Blog

5 cash flow issues your business might have or may be dealing with. Money $1 bills background unsplash

5 Cash Flow Issues Affecting Small Business

April 26, 2021

Are any of these 5 cash flow issues affecting your small business? Don’t let this ruin you. Cash flow is the money that flows in and out of your business. You typically calculate it and measure it over set periods for instance, monthly, annually, or quarterly. A large number of small businesses encounter cash flow issues at some point in their dealings. Fortunately, you can prevent most cash flow issues with some preparation and the appropriate strategy. Read on to check out our solutions. Without further ado, here are 5 Cash Flow Issues Affecting Small Business.

Continue reading

How to Setup User Access in QuickBooks

April 19, 2021

Free Resources, How-To's, QuickBooks, QuickBooks Desktop, Tips & Tricks

How to Setup User Access in QuickBooks

Will multiple employees be working with your QuickBooks company file? You’ll need to define their permission levels.

So, you want to know how to setup user access in QuickBooks? If your bookkeeping was ever done manually, then one thing is for sure… You probably did not allow every employee to see every sales form, account register, and payroll stub. Most likely, you have established a system that allowed staff to work only with information that related to their jobs. For instance, there may be times when someone pulls the wrong file folder and sends a report containing confidential information. So now that you understand why this is so important, let’s get on with how to setup user access in QuickBooks.

QuickBooks helps prevent this by setting virtual boundaries. You can specify which features of the software is accessible by employees who work with your accounting data. Each employee receives a unique user name and password that unlocks only the areas he or she should be visiting.

To help minimize errors, maintain data integrity, and preserve confidentiality, QuickBooks lets you restrict users to designated areas in the software.

Continue reading

Upgrade to QuickBooks 2021 Is It Worth the Cost? 2018 Sunset Discontinuation

Upgrade to QuickBooks 2021: Worth the Cost?

April 14, 2021

Business Software & Apps, Free Resources, News & Resources, QuickBooks, QuickBooks Add-Ons, QuickBooks Desktop, Recent News

Alas, the discontinuation of QuickBooks 2018 is upon us! There is only a little over one month left until Sunset, occurring on May 31st, 2021. As this date draws nearer, many see similar results returned from their QuickBooks searches. Tons of ads and links to pages stating, “Upgrade to QuickBooks 2021.” Then you wonder, “But is it worth the cost?” Most of them will not address this, but we will. They will relay that those who are on QuickBooks 2018 will lose the functionality of connected services and 3rd-party applications. And they are not lying – lot of these connections and features are quite important. Speaking of important features…

Upgrading to QuickBooks 2021 will add new and improved features to your QuickBooks software. You might be thinking, “Out with the old and in with the new!” Right? Well, no, probably not right off of the bat. You are more likely thinking, “But how important are these new features to my business?” And, “Is it worth the Cost to upgrade to QuickBooks 2021?”

We think, “Yes!” But, why? We think it’s a very fair response. There is not enough reasoning out there to address these questions of “why?” That is why this question and more will be answered for you momentarily. We, the experts at Out of the Box Technology, have gathered all of the necessary research you’ll need to make the best decision for your business. We have listed our favorite new and improved features of QuickBooks 21. Then we listed the benefit of each feature. Finally, we described how the feature can help your business and essentially pay for your upgrade.
Oh yeah, and after reading if you are still unsure about which product and version you need check out our QuickBooks Desktop Comparison blog.

So, without further ado, let’s get to brass tacks!

Continue reading

How to Add Documents in QuickBooks

April 12, 2021

Free Resources, How-To's, QuickBooks, QuickBooks Desktop, Tips & Tricks

How to Add Documents in QuickBooks

Accounting is about more than just numbers. QuickBooks lets you make documents available from within the program itself.

You could call QuickBooks a “green” computer program. It can conserve reams of paper by storing customer and vendor records, for example, emailing transaction forms, and accepting online payments.

Most small businesses are a long way from being “paperless offices,” despite the predictions so many people made when PCs became commonplace. Even though you’re making an effort to be as digital as possible with your accounting files, not everyone else is yet. So you still have to deal with paper.

And you’re probably still consulting paper documents, stored computer files, or scanned images that relate to your accounting data. QuickBooks makes it possible to keep this information close at hand, easily accessible from the software itself. With this article, “How to Add Documents in QuickBooks,” you’ll be keeping this information close at hand in no time!

Continue reading

3 of the Most Common Issues with QuickBooks (And How to Fix them)

April 5, 2021

Business Software & Apps, Free Resources, QuickBooks, QuickBooks Desktop, Tips & Tricks

Here are 3 of the most common issues with QuickBooks, and how to fix them! But, why would you need this resource? Well, as you already know, QuickBooks is a vital business tool. It helps businesses manage their money, pay bills, and employees.

The accounting software has become a standard for those who seek a simple means of tracking their business.

You can run it on your business or home computers. Alternatively, you could use the online option, QuickBooks Online.

Small and mid-sized businesses value the tool because it handles several bookkeeping tasks automatically, making it easier to run businesses.

Furthermore, you can customize it to fit your business needs. It’s specifically designed to be adaptable and flexible to a wide array of small businesses.

Nevertheless, the application is somewhat complex. Occasionally, these complexities can result in a few minor issues. So, without further ado, here are 3 of the most common issues with QuickBooks, and how to fix them!

Continue reading

Tips For Better Inventory Management

March 23, 2021

Free Resources, QuickBooks, QuickBooks Desktop, Tips & Tricks

Inventory management is a system that oversees the flow of services and products in and out of a business. Managing orders and inventory is a fundamental business aspect that business owners should take seriously.

In numerous cases, the lack of proper tracking could yield mistakes, for instance delayed or lost orders and even potential customer loss.

