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26 Aug

Posted at 13:39h in Clients In the News, Integrated Applications

Overview With 14 locations in California, Nevada, Virginia, and Australia, our client BEAR Data Solutions (http://www.beardatasolutions.com/) is a global provider of technology products and solutions committed to providing their customer base with a competitive advantage with innovative, secure, and efficient solutions. We have been working with Bear Data for more than 4 years and have been privy to watching some phenomenal growth. According to an interview in the San Francisco Business Times (http://www.beardatasolutions.com/company/news/media-coverage/media-coverage-3/), “BEAR Data Solutions has built a business catering its IT solutions to all types, sizes and manner of businesses, and the result has been at least 38 percent revenue growth year-over-year since it opened its doors in 2004.” This is impressive growth, but even more so when you consider the challenges many other businesses have experienced during that time. More About the Company BEAR Data Solutions, Inc., a San Francisco-based global IT service provider, helps clients design, optimize, and support mission-critical IT infrastructures. By combining expert engineering resources, best-of-breed technologies, and superior customer service, BEAR Data delivers high-performance IT solutions and services including virtualization, unified communications, networking, storage, database, security, managed services, wireless, staffing, and support contract management. During a time when so many businesses are struggling, BEAR Data’s recipe for success is due to our focus on customer service and our high level of expertise for the technology solutions and services we provide.  Let’s face it -- all VARs, including BEAR Data, pretty much offer the same products, services and prices.  That’s not why organizations hire a VAR.  BEAR Data understands the Value Add in Value Added Reseller like our customers do.  BEAR Data takes the initiative to learn about the clients’ business and to listen to their needs and challenges.  We respond to inquiries in minutes, not hours and ensure orders are accurate the first time.  We can look people straight in the eye and give pragmatic advice that makes the project better, not our wallets bigger. We are flexible when it...

06 Aug

Posted at 18:05h in QuickBooks Tips and Tricks

The time of the year is going to be quickly upon us when Intuit traditionally releases a new version of the software, and clients begin asking questions not only about upgrading but also about new files. While we take the approach that each situation is unique and there is not one size that fits all situations, there are a few data health issues we have been seeing more frequently that bear mention. Assess the Health of the File In my opinion, the first step is to take a step back and really look at the health of the file. Some people take a Balance Sheet approach as the first step: Go through each account and make sure that it looks accurate, proper procedures are being used, detail reports look reasonable, etc. Others have a checklist that they use in Excel or Word as part of their procedures. Others use our Small Business Diagnostic Tool: QuickBooks Edition (http://www.accountingsoftwaresecrets.com/eliminate-one-your-biggest-quickbooks-headaches) to provide a consistent approach. No matter what works the best for you, regular analysis is important to discover issues, hopefully before they become so prevalent that you have a big clean up job on your hands. One issue that is important to note is that QuickBooks has been the small business accounting software of choice for many years, and because of this, clients have often been using the same data file for that entire time. All of the version upgrades (through feature enhancements and data base changes) can take their toll on the file. We have seen instances where a single file has been upgraded from version to version and release to release in excess of 35 times. That is a lot of data base manipulation in addition to the strain of all the transactional data entry. I cannot say that this is why we are seeing more data integrity issues, but it seems like a logical contributing factor. To determine the file and size, number of data...

05 Aug

Posted at 14:12h in Integrated Applications, Working Remotely

Last week we highlighted how we have been using Legrand CRM as an important aspect of how we work remotely for years. This week we are going to look at SmartVault and how this is also a critical component of how we work effectively and efficiently both internally as well as with clients.  We are happy to share what we were doing from a document management perspective prior to last September, and what we are doing now. Why we needed a change How information flows through an organization is one of the ways that significant improvements in productivity can be achieved. We thought we were doing a pretty good job with our internal server that was accessed by everyone via terminal services, SourceLink from Personable to attach the electronic documents to the specific transactions in QuickBooks, and using Legrand for attachments to activity notes for the complete history of activity with various companies and contacts. When we had our server crash while I was traveling last year, the research I was doing on how we could improve our systems was forced into high gear. The first step was changing how everyone had access to the data, but more about that next week. The next step was figuring out what our new work flow would be: and SmartVault came to the rescue. First step: How do we deal with all this data? We had been watching the QuickBooks integration for document management for years, but we did not really understand the full impact of what SmartVault had to offer. The first issue we had with moving to a remote hosted environment was how we were going to deal with all the historical documents. Moving that much data to RightNetworks, our new host, was not practical for several reasons including the logistics of uploading that much data and the amount of storage they typically provide for the documents. We had been using Legrand CRM for years and had...

