In this chapter, the following topics will be covered to get you started if you are a new Quicken user:
For those users who are upgrading from an earlier version of Quicken, this chapter will go through:
And for all users, this chapter also will cover:
If you are upgrading to a newer version of Quicken from an earlier version, skip the next section and go to the section Upgrading To Quicken 2001 later in this chapter. For new users, go to the next section.
IGNORE "Welcome to Quicken's New User Setup". Click CANCEL at bottom of screen. Click YES when prompted "Are you sure you want to leave setup?" This will allow you to setup a new file that will suit the needs for your farm/home/business records.
Go to menu bar and Click File, Click New. This opens the window CREATE QUICKEN FILE. The folder appearing in Save in: is the folder where Quicken 2001 is located. At this point there are 13 folders within the Quicken 2001 folder.
In the upper right corner of the CREATE QUICKEN FILE window, there are four icons (or five icons if your operating system is Windows 98). Point to each icon and a description will drop down. Point to the one that says CREATE NEW FOLDER and Click. NEW FOLDER will appear in the list of folders and will be highlighted. Type DATA to replace NEW FOLDER. Click OK. After DATA is one of the folders, Double Click on DATA folder to put DATA in Save in:. The DATA folder is where the file containing your record data will be saved. Creating and using a DATA folder for your data file is not absolutely necessary, but by using a DATA folder your data is separate from the program folders and easy to locate on your computer's C drive.
Click in the blank to the right of File name: to get the cursor in the blank. Type in a name for your data file. A suggestion would be to use your last name or your business name as your data file name.
**IMPORTANT!!** Click the CATEGORIES button in the lower portion of the window to open the QUICKEN CATEGORIES window. Click off STANDARD CATEGORIES to remove the check mark. If there are any other categories marked, Click off all those check marks also.
This will allow you to set up your own categories that will more closely resemble the categories you are using in your current record system. Click OK to close the QUICKEN CATEGORIES window. Click OK to close the CREATE QUICKEN FILE window and to create your new data file.
If you make a mistake setting up your data file, the mistake can easily be corrected. The correction in most cases is to simply delete the file and start over. A common mistake is to forget to click off (to not use) the standard categories that are built into the program. If this happens, there are a lot of categories that are not needed and only add to the confusion as you begin using the program. Rather than trying to delete all these unneeded categories, it is easier to delete the file and re-create it again.
To delete your file, go to the menu bar and Click File, Click File Operations, Click Delete to open the DELETE QUICKEN FILE window. Click on the your file name and Click OK. Quicken will prompt you several times to make sure that you want to delete the file. After the file is deleted, go to the menu bar and Click File, Click New to start the process again.
If you make a mistake in the beginning, don't become discouraged. It is easier to correct the mistake early in the process than to wait until you have several months of financial transactions entered and then wish you had set up your data file differently.
If your business is operated as a sole proprietorship, combining your business and personal accounts and categories into one file works best.
If your business is incorporated or operates as a partnership where you receive a regular paycheck for your labor and management, you will probably want to set up one data file for the business and one date file for your personal financial information. To create another file, simply follow the instructions in
Creating Your First Data Folder And File.
After your file has been created, you will be taken to the CREATE NEW ACCOUNT window where you will create your first account. The easiest account to first set up is a Cash account under Banking & Cash. You will track your cash receipts and expenditures in this account.
Click on Cash. Click Next and enter NAME and DESCRIPTION. You can name your cash account something else if desired. The description is optional and is for your information only. Click Next and go to Enter starting point information. The starting date for your cash account is January 1 of the current year. Use the calendar button to the right to reset the date to January 1 or type the letter "Y" to set the date to January 1. Click in the blank to the right of Amount: and enter the amount of cash you had on hand January 1. In most cases, zero is the amount entered for the cash balance. If the information entered is correct, Click Done at the bottom right of the window.
The register for the CASH ACCOUNT now opens. It looks like a check register. This is where you would enter your cash transactions. While you are in the cash account register, Click Finance, Click Category & Transfer List to open the CATEGORY & TRANSFER LIST window. The only entry should be [Cash Account] or whatever you named the cash account you just created. If you have more than this one entry, you forgot to Click off the standard Quicken categories when creating your data file. If you forgot to do this, the best thing to do now is to close the CATEGORY & TRANSFER LIST window, go back to the section If You Make A Mistake and follow the instructions to delete your data file. Then create another data file and cash account.
