How to change the look of Quickbooks Desktop

In this tutorial, we will see how we can change the look and color scheme of identical QuickBooks files.

Well by default, this is how the look and color scheme looks like and to change it, go to view menu and select “Hide Icon Bar”, it will hide the icon bar and start showing the remaining sections on the right side but what I want is to show the icon bar at the top. So, go the view menu again and select “top icon bar” it will show the icon bar at the top.

Tutorial Instructions:

 

  

Now, to change the color scheme, select “preferences” option under the edit menu, here you need to go the “My Preferences” tab under the “Desktop View” and check this “checkbox” here you can see that the colors of icons have changed, moreover, what you can do here is to click on this default option to select the color scheme of your choice.

Now you can see that the look of the file has changed but if we open more than one windows. it just make it little hard to know, whether what window is open and how we can get to it, so, to know that, select the “Open windows list” option under the view menu, here you can see that it has opened a new bar on the left side where you can see the list of open windows  and can select the one you want.

Well, if you hover your mouse on any icon, it will show you the description added to that icon and if you want to change it, select the “customize icon bar” under the view menu. It will open a small pop up window where you can add, edit and delete icons.

To edit, just select an icon name in the list and click on edit, here you can change the label, description, and even the icon image and here you can see that the label and description has changed.

Moreover, if you want you can rearrange the icons according to your need, all you need is to just drag the icon and drop it where you want to and it will change the position of that icon in the icon bar accordingly.

Well we can add more icons by clicking on the “add” button. Here we first need to choose what we want to add in the icon bar. Lets I select Calculator then change the label, description, and select an image and then click on ok. It will add the calculator icon in the icon bar and you can open the calculator by clicking on it and if you want to delete an icon from the icon bar, just select the icon in the list and click on “Delete” button.

Well, if you don’t want to see the label of the icons in the icon bar…just select “show icons only” option here and you can also hide the search box by unchecking this option and then click on ok.

Well, you can collapse these sections if you want to. Anyhow, here you can see that the look of the file has totally changed then it was before and you sure can distinguish the two identical company files quite conveniently. 

How to close and open an Existing File in Quickbooks Desktop

In this tutorial we will see whether how we can open and close a concerned company file in QuickBooks desktop.

 Anyhow, if you haven’t opened any company file in quickbooks, you will see this screen listing all the companies you have recently opened and modified and when you select any company name, it will also give you the file location on your system. Well, by default, the company name you see at the top of the list, is the one you have recently opened.

Tutorial Instructions:

 

 

And if you don’t see a company file name in the list, you can always select this option to open and restore your company file just select an option and follow the friendly process.

Moreover, you can double click on a company file to open it, or just select a company file and click on this open button and if you want to open another company file while working on one , just select “Open Previous company file” under the file menu where you will have the option to open the one you want to.

Anyhow, if you,ve same company name more than once in the list you might end up clicking on the wrong one, what you can do here is to get some help either from the “Last Modified” column which will give you the date and time you last modified your company file so that you know it’s the one I,ve modified, or you can hid the ones you know are not current by clicking on the edit link, just select the one you know that you don’t want to work on and click OK, it will hid that company file name from the list and you will have a clean list of those company files you are working on.

And just select one and open it to start working on it

How to Restore and Backup a Company File in Quickbooks Desktop

In this tutorial, we will see whether how we can restore and back-up a company file in quickbooks desktop. 

 

So, to create a back-up company file in quickbooks desktop, select “create local back-up” under the file menu. It will open a small pop-up window where you’ll have two options to save your back-up. Either you can select the online back-up option, where the quickbooks company may charge you a monthly fee or you can create your backup in your local devices, like…other computer system, CD or DVDs or USB drive.

Tutorial Instructions:

 

 

Well, instead of creating online back-up, I am selecting the local backup option to save it into my USB derive then click on options here click on this browse button to select your derive and since I already have created a folder in my USB drive where I want to save the backup file, I can just expand it to see the folders available in the drive by clicking on this arrow and then just select the folder and click on ok.

