Company settings and navigation

0:05 Join us in this detailed tutorial from our expert trainer who walks you through each step. Let's get started. Customizing your company settings in QuickBooks Online is an essential step in tailoring the software to meet the specific needs of your business. From setting up your company's financial details to configuring sales forms and email templates, QuickBooks allows you to create a personalized experience that aligns with your business operations. In this guide, we'll walk through the key areas of company settings that you can customize, ensuring that your QuickBooks account is set up for success.

0:51 To begin customizing your company settings, click the gear icon located in the upper right corner of the QuickBooks dashboard. Under the your company section, click account and settings. This will take you to the main settings page where you can customize various aspects of your QuickBooks account. You are now on the settings page. On the left panel, there are numerous customizable options. We will look at each one of them. Let's start by customizing the company tab first.

1:17 On this page, you can add the logo for the company by clicking on the pen icon. You can also view and edit the company information such as name, address, email, phone number, and so forth. Please note that this is the company name you would like to appear on invoices and other forms. The second section is specifically important if your main address differs from legal address. This section also inquires about the business type. You can select from a variety of legal structures like sole proprietorship, partnerships and so on.

2:05 This information is particularly important for regulatory compliance. Moreover, QBO's tax calculation relies on the accuracy of this information to make tax estimates. Next, there is a section for customer contact information. This information is used by your customers to contact you for marketing material, product updates, and more. Now, let's go back to the left panel. The next option is usage. This feature gives you a quick glimpse of the number of billable users and the chart of accounts.

2:53 Based on your subscription package, you will have a certain limit on the number of users and the accounts that can be added in the chart of accounts. Let's explore the payments tab. Now, this helps you decide how you receive payments from customers. QuickBooks Online is integrated with a set of online platforms which can make it easier for your customers to pay you and improve your cash flow. Always enable online payments to offer customers more options. Next in line is lending.

3:17 On this page, you can see the status of the term loans from QuickBooks. There is a section for active and paid off loans. You can quickly apply for a loan from here as well. A recently added option in the account and settings page is QuickBooks checking. It is a freely available bank account managed through QuickBooks partner. It improves user experience by managing all payments and spendings in QuickBooks. The next step is to configure the sales tab.

4:08 The sales tab allows you to customize how you manage sales transactions from invoicing to receipts. Here's what you can configure. You can set the default payment term for your bills such as net30 or due on receipt. This helps ensure that your payment expectations are clear to your customers. Additionally, you can customize the information which appears on the invoices, estimates, and sales receipts. Next option is the invoice payments which allows you to accept or refuse online payments and set payment instructions.

4:56 Moving on, customer financing is a new QuickBooks feature that lets your customers apply for financing through into it credit karma. It works like this. When you turn on customer financing and send an invoice, your customer will receive the invoice along with the financing options. If they choose to finance the payment, Credit Karma pays your invoice and the customer repays them later. You can also add details in the product and services, late fees, and progress invoicing. In the email message section, you can edit the message that accompanies your email, such as invoices, estimates, and other sales forms.

5:42 You can customize the subject line and the email body to align with your brand voice. Next, the CC and BCC fields let you choose who receives a particular message. In addition to this, you can edit reminders. By automating the frequency of reminders, you can improve collection, offer incentives, and share promotions with your customers. Activating postinvoice feedback survey is an excellent tool for gathering work requests, customer feedback, and referrals once you have worked with a client. Online delivery helps you decide whether a customer receives an email with a short summary or full details.

6:30 You can also decide if you would like the customers to receive a PDF. Moving on, the statements option allows you to choose how customer statements are generated and what information they include. You can choose to show all open transactions or just those within a specific date range. In a nutshell, this page allows you to customize how you interact with your stakeholders. Now, let's go through the expenses tab. This tab allows you to add tags for expense and purchase tracking.

7:18 You can also set the default payment terms from here. If your business uses purchase orders, then you can customize it here. Bill pay is another feature by QuickBooks to streamline bill payments in a hassle-free way. Let's explore the time tab. Now, if your business bills clients by the hour or needs to track employee time, enable the time tracking feature. The last option in the left panel includes the advanced settings. In the accounting section, you can choose your accounting method, be it cash or acrruel.

