te12co2w

Does anyone use quick books for an inventory program? I screwed something up in mine and I don't know how to undo it. Is this the right place for this? I upgraded to quick books pro '07 in June. Until then I had been able to move items around in my items list as I wanted them. Once I got the new version it gave me a message that I couldn't move items unless I restored the list to the original order. Well, that wouldn't work since I have been improving the list since I first set up my inventory. I finally got tired of the message and agreed to do that and of course the program change my list to the original order. It is now no good to me at all and I want to change back, but that doesn't seem to be an option. Any ideas? Thanks in advance. I am an electrical contractor that has been using Quick Books for probably 10 years or so. There is a Quick Books solutions page where you can post questions but I haven't had any responses there yet. Getting desperate. Thanks again.

brian john

This place is as good as any for posting, Try Quick books online help (I am sure they have this feature) I have used this feature before (not with quick books) and it sure beats the phone tag type help.

te12co2w

Finally figured out what I did wrong. Well actually someone else figured it out for me and it was an easy fix. Stressing for nothing. Thanks

brian john

te:

Stressing is why software was made, why else would Mr. Gates and his cronies totally redesign Word and Excel.

DBack Elec

I am thinking of switching to Quick Books. Do you like it for accounting purposes?

Speedy Petey

I love it.

Mountain Electrician

Ditto Speedy Petey, I love it as well and I'm not using half of it's potential.

Speedy Petey

No kidding. Half that crap confuses the hell out of me.

I do all my own books ('cept yearly taxes) and I DO like the tax form printing option for my withholding. I toss the packet I get from the the govt and just hit print. Fold 'em, write the check , and mail it all.

I also use Quickbooks Payroll service. Not to write the checks, but it keeps the program up to date automatically with fed and state tax tables. it also lets me just enter my employee's hours and it does ALL the work except write the actual check (I could print Quickbooks checks if I wanted).
Definitely worth the $300/year, even with my just one employee. That equates to about $.15-.20 an hour.

te12co2w

There is a lot of stuff in there I don't have a clue about, but I use it mainly for employee hours and to print paystubs and inventory. I had to write my own inventory list which was extremely time consuming but now I just have to modify and add new items as necessary. There are things that still trouble me about the inventory but unless I get someone that knows about that stuff I just sort of ignore the problems.

Speedy Petey

I should try the inventory thing. Not for small stuff but for things I buy for jobs and don't use. I have a bunch of stuff around and no way to keep track it all.

Mountain Electrician

Me too. I've been thinking about taking a three day course for Quick Books Pro, but I can't seem to find the time.

brian john

I use a few different software programs and I have found out we use what we use and know what we need to know to get something done. Then every so often I figure out something new that was there all along or someone points it out to me and like a light bulb* going off in my head WALA. I learned something new.

* Of course this bulb is now CFL.

jute

Hello te12co2w, I'm a small electrical contractor on So California, I use Quickbooks on-line version and have been trying to come up with some sort of invetory list and it seems it could be massive so I want to limit it to the most used items. The problem I'm having is how to categorize them. How many different categories do you have? and how did you name your parts to keep it simple? (or as simple as possible) ...Any adivise is greatly appreciated, JB

te12co2w

jute. As you surmise it is indeed a massive undertaking. When I made up my list it took 3-4 weeks 5 days a week to get it to where I could use it. I swore I would never do that again. I don't use trade service for pricing, but I'll bet you could use their book for setting up your inventory. I started because I needed to have some way to control all the stuff I had lying around after jobs. I can't remember how many catagories I have but maybe I can list most of them here. Labor, boxes, ballasts. breakers, connectors, conduit, conduit fittings, devices, explosion proof, fans, fixtures, grounding, heaters, lamps, loadcenters, misc, plates and covers, phone, wire, wiremold, wirenuts. There, that's 22. I might have a couple more but you get the idea. I tend to buy from just 1 or 2 suppliers and I started using brand name and # for my item numbers. That doesn't work so well when you buy a different brand from the local hardware store. Then I have to either change the name or enter a new item. It's not all that difficult to add items with this program. You have to keep your inventory list up religiously if you intend to bill from your inventory program. It sure beats looking through all those past invoices for prices though.
And then if you have someone doing your billing that is not familiar with electrical terminology there can be a problem if the job material list does not correspond exactly with your inventory list. But, what the hell, nothing's perfect right?
All in all, I guess I prefer using this over the old method of looking through all those invoices for prices. Good luck, Jim

Romexking

For anyone trying to get their inventory into quickbooks, before entering it manually, try getting your main supplier to create your price matrix for you in electronic format. They may be hesitant to do so, but be persistant, it might save you 5 days a week for 3 or 4 days.

okeefe

I use quick books invoices and it is a pain with the inventory, I just want to type an invoice and it makes me inventory with a description. You guys know what I am talking about.

jute

Thanks to all for the info and it's not looking fun at all...I'm going to have to start somewhere. Now if I only had a few weeks to do this I'd be in good shape... I pull prices out of my head on alot of items but I'd like to be able to charge the same price on regarly used items so I really want to get this going. I've seen my prices vary for the same part on past invoices to the same customer by quite a bit. I know that doesn't look good to the customer unless the price is lower than what I charged them on an earlier invoice... The worst thing is when I charge less for the part then what I paid for it ...Thanks, JB

Speedy Petey

Why do you have to inventory? Just use the item list. Or is that what you are talking about?
When I hear inventory I think making an accurate count of EVERYTHING in stock.

When I create an invoice I have "items" for everything I sell and for labor units.
I just start typing and a drop down list comes down. Then I can just click on the item I want in that line.
I use "non-inventory part" for everything except labor and inspections which go under "services".
Each item can have it's own tax line if you need and has an account it is linked to. I created an income account called "Material".

Tiger

I have materials under Inventory Part (COGS) only for in house information. All of the work I do is under Services. I don't sell materials, I sell installations. As far as setting it up for reorder notices, I haven't set that up yet. Next time I have a hundred hours to spare I'll get on it. For now I look on the shelves and track what I use. I make sure to enter anything I purchase, or change pricing on materials that change in price. I also change task prices when material prices change. In general, rounding up can take care of the small details.

Dave

jute

This is how I'd like to set it up also....

Thanks, JB