08Apr 2014 by Nancy Smyth
Technology is Changing How We Submit Certified Payroll Reports

Technology is Changing How We Submit Certified Payroll Reports

Certified Payroll/Prevailing Wage, New Technology, QuickBooks Add-Ons, The "Sunburst" Website
Technology - computers, software, and the internet - has changed how we create and submit certified payroll reports over the last decade. For many years a paper certified payroll report - either the Federal WH-347 or a state specific form - was what you needed; and then you dug out the typewriter and typed the information onto the form - or - you painstakingly handwrote the information onto the form. Then along came computers and programs like LOTUS 1-2-3 and Excel and we would recreate the layout of the paper form using the program and fill it in each week – it was faster, neater, easier to correct typo's, and we felt that we were automating the task at hand. Then, some of the software companies created a “certified payroll…
Read More
02May 2012 by Nancy Smyth
Merging Two Offices – Each Needing Access to QuickBooks

Merging Two Offices – Each Needing Access to QuickBooks

New Technology, Questions from our readers
  Merging two offices, in different locations, can be difficult - especially if each office is needing access to QuickBooks in order to enter transactions on a daily basis.  A reader submitted these questions. What is the best way to have QuickBooks 2012 running at 2 different locations and having all staff able to use it regardless of location?   How many versions of QuickBooks 2012 would we need to have for 2 locations? We have roughly 7 employees.  Thanks, Jane. Hi Jane I would recommend that you look into having your QuickBooks data file hosted by a reputable QuickBooks Hosting Provider. The Intuit Hosting Program allows end-users to have their licensed copies of QuickBooks desktop software installed on servers in an authorized remote hosting facility, and then access that software…
Read More
22Mar 2012 by Nancy Smyth

Windows 8 Consumer Preview – A First Look

New Technology
  Windows 8 is currently available as a "consumer preview" - PREVIEW being the key word here.  Should you download it now?  Only under certain circumstances. Microsoft released a "consumer preview" of Windows 8 just a few weeks ago and I figured I'd better get my act together and download it to begin testing our software with it, so that we can make certain that everything is going to run smoothly when it is widely available on the computers that people purchase. For the normal, every day computer user it's definitely NOT a good idea to download the "consumer preview" and install it on the computer that you use on a daily basis to run your business.  The word "preview" here means just that - a look at what Windows…
Read More
11Jan 2012 by Nancy Smyth

Our Blog in 2011 – The Year in Review

Cool "Stuff"
Like everyone who writes a blog, I always wonder how well it's doing - how many people visit, what the most popular posts are, are people really interested in the information that I post here, are they really using this information - meaning are they printing out a specific post to perhaps use later on down the road, are they sharing this information ---- bottom line ---- is it worth it for me to keep investing the amount of time I spend each day?  Luckily WordPress has some pretty awesome tools that track all of this information. Even though we host our own WordPress blog on our site {rather than hosting it directly on Wordpress.com for free}, I did create a WordPress.com account and tied it to our blog -…
Read More
24Jun 2011 by Nancy Smyth

#Freebie Friday – 100 Essential Tips for Microsoft Office 2010

Microsoft Office
This week's Freebie Friday - 100 Essential Tips for Microsoft Office 2010 comes from PC Magazine. Most of us use Office, and most of us could make better use of it, too. Check out these tips, sorted by application to learn basic tricks and advanced tips for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access. The editors have shaken down the programs and pinpointed 100 tips and tricks to help put you back in command.  These tips cover not only the basics, like deleting that infuriating line that appears when you type one too many hyphens in Word (one that I find especially annoying), to more advanced tricks, such as connecting your email to social websites and services. They've also included some tips about features that you might not know to search…
Read More
06May 2011 by Nancy Smyth

Freebie Friday – Microsoft Office 2010 Ultimate Tips & Tricks

Microsoft Office
This week's Freebie Friday is an eBook - from MakeUseOf.com - Microsoft Office 2010:  Ultimate Tips & Tricks. Learn to get the most out of the latest version of Microsoft Office with the latest free guide from MakeUseOf! Office 2010 includes many improvements over 2007. As with all Office releases, however, these improvements are far from obvious to the average user. Enter Office 2010: Ultimate Tips and Tricks. This manual, by author Matt Smith, points out all the best new features of Microsoft’s latest office suite, and explains them all in one handy guide. In most programs, it’s not hard to find every single feature, but Office 2010 is so expansive that even veteran users will often find that they aren’t expert in even half of the capabilities the software…
Read More
27Apr 2011 by Nancy Smyth

WordPress Plugins for Additional Functionality

Cool "Stuff"
WordPress plugins provide additional functionality for you and your site visitors.  There are an incredible amount of plugins available - most of which are free.  Login to the backend (Administrator page) of your site and from the left side click on Plugins and Add New -> use the Search function and enter keywords. Below is a list of plugins that I use here on the QuickBooks for Contractors blog: AddThis Social Bookmarking Widget - Help your visitor promote your site! The AddThis Social Bookmarking Widget allows any visitor to bookmark your site easily with many popular services. Sign up for an AddThis.com account to see how your visitors are sharing your content--which services they're using for sharing, which content is shared the most, and more. It's all free--even the pretty…
Read More
25Apr 2011 by Nancy Smyth

