ UAC on), or Windows Server 2008 operating systems

•

Linux is supported for Enterprise Solutions only (Fedora 10)

File server only requirements

•

Novell Netware server or Linux file servers can be used with advanced configuration; performance will be impacted on networks running less than 100Mbps

Integration/compatibility requirements

QuickBooks is capable of integrating with hundreds of 3rd party applications (see

www.

marketplace.intuit.com for the most up-to-date list) in addition to the following standard integrations provided with QuickBooks; additional RAM will enhance the use of these features:

•

Preparing letters requires Microsoft® Word 2002, 2003 or 2007

•

Exporting reports requires Microsoft® Excel 2002, 2003 or 2007

•

Contact Synchronization with Microsoft® Outlook requires Outlook 2002, 2003 or 2007

Installing QuickBooks

•

Synchronization with Outlook requires QuickBooks Contact Sync for Outlook (downloadable for free here: www.quickbooks.com/contact_sync)

•

Compatible with QuickBooks Customer Manager v2.0 and later, and QuickBooks Client

Manager v2.0 and later

•

Compatible with QuickBooks Point of Sale v6.0 and later

•

Payroll and other online features and services require internet access with at least a 56Kbps connection speed (DSL or cable modem recommended)

•

Business Planner functionality requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher (Premier only)

Additional notes

•

Disk space requirements do not include company data files, so if you manage many companies or if your company data file is very large you may need more disk space.

•

Network access speed has a strong impact on performance in networked environments

(multi-user, or when accessing data files on other computers). We recommend a minimum

100Mbps network for optimal performance. VPN and wireless networks often cannot provide sufficient, reliable, low-latency performance.

•

Disk access speed can affect performance. We recommend a 7200 rpm drive (or 20+ MB/sec); faster is better, and SATA is typically faster than IDE. Disks with large caches may improve performance, depending on usage. Minimum access speed is 4200 rpm.

•

QuickBooks will run on both 32-bit and 64-bit processors running XP, Vista and Windows 7, but is compiled as a 32-bit application. Some capabilities (such as memory access) may be greater on 64-bit machines.

•

IE and .NET 3.5 cannot be turned off in Windows 7.

Firewall and antivirus software compatibility

QuickBooks 2010 has been tested with the following:

•

Microsoft® Windows XP Firewall (all editions)

•

Microsoft® Windows Vista Firewall (all editions)

•

Microsoft® Windows 7 Firewall (all editions)

•

Symantec Norton® AntiVirus, Internet Security, Norton 360

•

Zone Labs’ ZoneAlarm

•

Microsoft OneCare

•

McAfee Anti-Virus Plus, Internet Security Suite, Total Protection

•

Trend PC-Cillin, Internet Security

You may need to adjust the settings in these firewall and antivirus products in some configurations to ensure the best possible performance with QuickBooks. For more information see:

• http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/pages/knowledgebasearticle/403317

• www.quickbooks.com/support (search for information about running QuickBooks on a network)

Using firewall software on a network

If firewall software is running while you install QuickBooks, you will be prompted to allow

QuickBooks components to have access to the network. For QuickBooks to operate properly

(especially in a multi-user environment) these components (

FileManagement.exe, QBDBMgrN.

exe, QBGDSPlugin.exe, and QBW32.exe) must be allowed to access the network.

Different firewall software applications use different languages when prompting you. Be sure to choose an option that does not block connections to QuickBooks components. Also, some firewall and antivirus software can affect QuickBooks performance. If you experience performance issues you think are related to your firewall software, refer to the firewall documentation or contact your firewall vendor for assistance.

In some cases it might be necessary to adjust settings in these products to ensure the best possible performance with QuickBooks. For more information about firewall configuration, search for “firewall settings” in the in-product Help.

Multi-user installation requirements

QuickBooks enables up to five users to access company files on a network at the same time.

In a multi-user environment, QuickBooks (or the QuickBooks Database Server Manager) must be installed on the computer on which the company file is stored. Each user must have a

QuickBooks license and must:

•

Have a valid License Number and Product Number. For a 3-User Value-Pack, use the numbers from the Value Pack.

•

Install the same version year of QuickBooks. For example, all users must have QuickBooks 2010.

•

Have read/write access and create/delete rights to the directory where the company file is stored.

To enable other users to work in the company file, the company file must be stored on a computer on your network, and you need to complete some additional installation and setup steps on the computer where the company file is stored.

