Use QB on the road
So I see this all the time, someone wants to use QB while on the road and yet still allow the office to use QB, and then merge the changes when they get back.
For 2008 Premier or higher, same process should work for previous years
First you have to have QB installed on both machines, BUT and here is the key, on the portable machine that you will take on the road, when you install QB select “Accountants” version.
Just before you leave on your road trip, using the file on the office computer bring up QB, select the menu File>Accountant’s Copy>Save File. Go through the wizard and select the date. I would use the current day or the most recent of the canned choices in the drop down list. Select the location to save the file, a USB drive is handy since you can then move it to the laptop.
When you create the accountants copy, QB locks your books (at the office) so you cannot make changes to the past, but you can work on current and future transactions. This is done so that the base of information is the same between the accountants copy and the copy the office works on. With the base of information the same it is easy to see what changes are made in each copy and merge them when the time comes.
There are somethings you cannot do when using the accountants copy on the road so it they are critical then this may not work for you. You CANNOT:
- make estimates or sales orders (but before leaving you could print blank ones and enter the info when you return)
- mark invoices as pending
- use the vehicle mileage applet (would be really nice if you could)
- pay Sales Tax
- do payroll
For most all other activities you can add, but not edit or delete. But to me it seems as though what you would be doing is creating invoices or sales receipts most of the time anyway.
Plug the USB drive in the laptop, open QB, and select the menu File>Accountants Copy>Open & Convert. That opens the company file you created as an accountants copy. Accept the default file name and proceed.
Now when you are on the road, process your transactions.
When you get back to the office. On your laptop, assuming you have finished entering everything, use the Menu File>Accountants Copy>view/export changes. That will bring up a report of the changes (think transactions) that you made while on the road. There is a button at the bottom that says “Create Change File for Client” - click that and accept the file name QB picks, save the file to your USB drive.
On the office computer, bring up QB, put your USB drive in the slot for it, use the menu File>Accountants Copy>Import Accountants Changes. Click yes if QB wants to close all windows. Select the file on the USB drive in the open dialog box, QB will open a report of the changes. I suggest at this point you print it out as a safe guard. Click the import button at the bottom and QB will first back up your company file, and then merge the changes. When the window says the changes were made click close.
QB will open the company file, with the changes (the transactions you made while on the road) as well as the transactions that were made in the office while you were away.
Charlie in his comment make a good point, so good I thought I would copy it here rather than you having to click to find it, but to read the full comment just click on the comments link.
—–snip from Charlie ——
Prior to creating the accountant’s copy I would recommend that you check the starting file for any errors, and perhaps do a rebuild. Clean up any errors that show in the error log (which can be a bit cryptic, unfortunately). Some of us believe that these kinds of errors are what might be causing the merge problem later on.
And don’t let the office staff delete records or rename things while you are on the road, because if they delete something that you make a reference to in your “road” copy, this could possibly be a source of the error.
Personally, when I’m on the road, I usually have an Internet connection available, so I use a product like LogMeIn to access my office computer to do the updates there. Which isn’t as convenient, but works.
——end snip—-
