Checking Your List Twice?

Let's say you've entered a name on a QuickBooks list and now you can't use it on a particular form. What's wrong? QuickBooks allows you to maintain databases for your customers, vendors, employees and "other names." These list entries can be used on various forms and reports. The particular list to which a name is added determines exactly how that name can be used in QuickBooks. For example

• Only Customer Job names can be used on invoices, sales receipts, estimates, sales orders and statements. Also, finance charges can only be assessed to customers. Virtually any activity or report that is associated with Accounts Receivable is associated only with customer names.
• Only Vendor names can be entered on a bill or a purchase order. If you intend to track and print 1099 information, the name must be a vendor. Sales tax payments and payroll liability checks can also only be made payable to a vendor name. Virtually any activity or report that is associated with Accounts Payable is associated only with vendor names.
• Paychecks and W-2 forms can only be created for Employee names.
• Checks, timesheets, credit card charges and online payments can be entered for a name on any list.

The Other Names list is for persons or companies that are not customers, vendors or employees. Think of Other Names as the "lost list."

To locate this list, choose Other Names List from the Lists menu.

You can change Other Names to Customers, Vendors or Employees simply by clicking Change Other Name Types under the Activities button on the Other Names List. This will allow you to convert and use each name on the appropriate QuickBooks forms and reports. However, changing an Other Name type is irreversible! If you accidentally add a name to the wrong list you will have to inactivate it and add it again to the correct list (changing the name by at least one character).

It may be wise to back up your data first before cleaning up your names lists. So, get your names on the right list and you will have access to all of the features of QuickBooks!