Note:

The number of users who can access the company file at the same time is determined by the number of licenses you purchase, up to a maximum of 5 users accessing the file at the same time.

Network setup

For network hosting setup

To run QuickBooks in a network hosting environment, you must have Microsoft Windows 7 (all editions except Starter and Basic), Microsoft XP, or Microsoft Vista installed.

In a network hosting environment, each computer has its own full version of QuickBooks installed; however, the QuickBooks company file is located on only one computer, which must be turned on and available on the network. Networks set up for hosting files do not use a dedicated file server, so a single, dedicated computer is not required to share files. Thus, all the networked computers have the option to share their resources.

For example, you might run your small business by using QuickBooks on two computers—yours and one that’s used by an employee. In this case, you still need to set up a simple network to

share your company file. Otherwise, you’ll need to make a backup of your company file to move it or e-mail it between the two computers.

Note:

Windows XP users must have at least Standard user rights to write to the registry keys and be able to run QuickBooks.

For dedicated server setup

To run QuickBooks in a network environment with a dedicated server, you must have Windows 2003 Server, Windows 2008

Server, Windows XP Professional, Windows 7 (all editions except Starter and Basic), or Microsoft Vista. See "Additional hardware and software" on page 2 for Windows Service Pack recommendations.

Networks with a dedicated server have at least one computer

(the server) dedicated to sharing files, printers, or other resources. You only store your company file on the server; you do not run QuickBooks on this computer. During installation choose Custom and Network options. Select

I will NOT be using QuickBooks on this computer.

Installing QuickBooks

Did You Know?

Back up your previous accounting system

If you have an existing business, make sure that you’ve backed up your financial records from your previous accounting system.

The IRS requires you to keep this information for

10 years. You should also keep any software and hardware that your previous accounting system used, or have printouts of all the information and accounting reports.

Troubleshoot error messages

If you receive an error message during installation, and restarting your system does not resolve the problem, you can search for information about the error message at:

www.quickbooks.com/

installation.

Installing QuickBooks

This section explains how to install QuickBooks on a computer and how to begin using the program after installation. If you are a new user, refer to the “New user installation” section below. If you are an existing user, refer to the “Existing user

(upgrader) installation” section on page 6.

Note:

If you want to convert data from Quicken, follow the installation instructions and then refer to “Converting data from other applications” on page 10.

New user installation

If you are upgrading from a previous version of QuickBooks (not from another accounting tool), refer to “Existing user (upgrader) installation” on page 6.

To install and start QuickBooks:

➊

Shut down all running programs, including antivirus programs.

➋

Insert the QuickBooks CD in your computer’s CD-ROM drive.

If the installer doesn't start automatically:

•

Click Start from your Windows menu (bottom left of your screen).

•

Choose

Run.

•

Type D:\setup.exe (where D is your CD drive).

•

Click

OK.

➌

Follow the onscreen instructions.

➍

To start QuickBooks, double-click the QuickBooks icon on the desktop or click the

Windows Start button and then click QuickBooks from the Programs group.

Note:

If you encounter problems when installing QuickBooks or have specific installation questions, refer to

Frequently Asked Questions on page 19. You can also visit the QuickBooks Installation Center at

http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/installcenter/default.aspx.

Next steps

Create your QuickBooks company file

For detailed information about creating your company file and setting up your company in

QuickBooks, see “Setting Up Your Company in QuickBooks” on page 12.

Set up QuickBooks for multiple users

After you install QuickBooks on each computer on your network and set up your company file, you need to perform these additional tasks:

•

Set up user names and passwords for each user. You will need to assign one user to be the

Administrator who defines all other users’ access. Refer to the in-product Help for instructions on setting up user names and passwords.

•

Share the folder that contains your QuickBooks company file across your network. You can press F2 while in QuickBooks to locate your company file. See your operating system’s documentation to learn more about sharing folders.

•

Register each copy of QuickBooks, as described in “Registering QuickBooks” on page 9.

•

Turn on multi-user mode for each computer on your network.

➊

Go to the File menu and click Switch to Multi-user Mode.

➋

Click Yes.

Existing user (upgrader) installation

If you own a previous version of QuickBooks and are upgrading to QuickBooks 2010, you must first install the new program and then update your company file.

To install QuickBooks:

➊

Shut down all running programs, including antivirus programs.

➋

Insert the QuickBooks CD in your computer’s CD-ROM drive.

