QuickBooks HelpQuickBooksHelpIntuit

Keyboard shortcuts in QuickBooks Desktop

by Intuit•12• Updated 1 year ago

Learn keyboard shortcuts for doing things more efficiently in QuickBooks Desktop for Windows and Mac.

You can use keyboard shortcuts to do all kinds of things in QuickBooks Desktop. Instead of using the menus, you can create invoices and move between windows with just a few keystrokes.

Note: You'll see underlined letters on some forms and buttons. These are shortcut labels. To use the shortcut, hold Alt and press the underlined letter.

Navigate around QuickBooks

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Open the Help windowF1
Close current windowEsc
Open the Product Information window (Product and License number, company file location, etc)F2 or Ctrl + 1
Open the Find Transaction window (Transactions, invoices, etc)Ctrl + F
Open the Search window (Customers, accounts, transactions, etc)F3 or Ctrl + 2
Open Tech Help / Technical Info window (System info)F2 to open the Product Info window, then press F3

Data fields on forms

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Increase or decrease the amount+ or -
Go to the next data fieldTab
Go to the previous data fieldShift + Tab
Copy, paste, undo, cutCtrl + C, Ctrl + V, Ctrl + Z, Ctrl + X

Date fields on forms

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Open calendar to select a dateAlt + ↓
Advance a day+
Back a day-
Go to todayT
Go to the first day of the weekW
Go to the last day of the weekK
Go to the same day next week]
 Go to the same day last week[
Go to the first day of the month M
Go to the last day of the monthH
Go to the same day of the month next month;
Go to the same day of the month last month' (apostrophe)
 Go to the first day of the year (Jan 1)Y

Forms and transactions (invoices, expenses, etc)

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Record or save a transactionEnter
Add a new transaction lineCtrl + Ins
Delete selected transaction lineCtrl + Del
Copy a transaction lineHighlight a transaction line, then press Ctrl + Alt + Y. *Only available in QuickBooks 2018 and later.
Paste a transaction lineHighlight a blank transaction line, then press Ctrl + Alt + V. *Only available in QuickBooks 2018 and later.
Go to the next or previous transaction line↑ or ↓
Open the full list for the selected dropdown menu (product, service, customer, etc)Highlight the ▼ dropdown menu, then press Ctrl + L. Press Ctrl + U to add a selected item from the list to your open form.
Move between pages on forms and reportsPage Up or Page Down
Save and close the current formAlt + S
Go to your last open form of the same typeAlt + P
Save and go to the next form of the same typeAlt + N
Print form (or list)CTRL + P
Memorize current form and its transactionsCtrl + M
Open Memorized Transaction ListCtrl + T
Open transaction history (for current form)Ctrl + H
Open transaction journal (for current form)Ctrl + Y

Lists (Customer Center, Account Register, Item List, etc)

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Go to the first item or last item on a list or registerCtrl + Page Up
or
Ctrl + Page Down
Create a new item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc)Ctrl + N
Edit an item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc)Ctrl + E
Delete an item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc)Ctrl + D
Run a Quick Report for an item on a listCtrl + F6
Refresh list (You only see this if you are in the multi-user mode. This is useful if multiple users are editing the same list.)F5

Start a new task anywhere in QuickBooks

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Create a new invoiceCtrl + I
Create a new checkCtrl + W
Open the Customer CenterCtrl + J
Open the Chart of AccountsCtrl + A
Open an Account RegisterCtrl + R, then select an account. If you are in an account register, select a transaction and press Ctrl+G. This opens the register for the associated "transfer" account.

Open, set up, and close QuickBooks

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Open your company file with no open windows or menusHold Alt after you open your company file on the Open Company window
Close QuickBooksAlt + F4
Open QuickBooks Service Keys (Payroll only)Ctrl + K
Set up YTD Amounts for Payroll (Payroll only)Select the Help menu and then About QuickBooks. When the product screen appears, Ctrl + Alt + Y.

Navigate around QuickBooks

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Open the Help windowCommand + ?
Minimize current windowCommand + M
Open PreferencesCommand + , (comma)
Open the Product Information window (Product and License number, company file location, etc)Command + 1
 Open the Find Transaction window (Transactions, invoices, etc)Command + F
Hide QuickBooks Command + H

Data fields on forms

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Go to the next data fieldTab
Go to the previous data fieldShift + Tab
Copy, paste, undo, cutCommand + C, Command + V, Command + Z, Command + X
Increase or decrease the check or form number by one+ or -
Delete the character to the leftDelete

Date fields on forms

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Advance a day+
Back a day-
Go to todayT
Go to the first day of the weekW
Go to the last day of the weekK
Go to the first day of the monthM
Go to the last day of the monthH
Go to the first day of the year (Jan 1)Y
 Go to the last day of the year (Dec 31)R

Forms and transactions (invoices, expenses, etc)

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Add a new transaction lineCommand + Y
Delete selected transaction lineCommand + B
Open the full list for the selected dropdown menu (product, service, customer, etc)Highlight the ▼ dropdown menu, then press Command + L
Move between pages on forms and reportsFN + ↑ or ↓
Print form (or list)Command + P
Memorize current form and its transactionsCommand and + (plus)
Open transaction history (for current form)Command + U

Lists (Customer Center, Account Register, Item List, etc)

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Create a new item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc)Command + N
Edit an item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc)Command + E
Delete an item on a list (account, customer, product or service, etc)Command + D
Open an Account RegisterCommand + R, then select an account

Start a new task anywhere in QuickBooks

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Create a new invoiceCommand + I
Create a new checkCommand + K
Open the transaction journalCommand + T
Open the Chart of AccountsShift + Command + A
Open the Customer CenterShift + Command + J
Open the Employee CenterShift + Command + E
Open the Item listShift + Command + I
Open the Memorized Transactions listShift + Command + M
Open the Vendor CenterShift + Command + V

Move to QuickBooks Online

ActionKeyboard Shortcut
Export to QuickBooks OnlineShift + Command + D

Open, set up, and close QuickBooks

ActionKeyboard shortcut
Open a company fileCommand + O
QuickBooks Accountant Desktop 2021QuickBooks Accountant Desktop PlusQuickBooks Desktop Enterprise AccountantQuickBooks Desktop Enterprise Accountant 21QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise DiamondQuickBooks Desktop Enterprise Diamond 2021QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise GoldQuickBooks Desktop Enterprise Gold 2021QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise PlatinumQuickBooks Desktop Enterprise Platinum 2021QuickBooks Desktop Mac PlusQuickBooks Desktop Premier 2021QuickBooks Desktop Premier PlusQuickBooks Desktop Pro 2021QuickBooks Desktop Pro PlusQuickBooks Desktop for Mac 2021