Creating a QuickBooks Period Copy

There are times when you may need to send someone a copy of your QuickBooks company file but you do not want to give them access to all transactions.  This could be in response to the Internal Revenue Service, a subpoena, lawsuit, etc.  Once the decision has been made to supply specific information, you can use a utility available in the Accountant version of QuickBooks or QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Accountant  to create a “Period Copy” of your data file.

I recommend that you make a backup of your file, Restore the backup to your computer using a different file name, and then make a period copy from this backup.  Therefore you will not be affecting the company file.  Keep in mind that creating the period copy can take several minutes to several hours depending on the size of the company file, I generally run this overnight.  Below are the instructions for how to make the period copy using the newly created data file

File Menu – Utilities – Condense Data

In the Condense Data screen select the third option “Transactions outside a date range (to prepare a period copy of the company file),  Enter your Date Range , Select Next

Select create one summary journal entry (recommended), Select Next

Select Summarize Inventory Transactions (recommended), Select Next

Select all the listed in the next two screens, Select Next

Select Begin Condense

After the utility runs verify that the balances are correct !

What is the best QuickBooks Program for Managing MY Inventory?

Many clients have inventory and struggle with how to manage the inventory effectively and easily.  Although QuickBooks does have inventory functionality in QuickBooks Pro/Premier and Enterprise, there are various add-on solutions that are also be helpful for your specific needs.  To determine the correct version and add-ons I’ve created the summary below. Retail businesses should also review the Point of Sale section. 

Quick Books Pro

Inventory functionality is very basic.

  1.  Inventory features are designed for businesses that buys and sells the same items over and over again (ie Antique Shops buy and sell different items).
  2. These businesses do not assemble items or repackage them and only have one location.

QuickBooks Premier

Inventory functionality of QuickBooks Pro and

  1. Ability to assemble items (remove raw materials from inventory and replace with finished goods or repackage in smaller quantities.)
  2. Create Sales Orders to manage partial shipments of goods and manage unfulfilled orders

QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions

Inventory functionality of QuickBooks Premier and

  1. Ability to use custom fields in transaction to configure orders
  2. Ability to add-on Advanced Inventory (annual fee)
    1. Use Multiple Inventory Locations
    2. Track Lot and Serial Numbers
    3. Bar Code Tracking

QuickBooks Point of Sale (POS)

This is a separate program that integrates with the other QuickBooks programs mentioned but is designed to work in a retail environment and function as a cash register.   

  1. Ability to run daily cash register reports.
  2. Ability to track individual cashiers
  3. Bar Code Tracking
  4. Multi-Store ability
  5. Styles view to see inventory availably by 2 designated features (i.e. size, color)