Why have a cash account? First, to track the cash income and expenses that are incurred by the farm business. Cash family living expenses are also recorded in this register if desired. Second, most everybody will get cash by writing a check, using an ATM card or depositing a check and keeping some of the proceeds as cash. When you get cash, the balance in the cash account will increase. Likewise, as cash expenses are recorded in the cash account register, the cash balance will decrease.
The cash account was created first because it is the easiest account to create and it lets you into Quicken to do some other things before you move on.
After you have loaded Quicken 2001 onto your computer and the program starts for the first time, it will want to open the data file that you have been using with your earlier version and upgrade or reformat your data. Do not open your data file and/or reformat your data yet! Click Cancel so your data won't be reformatted. If necessary Click Cancel to close any open windows and exit the program by Clicking the X in upper right hand corner of the window.
The following instructions will lead you through the process of creating a new data folder (if needed) within Quicken 2001 and copying your existing data file from your earlier Quicken program to your new version. While creating and using a DATA folder for your data file is not absolutely necessary, a DATA folder separates your data files from the program folders making it easier to locate on your computer's C drive.
Click the Start button in the lower left corner of your computer's screen, Click Programs and Click Windows Explorer. At the top of the left column, Click on the drop down arrow (or use the scroll bar if there is no drop down arrow) and Click on (C:) if it is not already highlighted. With (C:) on top, all the folders and files on the C drive are shown below in the left column.
Point and Double Click on the folder where your earlier version of Quicken is located. This will open your Quicken folder and show all the program folders that are contained within. If you have been using a DATA folder to keep your data file in, the DATA folder (or whatever else you may have called it) will also appear in the list with the program folders. If you have your data file in a DATA folder, point and Click on the DATA folder to highlight it, Right Click (click the right mouse button) to show the drop down menu. Click Copy.
To finish the process, point and Click on the folder containing your Quicken 2001 program and its folders. Right Click to show the drop down menu and Click Paste. This will put your DATA folder and your data file in the list of folders within your Quicken 2001 folder.
If you have not been using a DATA folder, first create one by pointing and Clicking on your Quicken 2001 folder in the left column to highlight it. At the top of the screen, on the menu bar, Click File, Click New, Click Folder to create NEW FOLDER at the bottom of the list in the right hand screen. Type DATA to replace NEW FOLDER. Double Click off to the side of DATA and DATA will appear in the list of folders under your Quicken 2001 folder in the left column.
Now you need to locate your data file. Most likely it will be within the program folders of your earlier version of Quicken. Point and Click on the Quicken folder for your earlier version to highlight it. On the right side of the screen will a listing of folders and files. Your data file will be made up of 3-4 different files, each having your file name on it, with the first file in the list being your data file name with a description of "Quicken QDF data file". The other parts of your data file will be your data file name followed by followed by an three letter extension of beginning with q. An example would be Qdata.qel, Qdata.qmd or Qdata.qsd. Some earlier versions might also have an extension of .abd on some of the files. Point and Click on the first of these (with the description of Quicken QDF data file) to highlight it and hold down the SHIFT key. Point and Click on the last file name in the list.This will highlight the list of 3-4 files that comprise your data file. Right Click to get the drop down menu and Click Copy.
In the left column, point and Double Click on the folder containing your Quicken 2001 program to show the list of folders. Point and Double Click on the DATA folder created earlier. Point to the right side of the screen which should be blank, Right Click to get the drop down menu and Click Paste to place your data file in the DATA folder. You can now close the Windows Explorer program by Clicking the X in the upper right corner of the window.
As you now start the program it will again want to open the data file at its location in your earlier version and upgrade the data. Click Cancel and close any other windows that might have opened. Go to the menu bar and Click File, Click Open to open the OPEN QUICKEN FILE window. Click on the UP ONE LEVEL icon until (C:) appears in Save in:. Point to the folder containing Quicken 2001 and double Click. Point to DATA folder and double Click. Double Click on your data file name and you will open the Welcome to Quicken 2001! window and get the message that the program needs to update your data to the Quicken 2001 format. Click OK at the bottom right of this window. The program will convert your data and open the Welcome to Your Finances Page.
