Sage Software has made the decision to focus on continuing to build value into the MAS90/MAS200 base product, simplify their product portfolio, and begin phasing out Sage MAS 90 and 200 Extended Solutions. This phase-out process includes incorporating the main features and functionality of many of the top Extended Solution titles, adding market-driven features to the [...]
February 19th, 2010
IMPORTANT NOTICE to MAS90/200 Extended Solutions Users
February 15th, 2010
CA Tax Withholding for Independent Contractors!
New Law takes effect January 1, 2010
Payments to independent contractors that are subject to federal backup withholding are now subject to state backup withholding at a 7% rate.
The Franchise Tax Board is implementing new withholding and filing procedures for these non-wage payments. All withholding payments need to be remitted with a payment voucher. Complete information [...]
February 12th, 2010
Why does AR and AP still appear on my Cash Basis Balance Sheet?
Overview
The Cash Basis Balance Sheet (CBBS) should not show AR and AP balances because these accounts track open invoices and unpaid bills. The CBBS should include only closed, or paid, transactions. However, QuickBooks does include AR and AP on the CBBS. Explaining why, and what to do about it, follows:
Every QuickBooks transaction has one source [...]
January 30th, 2010
Product Update: FRx Reporting Software Beyond Version 6.7
Microsoft will discontinue support for it’s custom report writer; FRx December 31, 2012. What does that mean for the MAS 90/200 users?
January 29th, 2010
Do you feel lucky?
Paying Non-Employees
IT ONLY TAKES ONCE!
I know there are some of you business owners who think you can wait to worry about HR until you’re a little bigger. My question is, “what are you waiting for?”
Recently I had a business owner call me in a panic. He was a one-person business who happened to be using an [...]
January 29th, 2010
When Time Really Is Money
Why GOOD job descriptions will save you money
I haven’t yet met the business owner who gets excited about writing an in-depth job description. Go figure! The most frequent excuse is that they don’t see the value in spending much time on it.
The job description is your starting point when hiring and, later, in managing the employee. How [...]
January 29th, 2010
MOVING AN APPLIED CREDIT MEMO TO A DIFFERENT INVOICE
You have applied a credit to the wrong invoice and are having a hard time figuring out how fix the error.
You can change the invoice to which a credit was applied. This task requires several steps, but if you follow the instructions a step at a time, it’s not as complicated as it seems.
1. Open [...]
January 29th, 2010
When Time Really Is Money
Why GOOD job descriptions will save you money
I haven’t yet met the business owner who gets excited about writing an in-depth job description. Go figure! The most frequent excuse is that they don’t see the value in spending much time on it.
The job description is your starting point when hiring and, later, in managing the employee. How [...]
January 20th, 2010
Review policy on cell phone usage to comply with California law
If your employees use cell phones for company business while driving, make sure your policy requires hands-free devices. Then educate employees about the policy.
Reason: California law bans the use of hand-held cell phones while driving a motor vehicle. The law carries a $20 fine for a first offense and a $50 fine for all subsequent [...]
January 19th, 2010
NEW! Pay Bills Filtering
Do you have hundreds of vendor bills to process for payment? Sorting by vendor helped in prior editions, but still often required scrolling through pages of transactions to process a bill payment for a particular vendor and it was difficult to see the exact amount you were paying a specific vendor.
New in QuickBooks 2010: The [...]
January 19th, 2010
Look like an expert
When an employee asks you about SS benefits. For those born in 1941 or earlier, full retirement (FR) is 65 yrs, 8 mos; 1942, 65 yrs, 10 mos, increasing to age 67 for those born in 1960 and later.
Age Benefits
FR age reached before 2010 Those born in 1937 or before, receive full benefits at age [...]
January 18th, 2010
Cloud Computing: what it is, why to use it.
You do everything right: keep customer data on a PC, have virus programs and regularly back up on an external hard drive. Then one day a pipe burst and you lose all your PC files. What do you do? One solution: keep data on a series (“cloud”) of remote servers at clout computing companies. Cloud [...]
January 18th, 2010
Employment Status Course Available on Internet and CD
Want to learn more about the basics of classifying workers as employees or independent contractors, but don’t have time to attend a classroom seminar? Our Web-based class is designed for you!
The employment Status course explain common and statutory law as it is applied by the Employment Development Department (EDD) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [...]
January 14th, 2010
Month End and Year End Checklists
Part One: Closing Your Books at Month-End
If you ordinarily perform month-end closing activities you may have already completed the following tasks. Otherwise, please review this list before moving on to “Part Two: Closing Your Books at Year-End.”