15 Jul

Posted at 20:48h in Integrated Applications, Working Remotely

Over the past 9 months we have changed how we do everything from a technology perspective. The only two exceptions are Legrand CRM (http://legrandcrm.com/) and QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions, which have remained constant. However, we did upgrade to Legrand CRM 6.0, primarily for the Constant Contact integration. In this posting we will share all the details. Brief History In the beginning we used ACT! then we switched to Salesforce to eliminate some of the sync issues we were experiencing. Finally, in 2005, we discovered Legrand CRM. The switch was painless (less than 1 day to get the data converted and operational) and the learning curve was very low. We have been loving it ever since. How We Use Legrand CRM Legrand CRM is the software that everyone uses for the complete view of what they need to do, and with whom they need to do it. Company and Contact Information:  This includes everyone we have interaction with on a daily basis. The QuickBooks integration is at the Company level, so we make sure that every contact has a company (even if the name is the same) in the event that we do need to link that person with the QuickBooks customer or vendor. From the contact (or company) we can easily see all the related information, described below. The search box of “starts with” makes finding a contact quick and easy. We have also customized the field names for our business. Some examples include time zone, which QuickBooks product and version they use, the date and size last time we checked their file, a link to their tax accountant’s record, and many other tidbits of information that make working with them more efficient. Tasks: The task tracking is critical to our operations. In addition to entering a task for ourselves, it is also possible to enter a task for someone else in the organization. As the task is saved, an email window appears automatically so they receive notification, along...

15 Jul

Posted at 20:24h in QuickBooks Tips and Tricks

Question - I receive down payments from my customers based on invoices. I am looking for an easy way to see which customers still have a down payment in the liability account. Do you have any suggestions? Answer – It depends on how you are recording the money when it is received. Receive Payment Option without an Invoice: The most efficient way to record a customer deposit or pre-payment is: Receive Payment as usual (Customers > Receive Payments). Because the invoice has not yet been created, the prepayment amount will remain unapplied. This will then show as a credit in Accounts Receivable for the customer. With this method, it is not following Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). However, it is used by many QuickBooks users when the down payment is only outstanding for a short period of time. Then a year end adjustment to reclassify the amount that has been received will address the issue from a tax reporting perspective. The next step is to create the invoice for the entire amount of the job or project. You can customize the template to show the total A/R balance for the customer at the bottom so they can see any remaining credit and/or link the credit and show that on the invoice if it is more appropriate. And then finally, the invoice and the prepayment can be "linked" together by choosing Customers > Receive Payments > Click on the box that says "Apply Existing Credits." The software will then apply the previous payment (i.e. credit) to the outstanding invoice. This process can be done immediately with a zero in the amount column, or when the remaining balance is paid. The advantage to using this approach is three fold: Because the procedures follow the same steps as normal invoices and receive payments, it is easy; The amount continues to appear on any Accounts Receivable reports, which makes it much easier for the small business owner to track; and A statement generated...

