10/15/2012 QuickBooks 2013 & Windows 8 Compatibility Availability Announced & HOW to get it!

Our software has passed OUR in-house compatibility testing with QuickBooks 2013 and Windows 8, more information to follow on that ... but first some basic housekeeping that should NOT be skipped!

Well, here we are just a little over a month since Intuit made their official announcement about the launch of QuickBooks 2013 - read this blog post for more information.

• Before you call and ask if you should upgrade to QuickBooks 2013, read this blog post - because it does address the most common questions that everyone asks.
• Wonder what's new in QuickBooks 2013?  Watch this recording of a special Google+ hangout that shows you the new look of QuickBooks 2013 and some of the concerns expressed by our panel of experts who have more than 68 years of QuickBooks experience under their belts.
• Before you upgrade, or even buy the new QuickBooks program, perform some basic file maintenance to make sure that your file is "healthy" enough to withstand the upgrade.
• Check the size and health of your QuickBooks file by following these instructions - upgrading to QuickBooks 2013 seems to increase the size of your data file by roughly 20%.
• We have provided a step-by-step list of best practices for upgrading to a new version of QuickBooks on our blog AND we will be including it in a newsletter that will go out to all of our customers.  Keep this information and provide it to whoever deals with your computers.  We even put together a Free eBook called FAQ-Upgrading QuickBooks.

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QuickBooks  2013 Compatibility - How To Get It

Trial Users & New Customers

As a trial user or new customer who downloaded any of our software programs beginning on 10/01/2012 - the compatibility is built right in!  BUT, when you install QuickBooks 2013 you'll need to basically let the program know that you've upgraded.

Existing Customers

Ok folks, most of you know the drill - after all I've been distributing these same instructions for the last 11 years! For those of you who are new to using our software {or those of you who have forgotten}, here are the instructions broken down by product. 

Basically it's like this - each year Intuit has historically put out a new version of QuickBooks.  We never know what is going to be included in the new version or IF anything Intuit has done to change the code of QuickBooks will affect our software.  We wait patiently to get our hands on the new version so we can run compatibility testing - most years that happens end of July/beginning of August.  Nancy always signs up to be an official "Intuit beta tester", but that is NO guarantee that she will be chosen each year.  As Intuit Gold Developers, we are supposed to have early access {same end of July/early August timeframe} to the new version of QuickBooks - but this year developers didn't have access to QuickBooks 2013 until September 18th.  So once we get our hands on the new versions we test it here to make sure it works like we expect it to -- using OUR test files, make any changes that are necessary, AND then release compatibility updates to YOU.  You in turn MUST download and install these updates in order for our software to work with the new version.  If you do not download and install these updates - YOU will receive an UNSUPPORTED VERSION OF QUICKBOOKS DETECTED - PROGRAM CLOSING message.  It's not a bug and it doesn't merit a support call - all YOU need to do is download and install the update using the instructions below.

Certified Payroll Solution:

QuickBooks MUST be closed.

• Start Certified Payroll Solution
• Go to the Help menu -> choose Check for Updates {Vista & Windows 7 users will be prompted to enter the computer Administrators password}  If you aren't fast enough, you COULD receive an error message.  Just close the error, start CPS -> go to the Help menu -> choose Check for Updates -> enter the Admin password

On the Check for Program Updates window

1. Note your current version
2. Note the recommended version
3. Select the recommended version - as of today 10/15/2012 the version is 5.0.550, however, as time goes on it could be a higher number.
4. Click Download and Install --> and on the next window click Download and Install again.

THE PROGRAM MAY APPEAR UNRESPONSIVE {LIKE IT'S NOT DOING ANYTHING} - BE PATIENT - DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING THIS UPDATE COULD TAKE A FEW MINUTES.

In addition to QuickBooks 2013 compatibility updates - the following states must also go back to the Help menu -> Check for Updates option and download their State forms for  pdf  New York , pdf  New Jersey , pdf  Michigan , pdf  Oregon , and pdf  Maine  as there are new forms and/or reporting requirements.  Click on your State name for more details.  We have also added a new  pdf  Georgia DOT EEOC Report (which is installed with the program update).

When the update(s) has finished installing:

• Start QuickBooks
• Starts CPS, go to the System Setup menu -> select System Preferences -> click on the Data Locations tab and delete the information in the QuickBooks file box - this is the 2nd box/field from the top -> click OK
• From the Run menu -> choose Certified Payroll -> check your dates -> click Next
• Repeat this procedure on each computer that has the Certified Payroll program installed on it.

Construction Application for Payment Solution:

QuickBooks MUST be closed.

• Start Construction Application for Payment Solution
• Go to the Help menu -> choose Check for Updates {Vista & Windows 7 users will be prompted to enter the computer Administrators password}  If you aren't fast enough, you COULD receive an error message. Just close the error, start CAPS -> go to the Help menu -> choose Check for Updates -> enter the Admin password

On the Check for Program Updates window

1. Note your current version
2. Note the recommended version
3. Select the recommended version - as of today 10/15/2012 the version is 5.0.299, however, as time goes on it could be a higher number.
4. Click Download and Install --> and on the next window click Download and Install again.

THE PROGRAM MAY APPEAR UNRESPONSIVE {LIKE IT'S NOT DOING ANYTHING} - BE PATIENT - DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING THIS UPDATE COULD TAKE A FEW MINUTES.

When the update has finished installing:

• Start QuickBooks
• Starts CAPS, go to the System Setup menu -> select Data Locations and delete the information in the QuickBooks file box - this is the 2nd box/field from the top -> click OK
• From the File menu -> choose Application for Payment -> check your dates/invoice numbers -> click Next
• Repeat this procedure on each computer that has the Certified Payroll program installed on it.

Crew Overtime Entry Solution:

QuickBooks MUST be closed.

• Start Crew Overtime Entry
• Click Overtime Setup -> choose Licensing -> click the link that says Click here to download a new installation/updated program
• Follow the prompts
• When the web page loads, click the Download Current COES Setup button, run through the installation.
• Start QuickBooks
• Start Crew Overtime -> click the Overtime Setup button -> click QuickBooks Setup ->  REMOVE/DELETE the QuickBooks file location -> click the Acquire data from QuickBooks for Setup & Preferences button
• Repeat this procedure on each computer that has the Crew Overtime program installed on it

Wage Manager Solution:

Wage Manager Solution is updated when you update Certified Payroll Solution.

NOTE:  All active customers were notified on 9/11/2012 and again on 1/13/2013.