Some days, QuickBooks can feel the opposite of quick. And "Sluggishbooks" doesn’t sound like software we would eagerly subscribe to. So put the “quick” back in QuickBooks with these 11 tips for speed and stability within Intuit’s ubiquitous business software.
- Are you using QuickBooks over a 10 Mb/s or 100 Mb/s network? Intuit, the makers of QuickBooks, recommends a 1000 Mb/s connection (also known as "gigabit ethernet") for the greatest productivity (if you hover over your network icon in the Windows system tray, you should see 1000 Mb/s).
- Do you use QuickBooks over a WiFi connection? For speed and reliability, Intuit also recommends a hard-wired Internet connection. Wireless is not supported, and if you have a large database, will often lead to data corruption.
- Do you work without backing up? You might one day be glad that you backed up using the built-in QuickBooks backup utility, especially if you work on the Gulf Coast—a severe weather magnet.
- Do you back up QuickBooks without using the backup integrity check? Make sure that your backups can be completely reinstated after disaster strikes. This can be scheduled to run automatically every night.
- Do you run QuickBooks via a server when you’re working remotely? You should remote into the PC or server that hosts QuickBooks. Connecting your laptop version of QuickBooks to a remote database is slow and will almost guarantee data corruption.
- Are you hosting a QuickBooks database on a shared desktop PC or laptop? QuickBooks recommends hosting multi-user QuickBooks on a server. This is because desktops and laptops are rebooted often, and a reboot with open QuickBooks files can lead to data corruption.
- Are you keeping your lists clean? Annual list cleaning is recommended by Intuit and will keep your database small and efficient.
- Do you work through transaction issues without consulting an accountant? Always talk to an accountant if you have a transaction question.
- Are you giving non-admin users admin rights? Reserve admin privileges only for yourself and a few trusted users.
- Do you leave QuickBooks open overnight? This can lead to slower data backups and an increased likelihood of data corruption if the connection to the server is lost (e.g. if the server is rebooted).
- Do you keep a lot of windows open often in QuickBooks? This will significantly decrease overall performance. Intuit recommends only leaving the windows and reports that you need open to speed up your QuickBooks performance.
At AGJ, we see these QuickBooks issues on a daily basis. Thankfully, they are fairly easy to fix. If you operate on the Gulf Coast and would appreciate help with QuickBooks troubleshooting or optimization, or any other IT issue, contact us.