Without an efficient strategy, inventory management could cause serious problems in various industries. Nevertheless, these tips for better inventory management will help you enhance your own.

Continue reading

6 Outsourcing Myths Stifling Your Bookkeeping

6 Outsourcing Myths Stifling Your Bookkeeping

March 15, 2021

Free Resources, QuickBooks, QuickBooks Desktop, Small Business Accounting

Outsourcing of bookkeeping and other expert services is gaining a considerable foothold among business owners. Maybe you’ve been thinking of outsourcing for some time or considering it for the first time. Either way, you might find you’re hesitant to take the leap because of the related myths.

Frequently regarded with confusion, indifference, or outright fear by numerous entrepreneurs, the misconceptions and myths regarding outsourced services abound.

Bookkeeping is an essential, yet time-consuming part of a business. While outsourcing this service offers various benefits, various myths pose a barrier that could potentially hold your bookkeeping back. Fortunately, this guide will help debunk these myths.

Continue reading

Anatomy of a QuickBooks Inventory Item

March 1, 2021

Anatomy of a QuickBooks Inventory Item

If you have an item-heavy business, you need tools to track your inventory. QuickBooks provides them. When you started your business, maybe you were able to keep track of your inventory by peering in the closet or your garage. As you grew, that simply took too long. But you grew tired of running out of stock because you didn’t have time to constantly check its levels, and you forgot about items that didn’t sell and were tucked away in a corner.

You need inventory-tracking. QuickBooks can help you create thorough records for each product you sell. It keeps track of how much you have on hand and warns you when your stock is running low. And its reports tell you what’s selling and what’s not, so you can make better, smarter purchasing decisions.

Continue reading

Are You Using QuickBooks’ Reminders?

February 22, 2021

Free Resources, QuickBooks Desktop

How do you know when it’s time to pay a bill or follow up on overdue customer payments or print payroll checks? If you’re still using a paper calendar and sticky notes and file folders, there’s a good chance you’re missing some important deadlines on occasion. Manual methods aren’t effective enough when you’re dealing with your business finances. You might experience:

Credit problems.
Overextended customers.
Unhappy vendors and employees.

If you’re missing the mark frequently, you won’t be able to get a true picture of your financial status, and your cash flow will suffer.

Use QuickBooks’ built-in reminders to avoid this unnecessary drama. Here’s how they work.

Continue reading

7 Common Accounting Mistakes That Are Very Important To Avoid

February 16, 2021

Accounting errors occasionally occur, but you can mitigate many common mistakes with proper preparation and planning. Remember, it usually takes more time to correct an error than it does to get it right initially.

Interestingly, it’s also cheaper to recognize and correct errors early instead of waiting to correct the issue later. While some accounting errors are minor and insignificant, others can be more serious and could significantly affect your business’s economic health.

Over time, clumsy practices could distort the reality of your business’s fiscal health. In severe instances, repeated accounting errors and a lack of best practices could drive your company towards insolvency. Here is a list of common accounting mistakes you need to avoid.

Continue reading

QuickBooks Desktop 2018 Discontinuation

QuickBooks 2018 Discontinuation May 31st – How This Affects You

February 8, 2021

News & Resources, QuickBooks, QuickBooks Desktop

The QuickBooks 2018 Discontinuation is near! For many seasoned users, we know it is that time of the year. For those of you who have just started using QuickBooks Desktop, you may be wondering what this means to you, especially if you are using version 18 or earlier. Put simply: anyone who is still using version 18 or earlier will lose access to important add-ons, or “connection-required” features, at the end of May 2021. Also, any live support for any inquiries or troubleshooting involving QuickBooks Desktop 2018 or earlier will no longer be available. What does this entail exactly? Read on to learn precisely what services and apps are affected; and how the discontinuation itself affects your support experience. Update* QuickBooks Desktop 2019 Discontinuation.

Continue reading

Top 10 New Features In QuickBooks Desktop 2021

October 29, 2020

Business Software & Apps, Free Resources, News & Resources, QuickBooks, QuickBooks Desktop

QuickBooks 2021 is all about automation to save time and boost productivity, it will be full of new automation features such as – improvements to bank feeds, creating categorized receipt expense entries using the QuickBooks Desktop Mobile App, automatically sending statements, and more. This article is a compilation of just a few of the awesome new features we wanted to share with you. If you would like a more in-depth demonstration of these features, or if you are more of a visual learner, you can check out our recent webinar recording “What’s new in QuickBooks 2021”

Continue reading

small-business-accounting

7 Tips for Keeping Your Small Business Accounting Organized

August 19, 2020

Free Resources, Small Business Accounting, Tips & Tricks

The lifeblood of any business whether small or large is financial integrity. Therefore, the efficient management of your small business accounting can help establish your success.

Keeping your accounting and finances in order should be an achievable goal. You’ll not only save time but also money. Bear in mind that organizing your accounting takes effort and time. Furthermore, you require a solid plan. Nevertheless, these invaluable tips will help you maintain efficiency.

Continue reading

Our 5th Year Making the Inc. 5000 List.

August 14, 2020

News & Resources

For the 5th year in a row, we are excited to share the news that Out Of The Box Technology has made the Inc. 5000 list once again this year! This award recognizes the fastest-growing companies in America, many of which have grown sixfold since 2016 alone. We are honored to...

business-budgeting

6 Signs Your Small Business Budget Might Be Out Of Control

August 13, 2020

Small Business Accounting, Tips & Tricks

A business that lacks a budget sets itself up for various financial issues in the future. This applies to businesses of all sizes and ages.

On the other hand, a business that creates long and short-term business goals by developing a comprehensive business plan can develop a roadmap for economic success and expansion opportunities.

Here’s a list of signs that you need to re-examine your business budget.

Continue reading