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What Is the QuickBooks Migration Policy?

Chief Mechanic · September 11, 2012 ·

The QuickBooks migration policy is Intuit’s policy to provide a free upgrade to a soon-to-be-released version of QuickBooks to those customers who purchased the currently shipping version very close to the new version’s introduction.  The free migration period is about 60 days.

Typically, Intuit releases a new version of QuickBooks in the last week of September.  Without a policy to provide a free upgrade to the new version, prospective QuickBooks customers might otherwise suspend purchases until after the official release of a new version. That wouldn’t be good for sales.

The migration policy discourages potential customers from deferring purchases.  It also allows customers to buy and use the time-tested, currently-shipping version that has been on the market for 10 months or more while gaining access to the latest software.  That new software can be put to use once its stability has been affirmed in the market.  For those who are reluctant to install the first release of a new program but want the features of a new QuickBooks version, the migration policy offers solid benefits.  For those years when there’s an expected price jump on QuickBooks, the migration policy offers built-in savings, since you’ll receive the higher-priced new version by paying the lower, current price.

For QuickBooks 2013, the expected release date is 9/24/12, and the migration policy started on 7/25/12.  That means any purchaser of QuickBooks 2012 from 7/25/12 through the release of QuickBooks 2013 is eligible to receive a free upgrade to that new version.

Let’s clarify a few details on what constitutes a “free upgrade.”  If you received your QuickBooks software via download, you’ll be able to receive the newly released version for free.  However, if you opted to receive your QuickBooks software on physical media, such as as a DVD, then shipping charges and taxes will apply to your upgrade order.  Moreover, free migration policy upgrades are not available to those who purchased QuickBooks software through a mass merchant.

Unfortunately, there are no links on Intuit sites documenting the migration policy, so the details are subject to change.  And you’ll need to contact Intuit to claim your free upgrade promptly.  All in all, the migration policy removes all the reasons to defer buying QuickBooks for new installations and upgrades.

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QuickBooks Keyboard Shortcuts

Chief Mechanic · March 13, 2011 ·

QuickBooks includes a variety of keyboard shortcuts to make your use of the program easier and faster. We’ve compiled them into a single sortable and searchable list, shown below. All of these shortcuts are based on QuickBooks for Windows.

Here are a few pointers on making the best use of keyboard shortcuts:

  • Our list is sortable and organized by function; find a small number of shortcuts that are most relevant to your use of QuickBooks and use them over and over, because productivity gains only come with repeated use
  • Special keys, such as Alt or Ctrl, are shown in italics, and are often combined with another key that is listed in uppercase for consistency only; you don’t need to enter this key in uppercase
  • For some shortcuts, such as those used when starting the program, timing is everything; the shortcut must be invoked when QuickBooks is ready to process it, and if you’re too early or too late, the shortcut will not work

There’s an extensive group of shortcuts that relate to the use of the Alt key. We’ve included this group as a single shortcut at the end of the list. When you press the Alt key, a character in most menus is underlined, and that character is a shortcut to that menu function. For example, pressing Alt + B + L invokes the reconcile function because L is underlined in Banking menu.

QuickBooks Keyboard Shortcuts Using the Alt Key

Continue on to our list of QuickBooks keyboard shortcuts. This is one example where a shortcut in accounting can be a good thing.

