Computer Heaven

Bookkeeping Training

QuickBooks: Do's & Don'ts

The goal is simple: get into the right company file, keep the data safe, and know when to stop and ask. Tap any rule below to open the full step-by-step how-to.

Do
Open the correct QuickBooks year first, then open the company file from inside that program.

Why: Several QuickBooks years (for example 2021, 2023, 2024) can be installed on the same computer. The year you open decides how the file behaves and whether it might get upgraded. Starting from the right program keeps you in control.

  1. Close QuickBooks if it is already open so you start clean.
  2. Open the Start menu and look for the exact version you need, for example “QuickBooks Desktop 2023”. Click that one. (If several are pinned to the taskbar, hover each to read the full name.)
  3. Once it opens, confirm the year under Help → About QuickBooks — the year and release show at the top.
  4. Now open the file from inside QuickBooks: File → Open or Restore Company → Open a company file → Next, then pick the file and click Open.
Not sure which year a client uses? Don't guess — ask IT and we'll tell you (or pin the right one for you).
Confirm the company and file location before entering anything.

Why: Similar names may belong to different clients, old copies, or backups. Thirty seconds of checking prevents hours of untangling entries from the wrong file.

  1. Read the title bar at the very top of the QuickBooks window — it shows the company name that is currently open.
  2. Check the exact file and folder: File → Open or Restore Company → Open a company file shows the full path (for example a server drive like Q:\ or a hosting folder). Confirm it matches where this client's live file should be.
  3. Watch for red flags in the name: words like copy, backup, old, test, 2022, or a date usually mean it is not the live file.
  4. If anything looks off, stop and confirm with your supervisor before entering a single transaction.
Use your own assigned login. Ask for access rather than borrowing someone else's.

Why: Your login tracks who did what. Borrowing a login hides mistakes, can give you permissions you shouldn't have, and makes problems much harder to trace back and fix.

  1. Sign in with the username and password that were set up for you.
  2. If you don't have a login yet, or it stopped working, ask your supervisor to request access — don't use a coworker's.
  3. Keep your password private. If you think someone else knows it, have it changed.
Login or password trouble is an IT issue. Open a ticket and we'll sort out access.
Check dates, amounts, accounts, and customer/vendor names before saving.

Why: A wrong date lands money in the wrong month, a wrong account throws off reports, and the wrong customer sends a bill to the wrong person. Catching it before you save is easy; fixing it later is not.

Before you click Save, read back:

  • Date — is it the correct day, month, and year? (QuickBooks often fills in today's date automatically.)
  • Amount — does it match the receipt, invoice, or statement in front of you?
  • Account — is it posting to the right account/category?
  • Customer / Vendor name — is it the exact right one, not a lookalike from the drop-down?

When it all checks out, save with Save & Close (or Save & New to enter another).

Check for existing entries before adding transactions, customers, or vendors.

Why: Duplicates make a customer look like two customers, double-count income or bills, and quietly break reports. A quick search first keeps the books clean.

  1. To find a transaction, use Edit → Find (or press Ctrl + F) and search by amount, name, or number.
  2. Before adding a customer or vendor, open the Customer Center or Vendor Center and type the name in the search box to see if they already exist (watch for spelling variations and “Inc” vs “LLC”).
  3. If you find a match, use it. Only create a new record when you're sure it isn't already there.
Follow the approved backup procedure and report any backup failures.

Why: A backup is your undo button for the whole file. If a backup silently fails and something goes wrong, there may be nothing to restore from. Reporting failures lets us fix them before they matter.

  1. Use the procedure your office has set — if you're unsure what it is, ask your supervisor to walk you through it once.
  2. QuickBooks' own backup is File → Back Up Company → Create Local Backup, then follow the prompts to the approved location.
  3. Watch for a “backup complete” confirmation. If you see an error, or it never confirms, report it right away — don't assume it worked.
Backup failed or acting strange? Tell IT — we manage the backups behind the scenes and can confirm your data is safe.
Save your work and close QuickBooks normally when finished.

Why: Closing properly lets QuickBooks finish writing to the file. Yanking the power or killing the program mid-write is a common cause of file damage — especially when the file lives on a shared server.

  1. Finish and save any open transaction (Save & Close).
  2. Close the file with File → Close Company, then exit with File → Exit.
  3. Let it close on its own. Don't shut down or sign out of Windows until QuickBooks has fully closed.
Report errors with a screenshot and what you were doing — and ask the right person.

Why: A screenshot of the exact message, plus what you were doing when it happened, lets us fix it in minutes instead of guessing. The wrong details lead to the wrong fix.

How to take a screenshot (Windows)

  1. Press Windows + Shift + S — the screen dims and you drag a box around the error.
  2. It copies to the clipboard; paste it into your ticket or email with Ctrl + V.
  3. Jot down one line: what you clicked or were entering right before the message appeared.