➌

Follow the onscreen instructions.

➍

After installation, the File Management Tool might instruct you to move your company files or to perform some additional installation modifications. Follow the onscreen instructions.

➎

To start QuickBooks, double-click the QuickBooks icon on the desktop or click the

Windows Start button and then click QuickBooks from the Programs group.

Note:

If you encounter problems when installing QuickBooks or have specific installation questions, refer to Frequently Asked Questions on page 19.

Next steps

Update your QuickBooks company file

For instructions to update your company file, see “To update your QuickBooks file” on page 8.

Set up QuickBooks for multiple users:

After you install QuickBooks on each computer on your network and set up your company file, you need to perform these additional tasks:

•

Set up user names and passwords for each user. You will need to assign one user to be the Administrator who defines all other users’ access. Refer to the in-product Help for instructions on setting up user names and passwords.

• Share the folder that contains your QuickBooks company

file across your network. You can press F2 while in

QuickBooks to see the location of your company file. See your operating system’s documentation to learn more about sharing folders.

•

Register each copy of QuickBooks, as described in

“Registering QuickBooks” on page 10.

• Turn on multi-user mode for each computer on your

network.

➊

Go to the File menu and click Switch to Multi-user

Mode.

➋

Click Yes.

Updating your QuickBooks company file

This section describes how to update a company file created in a previous version of QuickBooks for Windows. Before you can update your company data, you must install the new version of QuickBooks as described in “Installing QuickBooks” on pages 5–7.

Back up your data before opening it in a new version of

QuickBooks. You can back up to your hard drive or to a backup disk.

Caution

Once you update an existing company file to

QuickBooks 2010, you cannot read or use that file in an older version of QuickBooks software.

Installing QuickBooks

Did You Know?

Installing from a server

If your QuickBooks CD is mounted on a server or a shared CD-ROM drive, you can install from the CD, but you cannot install from the

CD to a remote computer.

Choosing where to store your company file in a multi-user environment

Choose a location for your company file where all the computers that need to use QuickBooks can access the file. You might want to put the company file on the computer of the person who most frequently uses

QuickBooks. This enables that person to have the fastest access to the company file.

Improving performance in multi-user mode

To improve QuickBooks performance in multi-user mode, consider these tips:

•

Store company files on the fastest or most powerful computer, preferably a dedicated server.

•

Run reports during off hours.

•

Refresh reports only when you’re ready to use or print them.

•

Avoid keeping unnecessary QuickBooks windows or other applications open.

To update your QuickBooks file:

➊

In QuickBooks 2010, open your company data file (that is, the company file you used with your previous version of QuickBooks).

➋

If the Move Company File utility opens, we suggest that you move the file from the Program

Files folder to the Quickbooks recommended location.

ote:

The Windows Program Files folder is no longer a recommended location for storing company files.

➌

If prompted, enter the Administrator password.

➍

When prompted, select the “I understand that my company file will be updated to this new version of QuickBooks” checkbox and then click Update Now.

If the backup message is not displayed, choose the option to open an existing company file, enter a file name and location, and then click Open.

➏

When prompted to back up your data, click OK.

➎

In the Save Copy or Backup window, follow the onscreen instructions to back up your company file.

Important: Failing to back up your file might result in lost data if you encounter a problem during the update process. Do not overwrite existing backups with this upgrade backup.

➐

When prompted to confirm that you want to update your file, click Yes.

If an update problem occurs

If you attempted to update your file and the update failed, you must perform steps in your older version of QuickBooks to fix the problem. If you removed your older version of QuickBooks, reinstall it to a new directory. Do not install the older version in the directory where you installed

QuickBooks 2010, and do not uninstall QuickBooks 2010.

In QuickBooks 2010:

➊

Choose File > Utilities > Restore Backup For Earlier QuickBooks Version.

➋

Click the button next to the

Backup filename field.

➌

Find and select the QuickBooks backup made during the update process and then click

Open.

The default location is where you last selected to save backup company files.

➍

Click the button next to the

Restored filename field.

➎

In the Save in list, select the folder where you want to save the restored company file.

If you have not created your own folder for your company file, you should probably save the restored file in the default company file location. QuickBooks uses the following default location, depending on your Windows operating system when creating new company files or moving existing company files:

•

Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\(Shared) Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\

Company Files

Installing QuickBooks

•

Windows Vista: C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files

•

Windows 7: C:\Users\Public\Documents\Intuit\Quickbooks\Company Files

Note: Windows XP users see the folder as "Shared Documents" when browsing (clicking folders) but QuickBooks and Windows display the folder only as "Documents" in paths and addresses.

