Question: What is the “right” way to have my
preferences set up in QuickBooks?
Answer:
Whatever settings make your work most efficient!
There
are many options in the user preferences of your
QuickBooks file. Unfortunately, most users set their
preferences before they begin using QuickBooks, before
they even realize how they will be using the software!
It is a good idea to go through your preferences
periodically to be sure that they are set according to
your unique needs.
QuickBooks has several categories of preferences,
including accounting, checking, general, payroll,
reports & graphs, sales tax, etc. Each category has two
different types of preferences. The “My Preference” tab
will only affect the settings for the user that is
logged in. It will not affect the way other users work
in your company file. The “Company Preferences” tab
will affect all users that work in the company file.
These preferences can only be changed by an
administrator.
Here are
some examples of settings that you can adjust to improve
the usability of your file:
-
Do
you always have to change the bank account when
writing a check? In the checking preferences,
you can choose from which bank account the write
checks application defaults.
-
General Preferences
-
You can choose whether the enter key should be
used to move between fields. If you do not
choose the enter key, the tab key will be used
to move between fields.
-
Are you annoyed at that beeping noise that
happens every time you enter a check, bill,
invoice, or other transaction? You can turn
that off in the general preferences!
-
Would you like the system to automatically fill
in a check with the account number and amount
when you type in a vendor? You can turn on this
feature in the general preferences.
-
Do
your reports update automatically every time you
enter or change a transaction? You can choose this
option in the Reports and Graphs preferences.
Alternately, if your company file is on the slow
side, you can turn this feature off in order to
prevent reports from refreshing constantly while you
are working in the file.
-
You
can specify which words are spell checked in the
spelling preferences.
-
Would you like to automatically calculate finance
charges on past due invoices? You may choose to do
so in the finance charge preferences.
-
Would you like to use estimates for your customers?
You may choose to do this in the Jobs and
Estimates preferences.
-
Do
you have a tendency to forget to do things? Turn on
your reminders in the Reminders preferences!
-
Do
all of those pesky reminders annoy you? Turn them
off in the Reminders preference!