Who to ask

  • Bookkeeping questions (how to categorize, which account, is this right): your supervisor.
  • Software or access problems (errors, can't log in, QuickBooks won't open, backup failed): IT / Computer Heaven.
Open a support ticket, or if a technician is already on the line, join them at computerheaven.com/remote.
Don't
Don't double-click company files in File Explorer when multiple years are installed.

Why: Double-clicking a .qbw file lets Windows pick which QuickBooks year opens it — and it may pick a newer one that upgrades the file. After that it won't open in the older version anymore.

  • Instead, open the intended year first, then open the file from File → Open or Restore Company (see the first Do above).
  • If a file opened in the wrong version and you're now seeing upgrade prompts, stop and ask before clicking anything.
Don't approve file upgrades or conversions without authorization.

Why: A converted file may no longer open in the older version. If other people or the accountant still use the older year, an unapproved upgrade can lock everyone out of the live file.

  • If you see a prompt about updating, converting, or upgrading the company file, don't click Yes/Update.
  • Note exactly what the prompt says (a screenshot is perfect) and ask your supervisor or IT first.
Don't move, rename, delete, or make working copies of QuickBooks files unless directed.

Why: QuickBooks tracks its files by name and location, and keeps several linked files together (.qbw, .nd, .tlg). Moving or copying one can break multi-user access or leave people editing the wrong copy.

  • Leave the files where they are. If you need a copy for a real reason, ask first so it's done the safe way.
  • Never delete a QuickBooks file to “clean up” — what looks like clutter may be the live data or its logs.
Don't restore a backup over a working company file.

Why: Restoring an older backup replaces newer work. Everything entered since that backup was made can disappear. This is one of the most common ways real data gets lost.

  • Only restore a backup when you've been specifically told to, and you know exactly which file and which backup.
  • If someone asks you to “just restore it,” confirm with your supervisor or IT first — it's worth the extra minute.
Think recent work was lost or a restore went wrong? Stop using the file and contact IT immediately — acting fast gives the best chance of recovery.
Don't delete, void, or change reconciled or closed-period entries without the reviewer's approval.

Why: Reconciled and closed-period entries are already matched to bank statements and reports (and often taxes). Changing them silently throws past reconciliations out of balance and can affect filings that are already done.

  • If a reconciled transaction looks wrong, don't edit it yourself — flag it for the designated accounting reviewer.
  • Be cautious with anything dated in a prior month or year; it may be in a closed period.
Don't guess at categories or create adjustments just to make balances match.

Why: A “plug” entry that forces the numbers to agree hides the real problem and creates a bigger cleanup later. The books are supposed to reflect what actually happened.

  • If you're unsure which account or category something belongs to, leave it and ask — a short question beats a wrong entry.
  • Never invent an adjusting entry only to make a balance look right. Ask the reviewer for guidance.
Don't change payroll, tax settings, the chart of accounts, hosting, or multi-user settings without authorization.

Why: These settings affect everyone and everything downstream — paychecks, tax calculations, how every report rolls up, and whether others can even get into the file. One change can ripple across the whole company.

  • Leave Preferences, payroll items, tax rates, and the Chart of Accounts as they are unless you've been asked to change something specific.
  • Hosting and multi-user mode are IT-managed — don't toggle them to “fix” a problem; report it instead.
Don't force-close QuickBooks, restart the server, or interrupt another user's session without coordinating.

Why: Force-closing or restarting while someone is mid-entry (or mid-save) can corrupt the shared file and lose their work. On a server, a restart kicks everyone out at once.

  • If QuickBooks seems frozen, give it a moment — large files can be slow. Don't jump straight to Task Manager “End Task.”
  • Before restarting a server or closing someone out, coordinate with your supervisor or IT so no one loses work.
Server or multi-user trouble is an IT job. Open a ticket and we'll handle it safely.
Don't click through unfamiliar warnings — stop at upgrade, convert, restore, overwrite, rebuild, or condense.

Why: These specific words signal actions that change or replace the data file itself. Clicking past them “to make it go away” is how irreversible changes happen by accident.

If a message mentions any of these, stop and ask before clicking:

  • Upgrade / Convert — may change the file so older versions can't open it.
  • Restore / Overwrite — may replace current data with older data.
  • Rebuild / Condense — rewrites or trims the file; should be done deliberately, with a backup.
Screenshot the message (Windows + Shift + S) and send it to IT before choosing an option.
Before working independently: Have a supervisor demonstrate the correct program, the correct company file, your daily tasks, the backup procedure, and how to report a mistake — at least once, hands-on.
When unsure: Stop, take a screenshot, and ask before making changes. No one is ever in trouble for pausing to ask — that's exactly the right move.

Get help fast

Open a support ticketSoftware, access, or errors Join a remote sessionWhen a tech is on the phone Contact the teamReach Computer Heaven directly More training guidesBack to the learning center