QuickBooks 2005: The Missing Manual

Setting Up Your Accounts for Online Services

Connecting your bank accounts with your accounts in QuickBooks is a lot like running a dating service. You have to prepare each participant for the relationship and then get them together.

The services you can subscribe to and the price you pay depends on your financial institution, but the services fall into one of these three categories:

• Online account access. This service is often free. Your bank won't admit it, but letting you check your account balance and transaction status online is cheaper than letting you chat on the phone with customer service representatives.

• Online bill paying. This service usually comes with a fee, which is often a good deal when you consider the price of stamps and printed checks.

• Online credit card access. You can download credit card transactions as you do checking transactions, as long as you set up your credit card in QuickBooks as a liability account and enter individual credit card charges. Setting up a credit card as a vendor and entering only the monthly bill payment won't work.

TROUBLESHOOTING MOMENT: When Connections Don't Appear

The dial-up connections you've configured for your computer outside of QuickBooks should appear in the "Use the following connection" box. If your dial-up connection isn't listed, click Cancel to close the Internet Connection Setup wizard.

Use your dial-up connection to access the Internet as if you were planning to check email. While the connection is running, reopen ...