Condense questions ....

Deadwood Al · ‎September 17, 2024

Using Enhanced Payroll as part of QBES Gold ----

I just read through a few pages on the Condense Utility, and have a few questions I am hoping to get responses from some people who are actually familiar with Condense to create a new company file.

Brief reason for Condense:

1- Our co. file has data for many years, and we need to reduce the size and improve response times.

2- Our GL is like a fruitcake, and needs organization and simplification.

3- We need to implement Class tracking for income and expense on several activities

My understanding is that a "new company file" would contain essentially the Lists, but would not bring over the detail data (AR, AP, etc.) It would also NOT bring over the FEIN, and we would need to save it under a new name to avoid overwriting the current co file.

Questions .....???

* Could we access BOTH the current file to process data for this year through end of year AND access the "new company file" to create a new GL, updated Item List entries, Payroll Item list entries, and create the Classes for use in the new year?

* Not sure I understand how to handle payroll. We want to provide more GL breakdown into some of the liability and expense accounts for payroll taxes in 2025: we were planning on running payroll on our existing system through the end of Dec 2024, and begin using the new company (new GL codes and employee profile updates) in 2025. But some of the 2024 year end reports aren't generated until sometime in January, which would mean they would have to run on the old (current) co file. How do we do this?

* it seemed to me that the support group that would deal with Condense and new company is different than the people who support Payroll issues. How do we find someone with experience and expert knowledge in BOTH?

Carneil_C

Thanks for laying out the details of your concern about condensing files and handling your payroll in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT), Deadwood.

Let me address them one at a time so you'll be able to get back to business in no time.

First, I agree that creating a new company file couldn't bring over some data and an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Thus, you'll have to save it under a new company file to avoid issues.

Each company is limited to one EIN. Thus, complete any outstanding 2024 payroll tasks on your previous company file before switching to a new one for 2025. This way, we can avoid issues with taxes and form filing. That said, we can use your current company file for processing transactions and enter it as prior payroll on the new one.

I recommend contacting our QBDT Payroll Support Team before running payroll for the new company to transfer the payroll ID.

In addition, please know that we have a data services team and a payroll support team. We can go to the Help menu to connect with our customer representatives. From there, you'll routed to the right department for support.

Here's how:

Go to Help, then select QuickBooks Desktop Help/Contact Us.
Click Contact Us.
Give a brief description of your issue, then select Continue.
Choose a way to connect.

For further guidance about exporting your data from a QBDT company file, read this handy reference: Export lists from the old company file into a new data file.

I'll be adding this helpful resource that can guide you with your payroll in the future: Create and run your payroll.

You can get back to us again here in the QuickBooks Community if you require additional assistance with your company data, such as payroll files. We're delighted to lend a helping hand. Stay safe always.

Deadwood Al

Another thought/question just occurred to me ....

We would, of course, make a backup of our current company file before we started creating a new one and again before we started using the new one. Since we had a backup with all the prior history, is that a file we could access if needed to help in some research or problem solving? If the login was restricted to one login (other than admin) that had only inquiry rights, it would seem to me to be a valuable tool to have. Not for any input or activity, just for viewing ...????

Erika_K

You've graced us once again with your presence, Deadwood, and it's good to see you involving yourself in discussions. Let me take this opportunity to join the thread and offer my assistance. Here in the Community forum, we always strive to create a supportive space where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and inquiries, ensuring all members have access to the answers they seek.

Yes, you can access your backup file at any time. You'll need to restore it first to view your historical data. This is an important process, as restoring the backup file is necessary to access the information stored within it. Since you indicated you also want an additional login apart from the admin account, limited to inquiry rights, it is possible to assign a role to the specific user before creating your backup company file. This approach allows you to tailor access permissions according to the needs and preferences.

I'll guide you on the process of assigning a role:

Go to the Company menu, then select Users.
Choose Set Up Users and Roles.
Enter the admin password, then hit OK.
Select the User List tab, then click New.
Enter a username and an optional password.
In the Available Roles section select the user’s roles, then hit Add.
Click OK.

After completing the steps, generate a backup copy of your company file. Following this process ensures your accounting data can be stored and restored should the need arise.

I encourage you to continue participating actively, as your contributions are what make this community a vibrant and resourceful space for everyone, Deadwood. If there are specific topics or questions you'd like to explore further, please bring them up in the comments section below. Together, we can create an environment of learning and support that benefits us all. Keep safe and have a great day!

Topics

Training

Community

Resources

Condense questions ....