➏

Enter a unique name for the restored file in the File name field (you don't want to overwrite an existing company file), and then click

Save.

➐

Click OK.

In your previous version of QuickBooks:

➑

Open your previous version of QuickBooks, select File > Open or Restore Company, then choose Open a Company File. Navigate to the file you just restored and open it.

➒

Choose File > Utilities > Rebuild Data.

Caution

The Rebuild Utility forces you to create another backup. Use a new CD or file name (for example pre-update2010.qbb). Do not overwrite any existing backups.

❿

After the Rebuild is complete (which might take a long time depending on the size of your company file), exit your previous version of QuickBooks.

⓫

If you reinstalled your previous version of QuickBooks over your QuickBooks 2010 installation, you must reinstall QuickBooks 2010 (as described in “Installing QuickBooks” on pages 5–7) before proceeding to the next step.

⓬

Start QuickBooks 2010.

⓭

Go to the File menu and click Open or Restore Company.

⓮

Select the appropriate directory and file name of the company data you just rebuilt and click OK.

The update should take place normally. If you still experience update problems, visit www.quickbooks.com/installation.

Why are passwords important?

Passwords limit access to your company file. To open a password-protected file, each person must enter his or her user name and a unique, case-sensitive password. Defining users and passwords helps prevent unwanted people from accessing your company’s confidential data.

We strongly recommend that you password-protect the Admin user. Otherwise, anyone who can access the company file will have full access rights. By defining users and their access rights, you not only control who can open your company file, but also what data they can view and tasks they can perform.

Registering QuickBooks

You can use QuickBooks for 30 days without registering. After 30 days, you must register

QuickBooks.

Go to the Help menu and click Register QuickBooks. If web registration is not successful, you can register by phone. The toll-free QuickBooks registration line is available from 5:00 a.m. to

6:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time), 7 days a week.

If you add additional users to your license, you can update your license information by going to the

Help menu, clicking Manage My License, and then clicking Sync License Data Online.

Note:

If you choose to install QuickBooks on a second computer, or if you need to move your installation to another computer, you will need to re‑register QuickBooks.

Getting the latest updates to QuickBooks

From time to time, Intuit provides updates to QuickBooks that can be downloaded from the

Internet. These updates might include maintenance fixes or new Help information. You can choose to update QuickBooks automatically or manually.

For a complete description of and instructions for the different update options, including how to share updates in a multi-user environment, refer to the in-product Help.

Converting data from other applications

If you are converting financial data from another application (such as Quicken or Excel), refer to the instructions below for the appropriate application.

Quicken

Detailed instructions about converting Quicken files to QuickBooks files are provided in the

QuickBooks in-product Help. Converting files is not difficult, but does require you to prepare the file properly.

Note:

You cannot create a new QuickBooks company file and then import your Quicken data into it.

To view the file preparation and conversion instructions:

➊

Start QuickBooks.

➋

Go to the Help menu and click QuickBooks Help.

➌

Click the Search tab in the Help window.

➍

Click in the Search field and enter converting Quicken data.

➎

Click Converting Quicken Data to QuickBooks (overview) for information about preparing your Quicken data, or click Converting your Quicken data to QuickBooks (procedure) for step-by-step instructions.

Note:

If your Quicken file is ready to be converted, you can convert it. Go to the File menu, click Utilities, click Convert, and then click From Quicken.

Peachtree

To convert a Peachtree file (version 2001 through 2010) in QuickBooks, you need to download and run a separate conversion tool.

Note:

QuickBooks must be installed on your computer before you run the conversion tool.

To convert and open your Peachtree file to QuickBooks:

➊

Go to the File menu, click Utilities, click Convert, and then click From Peachtree.

➋

Complete the short form and click

Submit.

➌

Click Download.

➍

When the tool finishes downloading, you will be prompted to run the tool. Check the “Launch QuickBooks Conversion

Tool” and click

Finish. Or, you can run the tool later by going to the folder where you installed the tool and doubleclicking

QBConversionTool.exe.

➎

Follow the onscreen instructions.

Microsoft Office Accounting

To convert a Microsoft Office Accounting file (version 2001 through 2008) in QuickBooks, you need to download and run a separate conversion tool.

