It’s that time of year again, most of you are busy completing the plethora of T4′s and T4 Summaries that come due at the end of the month. Don’t forget the deadline is fast approaching February 28, 2011. Spending too much time on email?? Make sure to save some time on your emails by reading the time saving tips in this newsletter.

Have questions about why there are so many “back-up” options in QuickBooks? In this edition we will answer you & share some great ways to share the files. Our on-line forum is always a great place to post a question or answer. With this fantastic on-line forum it makes so much sense to be a member of the Canadian Bookkeepers Association.
Wishing you much success in 2011,

Laura Banick

Managing Editor and Alberta Provincial Rep

Proud Member of the Canadian Bookkeepers Association

RENEW ON-LINE: Current members wishing to renew their membership can now go do so on-line.  Simply  visit the CBA Website link below and complete the “online form”.

Student Membership $75 (Enrolled in accredited program)

Junior Membership $100 (1 to 3 years experience)
Intermediate Membership $125 (3 to 10 years experience
Senior Membership $150 (10 years or more experience)

One year membership, plus applicable GST/HST

Level of membership is based on years of Canadian Experience

RENEW TODAY IT”S NEVER BEEN EASIER!!!!

To renew online go to the Canadian Bookkeepers Associations ONLINE Registration.

Simply Tip

On a recent post on our on-line CBA Members Only Forum, a member asked about the differences between the types of Back-ups in QuickBooks. This is a useful breakdown that you can share with you clients and accountants not only in regards to the differences, but also on how to send the files electronically.

Types of QuickBooks Files

QuickBooks Data File (ending in .QBW) QuickBooks keeps all of its data in one file, making it much easier to move around. Do not attempt to send the normal working data file. These files are very large and difficult to transmit. QuickBooks has three built-in compression methods for preparing a file to be sent.  It is not necessary to also run a separate zip process on these kinds of files because the additional size reduction isn’t very significant.
Back-Up (file ends in .QBB) will make a copy of the file that is about one-fifth the size of the original working file.  The backup copy, when opened on our computer, will be exactly the same as the one you have, with all of the same capabilities.

Portable Company File (file ends in .QBM) was introduced in the 2006 QuickBooks program and should be used instead of the QBB for sending files because it produces a much smaller size file.

Accountant’s Review (file end in .QBX) will also make a copy of the file that is about one-fifth the size of the original.  The difference is that when you open it, there are some things that you can’t do, such as delete accounts or previous transactions.   Your clients copy will also be so limited.  After you have made your changes, you will send your client a small file that they can merge into their working file.  This is a very handy feature that allows you’re client to continue to use their QuickBooks data file while you are working with the Accountants copy. As an accountant working in an Accountant’s Copy, you can work on transactions dated on or before the dividing date. Your client continues to work in the company file on transactions dated after the dividing date. To prevent your work from conflicting with your client’s work, there are limitations to what you can do in an Accountant’s Copy. Because of the restrictions the program puts on the QBX file, such as restricted payroll and bank transfers it is not an ideal version to use if you are doing the majority of the bookkeeping for your client. To learn more select help in QuickBooks and Search for Accountants copy.

Sending Data Files

When sending data files, always note which version of QuickBooks they are from and what the password is, if you are using one.

E-Mail .QBM, .QBX, .QBB Files- To send the file, you can attach it to an email

YouSendIt- This is a great service that I use often for sending larger files Check out this online file transfer service at YouSendIt.com.Once your file is uploaded, YouSendIt will automatically send an email message with a special link to download it, to both yourself & your client,

QuickBooks Feature Send to Accountant-The latest versions of QB (since 2008) have a nice built in feature that allows you to upload QBX files to a free Intuit online server, which will then send your accountant downloading instructions.  This is a very easy option for your clients or bookkeeper to send data files

Simply Select – File – Accounts Copy – Send to Accountant

Learn the shortcuts. Learn how to access your on-line service to retrieve and send mail in the quickest way. America On Line has “flash sessions”, CompuServe has a “send/receive all mail” feature. These procedures will log on line to complete the task, then automatically disconnect when done. You can read and compose mail off line, saving both money and time.

Check for mail during off-hours. The circuits for the Internet are becoming more crowded and logging on during the busy day is harder. Make a habit of checking mail at low peak times (night, early morning).

Learn Cyber speak. Learn the acronyms commonly used in E-mail correspondence. These little, often humorous, “symbols” will save time and liven your E-mail. See the E-mail glossary below for samples to get you started.

Favorite places. Most on-line services give you access to forums and the Internet. Since the sheer number of options is overwhelming, be sure to learn how to isolate your “favorite places”. It will enable you to visit your most common destinations with easy, minimal steps.

Storage! Learn how to organize your E-mail by storing incoming and outgoing mail. Most services will provide a way for you to create a “file cabinet” and label different categories, just as you would with paper.

Edit and paste. When composing E-mail, you can use the edit and paste commands in windows just like you would in any word processing document. This is helpful when you want to repeat what the sender wrote before you answer, or when sending a similar E-mail to several people.

Hey Mister Postman. If you handle large volumes of E-mail daily, consider one of the mail sorting programs available on the market.

Just say no. Sad but true, mailing lists have invaded the world of E-mail too. If you find yourself on a mailing list that you have no interest being on, simply reply with an E-mail to the sender and write “unsubscribe” into the comment box. That should do it.

E-mail Glossary
Emotions “How to draw a picture on-line”

• laugh
• smile
• wink
• :*( crying
• sad
• <G> grin
• <BG> big grin. and <VBG>
• :-/ confused
• {} hug
• * kiss

Acronyms

• <GA> “go ahead”, used in live chats to indicate your turn
• BTW by the way
• FAQ frequently asked questions
• FWIW for what it’s worth
• IMHO in my humble opinion
• LOL laughing out loud
• OTOH on the other hand
• PMFJI pardon me for jumping in
• ROTFL rolling on the floor laughing, or
• ROFLMAO ( you figure it out)
• RTM read the manual
• TIA thanks in advance
• WTG way to go