8:05 Other editable information includes how into it communicates with you details of your fiscal year, options pertaining to chart of accounts and automation. From here, you can set currency, profile visibility, and data format. Customizing your company settings in QuickBooks Online is a critical step in making sure that the software works for your business, not the other way around. By tailoring these settings to fit your specific needs, you can streamline your accounting practices, improve the professionalism of your customer interactions, and ensure that your financial data is accurate and compliant with regulations.

8:52 Navigating QuickBooks Online is the first step towards mastering your business's financial management. Whether you are new to accounting software or transitioning from another platform, understanding how to move around in QuickBooks is essential. In this guide, I'll walk you through the key areas of the QuickBooks interface, explaining each section's purpose and how to use it effectively. By the end, you'll feel confident moving through the platform and utilizing its features to manage your business finances efficiently. When you first log into QuickBooks Online, you will land on the dashboard.

9:42 This is the dashboard view as seen after QuickBooks update in summer 2025. Think of the dashboard as your financial control center. On the top, you can view a horizontal array of QuickBooks apps which make your accounting experience a breeze. One factor which differentiates this layout from the previous one is optimal grouping of features. For example, in the customer app, you can find everything related to customers. You can also view these apps by clicking on my apps option in the left menu.

10:07 The next in line is the create action options. You can add bank deposits, products or invoices with a single click. This shortcut saves extra clicks and gives you quick access immediately. You can edit this section by clicking on the show all button. A panel appears on the right, giving you the freedom to choose which actions appear on your dashboard. There are actions related to customers, vendors, teams, and more. Simply click on the star icon to add an action to your list.

10:55 Similarly to remove one click on the star icon again. Below the action section there lies a fully customizable widget area. Here you can add, remove and edit the widgets. By default you will see a sales funnel giving a transparent view of your payments. Next is the bank account widget. This section shows your linked bank accounts, their balances, and activity stats. You can see a mini gear icon which lets you customize this particular widget to meet your requirements.

11:47 Then we have the profit and loss widget. It gives you an idea of your business's overall financial health in the form of quick stats and a horizontal bar. Hover over the chart to view the numbers. Alongside the chart is a mini analysis showing percentage change. You can also change the date range for better context. Next, the expense widget tracks your recent expenses in the form of an interactive donut chart. It's useful for monitoring your spending and ensuring you stay within budget.

12:11 Note the percent value. This shows that the data is based on the transactions you have categorized so far. If you have entered transactions but not categorize them, then it will not reflect in this number. By default, another widget for cash flow trend is present on the dashboard. It shows the money coming in and out as well as the cash balance. At the bottom of each widget, you can spot clickable actions on one side and three dots on the other side for managing the settings.

13:01 You can use this space creatively by adding more widgets. At the bottom, you can see a variety of suggestions by into it, including tips and add-on offers. Additionally, you can customize this space by clicking on this icon. You can also choose to hide financial data by clicking on the I icon. Let's explore the left menu. At the top, you can see the create button. Apart from the quick access action items on the dashboard, this is where you can find all the actions.

13:26 It opens up a menu containing all possible actions related to customers, vendors, teams, and others. The next is the bookmark option, which lets you save a specific page for quick access. This works just like browser bookmarks, which makes navigation easier. Next, we have the dashboard option, which we have just discussed. Under it is the newly added feature of business feed. This is where you will find QuickBooks AI features. Opening this page will lead you to a place where AI meets accounting.

14:13 From setting personalized reminders that match your business tone to autofill features, this page offers great value to your accounting processes. From this page, you can view the AI agents which are accessible based on your subscription package and how each agent can help you in a specific domain. Moving back to our left panel, you can view the reports by clicking here. This expands the menu and gives further options. In this section, you can view all types of reports.

