best book for Quicken and a home business

The best comes with Quicken --- Use the HELP button and all of its features If you can't find it in the table of contents, use the index and/or search.

I suggest you set up two (2) files - 1 for home and 1 for business Your home account s/b on a cash basis Your business account s/b on an accrual basis

... and last but not least --- Practice make perfect (almost!) If everything else fail, read the instructions (HELP) Good luck, Jim

I don't agree with your advice about 2 separate Quicken Files. I have my own business setup as a Sole Proprietorship and use only 1 file. When you first setup the business, you can choose either cash or accrual. Having 1 file keeps things much simpler.

Help is also available at the Quicken Forums.

Do you advise doing above even with Q2006 Home and Business versions..... I.e. have tow sep files/databases?

Does the H7B version keep everything in database and that's not good idea?

Using 1 file (set) is an option. Each user must decide what is best in their situation. Jim M.

Hi, Mike.

I'm not sure what books or websites might help answer your questions.

"A small business" is extremely vague. It could be anything from babysitting to manufacturing - and beyond. We can't really give much intelligent advice without at least a little information about the business itself.

A small personal service business with no employees can probably be handled in your family Quicken file(set), using Classes and other such Quicken tools. A larger business with employees will probably need the more-capable H&B or QuickBooks, especially if she must also collect and remit sales taxes.

One reason to keep a completely separate set of books (or Quicken file) is to let third parties examine the business accounting without plowing through personal transactions. Those third parties might include your bank or other lender, or tax or license examiners who want to be sure that you've reported properly. Having a separate set of books will require you to make mirror entries in both sets for money or other assets transferred to or from the business. With a single Quicken account, you can simply use business expense Categories when you pay business bills from your family checking account, for example.

If you tell us more about the nature of the business, we can probably give you better advice.

RC

Sorry it took so long to reply, I was out of town. The wifes business has no employees. She is a Copywriter so she has low costs also. Mostly paper and ink. We use a common credit card and checkbook for her supplies and the home stuff. So I guess one file would be best. Thanks for the replies, I guess I will stick with the help files, doesn't seem to be a good printed reference out there.

Thanks Mike

more-capable