15 Jul

Posted at 16:19h in Clients In the News

After getting started with QuickBooks courses traveling with Doug Sleeter and Jim McCraigh and teaching at Diablo Valley College in the mid-1990s, I was given the opportunity to create and present the QuickBooks courses for the California CPA Education Foundation (CCEF) in 1997. Now, more than a decade later, I still love working with that organization and enjoy their audiences. CCEF has been expanding their offerings from just full day events, conferences, and CPE weeks, to include more webcasts. In addition they have a very impressive list of instructors including Jeff Lenning, the best Excel guy I know, and Adrian Stern, a CPA from southern CA who speaks on a variety of fraud topics. I personally could not be happier that CCEF is expanding their webcast offerings. It provides a great way for providing specific QuickBooks related topics in the length of time that makes sense. There are two hour internal control and fraud offerings as well as full day accounting and auditing courses. Many of the courses are available for self-study. Plus, since our client base and newsletter subscribers are from all over the United States and beyond, this provides a great way for everyone to be able to take advantage of these learning opportunities. To see my upcoming events in August and beyond, visit http://www.accountingsoftwaresecrets.com/training-calendar. The following is some additional information about CCEF from their web page http://www.calcpa.org/Content/educationfoundation/facts.aspx: The California Certified Public Accountants Education Foundation (founded in 1966) is a 501(c)(3) organization. Vision: The California CPA Education Foundation is the leading provider of continuing professional education for CPAs and financial professionals. Mission: Through innovation and in partnership with the CPA profession, we deliver quality education and build knowledge to foster excellence and advance individuals and the profession. What We Offer: Courses and conferences developed to comply with the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs jointly issued by NASBA and the AICPA CPE credit in required categories: Accounting & Auditing, Ethics, Fraud and Government/Yellow Book Courses approved for...

27 Jun

Posted at 19:13h in Advanced Inventory, Clients In the News, Integrated Applications, Intuit Payment Solutions, Intuit Payroll Processing, Inventory

Overview We are thrilled that one of our clients, Prather Ranch Meat Company (PRMC) http://prmeatco.com/ was been showcased in many different places lately. We have been working with them on expanding the integration and automation of their varied lines of business with QuickBooks as the hub and third party integrated applications to support operational needs and build out their work flow. We are thrilled they have been getting some well-deserved exposure. More About the Company Most recently, as a "portfolio company," PRMC was showcased at the Inner City Advisor's (ICA) gala fundraiser last week at the Fox Theatre in Oakland.  Here is the link to a video that tells more about their story: http://vimeo.com/42715840. ICA (http://innercityadvisors.org/) is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization leading the charge to create good jobs for Bay Area inner city residents by providing high-impact entrepreneurs and small business owners with expert advice, knowledge & investment to grow their business. For those of you in the San Francisco Bay Area, you may be interested in this television spot that highlights their newest venture, the American Eatery in the Ferry Building. Watch the video: http://www.kron.com/Reporters/pratherranch.aspx This business is a pretty interesting success story: It starting out as guys selling meat out the back of a trailer at farmers markets and a small shop in Ferry Building. This expanded to include wholesale operations before they opened the American Eatery food service counter last year. And now they have added website sales as another line of business (and yet another point of integration that we have been able to assist in bringing into QuickBooks) just last month when they launched their web store with their line of "Praise the Lard" apparel. Not bad for a bunch of meat guys! PS Interested in learning more about the meat you eat, you might want to check out this about “meat glue” from a local news station: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8671533 QuickBooks and Integrated Applications We love building out the systems to streamline the processes while providing the data that is...

10 Jun

Posted at 17:31h in QuickBooks Tips and Tricks

Did you ever think, if I was in charge of QuickBooks, this is the first thing I would change? While we don't have that power, this is a forum for you to share what your most important (or maybe your top 10 list?) feature enhancement or bug fix. We have a long list of our own. Below are a few, in no particular order. Feel the same? Leave a comment, you never know who may read it and actually have the power to make the change. The ability to link a credit from one job to a different job for the same customer. The ability to link a Sales Order or Estimate to an Invoice like you can with a Check or Bill and Purchase Order. This system has been successfully implemented by a team from New Real Review. This helps them get high-quality reviews on car navigation, phones, tablets, etc. This is a real trend of the 21st century. The ability to automatically allocate freight costs for an inventory purchase based on a preference such as a weighted average based on cost, or based on quantity, etc. Updated September 22, 2012: As an added incentive for you to share your favorite QuickBooks wish list items, we are going to give away a license of QuickBooks software. Of the postings here, we randomly will choose one lucky winner on November 15, 2012....