Editor’s Note: This article is part of a series. View all the articles in this series here: QuickBooks Online Tips
If you're using QuickBooks Online (QBO) and want to work smarter, not harder, you're in the right place. These expert tips (what I like to call "hacks") will help you navigate QuickBooks Online with ease, saving you time and frustration. Let’s dive in!
QuickBooks Online has a lot of built-in features that can simplify your workflow, but many users don’t even realize they exist. Here are some game-changing shortcuts and tools:
Did you know that every money field in QuickBooks Online functions as a calculator? Instead of using a separate device or app, simply enter your equation into the Quantity, Rate, or Amount fields, and QuickBooks Online will calculate it for you.
Speed up date entry with these simple keystrokes:
You can also type just the month and day (e.g., 3/15), and QuickBooks Online will autofill the rest. If you enter only the day (e.g., 15), it fills in the current month and year automatically.
QuickBooks Online’s search function is more powerful than it seems. Use it to find transactions, customers, vendors, and reports quickly. The new AI even allows you to use natural language queries!
If you're using QuickBooks Online in Google Chrome, take advantage of these built-in tools:
If something isn’t working properly, open an Incognito window. This helps determine if your browser’s cache or cookies are causing issues.
Create separate Chrome profiles for different clients. Each profile can have its own set of bookmarks, keeping your workspaces neatly organized. This is a lifesaver for accountants managing multiple client files!
The Bank Transactions section is a powerful tool that helps automate data entry. Here’s how to get the most out of it:
Sort your bank feeds by Payee, Description, or Bank Detail to group similar transactions together. This makes bulk categorization much easier.
While Bank Feeds are great for auto-importing transactions, Recurring Transactions help automate entries that aren’t tied to bank feeds.
If you charge clients monthly fees for bookkeeping or subscriptions, use Recurring Sales Receipts or the brand-new Recurring Payments to automate payments.
Set up Unscheduled Recurring Transactions as templates for frequently used invoices, journal entries, and other repetitive transactions. Just update the details as needed!
QuickBooks Online has built-in automation tools to keep your finances on track and keep clients informed.
Set automatic reminders for clients before, on, or after an invoice due date. While you can’t customize these reminders for each client yet, this is a highly requested feature in Intuit’s updates.
Save time by setting management reports to send automatically at designated intervals. This ensures clients always have the latest financial insights without manual effort.
Many of QuickBooks Online’s best tools aren’t accessible from the standard menus, but you can still find them with direct links.
Here are a few more hidden gems that can make your QuickBooks Online experience even smoother:
Click on your Company Name in the upper left corner to go straight to Account and Settings.
If your Billable Expenses setting is enabled by default, you can bulk uncheck expenses using this tool:
qbo.intuit.com/app/managebillableexpense
Check QuickBooks status
If you experience issues, check the QuickBooks status page to see if there’s an outage:
quickbooks.statuspage.io
Not sure what an Intuit charge on your credit card is for? Look it up here: chargelookup.intuit.com
By mastering these QuickBooks Online hacks, you’ll boost your efficiency, minimize manual work, and keep your finances in check with less effort. From keyboard shortcuts to advanced automation tools, these strategies will help you get the most out of QuickBooks Online.