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chanscar
Level 3

Balance Sheet Comparison - Previous Year and Previous Month

Hi there - I am wondering if there is a way that I can set up my balance sheet to compare to both the previous year end and the prior month? I played around with the comparison tool in the reporting but so far haven't been able to find a workaround. If I run a report for this fiscal YTD then the PP show the previous FYTD and the PY shows the same thing. Any advice?

9 Comments 9
CharleneMaeF
QuickBooks Team

Balance Sheet Comparison - Previous Year and Previous Month

I appreciate you for sharing what you're trying to achieve, chanscar.

 

For now, we're unable to run a Balance Sheet comparison report for the previous year and previous month's data. As a workaround, I suggest running two separate Balance Sheet report with a different period. Then, export to Excel and merge them to compare the data.

 

Here's how:

  1. From the Reports menu, select Balance Sheet.
  2. Click Customize.
  3. On the Report period, select the specific date.
  4. You'll want to click the Row/Columns and Filter section to customize the display of the report.
  5. Once done, click on Run report.

 

Then, let's export the report by clicking the Export button, then click Export to Excel. Repeat the process for the other report period and then merge them to see the comparison.

 

You may check out the reference below:

 

You may want to consider memorizing the Balance Sheet report in QuickBooks Online. This helps you save the current customized settings for easy access in the future.

 

I've also included an article wherein you can check which reports are available for your version of QuickBooks Online: Reports Included in your QuickBooks Online Subscription.

 

Your success in running reports with QuickBooks is our top priority. We're always here to help.

chriswoods
Level 1

Balance Sheet Comparison - Previous Year and Previous Month

I don't see those options on my qbo account, nor does this explanation go into what one should do...

JoesemM
Moderator

Balance Sheet Comparison - Previous Year and Previous Month

Thanks for joining the Community space, @sharedchriswoods.

 

Exporting the two Balance Sheet report to Excel will help you compare the previous year and the previous month's data.

 

Since the option shared isn't visible for you, I'd suggest opening your account via an incognito window. This way, we can check if this issue is due to pilled up cache from the browser. 

 

To bring up an incognito window, follow the steps below.

 

  • Mozilla Firefox: Ctrl + Shift + P
  • Safari: Command + Shift + N
  • Google Chrome: Ctrl + Shift + N
  • Internet Explorer: Ctrl + Shift + P

 

Once the private browsing opens, try to run and export the report again. You can follow the steps shared by CharleneMae_F above. 

 

If it works fine as suggested, we'll need to clear your regular browser's cache. This will clear the stored data on your platform that may cause some issues in using QuickBooks.

 

Alternatively, you can use other compatible browsers.

 

Here are some articles that you can read for more information: 

Just in case you need more information about running different reports in QBO, I recommend reviewing this article: Run reports in QuickBooks Online.

 

Fill me in if you have more questions about managing your reports or anything else related to QuickBooks. I'll be here to help you. Take care and have a nice day.

jim5801
Level 1

Balance Sheet Comparison - Previous Year and Previous Month

How is it possible that I cannot pick the prior period (prior year end) for comparison? This is a common report format for monthly financials and should be crazy simple. The response, export to excel is just lazy and not customer focused. I might as well use excel for all formatting, which is not the point of a full stack accounting platform. Yikes, it's 2024

JorgetteG
QuickBooks Team

Balance Sheet Comparison - Previous Year and Previous Month

We see the critical need for seamless and efficient reporting within the same platform, Jim5801. Your follow-through and insights in this discussion are appreciated.

 

It is reasonable to expect thorough and flexible reporting from a comprehensive platform like QuickBooks Online (QBO), especially for essential financial reporting needs. We recognize the current limitations in QBO, particularly regarding the ability to compare multiple periods in one report, and we understand that exporting to Excel might not be the most convenient solution. We genuinely appreciate your feedback on this matter, as it highlights a crucial functionality for our users.

 

We encourage you to share your thoughts and suggestions with our product engineers to help us improve by following these steps:

 

  1. Click the Gear Icon in the upper right corner.
  2. Under Profile, select Feedback.
  3. Enter your Suggestions.
  4. Then Submit.

JorgetteG_0-1731511286438.png

Additionally, I’m sharing some valuable articles that will guide you in customizing your reports and highlight the reports included in your QBO subscription for better visibility into different aspects of your business:

 

 

Please know you can always reply to this thread if you have additional insights about balance sheet comparison or any QuickBooks functionalities. Your voice truly matters, and we are here to help.

BQybdeyonnA
Level 1

Balance Sheet Comparison - Previous Year and Previous Month

It is possible! Once you've got your dates you must make sure the Report period is set to Custom, then in the Compare another period drop down box you can choose custom period and select your dates.

BQybdeyonnA
Level 1

Balance Sheet Comparison - Previous Year and Previous Month

It is possible! Once you've got your dates you must make sure the Report period is set to Custom, then in the Compare another period drop down box you can choose custom period and select your dates.

Klanierwf
Level 1

Balance Sheet Comparison - Previous Year and Previous Month

Is there a similar solution to this problem for Enterprise Standard to customize the prior period to year-end versus the interim period?

Jeff_S
QuickBooks Team

Balance Sheet Comparison - Previous Year and Previous Month

Welcome to the community! Klanierwf. I understand you want to create a customized Balance Sheet comparison report in QuickBooks Desktop, specifically comparing before-year-end and interim periods. I'm glad to help you navigate this process so you can gain valuable insights into your financial standing.

 

As of now, QBDT doesn't offer a direct option to run a Balance Sheet comparison report simultaneously. As an alternative, I recommend generating two separate Balance Sheet reports for each desired period. After that, export the reports to Excel and merge the data for a complete comparison.

 

Here's how:

  1. Go to Reports, then select Report Center.
  2. Choose the report you want to export.
  3. Find the Excel ▼ Dropdown, then choose Create New Worksheet or Update Existing Worksheet.
  4. Click Ok if you're ready to export.

 

NoteIf you see a message about too many columns in your report, choose Advanced, uncheck the Space between columns box, and click OK.

 

QBDT provides extensive report customization options, enabling you to personalize reports by choosing specific data fields, date ranges, and layouts. Additionally, you can save these customized reports for later use, offering the flexibility to adapt to your business requirements.

 

Moreover, memorizing reports offers several advantages that improve efficiency, accuracy, and consistency in business reporting, making it easier for users to manage financial data effectively.

 

Thanks for reaching out to the community! If you have any further questions or need additional assistance managing your financial reports, we're always here to help. Have a great day!

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