Well you can change the number of copies you want to save in this location by changing the figure here and also keep this checkbox checked as it will add the time and date to the backup company file name which will help you distinguish whether which one is the recent one.

Moreover, you can change to be reminded to back-up your company file after every certain amount of time you close out of your quickbooks and I am keeping the verification option as it is and then click on OK and then Next.

Well, if you are going to save it right way just select the first option like I am going to, or you sure can select either of the other two options where you will also be able to schedule future backups. And then click on Next.

Here you can see, that the back-up file type is “QBB” which stand for Quickbooks Back-up” and then just click on save. It will run the backup and since the company file has no data into it, it will take barely a few seconds to complete it after completing, it will prompt you that your back-up file has been created. Here you can see that it has included the time and date coz we kept the check box checked while setting up the backup file and it will also help us know whether which one is the recent one if we have more than one back-up files on the same location.

Anyhow, just click on OK and our back-up file has been created and here is the backup file. Moreover, just hover your mouse on the file and it will show you some info and you can go to its properties by right clicking on it to see the file type and other info.

Anyhow, since we have a backup file saved somewhere, let’s see how we can restore it. Well, to restore it, select “open or restore company” under the file menu and select the “Restore a backup copy” option here and click next, here select the option “online” if you have saved it online….and since I have saved my backup file in my USB drive which I already have attached to my laptop. I’m not changing the “Local Backup” option and then click on next.

Here you need to make sure that you are looking for a back-up company file with the file type “QBB” and then click on open and then next to let the system know where you want to restore your back-up file, here you can see that the file type has changed from “QBB to QBW” which is a standard file type and I am going to restore my back-up file on my desk top and then click on save. It will start restoring the file and will take more time if your file is too big and sine there is no data into my back-up file, It will take a few seconds to restore it.

Now our company file has been restored and here you can see the restored company files. now we can start working on it as usual.

Make your payoneer Account in Pakistan

 Well, to create a payoneer account, go to the payoneer website and click on the register button. Remember all the info I am going to fill and show in the tutorial is fictional but it sure will give you a clear idea.

 

Anyhow, here on this page, you need to tell the payoneer what profession you are in so that it can chose a right account type for you. 

Video Instructions:

Well, except the last one, all the other options refer to a profession and it was a bit difficult for me to pick the right one as I do a lit a bit all of them except the fourth option, So I preferred to select the last option named Individual.

And since I am looking to get paid by international clients or marketplaces, I’m selecting the first option which says “get paid by international clients or marketplaces”.

And in the third field select your current payment volume which is less than 5000 in my case. Now, its letting you know what you can do with your payoneer account, like you can not only get paid by marketplaces and international clients but also you can pay to your suppliers and subcontractors. And you can withdraw your earnings via local bank transfer or ATM funds.

Anyhow, here are the main four steps you need to fill out. In the first step, make sure you select the right option whether you are making your account as an individual or company. I am making my account as an individual that’s why I am not changing it.

Then fill out the remaining form, by putting your first name, last name, email, & date of birth. And Remember, your name and date of birth would be the one that is written on your official documents like CNIC or Passport and then click on next.

In the second step, you need to provide your contact info, like your address and phone number.

Remember in the address field, the maximum limit is 40 characters and after that put the remaining address in the second address line. Well, you can search your zip code if you don’t know, just open your search engine and write your city name and it will provide you with your city zip code. Like Islamabad, Karachi, etc.

And when you will provide your phone number, you will receive a verification code which you need to add here and then click on next.

Now, in the third step, you need to provide Security information which is your payoneer account passward and security questions. Remember, your password should be strong which should include, numbers, small & capital alphabets and special characters, like this  555gggHHH%$^,

Well, To write a strong password, you can use any available password checker to know whether how strong your password is…so to know that, open your search engine and search “Test a New Password” and write some passwords to see how strong they are. Here is an example

Hr48*R3$v@Ki*o#P

Well, after writing your password, select a security question and write an answer of it and don’t forget that answer coz it may be asked for account verification and or resetting your password.