CategoryShortcutFunction & Purpose
GeneralCtrl + double click on program iconStarts QB without a company file; if this shortcut isn't working for you, you're probably releasing the Ctrl key too soon; useful if you didn't close the last company file you worked on and now want to use a different file
GeneralAlt while login or Open Company window is displayedStarts QB with a clean desktop; if this shortcut isn't working for you, you are probably pressing the Alt key too early or releasing it too soon; useful if your last saved desktop had a lot of open windows unrelated to the current task at hand
GeneralCtrl + EnterRecord current transaction; can be faster than positioning your mouse on a button and clicking
Calculator+ or - or * or / in an amount field of a transaction windowPressing any of the 4 arithmetic operators in an amount field invokes QB's integrated calculator
Dates+Advances to next day based on current calendar selection
Dates-Goes back 1 day based on current calendar selection
DatesTSets date to today's date
DatesWSets date to first day of week based on current calendar selection
DatesKSets date to last day of week based on current calendar selection
DatesMSets date to first day of month based on current calendar selection
DatesHSets date to last day of month based on current calendar selection
DatesYSets date to first day of year based on current calendar selection
DatesRSets date to last day of year based on current calendar selection
DatesAlt + Down ArrowOpens calendar; since the Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys can scroll through the calendar and Tab selects the date and advances to the next field, this can be a fast date selection method
EditingCtrl + EEdit selected transaction in register
EditingCtrl + DelDelete current line in detail area
EditingCtrl + InsInsert a line after the current line in detail area
EditingCtrl + CCopy selected characters
EditingCtrl + VPaste selected characters
EditingCtrl + XCopy and cut selected characters
EditingCtrl + ZUndo changes made to field
Editing+Increase form number, such a check number, by 1
Editing-Decrease form number, such a check number, by 1
ActivitiesCtrl + AOpens Account List
ActivitiesCtrl + DDelete transaction, such as a check or bill, or delete a list item
ActivitiesCtrl + EEdit transaction, such as a check or bill, or edit a list item
ActivitiesCtrl + FFind transaction
ActivitiesCtrl + GGo to register of transfer account
ActivitiesCtrl + HOpen history of A/P or A/R transaction
ActivitiesCtrl + JOpen Customer Center
ActivitiesCtrl + IOpen Create Invoice window
ActivitiesCtrl + LOpen list for current field
ActivitiesCtrl + MMemorize transaction or report
ActivitiesCtrl + NOpens window to add a new list item of currently selected list item window; if a list item is not the current window, the shortcut has no effect
ActivitiesCtrl + OCopy current transaction in register
ActivitiesCtrl + PPrint
ActivitiesCtrl + QQuickReport on current transaction or list item
ActivitiesCtrl + RDisplay register
ActivitiesCtrl + SShow list; this is a shortcut that is commonly included on lists of shortcuts but does not appear to function in current QB versions
ActivitiesCtrl + UUse list item; this is a shortcut that is commonly included on lists of shortcuts but does not appear to function in current QB versions
ActivitiesCtrl + VPaste transaction copied from register
ActivitiesCtrl + WWrite check
ActivitiesCtrl + YOpen transaction journal
Function KeysF1Context sensitive help
Function KeysF2 or Ctrl + 1Opens Product Information window
Function KeysF3With the Product Information window open, opens the Tech Help window
Function KeysCtrl + F4 or ESC (by itself)Closes the current window
Function KeysAlt + F4Exit QB
Moving AroundAlt + underlined letter in menuExecutes task assigned to that menu item; the underline only appears on menu items after the Alt key is pressed; the list of shortcuts possible with this technique is extensive
Moving AroundEndMove to last character of current field
Moving AroundHomeMove to first character of current field
Moving AroundTabAdvance to next field
Moving AroundShift + TabGo back to previous field
Moving AroundUp ArrowMove to previous line in form detail area or report
Moving AroundDown ArrowMove to next line in form detail area or report
Moving AroundPage UpMove to previous page in form detail area or report
Moving AroundPage DownMove to next page in form detail area or report
Moving AroundCtrl + Right ArrowMove to next word in current text field
Moving AroundCtrl + Left ArrowMove to previous word in current text field
Moving AroundCtrl + Page UpMove to first item in list or register
Moving AroundCtrl + Page DownMove to last item in list or register
Moving AroundCtrl + F6Moves to next open window and makes it the active window
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Did the Multi-User Capability of QuickBooks Pro Change For 2011?

Chief Mechanic · September 19, 2010 ·

Yes, it did. For QuickBooks Pro versions prior to QuickBooks Pro 2011, a multi-user configuration could consist of up to 5 users.

For QuickBooks 2011, that has been reduced from 5 users to 3. The maximum number of users allowed under QuickBooks Premier 2011 remains unchanged at 5.