Adjustments
_ Automatic payments (bank drafts and adjustments)
_ Transactions not yet entered: invoices, bills, sales commissions and royalties
_ Transactions entered or [...]
January 14th, 2010
HELP ME!! It’s Year End!
Hyperlinks for checklists and more!
More Resources. Here are other resources for your use at the end of the year.
QuickBooks Year-End Center: Year-End Closing
Closing Dates in QuickBooks (Part of Longer Tip)
QuickBooks Payroll and Year End
Enhanced and Basic
Assisted
Yearend Tune-up
December 31st, 2009
QuickBooks Payroll Updates
SUI and ETT must be done manually!
Remember to update your 2010 state unemployment insurance (SUI) rate in QuickBooks.
QuickBooks cannot update state unemployment rates for you because SUI rates are usually unique to each employer. Many state agencies send employers new rate notices by the end of December. With the latest release of QuickBooks 2010, [...]
December 14th, 2009
Payroll at Year End
If you report on the accrual basis, GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) require you to record all your expenses in the time frame it is incurred. This means that you should be accruing payroll expenses for the remaining days worked in December, after the last paid period. So, that means, if you work Monday thru [...]
December 13th, 2009
Part Time Employees
Assorted Do’s and Don’ts
Do withhold FICA on part-timers, including retirees. Even if someone who works for you part-time also has a full-time job where they have had 100% of their FICA withheld for the year, you must withhold the full amount of FICA from their pay. These individuals can obtain a refund of any overpaid [...]
December 13th, 2009
Sage MAS 90 and 200 version 4.4 ETA early February 2010
Sage MAS 90 and 200 version 4.4 is on target to begin shipping early February 2010, and will deliver on many customer-requested enhancements. These enhancements will provide something for everyone — customers will work even more efficiently the way they want to, with new features and enhancements focused on workflow and business processes, especially in [...]
December 13th, 2009
MAS 90/200 Year End Tips
Closing Sage MAS 90 and 200 Modules in the Appropriate Order: The processing order insures that an application that writes to another application is processed first. Perform a full company backup before closing because year end processing can be reversed only by restoring a backup file. Modules are to be closed in the following order: Bill of Materials, [...]
December 10th, 2009
UPS, FedEx and USPS rate and service updates
MAS 90/200 and StarShip 9.9.82
UPS, FedEx and USPS have announced their rate and service updates. StarShip version 9.9.82 will include the UPS, FedEx and USPS rate & service changes effective January 4, 2010. Other changes include:
UPS Standard service is now available to Mexico
New UPS Pak packaging, New UPS Pak rate available for UPS Worldwide Express, [...]
December 10th, 2009
Recording Business Expenses you paid out of your pocket!
QB Question: I am trying to enter all my receipts that I have that are “cash” receipts; like my gas, food, hardware and so forth, but I don’t know exactly how to do it. Can someone explain step by step?
Answer:
If you paid for all the expenses out of your pocket and need to record them as business expenses: Setup a [...]
December 10th, 2009
QuickBooks and 2009 Update R9; IMPORTANT INFO
Notice to all QuickBooks Pro/Premiere 2009 customers: this notice is to help you successfully install Release 9 (R9) — the latest release for your QuickBooks 2009 software.
The QuickBooks R9 release is unlike other releases: both your program and data files will need to be updated. This is particularly important if you have QuickBooks installed on more [...]
December 4th, 2009
3 things you MUST know for Hassle Free 1099 reporting in QuickBooks
Take the stress out of filing 1099-MISC forms every year! Following these steps makes this task worry free!
1. Obtain W9’s
2. Edit QuickBooks Preferences
3. Setup up Vendors for 1099 reporting
4. Use the QuickBooks reports as tools to bullet proof your process!
View our Webinar’s Powerpoint at: http://tinyurl.com/AdvantEdge
November 18th, 2009
Business Start-Up Costs
Start-up costs are amounts paid or incurred for: (a) creating an active trade or business; or (b) investigating the creation or acquisition of an active trade or business. Start-up costs include amounts paid or incurred in connection with an existing activity engaged in for profit; and for the production of income in anticipation of the [...]
November 17th, 2009
Oceanside Chamber Member Spotlight
OCC Blog: http://oceansidechamberblog.com/?p=455
Would you like to:
Improve profitability?
Speed up cash flow?
Make informed business management decisions?
