How To Write Checks In QuickBooks
QuickBooks offers two ways to manage your bills and bill payments: Write Checks and Enter Bills. Write Checks is the quickest way to record payments. It should be used when no bill is received or to pay bills as soon as you receive them. Enter Bills is the recommended way to enter bills in QuickBooks. It should be used for purchases that you receive and pay at a later time. You should never use How To Write Checks In QuickBooks Online to pay a bill that was entered using Enter Bills. Any bills recorded using Enter Bills must be paid using Pay Bills
Step 1: Create a check in QuickBooks Online
Step 2. QuickBooks check printing
QuickBooks check printing: Buying checks
Step 1: Create a check in QuickBooks Online
Here is what the check form looks like in QuickBooks Online. From the homepage, click the “Quick Create” icon (the + sign), select “Vendors,” and then “Check”:
- If you take a look at the image below, there are several important notes to consider: In QuickBooks Online Plus, you can have the “Items” tab on the check, so you can buy items to resell. That is a nice touch. QuickBooks Online Plus supports this; they’re called two-sided items and pass through time or material expenses so that a user can create invoices for them. You will also notice “Location” and “Class fields,” also a “Plus” feature. (Check out this video on class/location tracking if you want to learn more.)
- The check below is crediting the company checking account and then debiting the “Rent” and “Advertising” accounts. So it is a “split” transaction. And instead of the check number field, the check will be printed later on, which we’ll cover in a few minutes. There’s also an option to tag the account amounts to a customer/sub-customer/project for profitability tracking (see a video on that) and/or mark the “Billable” checkbox to pass through (see a video on that) the expenses to a customer/project.
- If you save the check, then click on the “More” tab/”Transaction Journal,” here is what this check has done to the general ledger, all just by clicking Save & Close:
- It is important to not create a check when there is already a bill, as this will duplicate the expense. You will want to look at the “Drawer” transactions that will open up to alert you as soon as you tab from the “Payee/Vendor” field on the check. Note in the picture below, if you already have entered a bill for the same expense, you need to go “Pay the Bill,” not “Create a Check.” “Pay Bills” can be found by clicking the “+” sign.
- Overbooking expense or COGS is something your accountant or bookkeeper might have to clean up, and creating a check while a bill exists instead of making a bill payment is the main culprit. Just worth considering and watching out for.
- Now, the good news is that when you click on the “Add” link in the drawer, the bill is added to the check which converts to a “Bill Payment Check,” which is the correct way to pay down your payables.
Step 2. QuickBooks check printing
You can print both regular checks and bill payment checks the same way: “Quick Create” > “Vendors” > “Print Check” — see the image below for an example.
Let’s walk through printing out the Auburn Hills rent check dated 11/26 for $1,700. First, you will want to click the “Print” setup tab along the bottom of the “Print Checks” window. You can only align the amount; there are no other check print alignment options.
Before you print checks for the first time, make sure you do this alignment wizard. This will ensure that your printed amount lines up properly on your pre-printed check stock. (Note: If you want blank check stock, you’ll need an app for that, like one of these.) Below is what that wizard looks like.
Click on “No,” continue setup to get to the amount alignment field. If you know the actual horizontal and vertical, you can enter them or hit the “+/-” keys. You could also just grab the dollar amount using your mouse and drag it into position. Then click “View preview and print sample” and keep trying until you get it aligned how you like. Then click “Finish Setup.” Voucher and standard check stock are both supported.
Click on “Preview” and print tab, and do your thing!
Once you print, you’ll be asked Write Checks in QuickBooks Online:
Don’t say yes until the check(s) are completely printed. As luck would have it, the minute you say yes and nothing isn’t finished, that’s going to be when your printer decides to eat 10 checks. To reprint them, you’ll have to open each one that didn’t print individually and mark it to be printed and do it all over. No one wants that!
QuickBooks check printing: Buying checks
Of course, to perform QuickBooks check printing, you’ll need QuickBooks checks. There are three main types of checks QuickBooks sells on its website. Let’s review them to see which is the best option for your business.
Basic Voucher Check: These checks are designed for payroll and accounts payable. You can give one stub to your employee or vendor and keep the other for your files. Prices start at $36.99 for a bundle of 50 checks.
Secure Plus Voucher Checks: These checks come with advanced security features, including a heat-sensitive icon that prevents photocopying, a custom watermark that protects against forgery and counterfeiting, and security coating that blocks tampering with your check info. A bundle of 50 costs $66.99.
Secure Premier Voucher Checks: QuickBooks claims these checks are the most secure checks on the market. They come with even more security features, including a security hologram that makes your check virtually impossible to counterfeit. Prices start at $72.99 for a bundle of 50.
Requirements to Print & Write Checks in QuickBooks Online
Before you get started, it’s important that you meet all of the requirements of printing a check in QuickBooks Online. They are:
- Google Chrome or Firefox Browser
- Adobe PDF Reader
- An active QuickBooks Online Account
Why Should I Print & Write Checks in QuickBooks Online?
As a general rule to follow, business owners should write and print checks in QuickBooks when payment is due immediately. This will help avoid any mistakes in your QuickBooks file.
There are a couple of advantages to creating and printing checks in QuickBooks Online (compared to manually writing your checks). One of the biggest benefits is that this will help save you time. Writing and printing checks in QuickBooks will skip the step of manually entering the check later into the system. This is especially helpful when it is time to reconcile your checking account with the bank statement. Another advantage is that your QuickBooks file is always up-to-date with the most recent expenses you have paid. While this may seem small, life as a business owner often means wearing many different hats. It could be days that go by before you have time to update your QuickBooks file with your written checks.
To print & Write Checks in QuickBooks Online:
The first thing you need to do is navigate to the left-hand side of your screen and click on the ‘Expenses’ option in the drop down navigation.
From there, you will click on the button that reads ‘Print Checks’ on the right hand side of your screen.
You can also reach this screen by clicking the ‘+’ sign on the top right of your screen, and then choosing the ‘Print Checks’ option that is found under the Vendors section.
Printing Checks in QuickBooks Online for the First Time
If this is your first time printing a check in QuickBooks, you are going to need to align your paper to make sure that everything comes out correctly. To do this:
Select the type of check that you want to print (either Standard or Voucher Style). You will be printing a sample to ensure everything prints properly.
Next, you will need to load blank paper into your printer for the test run. Once the paper is loaded, click view preview and print sample.
QuickBooks will show you a screen that includes a sample page of the content that will print on your checks.
If you are okay with the preview, click ‘Print’ at the bottom of the screen.
Once your sample has printed, take it and hold it up in front of a light. Place a blank check on top of it to see if the numbers on your sample align with the amount boxes on your checks.
What To Do if Your Sample Check Does Not Print Out Correctly in QuickBooks
It’s important to note that if the numbers do not align with the boxes, it’s okay! Many printers do not align perfectly on the first try. To fix this issue:
Go back to the ‘Print Checks’ setup module Write Checks in QuickBooks Online.
At the bottom of the screen you will see “Are the fields lined up properly?” Choose the option that reads “No, continue setup.”
You may need to update your Adobe PDF Reader. This is free, and QuickBooks will give you a link to click the latest version.
If your Adobe PDF Reader isn’t the issue, you’re going to need to fine-tune your printing. To do this:
Drag and drop the amount grid to match the spot where the misaligned numbers are printing on your sample checks. Be sure that you are placing the grid where the amount is appearing on your sample, and not where you want them to appear.
Print out another sample and see if the issue has been corrected.
No matter what version of QuickBooks Online you have, following these simple and easy steps to printing checks can help keep your file up to date and save you time in the long run.