Note:

QuickBooks must be installed on your computer before you run the conversion tool.

To convert and open your Microsoft Office Accounting file to QuickBooks:

➊

Go to the File menu, click Utilities, click Convert, and then click From Microsoft Office Accounting.

➋

Complete the short form and click Submit.

➌

Click Download.

➍

When the tool finishes downloading, you will be prompted to run the tool. Check the “Launch QuickBooks Conversion

Tool” and click Finish. Or, you can run the tool later by going to the folder where you installed the tool and doubleclicking QBConversionTool.exe.

➎

Follow the onscreen instructions.

Installing QuickBooks

Did You Know?

Company file

The company file is the data file that QuickBooks uses to store and manage all the information and financial transactions for your business. QuickBooks company files have the extension .qbw.

Historical transactions

A list of all business transactions as of a specific date. In QuickBooks, you can have many different types of historical transactions, including:

•

Estimates

•

Invoices

•

Sales receipts

•

Customer payments

•

Credit memos

•

Purchase orders

•

Item receipts

•

Bills

•

Payments to vendors

•

Credits with vendors

•

Journal entries

•

Payroll transactions

E-mailing a company file

The QuickBooks portable company file (*.qbm) is a compact version of your company file. You can use the portable company file to move the company file to another computer or to e-mail the company file to another person, such as your accountant.

To learn more about the portable company file, refer to the in-product Help.

Setting Up Your Company in QuickBooks

The first thing you need to do in QuickBooks is create a

company file

for your business. Setting up your company file properly is the most important thing you can do to have QuickBooks help you manage your business efficiently.

Creating a company file is easy with the EasyStep Interview and should take you about 15 minutes to complete. Then, depending on the complexity of your business, completing your company setup can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. The amount of time varies based on how much detail you add about your accounts, customers, vendors, employees, products, and services, as well as the number of

historical transactions

you want to enter.

When you set up your company file, QuickBooks will prompt you for details about your company. Before you begin the setup process, gather the information shown in the Getting

Started Checklist on pages 12–13. Some of this information you’ll need to complete the

EasyStep Interview; other information you will need as you begin to use QuickBooks.

Create your company file

After you have gathered the company information listed in the Getting Started Checklist on the next page, you can set up your business using the QuickBooks EasyStep Interview. (Not all of the information in the checklist is required for the EasyStep interview; however, you will need this information as you use QuickBooks to run your business.) The EasyStep Interview walks you through the setup procedure and helps you tailor QuickBooks for your business.

Getting Started Checklist

Company name and address

Federal Tax ID

Number

You’ll need both the legal and casual name for your company. The legal company name is the name you use when filing taxes for your business. The casual company name is the name that you want to appear on invoices, statements, reports, etc. (This is your “Doing Business As” name.)

The nine-digit number issued to you by the IRS. The Federal Tax ID number is also called a EIN (Employer Identification Number). If you don’t have a

Federal Tax ID number, you can either obtain one by submitting Form SS-4 (call

1-800-TAX-FORM to get this form), or you can use your Social Security number

(if you are a sole proprietorship and you do not pay wages to employees or file pension and excise tax returns).

Sales tax information

If you charge sales tax, you will eventually need to know the sales tax rate you charge, how much sales tax you owe as of your start date, and the name and address of the agency (for example, California Franchise Tax Board) to which you pay your sales tax.

Getting Started Checklist, continued

Start date

Bank statements, credit card accounts, and outstanding checks

Optional information

Payroll

QuickBooks uses a start date as the point at which you begin entering your business transactions. You must enter all historical transactions between your start date and today to ensure complete accounting records for your business.

Many business owners base their accounting records on their fiscal year, so that they can see transactions for the entire year. If this is not important to you, you can choose a different starting point, such as today or the first of the month, quarter, or year.

You’ll need the bank statement for each of your bank accounts with a closing date that’s before your start date. The closing balance on this statement will be your opening balance for the bank account you create in QuickBooks, and then you’ll enter all the open transactions, and all the new transactions from the start date forward.

Eventually, you will need to have your latest bank statement balances and any outstanding checks, deposits, withdrawals, or charges for all of the accounts you want to set up and manage in QuickBooks, including credit cards, bank accounts, lines of credit, and loans.

