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Receive Payments the Right Way in QuickBooks: Your Options

3/27/2019

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How you record a customer payment in QuickBooks depends on why and how you received it.
 
One of the reasons we like QuickBooks is because it uses language and processes that are familiar to small businesspeople. Instead of using the term “accounts receivable,” it has a menu label that says Customers and menu items that use phrases like Create Invoices and Receive Payments. You would have to go into the Chart of Accounts to find standard accounting terminology - and we never recommend that you do that without consulting with us first.
 
Yet when you’re doing customer-related tasks, you’re following a traditional accounts receivable workflow, a series of steps that completes a sales cycle, like Estimate | Invoice | Payment | Deposit. QuickBooks keeps it simple for you and doesn’t often force you into unfamiliar territory.
 
One of the more pleasant elements of accounts receivable is the process of receiving customer payments. There’s more than one way to do this, and it’s very important that you use the correct way in each situation.
 

Payment Methods

 
Before you record your first payment, you’ll need to make sure that QuickBooks is set up to accommodate its Payment Method. QuickBooks comes with some standard types, but you can add, edit, and delete your own options (though not those that are built in to the software).
 
Open the Lists menu and click Customer & Vendor Profile Lists, then Payment Method List. This window will open:
 
You can work with Payment Method options in this window.
 
To use any of the commands in the Payment Method drop-down list, you’d highlight the method by clicking on it and opening the options list by clicking the down arrow in that field.
 
Note: When you add or change an existing entry, the window that opens contains fields for both Payment Method and Payment Type. They should be identical or at least very similar.
 

Settling an Invoice

 
If your company sends invoices, you’ll need to record their matching payments in the Customer Payment window. Click Customer | Receive Payments or the Receive Payments icon on the home page. There’s also a button for this in the toolbar in an open invoice. However you get there, here’s what it looks like:
 
You’ll record payments that customers send in response to invoices in this window.
 
Select a customer in the RECEIVED FROM field, and any outstanding invoices will appear in the table below. The CUSTOMER BALANCE appears in the upper right corner. Enter the PAYMENT AMOUNT and verify the date.
 
Click in the box for the correct payment method to the right. If it’s a check, enter the number in the CHECK # field. If you choose CREDIT DEBIT, you can enter the card details in the small window that opens. If you provided this information in the customer’s record and chose that as the PREFERRED PAYMENT METHOD, it should fill it in automatically.
 
Note: To set a PREFERRED PAYMENT METHOD, which will save time, open the customer record and click the small pencil icon in the upper right. Click Payment Settings and complete the fields in that window.
If the customer has paid less than the balance due, you can either LEAVE THIS AS AN UNDERPAYMENT or WRITE OFF THE EXTRA AMOUNT. Select one of those two options in the lower left and save your work when you’re done.
 

Instant Payments

 
You’ll use a different form when a customer gives you a payment in exchange for the goods or services you provided, without receiving an invoice. Click Customers | Enter Sales Receipts to open a window like this:
  
If a customer gives you a payment without receiving an invoice, you’ll provide them with a Sales Receipt.
 
 
You’ll complete this form much like you did the CUSTOMER PAYMENT window, except you won’t be applying the payment to an existing invoice.
 
Tip: If you have a merchant account or are willing to get one, you can record payments and email sales receipts at remote locations on your mobile device. We can walk you through the setup.
 
Receiving payments from customers is one of the easier tasks you’ll do as a QuickBooks user, but if you don’t use the software’s tools correctly, your books will be difficult to untangle. We can help ensure that you’re doing this element of your work right from the start; just contact us to schedule a consultation.
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How Do You Track Jobs in QuickBooks? Part 2

2/27/2019

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In this second of a two-part series, we'll explore how you use the job-related records you've created.
 
Last month, we showed you how to start building a foundation for tracking jobs in QuickBooks. We explained that you can use the software's jobs tools to track income and expenses for any related group of items and/or services (you can think of them as projects, if you prefer).
 
We covered three elements of preparing to use "jobs":
  • Creating job records that you can use in transactions (example: develop promotional materials)
  • Creating item records that can be assigned to jobs (example: website development)
  • Determining whether you'll need to create a new account in your Chart of Accounts for your job income and expenses. You should consult with us anytime you think it might be necessary to modify the Chart of Accounts.

Using Your Job-Related Records

 
Now that you've recorded the items and jobs themselves, you can start using them in transactions, and eventually track your progress by generating reports.
 
Let's say you worked eight hours on website development for your promotion job. You'd open the Employees menu and select Enter Time | Time/Enter Single Activity to open this window:
 
You can enter individual, billable activities and assign them to jobs.
 
In the example above, you're limited to recording one day's work on a specific SERVICE ITEM. You'd verify the date and select from the drop-down lists to complete the fields for employee NAME, CUSTOMER:JOB, and SERVICE ITEM. You can either use the timer to time the job or enter the number of hours manually in the DURATION box. Click in the Billable box to create a checkmark and add NOTES if you'd like. The CLASS field is optional; talk to us if you're not familiar with this feature.
 
If you worked on two separate service items on the same day for that CUSTOMER:JOB, you would create two individual records. You can also enter billable activities directly on a timesheet by clicking Employees | Enter Time | Use Weekly Timesheet. Once you select the employee NAME at the top, any single activity(ies) you created that week will appear as individual records, and vice versa.
 
Writing a check or using a credit card for a job-related purchase that should be billed to the customer? You'd fill out these forms in QuickBooks like you usually do, making sure that you document the items or services by highlighting the Items tab, select the correct CUSTOMER:JOB, and make a checkmark in the BILLABLE? column.
 