Tool for Creating a WordPress or Joomla Site on Your Computer

Cool "Stuff"
Thinking of developing a Wordpress blog or a Joomla website?  Microsoft offers a free web development tool, called WebMatrix, which includes EVERYTHING you need for website development - all installed locally on your computer so you can learn how to use Wordpress or Joomla before actually making your site live with a website hosting provider. I discovered WebMatrix a few weeks ago when I wanted to test some new Wordpress plugins for this blog and I also needed to take a look at Joomla 1.6 in preparation for upgrading our website later this year.  Previously I had used another tool and was having issues installing it on my Windows 7 laptop; I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have found WebMatrix - it's so much easier to use…
Read More
25Mar 2011 by Nancy Smyth

Freebie Friday – Windows 7 Pocket Guide

New Technology
Freebie Friday - it's here again.  The end of another workweek and just in time!  I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted and ready for a couple of days off!  Or at least with a lighter workload anyway! This weeks Freebie Friday eBook is a Windows 7 pocket guide - NOT anything that I've written, but a valuable resource that I found on the web.  I downloaded it at the end of December and have referred to it many times since I have switched to a Windows 7 64-bit machine machine. Some of the ebook is very technical but other sections make it well worth the download. Get your free 385 page Windows 7 Pocket Guide by completing a request form at TradePub.com They also a lot of free…
Read More
25Feb 2011 by Nancy Smyth

#Freebie Friday – A Few of My Favorite Things

Cool "Stuff", News You Can Use
This Friday I thought I would share a few of my own favorite "freebies" and a few paid tools with you.  These are just a few of the things that I just don't think I could live without on a daily basis while running my own business, some you may already know about - others you may not. First, the freebies, not in any particular order: CutePDF Writer - turn ANY document into a .pdf.  Download & install CutePDF Writer, it installs as a "printer".  From any program , yes even QuickBooks, choose CutePDF from the printer selection dropdown menu, and ta-da --- your document is now a pdf file. Foxit Reader -  a fast an inexpensive alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader. Google Docs - easily upload and share files…
Read More
16Dec 2010 by Nancy Smyth

QuickBooks Tip: User Permissions & Third Party Applications

"Stuff" that drives me insane, General QuickBooks News, New Technology, QuickBooks Add-Ons, QuickBooks Setup & Cleanup
User permissions  issues can occur especially when dealing with third party QuickBooks integrated applications and the Enterprise edition where user permissions can be highly customized.  In some cases, it appears that all users need to have the same administrative rights when they sign into QuickBooks as when the software was installed. Better understanding of the process may help reduce some of the frustration and allow you to assist your clients in installing the third party application satisfactorily. When a QuickBooks third party integrated application is initially installed, and sends its first request for data, the person who is the QuickBooks Administrator must be logged into the company data file in single-user mode to grant the application permission to access the company data file. Example: Larry is the QuickBooks Administrator and…
Read More
08Sep 2010 by Nancy Smyth

QuickBooks 2011 – Computer Requirements & Office Compatibility

General QuickBooks News, New Technology, QuickBooks 2011 - What's New?
We all think that when we purchase a new computer and/or version of Microsoft Office - that all of our software; including QuickBooks 2011 will run perfectly........this is NOT always the case. Each version of QuickBooks (Pro, Premier and Enterprise) has different compatibility requirements for use with Microsoft Office.  Not all versions of QuickBooks 2011 (and some of the reports) are compatible with Office 2010.  Read these requirements carefully! QuickBooks Pro & Premier 2011 (excluding Premier Accountant Edition) Computer Requirements: 2.0 GHz processor, 2.4 GHz recommended 1 GB RAM for a single user, 2 GB RAM recommended for multiple users 2.5 GB available disk space (additional space required for data files) 250 MB disk space for Microsoft .NET 3.5 Runtime (provided on the QuickBooks CD) 1024 x 768 screen (monitor)…
Read More
23Aug 2010 by Nancy Smyth

Quick Facts About Microsoft Office Click-to-Run

Microsoft Office, New Technology, QuickBooks Add-Ons
Microsoft Office Click-to-Run is a new way to download and install Microsoft Office Starter 2010, Home and Student 2010, and Home and Business 2010; when you purchase these versions directly from Microsoft. Office Click-to-Run products use a streaming technology (similar to watching a video on the web) to download and install the software to a “virtual” drive called “Q” (a section of the hard drive of your computer which is separate from the rest of your hard drive).   Normally your software is installed in the “C” drive of your computer in the Program Files OR Program Files (x86) folder, however, this “Q” drive is not your typical drive – it has no space that you as a user can access directly and it cannot be access by using Windows Explorer…
Read More