Eventually, you will need to enter detailed information about your customers, vendors, and employees, as well as the products and services you sell, the products that you hold in inventory, and any additional

assets

If you are using Payroll, you should gather the following information about your employees: company information; rate of pay, benefits, and miscellaneous additions and deductions; withholdings; tax information; employee information; year-to-date history; liability payment information; and direct deposit information.

Installing QuickBooks

Key Terms

Assets

Company assets are the things that your company owns. QuickBooks distinguishes between two types of assets:

Current assets: Assets that you are likely to convert to cash within one year

(such as the cash you have on hand, the money in your checking and savings accounts, and the money your customers owe you).

Fixed assets: Assets that you do not expect to convert to cash within one year. A fixed asset is usually something you use to run your business (such as a truck, cash register, or computer).

Did You Know?

Confirming your opening balance when transferring data to QuickBooks

If you used an accounting program before using

QuickBooks and you are now transferring data from that program to QuickBooks, make sure that the opening balance for your new bank account in QuickBooks is based on your bank statement and not the bank balance from your previous accounting software.

The balance of the bank account from your previous accounting software will include transactions that the bank has not cleared.

To create your company file:

➊

Start QuickBooks by double-clicking the QuickBooks icon on the desktop or clicking the

Windows Start button and then clicking QuickBooks from the Programs group.

➋

Click Create a new company file, or go to the File menu and click New Company.

➌

The Welcome screen for the EasyStep Interview opens. Click Start Interview.

Note:

We recommend that you do not skip the interview process. The more information you enter with the EasyStep Interview, the more accurate your company file will be when you begin to use QuickBooks for your business.

However, if you are an experienced QuickBooks user and prefer to create your company file manually, you can skip the EasyStep Interview by clicking

Skip Interview on the EasyStep Interview Welcome screen.

You will be prompted to enter some basic company information and to save the company file.

➍

Follow the onscreen instructions and complete the interview.

Completing your company setup

After you’ve created your company file, you can begin using QuickBooks to run your business.

But before you do, we recommend that you review the information in this section to make sure your company file is properly set up and that your data is complete.

This section describes some additional tasks you

might need to do as you begin using

QuickBooks. Depending on how much information you entered during the EasyStep Interview, some of these tasks might not apply to you.

Enter your company information

Do this task if you did not enter this information in the EasyStep Interview.

To enter the contact and legal information for your company, go to the Company menu and click Company Information. To learn more about each of the fields and where the information you enter will be used in QuickBooks, click the Help button.

Review your Chart of Accounts

If you used the EasyStep Interview, a chart of accounts based on your type of business was set up for you. Review the chart of accounts to be sure it accurately reflects the accounts you need to run your business. You can change account names and edit, delete, or add accounts as necessary. For example, you will need to add any business-related bank, credit card, or loan accounts. To view your Chart of Accounts, go to the Lists menu and click Chart of Accounts.

Numbering your accounts

Some businesses prefer to organize their accounts by number. Adding numbers can help you identify the type of accounts, thereby speeding up your account selection on various forms. You might want to develop and follow a consistent account naming and numbering convention. For example:

10000-19999 - Assets

20000-29999 - Liabilities

Installing QuickBooks

30000-39999 - Equity

40000-49999 - Income

50000-59999 - Cost of Goods Sold

60000-69999 - Expenses (or Operating Expenses)

70000-79999 - Other Income (not related to daily activity)

80000-89999 - Other Expenses (not related to daily activity)

If you want to use numbers to identify your accounts, you need to turn on this preference in

QuickBooks, as follows.

➊

Go to the Edit menu and click Preferences.

➋

In the Preferences window, click Accounting in the list on the left.

➌

Click Company Preferences.

➍

Select the Use account numbers checkbox.

➎

Click OK.

Create your customer, vendor, and items lists

To bill customers and pay your bills with QuickBooks, you must update your customer, vendor, and item lists so that they accurately reflect your business. Instructions for setting up these lists are provided in the in-product Help.

Enter historical transactions

If your start date is before today’s date, you’ll need to enter past transactions from the start date to today. This ensures that your QuickBooks records are completely up-to-date and your reports will be accurate.

Enter historical transactions in chronological order. For example, QuickBooks won’t know how to credit a customer payment unless you’ve previously recorded the invoice to that customer. The most efficient way to enter historical transactions is in the account register.

Note:

Entering historical transactions is especially important if customers don’t pay you at the time they receive goods or services. If you don’t enter historical transactions early on, it’s hard to track and collect late customer payments.

