multiple jobs limit for the same customer

Hello there, @FTneelie.

I'm here to help share information about job types limits in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

Please bear in mind that the exporting process may take some time depending on the size of the file and the number of transactions.

The job types limit in QBDT is 10,000, therefore, the 7,700 doesn't cause any issue with the process. To see the list of QBDT maximum number of list entries or list limits and custom fields, you may check this article: Maximum number of QuickBooks Desktop list entries (list limits and custom fields) .

Don't hesitate to add a comment below if you have any other concerns about QBDT list limits, we're always here to help. Have a wonderful day ahead!

It seems they are making a New Job with every sale, then? "A client of ours has close to 7,700 jobs under one of their customers"

They would not need Jobs at all, in that example. Job = like Subcustomer, not Every individual Sale.

@Angelyn_T

This is Wrong for Enterprise: "The job types limit in QBDT is 10,000, therefore, the 7,700 doesn't cause any issue with the process."

Job Names, not Types.

If you read the link you provided, Enterprise handles over 100,000 and if you press F2, you see the total of All Names, in a QB File. Enterprise allows for one million, as noted in that url article, Note 2.

Hello Angelyn_T and qbteachmt,
Thank you both very much for your feedback!

I had my client run a test.  Would an EDITED invoice that previously dragged because it was 

NEW also drag?  The answer is no.  So to confirm it is only NEW invoices having an issue - everything else exports fine.  It seems  the creation of the job in QB is the big holdup for clients who have a lot of jobs already.  Once the job is created everything else if good to go. 

Any way around this big delay?

I suggested created a new client (same one) in QBs so it has a fresh start and when running reports and such the client would have to remember to include both now - fairly simple, but the 

client was not really interested in that. 

 I agree the client does not need to use Jobs - especially their line of work and all of my other clients do not use Jobs and do not have this issue. 

Can you just change your QBs from JOBS to CUSTOMERS easily?  Repercussions? 

Thank you again for all your input. 

Regards,

Neelie

Hello there, @FTneelie.

Thank you for getting back to us here in the Community and for sharing your experience while working with QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

Changing/switching Jobs to Customers can be done by exporting customer lists as an IIF file. Open the IIF file in Excel and manually edit it, once done editing, save the IIF file and import it back to QuickBooks. However, the challenging part is, it's 7700 jobs and it may take longer time to complete the process.

In addition, the biggest restriction here is, if those jobs has transactions, example, an invoice is assigned to a job and the payment is linked to the main customer, QuickBooks will not allow to switch it.

For additional information about jobs in QBDT, you  may check this article: Track job costs in QuickBooks Desktop.

Feel free to add a comment below if you have any other questions. Wishing you the best!

@Angelyn_T

Please learn from the input I am  going to provide, because this is Wrong: "Changing/switching Jobs to Customers can be done by exporting customer lists as an IIF file."

In QB desktop, Open the customer center. See how every name has little Handles to the left? Click a Job and UnIndent it = drag it to the left. Now you just promoted it to Customer.

This cannot be changed with .iif import/export, which is a Powerful programming function and a bit Dangerous.

The only issue is if you used Receive Payment at the Customer Only level, and that got assigned to Job Invoices, the payment needs to be updated and split to the Job name. Like this:

Open the Payment, Go To the Deposit it is part of. Replace the contents of that deposit for this name with a Placeholder line for the same amount, no name, and "from" a generic Other Income account. Hit Save.

Now that released the Payment. Fix the Payment, and make sure it is flowing to Undeposited Funds, such as, what is one Customer Payment becomes 4 Customer:Job payments. Then go back to the Deposit you Saved (not Save and Close) and use the Payments icon to select the new 4 lines. Remove your Placeholder line. This deposit is the same amount it was and will not unreconcile.

Hello Angelyn_T and qbteachmt,
Thank you both very much for your feedback!

