I am proud to announce that the latest editions of the QuickBooks 2005 and Peachtree for Windows manuals are finally finished. They should be ready to ship by April 7.

These manuals lead you step-by-step through setting up and using each program. And I have made sure they are easy to read. I know how some manuals are hard to understand and can put you right to sleep detailing every possible use for the program.

Instead, these manuals offer easy-to-read-and-follow instructions on how to get things done, complete with pictures of each screen.

I want to publicly thank the many friends and colleagues who provided input along the way. This edition is even easier to use and more flexible than previous editions. And I found the writing to be a personally fulfilling experience, all because of you.

Featured in this edition are many of the questions you've asked over the years. Thanks to you, these manuals truly are a step above the rest.

Currently we are accepting - for a limited time only - pre-orders for the manuals. If you place your pre-order between now and April 15th, you can get these new editions for the price of the last edition; please see the price list below.

To pre-order, call our office at 503-238-4747. Shipping is slated to begin the first week of April.

As always, our manuals come with a 30-day guarantee. If you're not completely satisfied, you may return it within 30 days for a full refund.

Pre-order prices: QuickBooks 2005 is $35.99, and Peachtree Complete For Windows is $25.99

For orders placed after April 15th: QuickBooks 2005 is $39.99, and Peachtree Complete For Windows is $29.99

Please add $5.00 for shipping and handling to your order.

Well, it's almost that time again; time for First Quarter Payroll Reports. Remember that reports must be electronically filed by April 30.

For those of you who used the state's Oregon Tax Employer Reporting (OTTER) software program last year, you should have received a new CD for 2005. Just place the CD into the drive and follow the prompts to update your program.

Once the program is done updating, open OTTER, go to 'File', and then to 'Add a New Year'.

Next, you'll need to copy a quarter: go to 'File', and to 'Copy Quarter'. You'll be copying from 'Quarter 4 - 2004' to 'Quarter 1 - 2005'. This will copy all the appropriate employee information to the Oregon State Wage & Tax Form (Form 132). Don't forget that you'll need to change your unemployment rate.

If you didn't use OTTER in 2004, I strongly recommend that you download it now. You can find the download by going to the Oregon Unemployment website, located in the 'Quick Links' section of this newsletter.

If you purchased the Enhanced Payroll option for QuickBooks 2005 - it cost an extra $100 - you will find that it will print the Oregon OQ. But the trick is that you have to provide the forms.

I have used both the QuickBooks and the OTTER methods of reporting, and I have to say, I think that OTTER is the better program for this.

First of all, OTTER is a free program provided by the state. With QuickBooks, you have to pay an extra $100 each year to get the reporting function that you need.

And OTTER allows you to email your report directly to the state, whereas QuickBooks does not. Either way, though, you still have to make your payment!

Speaking of making your tax payments, are you using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) yet? If not, you really should.

With EFTPS, there are no more coupons, and no more having to remember to mail the payment or run to the bank

Both the Federal and State payroll tax payments can be made online and it's easy! The only thing required is an Internet connection.

What I like best about EFTPS is that I can enter my payment on the 1st of the month, but the payment isn't deducted from my checking account until the 15th. That way, I never forget.

If you buy materials that you use to create your revenue, are the materials considered to be inventory or non-inventory? If you have some material left-over, is that material considered inventory?

These are some of the questions I often get asked. The difference between inventory and non-inventory items can be a bit confusing.

The most common mistake people make is labeling an item as inventory when it really isn't.

Generally, items are considered inventory when you buy them in quantity, and you don't know who you will sell them to. A good example of this can be found in retail stores.

A retailer buys products (inventory), sets them on a shelf, and hopes someone will buy them. Inventory items are normally things you buy over and over again, and are unique; each individual item has its own specific name and its own part number.

Items that you would use a generic name for, such as hardware or doors, are not usually considered to be inventory.

Most contractors do NOT have inventory.

A non-inventory item is something that you are buying for a specific customer or job. You know who you're going to be selling it to before you buy it, even though there may be some left over when the job is through.

With non-inventory items you can have generic names, such as hardware, doors, nails, etc. You can even use the same name for a number of things.

For instance, some of my customers have a non-inventory item simply called 'Material'. You can give as much detail as you want by the number of items you create.

In QuickBooks, when identifying non-inventory parts, always make sure to mark the box under the item name that reads, "This item is bought for a specific customer:job."

If you're not sure about an item, mark it as a non-inventory part.

You can always change an item from non-inventory to inventory. But once an item is marked as an inventory part, it remains an inventory part.

With both types of items, be sure to use the 'Item' tab, rather than the 'Expense' tab, when entering your checks or bills in QuickBooks. This will ensure that QuickBooks tracks how much you pay for each item.

One of the most common things people want help with is creating a monthly check register that's easy to read. I don't know if you've ever printed the regular register from QuickBooks, but it isn't pretty.

Instead, try this:

1. Start by going to 'List' and then to 'Chart of Accounts'. Next, highlight the checking account you want to deal with by clicking on it once. You don't want to open it, so be sure to click only once.

2. Click on the 'Reports' button on the bottom of the screen, and then click on 'Quick Report'.

3. When the report comes up on the screen, click on the 'Modify' button at the top left. Note: you may have your preferences set so that it automatically comes up to the modify screen.

4. On the 'Display' tab, under 'Columns', select the columns you want to see. I normally check 'Type', 'Date', 'Num', 'Name', 'Debit', 'Credit', 'Amount', and 'Balance'. I take the check-marks off of 'Split', 'Clear', 'Account', and 'Amount'.

5. While still on the 'Display' tab, change the date range to either 'This Month-to-Date' or 'Last Month', depending on which you want to see.

6. Now, click on the 'Header/Footer' tab. On the second line, change the title to read, 'Monthly Check Register'. Then click 'OK'.

7. You should now have an easy-to-read register, with a total for both deposits (debits) and checks (credits).

8. Once you get the report looking exactly the way you want it, don't forget to click on the 'Memorize' button at the top of the report. This will make sure that your settings will be there next time. To run a memorized report, go to 'Reports', and then 'Memorized Reports'. Then select the report you want to run.

Once you've finished this report, try being creative. Do you want to see a report with just payroll checks? How about just deposits?

Try using the filter for 'Transaction Type' to select only the type of transaction you want to see. If you want to see more than one transaction type, use 'Selected Types', and check as many as you want.

As a professional member of the Oregon Chapter of the National Speakers Association, I can reach, entertain and educate your collegues.

If you belong to any business association that features guest speakers, I am available to address your members about QuickBooks and how this program can help your particular type of business.

I have a variety of entertaining speaking formats available for breakfast, lunch or dinner meetings. For more in-depth information, I am also now taking reservations for half-day, full-day, or break-out training sessions.

Each presentation is customized to address the specific individual needs of the professionals I'm presenting to.

To date, I've addressed the Oregon Association of Independent Accountants, the Oregon Trucking Association and the Oregon Landscaper's Association.

For booking or more information, call 503-238-4747.