Intuit recommends that you enter your transactions in this order (verify with accountant):

•

Invoices you’ve sent out since your start date

•

Purchase orders you’ve issued since your start date that you haven’t received in full

•

Cash or checks you’ve received since your start date

•

Bills you’ve received since your start date

•

Bills you’ve paid since your start date

•

Deposits you’ve made to any of your accounts since your start date

•

Any other checks you’ve written (for things other than bills) since your start date

•

Employee year-to-date information paid from January 1 through your start date

•

Payroll liabilities owed at the time of your start date (for manual payroll and tracking payroll transactions only)

Note:

If you don’t have time to enter all your historical transactions right away, don’t worry. You don’t need to enter all your past transactions before you start using QuickBooks for new transactions. Enter new transactions as they occur. Then catch up with historical transactions when you can. Remember, though, that your account balances will be incorrect (and your reports may be wrong) until you enter all the past transactions.

Note:

If you subscribe to a QuickBooks payroll service, you will be asked to add year‑to‑date payroll information during payroll setup. If you do not provide this information, your payroll tax information may not be accurate.

Complete your bank account information

After you’ve entered your historical transactions, your account registers will contain entries reflecting bills you’ve paid, checks and paychecks you’ve written, and deposits you’ve received.

To make your account registers complete, you must also enter these transactions:

•

Checks or other charges that happened before your start date but didn’t appear on statements before your start date (i.e., didn’t clear)

•

Other checks you wrote after your start date that were not for bills or accounts payable (for example, credit card payments)

•

Deposits you made after your start date that were not customer deposits

•

Deposits you made before your start date but that didn’t appear on statements before your start date

•

Bank charges and fees

•

Interest paid on your account

Refer to the in-product Help for step-by-step instructions on how to enter these transactions to make your account registers accurate.

Synchronizing with Microsoft Outlook

If you use Microsoft Outlook 2002, 2003, or 2007, you can synchronize your contact manager with QuickBooks and transfer all your customer and vendor information (including address and phone) to QuickBooks. Contact synchronization with Outlook requires QuickBooks Contact Sync for Outlook (downloadable for free from www.quickbooks.com/contact_sync).

Note:

Intuit recommends synchronizing your customer and vendor information before you enter any customers or vendors manually.

To synchronize your customer and/or vendor information:

➊

Go to the File menu, click Utilities, and then click Synchronize Contacts.

Note:

If you are synchronizing for the first time, we recommend that you back up both the data in your contact manager and your QuickBooks company file before you synchronize.

Note:

If you do not already have the QuickBooks Contact Synchronization tool installed on your computer, you will be prompted to download and install it.

Installing QuickBooks

➋

Follow the onscreen instructions. You might be asked to resolve conflicts between your

QuickBooks and contact manager data, assign uncategorized names to QuickBooks lists, or create alternative entries for duplicate names. If you need assistance with any of these tasks, click Help.

➌

When the Confirm Changes screen appears, review the list of changes and click Accept to apply the changes.

Enter any optional adjustments

After you’ve created your company file, you might need to make a few adjustments as of your start date. Depending on your company, you might need to:

•

Enter any sales tax liabilities

•

Adjust the Uncategorized Income and Uncategorized Expense accounts (accrual basis only)

•

Adjust for current income and expenses if your start date is not at the beginning of the fiscal year

Refer to the in-product Help for step-by-step instructions on how to enter these optional adjustments. If you are unsure whether you need to enter these optional adjustments, check with your accountant.

Backing up your company file

The QuickBooks backup file is a compressed version of your QuickBooks company file that contains all transactions through the date the company backup was made. A backup file provides insurance against accidental data loss and can be used to restore your data.

QuickBooks backups have a .qbb extension and cannot be opened directly.

To use one of the backup options, go to the File menu and click Save Copy or Backup.

To restore your backup, go to the File menu and click Open or Restore Company.

To learn more about backing up your company file, refer to the in-product Help.

What do I do if I have questions?

As you dive in and begin using QuickBooks, you might have questions about how to do a specific task or need advice on a specific aspect of running your business. We’ve provided a number of self-help resources for you to use to get your answers fast.

•

QuickBooks Learning Center: The QuickBooks Learning Center

provides a set of interactive tutorials you can use to learn about basic QuickBooks concepts and common tasks. Go to the

Help menu and click Learning Center Tutorials.