In the menu bar, Click Edit, Click Options to open the drop down window containing the following options:
Quicken Program, Register, Write Checks, Reports and
Graphs, Reminders, Internet Options, Web Connect,
Desktop and
Customize Toolbar. Each option will show the different settings that can be customized. The settings that follow are the suggestions of the authors. After you become familiar with the program and its features, you may want to review these settings and change them to suit your preferences.
General Options -
Click Edit, Click Options, Click Quicken Program to open the GENERAL OPTIONS window. The following are suggested settings:
Quick Tabs tab - Click on (show check mark or dot) Show Quick Tabs.
Click on On The Right.
Click on Show Flyover Help in Toolbars.
General tab - Click off (take off check mark or dot) Use Tax
Schedules with Categories.
Click off Remove Memorized Transactions Not Used in Last 0 Months.
Click off Hide Advertisements in Online Financial Services Center.
Click off Turn On All Quicken Sounds.
Under BACKUP, set Remind to Backup after Running Quicken to
1. The Maximum Number of Backup Copies should be 2.
Settings tab - Click off Quicken Standard.
Click on Undo Cut/Copy/Paste.
Click
on Calendar Year with Starting Month set to January.
Click off Fiscal Year and Multicurrency support.
Startup tab - Click off My Finances Page when starting
Quicken.
Click off Alerts when starting Quicken.
Click on None.
Click OK to close the GENERAL OPTIONS window.
Register Options -
Click Edit, Click Options, Click Register to open the REGISTER OPTIONS window. The following are suggested settings:
Display tab - Under REGISTER FIELDS, Click off Show Date In
First Column.
Click off Show Memo before Category.
Click on Show Buttons on QuickFill Fields.
Under REGISTER APPEARANCE, Click on Use
Color
Shading.
Click on Show Transaction Toolbar.
Miscellaneous tab - Under NOTIFY, Click on When Recording
Out of Date Transactions, Before Changing Existing Transactions andWhen Recording Uncategorized
Transactions.
Under DATA ENTRY, Click off Automatically Enter Split
Data.
QuickFill tab - Under DATA ENTRY, Click on Use Enter Key to Move Between Fields,
Complete Fields Using Previous Entries andRecall Memorized Transactions.
Click off Drop Down Lists on Field Entry.
Click on Auto-Capitalize Payees & Categories.
Under AUTOMATIC LIST UPDATING, Click off Auto
Memorize New Transactions, Auto Memorize to the Calendar List and
Add Address Book QuickFill Group Items to QuickFill List.
Note: The quick fill settings are suggestions. Different users have different preferences for these settings. You may want to experiment with these settings to determine which you prefer.
Click OK to close the REGISTER OPTIONS window.
Check Options -
Click Edit, Click Options, Click Write Checks to open the
CHECK OPTIONS window. The following are suggested settings:
Checks tab - Under PRINTED DATE STYLE, Click on 4-digit year.
Under CHECK SETTINGS, Click off Allow Entry of Extra Message on
Check.
Click on Print Categories on Voucher Checks.
Click on Change Date Of Checks To Date When Printed.
Under Display Settings, Click on Show Buttons on QuickFill Fields.
Miscellaneous tab - Under NOTIFY, Click on When Recording Out of Date
Transactions.
Click on Warn of Unsaved Transactions.
Click on When Recording Uncategorized Transactions.
Under ALERT, Click on Warn if a Check Number is Re-used.
QuickFill tab - Under DATA ENTRY, Click on Use Enter Key To Move Between Fields,
Complete Fields Using Previous Entries and Recall Memorized Transactions.
Click off Drop Down Lists on Field Entry.
Under AUTOMATIC LIST UPDATING, Click off Auto Memorize New Transactions,
Click off Add Address Book QuickFill Group Items to QuickFill
List.
Click OK
to close the CHECKS OPTIONS window.
Report and Graphs Options -
Click Edit, Click Options, Click Reports and Graphs to open the REPORT & GRAPH OPTIONS window. The following are suggested settings:
Default Date Range is set to Year to date.
Default Comparison Date Range is set to Prior Year Period.
Click on Create Report/Graph before Customizing.
Click on Show the Customize Bar.
In FOR REPORTS ONLY, the Account Display and Category Display
are set for Name.
Click on Use Color in Report.
Click off QuickZoom to Investment Forms.
Click on Remind to Memorize Report.
In FOR GRAPHS ONLY, Click off all options.
Click on Cash-Basis Reporting if Applicable
(Home & Business version only).
Click OK to close the REPORT & GRAPH OPTIONS window.
