Writing Checks in QuickBooks

Posted by Dave Dunn on July 3, 2008 | 0 Comments

Tags: QuickBooks Tutorials, QuickBooks

There are two ways to write checks in QuickBooks. Before explaining them, however, it is important to mention situations in which you do NOT want to write checks. Therefore, do not use the Write Checks window in QuickBooks or directly enter checks into the check register in the following situations:

• if you have already entered a bill using the Enter Bills window (pay this bill using the QuickBooks Pay Bills window)
• to pay sales tax (use the Pay Sales Tax window)
• to pay employees or to pay payroll taxes and liabilities (unless you use an outside payroll company, in which case it might be fine)

The two ways to write checks in QuickBooks are via the Write Checks window and directly into the check register. QuickBooks recommends using the Write Checks window, but I generally prefer to write checks directly in the register. Instructions for both follow:

Using the Write Checks Window:

First, open the Write Checks window in QuickBooks from the Banking menu.

Select the bank account from which you wish to write the check and then enter the check details:

• check # (select "To Print" if you will print the check from QuickBooks)
• date
• payee
• amount
• memo (if you print your checks from QuickBooks, then whatever you put here will show up on your check, so consider your account or invoice number)
• account (assign the payment to the appropriate expense or other account)
• memo (the second memo field is for your records)
• customer:job (use this if you track items by customer:job)
• billable (if you associated an item with a customer:job and want to bill it back to that customer, mark it billable here)
• class (if you use classes, note the appropriate class here)

Using the Bank Register:

First, open the appropriate bank account register by double clicking it in your chart of accounts.

Then simply enter the check details:

• date
• check # (select "To Print" if you will print the check from QuickBooks)
• payee
• amount
• account (assign the payment to the appropriate expense or other account)
• memo (if you print your checks from QuickBooks, then whatever you put here will show up on your check, so consider your account or invoice number)

If you wish to enter additional details, such as another memo for your own records, customer:job or class, click on Splits. When you are done, click Record.

Whether you use the Write Checks window or the check register, if you print your checks from QuickBooks, then the last step is to do so.