•

QuickBooks Basics Guide: This downloadable PDF manual provides an overview of essential

QuickBooks concepts and includes illustrated instructions for key QuickBooks tasks. You can access the QuickBooks Basics guide from the “What’s New” page in the QuickBooks Learning

Center.

1. Internet access required for online services.

•

In-product Help: QuickBooks in-product Help provides context-sensitive Help as you are using the product. Keep the Help window open. As you use QuickBooks, the Relevant Topics section will automatically update to provide you with one-click access to Help on the most common questions for the QuickBooks window you are using. Go to the Help menu and click

QuickBooks Help, or just click F1.

•

QuickBooks Live Community: We know that you have needs and questions that are specific to your business. Now you can ask other QuickBooks users and experts for help and get answers fast, right inside QuickBooks. With Live Community, you can ask your questions without stopping the work you’re doing.

Not sure how to do something in QuickBooks? Need advice on how to set up a webstore?

Need a tax question answered? Ask the Community. QuickBooks will even let you know when someone has answered your question so you don’t have to keep remembering to check back.

Go to the Help menu and click Live Community.

Frequently Asked Questions

Installation Questions

What should I do if I have trouble installing QuickBooks?

➊

Verify that your system meets the minimum system requirements, listed on page 2.

➋

Restart your computer.

➌

Close all open programs, including antivirus programs.

Go to the Windows Task Manager (Task List), click the

Applications tab, and close all open programs.

➍

Try installing QuickBooks again.

If you need further installation assistance, visit

www.quickbooks.com/installation.

What should I do if I can’t find my Registration Number?

QuickBooks no longer uses registration numbers. The only numbers you’ll need are your Product and License numbers found on a sticker with your QuickBooks CD or by clicking

“About QuickBooks” from the Help menu.

What should I do if I can’t find my License Number or

Product Number?

Look for the sticker on your QuickBooks CD folder. If you cannot find the QuickBooks CD folder but have QuickBooks installed on another computer, you can find your License

Number and Product Number as follows:

➊

Start QuickBooks on the other computer and open a company file.

➋

Go to the

Help menu and click About QuickBooks. Write down the numbers that appear on this screen. Use these numbers for the new installation.

If you are still unable to obtain your License Number and

Product Number, you can request new numbers online:

➊

In your Internet browser window, enter the URL:

http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/

LicenseNumber/.

Installing QuickBooks

Did You Know?

Product Information window

The Product Information window lists information about your software, including the number of entries you have in your lists, the size of your company file, which version of QuickBooks you are running, and the location of your company file. To open the Product Information window, press F2 on your keyboard.

Can I install different versions of QuickBooks on the same computer?

Yes. You can install multiple versions of QuickBooks (for example QuickBooks 2010 and

QuickBooks 2009) on the same computer. However, you cannot run two instances of

QuickBooks on the same computer at the same time.

Can I revert to an earlier version of QuickBooks?

Yes. If you plan to use an earlier version of QuickBooks, do not uninstall QuickBooks 2010 until you restore the backup company file that was created when you updated your company file to

QuickBooks 2010.

To restore your backup company file, follow steps 1-8 described in “If an update problem occurs” on pages 8-9. If you uninstalled your previous version of QuickBooks, you’ll need to reinstall it to complete the steps.

Can I install QuickBooks on more than one computer?

You can install QuickBooks on a main computer and one additional computer as long as you are the only person using QuickBooks on both computers. For example, if you bought one copy of QuickBooks for your office, you can install it on your home PC or laptop as well. This does not violate the software license agreement as long as you are the only person using QuickBooks on both computers. However, if multiple users will be accessing QuickBooks on multiple computers, then you must purchase an additional licensed copy for each user.

What if I do not have Internet Explorer on my computer?

To use QuickBooks, you must have Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later installed. If you do not have any version of Microsoft Internet Explorer on your system, you can download the latest version (Internet Explorer 8) from www.microsoft.com/ie8.

Note:

Installing Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 will not affect the settings or preferences of other browsers on your system.

What should I do if I get an error message during installation?

If you receive an error message during installation and restarting your system does not resolve the problem, go to the QuickBooks Support Web site ( www.quickbooks.com/installation) to find solutions for common errors.

What should I do if I get an error message when updating my company file?

If you receive an error message when updating your company file from a earlier version of

QuickBooks, refer to the information in “If an update problem occurs” on page 8. You can also go to www.quickbooks.com/installation for more assistance.

Installing QuickBooks