BM1604

IMPORT AND/OR EXPORT FILES AND ADDITIONAL FEATURES

IMPORTING FILE

A text file that transfers list, budget, and transaction data to a QuickBooks company file. An import file
must conform to a specific structure for QuickBooks to interpret the data in the file correctly.

You can also use an export file that you created with QuickBooks' Export command as a way to
import data to another QuickBooks company. Export files conform to the same internal structure as
import files. The only difference is that QuickBooks cannot add transaction data to an export file. If
you want the file to contain transaction data, you must edit it yourself.

TIP: The easiest way to see and understand the format QuickBooks needs to import data is to export
some of your QuickBooks lists and view the resulting file in a spreadsheet. If you don't already have a
QuickBooks company, you can export lists from the sample data (SAMPLE.QBW).

Importing transactions to QuickBooks

You can import transactions to QuickBooks, provided that the transaction data is in a text file that
conforms to QuickBooks' import file format. This is a tab- or comma- delimited text file in which the
transaction data appears in columns. Special keywords identify the beginning and end of each
transaction, and provide headings that indicate the type of information in each column.

EXPORTING TO OTHER SOFTWARE

When you export a list from QuickBooks, it is automatically formatted as an IIF file. You can then
import the IIF file into spreadsheets, word processors, database programs, or other QuickBooks
companies. You can’t export transactions from QuickBooks, but you can create a report based on
transactions and print it to a file that another program can import.

WRITING LETTERS IN MICROSOFT WORD USING QUICKBOOKS DATA

You can easily send letters to customers or suppliers with QuickBooks Letters, a set of prewritten,
preformatted business letters. These letters include collection letters, thank you notes, and more.

To create a letter, begin by using the QuickBooks Write Letters wizard, where you'll specify choices
for letter types, lists of recipients, and other information. When you've made all the necessary
selections, you'll leave the wizard and begin creating your letters in Word.

As you work in Word, you can access a set of QuickBooks toolbars that will help you enter data fields
in the letters you create. QuickBooks fields act as placeholders for the QuickBooks data extracted
from your names lists.

To start writing letters:

1. Display the Write Letters window.

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2. Select one (1) of these options from the QuickBooks Write Letters wizard and then click Next.

Preparing a collection letter, preparing another type of letter, designing a letter. Once you
choose one of these options, you'll step through the wizard specifying choices appropriate for
the letter you are creating. After creating your custom letters, you'll save your work as you
would any Word document.

3. Choose Save from the File menu to replace the existing letter with that name.
4. Choose Save As from the File menu so that you can give the letter a unique name. You can
then easily locate your new letter.
5. You can print the document from the File menu in Word.

MULTI-USER MODE

What is multi-user mode?

Multi-user mode lets up to five people work with your company file at the same time. Multi-user
mode is available only in QuickBooks Pro or Premier.

Switching to multi-user mode

To switch to multi-user mode, you must first share your QuickBooks company file through a
network and install QuickBooks Pro or Premier on each of your accounting workstations. (Each
computer on your network that will have QuickBooks Pro or QuickBooks Premier installed on it
must have a unique copy with its own serial and registration numbers.)

Using QuickBooks Pro or QuickBooks Premier on a network is basically the same as using it on a
single computer. For most of your day-to-day tasks, up to five (5) users can access the company
file at the same time. When several users are allowed to work in the company file simultaneously,
the file is in multi-user mode.

1. From the File menu, choose Switch To Multi-User Mode.

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2. If there are other people in your office who are waiting to work with the company file, tell them
that they can log in.

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF LIST ITEMS AND TRANSACTIONS

QuickBooks can handle a maximum of two (2) billion transactions. The maximum number of
transactions is limited more by your computer’s disk space and memory than by QuickBooks. Each
list in QuickBooks has a maximum number of items it can contain, as shown in the following table:

NOTE: Some of the items mentioned in the chart above are not available in earlier versions of
QuickBooks.

Practical Limitations

The typical QuickBooks customer is a small business with 20 or fewer employees and annual revenue
of less than $2 million. The ideal use of QuickBooks is to keep at least two (2) years of detailed
transactions in a data file so that you can run comparative reports and have prior-year project
information.

List Maximum number of items

Chart of accounts 10,000

Items, including inventory items (Group items can contain only 20 individual items) 14,500
Job types 10,000
Vendor types 10,000
Customer types 10,000
Purchase orders 10,000
Payroll items 10,000
Classes 10,000
A/R terms and A/P terms total 10,000
Payment methods 10,000
Shipping methods 10,000
Customer messages 10,000
Memorized reports 14,500
Memorized transactions 14,500
To Do notes 10,000
Total names: employees, customers, vendors, and other names combined Note: Any
one name list can contain up to 10,000 names, but the name lists combined cannot 14,500
exceed 14,500 names.

Reference:
Quicken. (2007). Manual for QuickBooks 2007/08. Makati City: Waine's Software Technologies.

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