If you write a check or charge your credit card for purchases that can be billed to a CUSTOMER:JOB, be sure to record it in QuickBooks.
 
If you'll be doing some billable driving for your job, you should also be tracking your mileage in QuickBooks. Open the Company menu and select Enter Vehicle Mileage. If you haven't created a VEHICLE record in QuickBooks, click <Add New> and easily do so. Complete the rest of the fields and save.
 
Tip: Do you want to see some of your overhead expenses on job costing reports? Create a CUSTOMER:JOB named "Overhead" and assign related costs to it.
 

Billing the Billables

When the time comes to invoice your customers (Customers | Create Invoices), you'll see how your careful work in QuickBooks simplifies that task. Open an invoice form and select a CUSTOMER:JOB. If you've entered billable items for him or her, this small window will open:

 
When you create an invoice for a CUSTOMER:JOB who has billable time, mileage, or other expenses, QuickBooks can automatically add them.
 
If you leave the first option checked and click OK, another window will open that lists all of the expenses you've marked as billable to the customer, arranged by type. Click in the first column of each expense you want to include and click OK. Your invoice containing those entries will open. Do any editing necessary, and then save it.
Note: You'll probably notice two fields in the Choose Billable Time and Costs window that refer to Markup. This is an advanced concept that we can explore with you, should you want to charge customers more for expenses you've incurred on their behalf.
 

Related Reports

 
QuickBooks contains a wide variety of reports related to your work billing customers for jobs. Click Reports in the navigation pane or Windows menu, then Jobs, Time & Mileage to see what's available. Choose a date range and click Run to see them appear with your own data.
 
If you've never worked with jobs in QuickBooks, we strongly recommend that you let us help you here. There are a lot of moving parts, and you don't want to miss out on any of your efforts or expenses that are billable.
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How to Apply Finance Charges in QuickBooks

1/22/2019

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How to Apply Finance Charges in QuickBooks

You may hate to have to do it, but assessing finance charges for late payments may improve your overall cash flow.

There are a myriad of ways to bring in customer payments faster and improve your cash flow. You can:
  • Get a merchant account and let customers pay you electronically
  • Offer a discount for early payments
  • Shorten the payment due cycle (21 days instead of 30 days, for example)
  • Be more aggressive about collections
QuickBooks can help you take all of these steps. It also offers a fifth option: assess finance charges for tardy remittances.
Maybe you don't want to do this because it seems like a less-than-friendly way to treat customers - especially valued ones. But you're not in the business of lending money, which is what you're doing when you continue to let your accounts receivable slide. So, here's how to do add finance charges to your payment policies.

Multiple Issues Involved

Before you can start adding finance charges to tardy payments, you'll need to let QuickBooks know how you want them handled. Open the Edit menu and select Preferences. Click the Finance Charge tab in the left vertical pane, then the Company Preferences tab in the window that opens. You'll see something like this:
 

You'll need to decide on your QuickBooks Finance Charge settings before you can begin to apply these late fees.

What Annual Interest Rate will you charge? Will there be a Minimum Finance Charge? Do you want to offer a Grace Period? If you've never worked with finance charges before, you might be at a loss as to how you should answer these questions. We can talk it through with you if you'd like, and make sure you're selecting the correct Finance Charge Account. In our example, QuickBooks defaulted to 70100 - Other Income, which may be the best option for you.
The next question may require some research. Some jurisdictions don't allow you to Assess finance charges on overdue finance charges; you'll need to find out. If there's any doubt, make sure that the box in front of that option isn't checked.
QuickBooks also needs to know on what date it should start calculating finance charges: on the due date or invoice/billed date. Finally, check the box in front of Mark finance charge invoices "To be printed." QuickBooks doesn't include finance charges on invoices themselves; it bills them on separate invoices. Check this box if you want the software to print all of them as a batch.
When you're done here, click OK.

Applying the Charges

 

By selecting an Assessment Date, you're telling QuickBooks how many late days should be included in its finance charge calculations.

 
When you're ready, open the Customers menu and select Assess Finance Charges. A window like the one in the image above will open.
QuickBooks, of course, performs all of the required calculations in the background. But it must first know what specific date you plan to actually assess the charges so that it can determine the number of late days that should be included. This may not be the current date, so be sure the Assessment Date is correct before proceeding.
All you have to do here is make sure there's a check mark in front of every finance charge that should be invoiced (they'll probably already be there, but you should verify this). If you send statements, clear the box in front of Mark Invoices "To be printed." The finance charges will appear on the next statement.
When you're satisfied, click Assess Charges.

Dispatching the Charges

Your finance charges have now been recorded in QuickBooks as individual invoices. When it's time to print, open the File menu and select Print Forms | Invoices. You'll see your numbered finance charge invoices displayed like this:
 

You can see your finance charge invoices when you go to print them.

 
(Of course, if you email invoices, you'd click on File | Send Forms.)
It's a good idea to notify your customers before you start assessing finance charges. This will give them a chance to catch up, and no one will be surprised to see the extra invoices.
QuickBooks does the hefty lifting as far as calculations are concerned, but it's very important that you set your finance charges up correctly. Customers will be annoyed by mistakes. And it's much easier for us to help you get this tool set up right from the start than to have to go in and untangle errors. Let us know if you plan to start assessing finance charges, and we'll help make it work for you.
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    Author

    Julie L. Davis, CPA is the founder and owner of JD and Company in Yorba Linda, CA.  The company specializes in both for-profit and non-profit organizations, providing accounting, bookkeeping services, and tax preparation for small businesses. 

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