However, because QuickBooks Pro and Premier share the same file format, it might be possible to create a configuration of 3 users running QuickBooks Pro and 2 users running Premier. That would spare a firm from upgrading all 5 licenses from Pro to Premier.

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What Does the New Collections Center In QuickBooks 2011 Do?

Chief Mechanic · September 18, 2010 ·

QuickBooks 2011 and Enterprise Solutions 11.0 include a new Collections Center that enables you to quickly and selectively send bulk emails to customers with overdue or almost due invoices.

To access the Collections Center, start by opening the Customer Center, then click on the Collections Center link at the top of the window.

QuickBooks 2011 Collections Center

The Collections Center has 2 tabs: one showing Overdue invoices, and the other showing Almost Due invoices. You can selectively send emails to customers with invoices appearing on either list, and the techniques for doing so are the same. We’ll focus on sending emails to customers with overdue invoices.

Invoices are grouped by Customer Name, and you can sort the list by either Customer Name, the total customer Balance, or the Days Overdue. To sort by a particular column, simply click on the column header.

The Contact column contains the customer’s phone number, so the Collections Center could serve as a great tool for a call list. You can document a phone conversation with the customer or any other internal information (such as the reasoning for a decision not to call or send an email) by clicking on the icon in the Notes/Warnings column. This will bring up an editor that is positioned at the top of the note and has already added a date/time stamp. Previously recorded notes are saved and appear below.

QuickBooks 2011 Collections Center Notes

When you’re ready to select which customers (and for which invoices) should be sent emails, click the Select and Send Email link at the top of the Collections Center. If you want to return to reviewing the list, click the Back button.

QuickBooks 2011 Collections Center Send Mass Email

You can select which customers will receive emails by clicking the checkbox to the left of the invoice number. By default, all overdue invoices for all customers on the Overdue tab are selected, but you can easily deselect one or more invoices from any customer. If you remove the checkbox on all invoices for a given customer, that customer won’t receive an email. Selected invoices are attached as PDF files to your email and are sent using your selection of email client. To make sending forms easier, QuickBooks 2011 includes updated options for sending forms.

In the email form to the right of the list, you can change the default email message. Only 1 message will be sent to all customers currently selected, so be sure to craft a generic message that applies to all of your selections. If you want to send different email messages to different customer groups, you’ll have to select each customer group and complete the sending process before selecting another customer group.

When you’re satisfied with both your selections and email message, click the Send button. QuickBooks will notify you that the process is complete, but you can choose to block this message after the first appearance.

QuickBooks 2011 Send Forms Complete

To manage the default messages for overdue and almost due invoices, QuickBooks 2011 has added 2 new message options. You can manage the default message for any form, including these 2 new options, by clicking on the Company Preferences tab of the Send Forms sub-menu on the Edit->Preferences menu selection.

QuickBooks 2011 Preferences Send Forms

The Collections Center is a valuable addition for businesses that want a unified tool to review customer invoices, document any discussions with customers or internal decisions, and easily send selected invoices to customers in bulk.

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Does QuickBooks 2011 Offer New Ways To Send Forms?

Chief Mechanic · September 17, 2010 ·

Yes. Starting with QuickBooks 2011 and Enterprise Solutions 11.0, in addition to Outlook and QuickBooks Email, QuickBooks users can choose to send forms, such as invoices or statements, via web-based email systems, including:

  • Gmail
  • Hotmail/Live
  • Yahoo
  • Other SMTP email

Here’s a screenshot of the Send Forms sub-menu of the Edit->Preferences menu selection:

QuickBooks 2011 Preferences Send Forms

Users of versions prior to QuickBooks 2011 have more limited methods to send forms.

With the addition of new web-based email options, Intuit removed QuickBooks Email as an option unless you’ve paid more to be an active subscriber to another Intuit supported service, including:

  • Intuit Payroll
  • QuickBooks Merchant Services
  • ProAdvisor Program
  • Accountant’s Copy File Transfer
  • QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Full Service Plan
  • QuickBooks Billing Solutions
  • Intuit Solution Provider Program
  • QuickBooks Pro/Premier Plus
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