Is QBO really ready for use

Arthur Götz · ‎May 12, 2022

I have been using the trial, then QBO Simple Start for a month. There are at least two unresolvable, dealbreaking issues:

1) The description field doesn't show up on the recent transactions list, nor on many other reports.
2) A split transactions shows up like that in the reports or exports, as a split with no details of exactly how the transaction was split. Sure, you can see it by using the "split" hyperlink, but that isn't a viable option for when you need to deliver printed reports.

Which leaves me flabbergasted. What were you thinking? Holding on for the issue to be resolved at an undetermined point in future isn't an option either, neither is upgrading just to get basic functionality, that should've been there in the first place. Seems like going back to the desktop version is the only solution.

RCV · ‎May 12, 2022

This is not the impression we want you to experience when using QuickBooks Online (QBO) Simple Start version, @Arthur Götz .

Please do know that the Transaction Detail by Account report is available in the Essential and version of QuickBooks Online (QBO). This helps you generate a transaction report that shows the description of the transaction. In this case, we can export the report in the Simple Start version to Excel and modify the report you need. Here's how:

Go to Business overview and select Reports. Select the Custom reports tab.
Find the custom report on the list.
Select Edit from the Action column for the report you want to export.
Press Export As PDF or Export As Excel.

In case you might want to memorize reports, you can read this article for your future reference: Memorise Reports. For the split transaction to show the details of it, we can run the Transaction List with Splits report. Here's how:

Go to Reports.
Type Transaction List with Splits in the search bar.
Change the Report period.
Click on Run report. a workaround, you can export the Transaction List with Splits report to Excel so you can separate it from there. You can follow the steps provided by my colleague above.

Also, for the split category, it will show on the report if the transaction has multiple line items when categorizing. To verify, open the transaction to check the categories associated. To know more about it, see this article: Enter a split transaction into the account history.

If you need additional tips while running and managing your reports in QuickBooks Online, you can check out this link: Run reports in QuickBooks Online.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you again. If you have any other QuickBooks questions, please feel free to add a comment below. I'm always here to help. Have a great day!

Arthur Götz · ‎May 12, 2022

You said:

Go to Business overview and select Reports. Select the Custom reports tab.
Find the custom report on the list.

In the Simple Start version, the custom reports list is empty.

You also said:

Go to Reports.
Type Transaction List with Splits in the search bar.

There is no "transaction list with splits".

You haven't addressed the issue with the "description" field not showing in the transaction report. Only the contents of the "memo" field shows.

RCV · ‎May 12, 2022

Thanks for coming back, @Arthur Götz.

We access the report you need to export to Excel and Select Edit from the Action column for the report you want to export. Then, press Export As PDF or Export As Excel. Also, the Transaction List with Splits report is available in the Essential version of QuickBooks Online (QBO). You'll want to upgrade your subscription to a free trial to run the reports you need in QBO.

On the other hand, the Memo/Description showing depends on the report you generate in QBO. If you run a report specific for transactions such as the Transaction List, it'll show the Memo you entered on the Memo field. However, if you're pulling up a report that shows details about the items for a particular transaction, it'll show the description per line item.

If you need additional tips while running and managing your reports in QuickBooks Online, you can check out this link: Run reports in QuickBooks Online.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you again. If you have any other QuickBooks questions, please feel free to add a comment below. I'm always here to help. Take care always.

Arthur Götz · ‎May 16, 2022

@RCV , I appreciate you trying to help, but I'm really not happy with your proposed solution. For a user that has Simple Start and is unwilling to upgrade to Essential (subscription fees are a good 50% more expensive), subscribing to a trial version of Essential just to retrieve split transactions is not an option. Then, rather remove the possibility of doing split transactions on Simple Start altogether. As things stand now, users may invest a lot of time in using split transactions, only to find out at a later stage that they cannot retrieve the data they entered quickly and easily.

Regarding the memo/description field: Think about what some users, taking me as an example, would like to do. I'm entering the transactions, then pass on the data to my accountant in Excel format for final checking, then submitting them to the auditor. Right now, to export the complete data, I will have to run two reports, then merge them on Excel to get a single file, which can then be sent to my accountant, who works on QB Pro 2020. I'm sure you agree that this are not the hoops you want to make a user jump through?

Fiat Lux - ASIA · ‎May 16, 2022

@Arthur Götz wrote:
sent to my accountant, who works on QB Pro 2020.

@Arthur Götz

If your accountant is using QB Desktop 2020 US version, why don't you do the same? You can still purchase the one time license for QB Desktop 2020 Pro or Premier if required.

Arthur Götz · ‎May 16, 2022

I'm busy purchasing Pro 2020, hence my comment that QBO isn't really the solution it is made out to be.