OK I will suggest to my client to switch to JOBS again, but that is up to them - they may not want to do this.   If they do not switch then I am still left with my original problem. 

I am surmising the process of scrolling the big list of jobs and then inserting the new job is 

what is causing the problem-that is the only time there is a problem.  I don't know what else it could be.  

Any thoughts on this? 

Thank you for your time. 

Neelie

An invoice is not Dragged. Names are Moveable. Invoices have the name on them, and are linked = Relational to the Name. That's why it isn't One Invoice means New Name. If I work for you year after year, you are just the One Customer Name for me. If I work for your two different businesses, I would invoice you under Customer:Job, each Job = each of your Businesses. It's Subcustomer, not Each Sale. I want to see all sales, quotes and payments for that One Business of yours that I worked with you on, as that one Customer:Job Name. A Law Firm would do something similar: Client and Matter, so that your Name is Customer and Job = divorce or DUI or 1031 Exchange or Family Trust = Job Names, or What the charges related to.

The integrated tools are not Functioning for purposes of the QB Relational database, which uses Names as Key Fields. There should be a confirmation if that already exists or is New to QB, or New sublevel. I have a programming and SQL background. You can control these things. You need to understand the QB program interface and tables, though.

No, you don't start a new file. This is their Financial data, not a Names List. You are messing up people's financial records, used for Payroll and income tax filings, inventory and sales and sales taxes. Starting a new file is no Small Request. It's like telling a person: Let's change your entire family tree and DNA.

This is a Provision, not a Yes or No: "I agree the client does not need to use Jobs"

It's Not supposed to be done Using one Job for each Invoice. Whether or not they should use Jobs, is not the same question.

"especially their line of work and all of my other clients do not use Jobs and do not have this issue."

An integrator should not attempt to control how QB is used by the End User. The QB User decides if they need to use Customer:Job or not.

"Can you just change your QBs from JOBS to CUSTOMERS easily?"

This has already been Covered. Re-read the explanation for Opening any list in QB that has a hierarchy, see the little diamond handles to the left side, and Move things around. You can move Jobs to other Customers, Promote Job to be Customer, then Merge the names.

"Repercussions?"

You are changing the clarity, if that matters to the QB user. I would not want to Merge your Divorce, DUI and Family Trust legal work into OneName = for You, because as your attorney, I no longer see the details of what was done, charged, or when, for which of your Case Functions. That is called Client Matter in law firms, it is done by using Customer:Job in QB, and in reality, it matters to you and your attorney.

Hello qbteachmt,

Sorry for my delay in responding. I have been traveling for work.

Thank you so much for your efforts, but I think we have gone off track a bit here.

"An invoice is not Dragged" What I said was the invoice is dragging - as in slow to export into QBs.  Only NEW invoices have a big delay.  I appreciate the QBs JOBS review, and yes was previously covered.

After all, I am still left wondering if the 7,700 jobs under a client's name is causing the delay since only NEW invoices experience this issue.

If an invoice is exported to a customer with a small number of jobs there is no issue - only clients with a lot of jobs.

Also, after the NEW invoice that takes a really long time to complete exporting, that same invoice sails through if later on it is edited and re-exported.

It all seems to zero in on the NEW part and the number of JOBS under the customer.

If anyone has any information on this, I would truly appreciate it.

Thanks so much for any assistance!

Regards,

Neelie

Hia LilyC,

Thank you.  I have considered what you mentioned and have been able to rule those out. However, I will reach out to Product Suggestion and mention my dilemma there. 

Thanks again to all for your input - truly appreciate everyone's time. 

If I ever get this wrangled I will post an update.  : ) 

Regards,

Neelie

You're always welcome, FTneelie.

Feel free to send your product requests/suggestions straight to our product engineers/developers following the steps provided by my colleague LilyC above.

Please know that our doors are always open here in the Community. As always, feel free to add a post if you have any other QuickBooks concerns. I'd be glad to keep helping.