Then provide your CNIC, Passport, or driving licenses number and after that, you need to write your name as its written in your local language to write your name in the local language, you can use any translator but for the sake of example I’am using google translator. Just copy and paste your name there and select your local language. it will translate it into your local language and then just copy and paste it in the required fields.

Then write the captcha code here provided below. And then click on next. Now, here in the last step, provide your banking information. In my case, it will be a personal account, and then put your country and currency name and then search and select your bank name and then provide your IBAN number. Its an International Bank Account Number which is written on your check book or you can get it from your bank and remember, while writing your iban number, you can’t use hyphens, then just click on the check boxes to agree with their terms and conditions and then click on submit.

Well, after submitting the information, its letting you know that your application has successfully been submitted and its been reviewed and you will receive a conformation email in the next several business days.

And here you can see that I have received the confirmation email on the same day and after confirming my email, my payoneer account has been created within 3 days.

Now I can use it to get paid by my international clients and marketplaces.

Understanding the QuickBooks Desktop home page

Well, our company file has been created and when we look at the home page or interface of quickbooks desktop, it has been divided into different sections.

Here in this section, we are being informed about the additional services the quickbooks company is offering which we can purchase anytime by selecting the one we are in need. Like, ordering checks & supplies or promote our business etc.  

And, right above this section, we have navigation Pane, where we can find shortcuts to access a certain aspect of our company file. Like, Income Tracker, Bill tracker, Calendar, etc. Moreover, we can View Balances and Run Favorite Reports. Since we haven’t added any data into the company file, we don’t see any balances and reports here so far but when we will, it will look like this, Anyhow, If you want, you can customize the shortcuts, Balances, and reports by clicking on this link. It will open a small pop up window respectively where you can edit the shortcuts, Balances, and Reports according to your needs. And, if you want, you sure can collapse or expand the navigation Pane by clicking on this arrow.

And at the very top, we have the main menu bar. Here we can access any aspect of our company file by expanding a certain menu and selecting a certain section of it.

And here in the middle, we see three sections, Vendors, Customers, and Employees, and when we select any of them, it takes us to that very center where we can add and/or edit the data related to that center, and when we will add our data, this is how the data will look like (snapshot of centers).

And here on the right side, we have two more sections, Named Company and Banking. And when we click on any of the shortcut/icon in either sections, it will take us to that very aspect to add or edit the data there.

Anyhow, here on the middle section, we have two tabs named, Home Page and Insights.

When we select the Insights tab, it gives us the visual overview of how well our Company/business is doing, like I,ve said we haven’t added any data into the company file that’s why  we don’t see any graphs here. But here are the insights from an example file and this is exactly how the visual overview will be of our company file when we add the data into our company file. anyhow, here on this insights tab, we can change the time frame of the reports and can have the snapshot of different reports relevant to a certain aspect of our business whether its related to income or expenses. Moreover, if you want, you can customize the insights tab by clicking on this gear icon. Here you can uncheck the reports, you are not interested for the time being, and can refresh the reports and take printouts by clicking on the respective icons.

Well, going back to the home page tab, we see these directional arrows, these arrows represent the workflow process, Like, if you have created an estimate for a customer, it will either turn into a sales order or directly into an invoice then to receive payments and when your customer will pay you…you will then deposit the money into your bank account.  And if accountancy is not your field of expertise, then it’s always better to follow the workflow to keep the books accurate.

And you certainly have observed by now that there are more icons or shortcuts on the example company file than the company file I have created. Well, all of these icons or shortcut will appear as we will start adding the data and editing the company file preferences.

Moreover, all the icons you see here on the home page that helps us to get to a particular section, can be reached by using the menu bar too. Like if you want to add a new customer, you need to go to the customer center, and you can go to the customer center either by clicking on the Customer here on the home page or you can use the menu bar to get to the customer center.

Anyhow, I do hope that you have a reasonable idea of how the interface of quickbooks desktop works