1. Accurate data

• Reconcile your accounts in QuickBooks and make sure they match your real-life bank and credit card statements.

• To start a reconciliation, select Bookkeeping in the left hand menu.

• Select Reconcile.

• Select Get started to continue.

• Select Let’s get reconciled.

• Select the account you want to reconcile, from the Account field. Make sure it's the same one on your statement.

• Review the Beginning balance. Make sure the beginning balance in QuickBooks matches the one on your statement.

• Enter the Ending balance and Ending date on your statement.

• When you're ready to start, select Start reconciling.

• On the Reconcile page, you'll see all the transactions that you've entered into QuickBooks for the selected period. Using your bank statement as a source of truth, tick all the transactions in QuickBooks that are listed on your statement.

• Once you've completed the process correctly, the Difference amount should be '0'.

2. Run a Profit and Loss report

• Select Business overview from the left hand menu.

• Select Reports.

• Search and select the Profit and Loss report.

• Select a date range from the Report period field.

• Select Run report.

Tip: When you review the report, focus on the top sources of revenue. For expenses, pay attention to things like payroll, rent, insurance, and marketing expenses to see where you may be able to reduce spending.

3. Run an open invoices report

• Select Business overview from the left hand menu.

• Select Reports.

• From the Who owes you section, select Open Invoices. You may need to scroll down the page.

• Select Run report.

4. Cash flow planner

• Select Business overview from the left hand menu.

• Select the right hand arrow → in the cash flow forecast box.

• Review your cash flow planner.

• Download your report by selecting Download report.