3 QuickBooks Online Tools for Cleaning up a Financial Mess
                     3 QuickBooks Online Tools for Cleaning up a
Financial Mess
It’s happened to all of us – scrolling through screens and shuffling pages with a sinking feeling and brain-
blowing headache – trying to make sense of someone else’s financial mess. While cleanup is something
we’re paid for,  there’s nothing more depressing than feeling like you’ll  spend the next  six months in a
paperwork and spreadsheet prison.
But when you find yourself in this situation, don’t panic yet. QuickBooks Online (QBO) has a few tools to
help you sort out the mess, stay organized, and keep your head through the process. I’ll walk you through the
3 that have been the most helpful to me: Bank Rules, Audit Log, Projects, Ask My Accountant account, and
Import Lists and Scanning Apps. QuickBooks Bookkeeping helps you in mane your data on QuicKBooks
Online.
1: Bank Rules
If  your  client  uses  bank  feeds,  QuickBooks  Online  (QBO)  allows  you  to  create  rules  that  guide  how
transactions in the bank feed are categorized. For example, if your client’s rent is always paid to Rent, INC.,
you can create a rule that any transaction to Rent, INC. should be added to the Rent account. And QBO will
do it for you automatically!
This is one of the most underutilized tools in QuickBooks Online. Why? Because quite frankly, it’s scary.
The set up can be confusing, and many users are leery of creating their own rules, afraid they might be
changing more than they are aware. And QBO already tries to match transactions to the appropriate accounts
on its own, doesn’t it? Yes, but it makes mistakes which still need to be corrected and added to the register.
2: Audit Log
QBO tracks all  changes and stores them in the Audit Log. You can view the history of any transaction,
including edits to already accepted transactions and who made them. This tool is especially useful if you
need to correct an error or see how far back a mistake was made. Click View to see the transaction’s history;
from there you can click the transaction ID and directly view that entry to check transaction details and make
changes if necessary.
3: Ask My Accountant/Ask My Client
This feature is all about client communication. Getting data from clients can be one of the most tedious tasks
of  accounting.  But  if  you find yourself  sifting through a mangled mess  of  paperwork,  spreadsheets,  or
previous  QuickBooks  data,  it  is  crucial  to  establish  frequent  communication  to  get  data  as  quickly  as
possible.
You will  not  be  able to  guess everything about  the ways your client  runs his  company and spends his
resources, so open communication is vital. The Ask My Accountant account can help in this area. All new
QBO company set ups have an Ask My Accountant account in the Chart of Accounts. If your client manages
part  of  the  QBO himself,  make  sure  the  Ask My Accountant  account  is  active  and have  him put  any
questionable transactions there. Check the account often and handle these transactions quickly to help you
and your client establish a good work flow.
Work smarter, not harder!
Cleanup is an unfortunate part of our job but also an important one. Clients depend on getting their books in
order quickly. So instead of spending long days and nights in accounting purgatory to clean up the mess
you’ve been handed, use all the QuickBooks Online tools at your disposal to work smart, stay organized, and
maintain your Zen!
Looking for the Bookkeeping Solution on QuickBooks ?
Get Started Here: https://www.myaccountsconsultant.com/