It's nice to see your post today, Judy R.

I've got some steps to help you set up a loan given in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

To start the initial steps, you'll want to set up a liability account, vendor, and expense account.

Set up liability account:

1. Go to the Lists menu, then select Chart of Accounts.
2. Right-click anywhere, then select New.
3. Select Other Account Types, then select the right account type for your loan: Other Current Liability or Long Term Liability.
4. Click Continue.
5. Enter the name and number for the account.
6. Hit Save & Close.

Set up vendor:

1. Go to the Vendors menu, then select Vendor Center.
2. Select New Vendor.
3. Enter the name of the bank or the company you need to pay for the loan.
4. Click OK.

Set up an expense account:

1. Go to the Lists menu, then select Chart of Accounts.
2. Right-click anywhere, then select New.
3. Select Expense, then Continue.
4. Enter the account name for the interest payments or fees and charges.
5. Click Save & Close.

Once done, you can start recording the loan amount. For the steps, the process to Step 4 of this article: Manually track loans in QuickBooks Desktop.

In terms of the type of account to use, I recommend consulting a certified accountant or bookkeeper on this. They can share their best practices in handling loans given.

 
We also have our Find-a-Pro-Advisor page that will be able to assist in connecting you with a certified accountant or bookkeeper that also specializes in QuickBooks Online: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/au/find-a-proadvisor/

Of course, you're always welcome to visit us again if you need help while working with loans. It will be my pleasure. Stay safe and have a great day ahead!