Reminder Options -
Click Edit, Click Options, Click Reminders to open the REMINDER OPTIONS window.
Set Show calendar notes for: This week. You may want to change this later as you become more familiar with the program and its capabilities.
Click OK to close the REMINDER OPTIONS window.
Internet Options and Web Connect settings and options are user specific.
Desktop option is set to Save Desktop on Exit and is
OK
as is.
In the Quicken program settings, Quick Tabs was turned on and placed on the right side of the screen. The purpose of Quick Tabs is to allow you to move around the program easily. Every time you open an account register (checking, cash, etc.), the program adds a Quick Tab to the list. This allows you to go from one account register to another with the click of your mouse. If you open an account register, but don't want it added to the Quick Tabs list, simply close the account register by Clicking the X in the upper right corner of the register. This closes the account register and removes the account name from the Quick Tabs list.
If you want to minimize (close) the Quick Tabs list so that the account register stretches completely across the computer screen, find the Quick Tabs Handle that is to the left of My Finances in the Quick Tabs list. Notice the Handle points to the right when the Quick Tabs list is showing. Click the Quick Tabs Handle and the Quick Tabs list is minimized. Minimizing the Quick Tabs list may be useful when you are entering data into the register. After minimizing, the Quick Tabs Handle points to the left. Click the Handle again and the Quick Tabs list reappears.
The main toolbar can be used to access parts of the program without having to use the menu bar. This feature works much like the Iconbar in earlier versions of Quicken.
From the menu bar, Click Edit, Click Options, Click Customize Toolbar to open the
CUSTOMIZE TOOLBAR window. Click on Show Icons and Show Text at the bottom of the window.
Within this window you can add items to the Chosen Buttons: list from the Available Buttons: list by highlighting the item you want to add and Click Add-> to insert the item into the Chosen Buttons: list. Likewise, to remove item(s) from the Chosen Buttons: list, highlight the item in the list of Chosen Buttons:, Click <- Remove and the item is removed from the list. The authors recommend that you add Customize Toolbar to the list of Chosen Buttons. By adding this button to the toolbar (it appears as Custom on the main toolbar) you will be able to easily access the CUSTOMIZE TOOLBAR window to make changes.
While items can be added or removed from the Chosen Buttons: list at any time, some of the Available Buttons: you might want to consider adding to the Chosen Buttons: are: Account List, Backup, Category Transfer List, Class List, Exit, Memorized Transaction List, Print Checks and Write Checks. When finished making additions or deletions to the list of Chosen Buttons:, Click OK to close the CUSTOMIZE TOOLBAR window.
As you exit the Quicken program you will be prompted to backup your data file from the AUTOMATIC BACKUP window. Click Backup to open the QUICKEN BACKUP window. Your data file name and its location should come up in FILE TO BACK UP and under BACK UP LOCATION, Disk should be Clicked on and the path should be A:\. These settings will use external 3.5" disks to back up your data.
Is this really necessary? YES!! Although the Quicken program makes an automatic backup copy on your computer's hard drive when you exit, computers sometimes crash, losing all data and programs. A copy of the data on external disks is a safeguard to protect you in case your computer breaks down. It is suggested that you use at least two sets of disks, using one set the first time to back up and the second set the next time to backup. Then use the first set of disks the third time and so on. Quicken 2001 will prompt you to use at least two disks. Also, if you are entering a lot of data at one time, you might want to backup your data several times while you are working.
To backup your data file without exiting the program, Click File, Click Backup or press [Ctrl+B]. You can also add Backup to the main toolbar (see Setting Up The Main Toolbar above). It only takes one computer crash for you to appreciate the value of backing up your data. Do it frequently!
You can exit the program several ways; from the menu bar Click File, Click Exit or Click the X in the far, upper right corner of your screen or Click Exit if you have added it to your main toolbar.
When you re-start Quicken, you will come back to the place where you were working when you exited. For example, if you had created a cash account and had that register open upon exiting, Quicken would bring you back to the cash account register when you re-started it. It would be the same regardless of what account register you are working when you leave the program.
If you close all your account register(s) and lists before you exit the program, when re-started Quicken will take you to the
My Finances page which is the first center listed on the Quick Tabs list. The
Finances page lists all the accounts you have created and you only need to double click one of the account names to open the register for that account.
You are now finished with the initial setup of your Quicken program and are ready to move onto the next section.