Manage your business more effectively?
We can help! AdvantEdge Accounting Solutions, an accounting software consulting firm, has been helping small businesses experiencing challenges with QuickBooks software for 10 years.
We’ve learned that you must be supported and trained to get the most out of [...]
November 12th, 2009
QuickBooks 2010 – Whats NEW!
Wondering if now is the time to upgrade? Let’s take a look as some of the new and improved features of the 2010 QuickBooks and see if you will benefit from them!
NEW!!
Document Management – attach files of any type to the appropriate QuickBooks record (names, items, accounts, etc.)
Rapid List Entry – allows users to enter, [...]
November 12th, 2009
FREE QuickBooks 2010 Conversion Tool
Microsoft Small Business Accounting or Office Accounting and Peachtree users
1. What data does the QuickBooks Conversion Tool import?
The QuickBooks Conversion Tool imports lists, open balances, and historical transactions from Peachtree and Microsoft to QuickBooks.
Key lists:
Chart of Accounts
Customers/Prospects
Jobs
Employees/Sales Reps
Vendors
Inventory items
Balance information:
Opening balances for General Ledger accounts, as of a date you set
Customer and Vendor open balances
Open [...]
November 10th, 2009
If the Banks aren’t lending – where to turn??
P2P lending sites and Nonprofits are stepping in!
Interesting reading in the Sunday North County Times! With the credit crunch showing no signs of easing, “Only grade ‘A’ clients with collateral are getting funding” according to a director at the Entrepreneurial Management Center at San Diego State University, small businesses are turning to unique sources for [...]
November 5th, 2009
90% Discount on QuickBooks for 503(c)(3) Nonprofits
TechSoup is providing QuickBooks products as downloads to nonprofit organizations.
This donation is available only to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) designation and to public libraries. Public libraries must either have valid 501(c)(3) nonprofit status or be listed in the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) database.
For more information go to: http://tinyurl.com/yhz2suk
As an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, [...]
November 5th, 2009
Windows 7
Clients and business associates need to exercise caution when evaluating whether to purchase new hardware with Windows 7 operating system, or upgrade their current hardware from XP or Vista to Windows 7. For more information on problems with upgrades check out this article: http://tinyurl.com/ydrrtyz.
Intuit has published their official position on Windows 7, that ONLY QuickBooks [...]
October 20th, 2009
Speeding up collections.
When cash is limited, customers prioritize payments based on their needs, personal relationship with your firm and on your form’s attitude toward credit and collections. You can’t influence customer needs or, at this point, your personal relationship with them, so focus on changing your attitude toward credit and collections.
Key Points: continually remind customers that payment [...]
October 19th, 2009
New! QuickBooks Document Management6
Electronically “paperclip” documents to QuickBooks transactions to stay organized and save time finding what you need. You can scan documents directly into QuickBooks, or attach electronic files already on your PC.
Store receipts, statements and more online (in the Internet cloud) for easy sharing
Easily attach documents to any customer, vendor, employee, account or transaction
Scan dozens of [...]
October 15th, 2009
California Personal Income Tax Withholding Schedules Replaced
Just an FYI – Effective November 1, 2009, California Personal Income Tax (PIT) Withholding Schedules Replaced
Watch for computer updates to your software!! If you are not using MAS or QuickBooks payroll, the modified schedules can be downloaded from EDD’s web site at http://www.edd.ca.gov/Payroll_Taxes/Rates_and_Withholding.htm#2009PITWithholdingSchedules
October 12th, 2009
Ten Steps to Effectively Review Resumes
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in July 2009 was 9.4% compared to 5.8% in July last year. In turn, many employers have observed from their growing stacks of resumes, a wider availability of experienced workers as interested job applicants. As the employer, to effectively determine which resumes will lead [...]
October 12th, 2009
Posting Employee Contributions for Health Insurance
A client called asking for help in posting payroll deductions for employee contributions for health insurance. The insurance bill has to be paid in advance, and she’s posting it to the Employee Benefits; Health Insurance expense account. Then, when she wants to remit payroll liabilities she can’t write a check to clear the deductions, because the check [...]
October 8th, 2009
California Simplifies the E-Payment Process
QuickBooks Payroll Users take note!
Earlier this year the California Employment Development Department (EDD) eliminated two areas in the e-payment process to make it easier for customers. You no longer have to enroll with the agency to make e-payments, and now you no longer have to enter a 4-digit PIN number when submitting an e-payment.
Your bank [...]