14:59 Be it the standard format, the custom reports or management reports. You can also quickly view your cash flow through a visually optimized dashboard with widgets like cash flow trend and monthly outlook. You also get some clarity into your cash flow by using the cash flow planner feature. This option works best if you have sufficient data in QuickBooks. Let's take a look at the My Apps menu in QuickBooks. This is your control center where most of your day-to-day work happens.

15:24 You'll see sub menus plus a few premium features at the bottom. Let's walk through them one by one. You'll start by accounting. This is the heart of your books. Here you can open bank transactions to see everything coming in from your bank or credit card and decide where it belongs. If you are connected to other apps like e-commerce or POSOS systems, you'll see those in integration transactions. Receipts option is where you upload or email receipts so QuickBooks can read them and create expenses for you.

16:13 Each month you will use reconcile to match your books with your bank statement. In rules you can set up conditions so transactions get categorized automatically. The chart of accounts is your master list of accounts containing assets, liabilities, income and expenses. For anything that repeats regularly like utilities or subscription invoices, recurring transactions can handle that for you. Next, you can also invite your accountants to work collaboratively through my accountant. If you encounter any challenges or need guidance while working in QuickBooks, you have access to live experts.

17:00 Moving on to expenses and bills. Think of this as your vendor and supplier management space. The overview gives you a snapshot of what you owe and what's coming up. Expense transactions list all your spending in one place. Vendors is your directory of suppliers and payes. In the bill section, you can enter upcoming payables and later record or send payment through bill payments. Next, the mileage section helps you track the costs associated with business trips for tax or reimbursement purposes.

17:49 If you work with independent contractors or freelancers, you can add their profiles in contractors. At your end, you can prepare their forms in 1099s. Now, let's explore the sales and get paid tab. This is your income hub. Overview shows sales funnel and income over time. In sales transactions, you'll find details of transactions while through invoices tab, you can create bills for your customers and track payment. The payment links tab helps you add a variety of payment links for faster collection.

18:39 If you have customers who avail services or buy products regularly, then you can generate recurring payments on a desired schedule. Sales channels connect QuickBooks to your e-commerce sites or marketplaces. This is especially handy if you receive sales orders from a variety of channels. If you're using QuickBooks payments, QuickBooks payouts show your deposits and channel payouts show deposits from your connected sales channels. And lastly, products and services is your catalog of what you sell. Let's look at the customer hub.

19:03 Now, it brings together all customer related tools. The overview shows balances and activities at a glance, including customerf funnel, work requests, referrals, review testimonials, and overdue invoices. You can also see the open estimates and tasks. The newly added leads option lets you grow or manage customers through cross-platform integration, QuickBooks features, or manual uploads. Customers list all your clients and estimates lets you send quotes that can easily be converted into invoices once approved. You can also see the newly added options.

20:15 Marketing helps you promote your business with targeted campaigns. Under team, you'll manage the people you work with. Let's explore the time tab now. Through time entries and schedules, it lets you track hours for your team, approve time sheets, and link time to payroll or job costing. The sales tax menu is dedicated to setting up and managing your sales tax. On the other hand, the business tax keeps your records ready for annual tax filing. Finally, lending is where you can explore financing options offered by QuickBooks Partners.

20:39 At the bottom, you'll notice diamond icon. These are premium add-ons. With this we have successfully explored the left menu. Now let's look at the options available on the top right corner of the screen. The question mark icon is for seeking help if you are feeling stuck. You can seek help by talking to a chatbot or searching the available resources. Next, the settings gear icon is where you'll find your accounts and company settings. The bell icon shows the notifications.

21:26 Next, the integration icon lets you integrate third-party apps with QuickBooks. Next is the task button, which gives you a glimpse of setup tasks and ongoing tasks. You can also schedule a session with an expert to help you set up your business in QuickBooks. Lastly, the search bar at the top lets you explore documents, reports, and relevant information with ease. As we conclude this part of our module, you have taken significant steps in mastering QuickBooks Online's interface.

22:13 From understanding the fundamentals to navigating its features, you're building a solid foundation for efficient bookkeeping. So stay tuned, keep up the great work, and remember, consistent practice is key to becoming a QuickBooks pro. Until next time, happy bookkeeping.