QuickBooks 2012 Features

QuickBooks 2012 is now available as download. The in-store version is scheduled to be available from October 6, 2012. Some of the interesting improvements/features that are available in this version:

• Calendar based transaction view: Click through calendar to check the entries for a particular date
• Excel synchronization: If you export accounting data to Microsoft’s spreadsheet application, then fancy it up with fonts, colors, and other effects, QuickBooks updates the spreadsheet with current data while maintaining the formatting.
• Contributed reports: Any user can upload reports that they have created and share it with others (after verification by Intuit. Similar to app-store)
• CRM: Basic features of CRM that help small businesses manage customers and prospective customers
• Existing company file as template: Automatically imports non sensitive company information to create new files
• Period copy: Creates a copy of QuickBooks company file for a specific date range
• Reconcile widget: Provides a fresh look at account balances, reconciled balances and last reconciled date
• Multiple company file access: Feature that enables working with two company files simultaneously
• QuickBooks file manager: Standalone application included with QuickBooks Accountant 2012
• Client data review in multi-user mode: Write-off invoices and reclassify transactions in batch instead of individually, see changes in account balances in one screen, while multiple users access same file
• Review list changes tool: Easily identify added, changed, deleted or merged list items from previous review period

Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/quickbooks-2012-accounting/16683955-1.html, intuit.com

 

Import QuickBooks invoices to csv format

One common question that we get is ‘Is there a way to convert an existing invoice to CSV format with all the data fields?’ The system creates invoices only in PDF format. CI worked on a solution for converting QuickBooks invoices to csv format.

Solution

CI created Windows based application to export QuickBooks invoices to csv format. The main fields that were considered for the conversion were invoice number, line number, style, quantity, shipto address and notes. The exported csv was uploaded into FTP. User can export the invoices based on the specified date range. The application would then fetch the qualified invoices and check the style with the customer database. If the invoice style was not available in the database, application would ask for the substitute style from the database. User had the option to save the substitute style for next time use.

Are you looking to import/export QuickBooks invoices to csv/excel format? Contact us with your requirements at sales@ciindia.com

 

QuickBooks Report Customization

Are you exporting QuickBooks report data into excel and working around the data to create custom reports? Once in a while doing this is fine. But if you are repeating the ordeal every time you need the report then it is waste of time and lessening the productivity. Customize the standard reports to get exactly what you want. At CI, we get to work on number of report customization projects. One of the recent customizations that we worked on was customizing the ‘inventory stock status by item’ report. The requirement was to have the purchase order column not added together.

We developed the custom inventory item purchase order quantity sorted by purchase orders. An item grid was created to load the inventory part and inventory assembly items from QuickBooks. End user was given the option to select specific items or all items required for generating the report. Multiple purchase order details were provided row wise instead of columns to avoid the excessive scrolling.

Contact us with your customization requirements at sales@ciindia.com

 

QuickBooks and Invoicing Systems

One of the common request that we get from clients, is for integrating QuickBooks with invoicing systems. At CI, we have worked on several project involving integration of QuickBooks with invoicing systems. One such project was Billing Boss. Billing Boss is a free online invoicing tool that allows users to send, track and create invoices that can be paid online via credit card or echeque. CI was involved in integrating Billing Boss with Intuit QuickBooks.

The plug-in sends the QuickBooks invoice details to Billing Boss once the user installs and provides the credentials to these plug-in. Users sign up to Billing Boss via application installed locally with QuickBooks. Users can view their invoices entered in QuickBooks in Billing Boss online. Invoices can be created in PDF format. They can also be emailed from the local application.

Contact us with your requirements at sales@ciindia.com

 

QuickBooks Customization – Discount Calculation

Intuit offers different version of QuickBooks to suit different company needs. Irrespective of the size and industry, each company is different. Most of the companies choose to customize QuickBooks to suit their business needs. Grow your business and work more efficiently by using web tools and/or desktop applications that work with QuickBooks data.

CI provides business process customization within QuickBooks framework. This post focuses on one such customization done for a client at CI. A solution interfacing with QuickBooks was written to provide the users with custom options to suit the business need. The requirement was to apply discounts based on the order total. The user defines discount slabs for a range of order totals. Whenever the sales orders were entered into QuickBooks, the corresponding discount percentage was applied automatically. The process of defining discount slab percentage and calculation was automated. By providing this simple customization, it eliminated the end users the time involved in calculating the discount and corresponding order total. It also eliminated errors in calculation.

 

QuickBooks Add-on Development

QuickBooks as resourceful it is, cannot satisfy all business needs for all types of industries or customers. End users often keep certain information outside of QuickBooks and then later enter the details into QuickBooks for accounting purposes. Such information are entered in external programs. Many of these programs perform industry specific critical functions. Companies use both external programs and QuickBooks often pushing the need to implement industry specific accounting software and entering the same data twice. Add-ons are products that integrate with QuickBooks and address functionalities not available in QuickBooks. In addition to evaluating the features of add on, the following points need to be assessed:

• Accessibility
• Ease of use
• Integration mechanism
• Look and feel when comparing the same to QuickBooks
• Product stability
• Help / Technical support

There are many QuickBooks available in the market. But still not all industry / customer needs are addressed. Are you one of the users entering data twice? If yes, then do not waste more time. Invest in integrating your systems and improve your productivity. CI has been involved with QuickBooks add on product development, customization, integration projects. We can help address the gaps and provide a cost effective solution. Talk to us for a free quote!

 

Integrating QuickBooks with Invoicing System

There are many IT solutions that exist in the market. Companies tend to have different solutions addressing different needs. Chances are that companies use separate invoicing system and separate accounting system. Companies address this situation by either upgrading to a new system if they have the budget or integrate their existing systems when they have a smaller budget and would like to make better of use of their current investment.

At CI, we were involved in a project where the customer had separate online invoicing system and separate accounting system QuickBooks. The solution was to integrate the invoicing system with QuickBooks. When creating such a solution the following features need to be addressed:

• Automatically save invoices in QuickBooks
• Download payment details and post the same via receive payments in QuickBooks
• Import/Export invoices
• Option to email invoices to customers
• Work with QuickBooks to get invoice and payment details