QuickBooks 2009: The Missing Manual

Chapter 1. Creating a Company File

A company file is where you store your company’s records in QuickBooks, and it’s the first thing you need to work on in the program. You can create a company file from scratch or convert records previously kept in a small business accounting program or Quicken. The easiest approach is to use a file that someone else created. If you’ve worked with an accountant to set up your company, she might provide you with a QuickBooks company file configured precisely for your business so you can hit the ground running.

If you have to create your own company file, this chapter tells you how to use the QuickBooks EasyStep Interview to get started, and points you to the other chapters that explain how to finish the job. If you already have a company file, you’ll learn how to open it, update it to a new version of QuickBooks, and modify basic company information.

Opening QuickBooks

Here are the easiest ways to open QuickBooks:

• Desktop icon. If you told QuickBooks to create a desktop shortcut during installation (Opening QuickBooks), double-click the shortcut to launch QuickBooks.

• Quick Launch toolbar. The fastest way to open QuickBooks is to click its icon on the toolbar (Figure 1-1).

If you have a QuickBooks desktop shortcut, right-drag (that’s dragging while holding down the right mouse button) the desktop shortcut onto the Quick Launch toolbar and then choose Copy Here to create a second shortcut on the toolbar. (If you’re trying to clean up your desktop, choose ...