October 5th, 2009
2010 Budgeting – Crystal Ball anyone??
In most companies, the 2010 budgeting process is in full swing, and due to the economic uncertainty, this year’s requirements are greater than ever!
If ever there was a time where manual and spreadsheet based budgeting is simply no longer adequate – NOW is that time! In fact, it is now more critical than ever for [...]
October 5th, 2009
New Advanced Purchasing Tool For Sage MAS 90/200!
Minneapolis, MN – Synergistic Software Solutions, the publishers of JobOps, today announced the availability of a new advanced purchasing tool for users of Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200 ERP. Purchase Agent incorporates intelligent processing tools that help businesses better manage their purchasing process, avoid material shortages, and have the right mix of products on [...]
October 2nd, 2009
Automated Time Tracking and Job Costing!
I just discovered what appears to be an awesome application! XORA! This application will keep track of your workers with time and GPS coordinates AND connect to QuickBooks (and other) accounting software to transfer the information for Payroll processing as well as customer invoicing!
I learned about this software from one of my construction clients today [...]
September 28th, 2009
Intuit Releases QuickBooks® 2010
Monday September 28, 2009, Intuit Inc. announced the release of QuickBooks 2010, the newest version of its financial software for small businesses.
New features in QuickBooks 2010 include an upgraded Company Snapshot, which provides a tailored visual overview of how a business is performing and Add/Edit Multiple List Entries directly from data in Excel!
Also, there are [...]
September 19th, 2009
No records? It’s not a business.
F had a full-time job and ran a small store on the side that had a loss its first full year. F deducted the loss on Sched. C. Because he had no proof of any business transactions, the IRS deleted the F’s return both revenues and expenses. F appealed to the Tax Court, this time [...]
September 19th, 2009
Budgeting in a volatile economy
Hard to plan a year ahead in this economy? Here are techniques that can help your company quickly and efficiently allocate or withhold resources in an unstable environment:
What-if scenarios. Create several scenarios for your company and for the economy and how each may affect your customers, your company and your competitors. What developments might trigger [...]
September 18th, 2009
How to Register FRx for MAS 90/200
To obtain the Product Key on Sage Software Online:
1. Log on to Sage Software Online.
2. Click Profile Mgmt.
3. Click Products.
4. Click FRx Product Registration, and then click Select.
5. On the Version list, select the FRx version.
6. On the Accounting System list, select a Sage product line.
7. Click Generate Keys.
The registration information obtained in the steps [...]
September 16th, 2009
SmallBusinessComputing.com Buyers Guide
Software Review: Qvinci Adds Power to QuickBooks
By Wayne Kawamoto
August 19, 2009
When you want to view your business from every conceivable angle Qvinci Software’s set of powerful tools lets evaluate your business in just about every way possible.
Something of a cross between a data aggregator that culls and combines data and a charting and data visualization [...]
September 14th, 2009
NEW Business Management Tool from AdvantEdge!
Grow your company with real time Executive Dashboards!
What is it that busy business owners want, to help them manage and grow their business in this economy or any other economy? They want up-to-the minute information on their businesses!
Whether it is tracking period or year to date sales, monitoring the performace of salespeople against goals set or improving [...]
September 14th, 2009
How to Book Returned and/or Postdated Checks in QuickBooks and MAS 90/200
Regardless of which accounting software you are using you will want to follow some basic bookkeeping principles when dealing with these 2 events!
Returned checks. When the bank notifies you that it is returning a customer’s check for NSF (not sufficient funds), debit the customer’s account immediately—even if you plan to redeposit the check the same [...]
September 11th, 2009
Alert for your employees!
Some may face underpayment of FIT
Because of the new withholding tables under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, some employees might want to adjust their 2009 FITW by submitting a new W-4 now. The Act reduced FITW to reflect the Make Work Pay tax credit. But for some employees, that adjustment may result in [...]
September 11th, 2009
Activating the Enter key in QuickBooks!
Are you one of the millions of people that press the ENTER key to proceed to the next field? Getting frustrated with the fact that every time you hit the Enter key in QuickBooks, the result you get is not what you expected? For example, you are entering items in an invoice and need to [...]
September 8th, 2009
Stimulus Opportunities for Small Business
Ever wonder: How can I access stimulus dollars? or How can my small business work with the state and federal government to participate in “shovel ready” projects? You are invited to a “Stimulus Opportunities for Small Business” event that will help you get answers to these questions and assist you in finding out how stimulus [...]
