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#1
JR1  
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So a client gives me her QB file on a thumbdrive so that I can check things before doing the corp return. Crap, she's on 17 and I've not installed it yet....

1 1/2 hrs later, after finding the download, license info, waiting on the 600 meg download, then a slow restart, finally apparently installing....really?

Just gotta wonder....
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Remembering our son, Ben Jan 22, 1992 to Aug 26, 2011.
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#2
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That is exactly why I have them send me the detailed general ledger in an excel file, as well as a trial balance. I used to spend more time trying to get in a client's quickbook file than it was worth to do the tax return!
 

#3
JR1  
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But wait, there's more! ANOTHER REBOOT! And then verification. . .I'm pretty sure NSA could take over my computer with less fuss. Over an hour and a half front to back. Dumb dumb dumb.

And yeah, Seaside, I get that...but I am a bit OCD about matching QB and returns when I can...
Go Blackhawks! Go Pack Go!
Remembering our son, Ben Jan 22, 1992 to Aug 26, 2011.
For FB'ers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BenRoberts/
 

#4
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Oh, I definitely match their books. I go through their excel general ledger. However, I give them copies of my journal entries to enter into their books, along with my final trial balance for them to tie into. I will not spend my time trying to open their quickbooks files from a backup anymore!
 

#5
Joan TB  
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same here, Seaside.
 

#6
makbo  
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JR1 wrote:But wait, there's more! ANOTHER REBOOT! And then verification. . .I'm pretty sure NSA could take over my computer with less fuss. Over an hour and a half front to back. Dumb dumb dumb.

And yeah, Seaside, I get that...but I am a bit OCD about matching QB and returns when I can...


I agree, for entities I much prefer to work from QB, not just an excel worksheet that may or may not match the client''s books.

My sympathy is somewhat tempered, in that yes, once a year you do actually have to install a QB Desktop upgrade, if you want to stay current with your license, which you paid for. I usually install the new QB update late in the calendar year, so that I don't have to deal with it in the middle of tax season. :shock:

It is annoying that QB now requires on-line validation of license along with password restrictions, but such is the price of progress. :roll:
 

#7
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OK, I must be missing something here. I get clients to go into QuickBooks and save their g/l to excel format and email it to me. Why would it not match their books. It's the same as sending me a .qbe, qbw,etc. file, or saving it to a flash drive and giving it to me to (try) to open.
 

#8
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I guess I'm in the minority here but I don't take time to fix a client's QB file. I have my "Firm" QB file for the tax return, take their activity for the year, post it to my pretty and clean ledger and make adjustments from there. I also prefer to have the client's QB file itself so that I can quickly see the other side of an entry rather than trying to hunt for it (even using Ctrl F in Excel doesn't always mean it will be easy to find the other side).

As far as the down time from opening a client's QB file, there's Candy Crush for that. ;)
 

#9
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Seaside, I think JR is saying he matches the client's QB to the tax return.
 

#10
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I'm referring to Makbo's comment about the excel file may or may not match their books. It came straight from their books, so it would match.
 

#11
TaxCut  
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Am surprised :o you guys/gals are not logging into their computers remotely. No upgrading, no backing up, make the adjustments and set the closing date so they can't muck things up later.
 

#12
makbo  
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Seaside CPA wrote:I'm referring to Makbo's comment about the excel file may or may not match their books. It came straight from their books, so it would match.


The spreadsheet is a snapshot in time. There is no audit trail, no closing date, no easy way to drill down and confirm why numbers may vary widely from the prior period, no way to confirm if bank statements reconcile to the numbers you have. It's actually worse than a static PDF report, because you might not even notice if a fat-finger error changes something.

It's kind of like a tax return consisting of individually-typed PDF pages, vs one prepared in a software program that ensures internal consistency, has diagnostics, etc.

Obviously one can use a spreadsheet instead of the actual QB file, but it is not the best tool for the job - as in, a spreadsheet is not designed to be a bookkeeping system. And since I don't have any technical problems accessing my client's QB files, I go with the best tool I have.
 

#13
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Makbo, I don't think you understand what I am saying. They are not typing up their own excel spreadsheet. They go into QuickBooks, print (to screen) a detailed general ledger and trial balance. They then save it as an excel file (right there in QuickBooks, there is an option for that) and email it. It's just like sending a qbw, or qbe file (whatever it's called-my clients always sent me the wrong one so I could not open it). It will contain the same information. I then get all of the backup I need, ie bank recs, year end loan balances, etc. to tie into their books.

Taxcut, I will not go into anyone's bookkeeping system. Any screw ups they have will not be blamed on me!
 

#14
makbo  
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Seaside CPA wrote:Makbo, I don't think you understand what I am saying.[...]
Taxcut, I will not go into anyone's bookkeeping system. Any screw ups they have will not be blamed on me!


No, I completely understand what you are saying. Your last two sentences are the key difference. Part of the service I offer is detecting and cleaning up their bookkeeping screw-ups, at least the ones that are tax related, and more importantly, getting them to understand how to work better with QB going forward, instead of at cross purposes. I always want next year's return prep to go more smoothly.

As a ProAdvisor, I never have a problem opening any QB file my client sends me. You don't want to pay Intuit for the full tool set; I get that.
 

#15
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Oh, if I were a ProAdvisor things would be different! You need to get into their books if you are trying to train them! I, however, have already paid a quite handsomely for my accounting system, and do not want to keep investing in QuickBooks products. I only have a few clients that use QuickBooks, so do not want to spend extra money on their products.
 

#16
TaxCut  
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Seaside CPA wrote:Taxcut, I will not go into anyone's bookkeeping system. Any screw ups they have will not be blamed on me!


I can understand your concern about being blamed if something gets screwed.

But:

1) I only do this for a handful of clients. Not a big part of my practice.

2) I'm very selective on who I'm willing to do this for (know your client). If something does get screwed up, there is an audit trail. If I screwed up I'll fix, if they screwed up I'll charge.

3) To be honest with you, it's never happened.

Do what your'e comfortable with. This works for me.
 

#17
JR1  
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TC, I use all kinds of methods, just depends on client. I remote access for several, I use LogMeIn for that. I also use Citrix for folks who need to transfer files back and forth regularly....and it's actually better than remote access. A. It's faster and B. They don't know how long I'm using the file. So they don't connect fee with time....
Go Blackhawks! Go Pack Go!
Remembering our son, Ben Jan 22, 1992 to Aug 26, 2011.
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#18
WACPA  
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You guys need to get on the accountants copy of quickbooks. Just have the client send you the accountant copy through email and you send them JEs back. So easy and smooth!
 

#19
smtcpa  
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That's what we prefer. We also use QBox for a few clients and plan on moving that out to a lot more clients this year.

WACPA wrote:You guys need to get on the accountants copy of quickbooks. Just have the client send you the accountant copy through email and you send them JEs back. So easy and smooth!
 

#20
JR1  
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Uh, but it sucks. You can't do as much, tho' it has gotten better....and don't you still need the right version anyway?
Go Blackhawks! Go Pack Go!
Remembering our son, Ben Jan 22, 1992 to Aug 26, 2011.
For FB'ers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BenRoberts/
 

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