importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

Latest post 03-19-2009 11:35 PM by hhill@octagonarts.org. 18 replies.

importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

11-19-2007 4:20 PM

Does anyone know if I import QB nonprofit chart of accounts into my existing database--will it totally screw up the chart of accounts?
I have QB premiere nonprofit 2006 and have been using chart of account we've created over the years....
Or suggestions as to how to switch?
Thanks.

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

11-23-2007 10:52 PM

Just to clarify your question, are you trying to import a nonprofit chart of accounts from an earlier version of QB into QB premiere nonprofit 2006? I want to make sure we address your question properly.

You might also want to look at the QuickBooks product support page.

Best,

Megan

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

11-24-2007 3:33 PM

Thanks for your reply.
what has happened is that while we are using QB nonprofit, my chart of accounts is not presently the nonprofit chart of accounts (its what we started with 10 years ago with various additions and subtractions)
I've signed up for enhanced payroll and so need to use the nonprofit chart of accounts.
If I just download the new chart of accounts, its going to mess up my previous, right?
Is there a way to print out the nonprofit chart of accounts and then we can rename our present accounts??
Thanks, I'll check out the QB helps. My accountant help is great with accounting---but doesn't go very deep into QB.
Thanks!

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

11-25-2007 9:14 AM

Hi,

Keep your current Chart of Accounts, otherwise, your tax return preparation process will be a nightmare.

For the Payroll stuff, add those accounts that are required for Payroll and leave the rest alone.

You may want to rename some account names if you think that would make a better description of the reason for the account. You can't delete an item in your Chart of Accounts that has ever been used. You can make them "inactive." How? Open the Chart of Accounts (Ctrl + A) right-click on the account that you want to make inactive, and choose Make Account Inactive.

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

11-26-2007 8:36 AM

Thank you, its as I'd suspected.
Is there some place I could get a copy of the nonprofit chart of accounts?
That would be helpful in renaming some of ours.

Thank you!

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

11-26-2007 8:43 AM

Please include me in the list of the QB chart of acounts. Adding non-profit organization to my current QB Pro I'm using in my business to handle both.

Thanks

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

11-27-2007 7:25 AM

KMehne,

Since you are using QB nonprofit, simply create a new "company" and take a look at the chart of accounts that it offers. Then rename any that you think is appropriate.

elwoodpc,

I have used QB Pro for ten years now for several of my businesses, clients businesses and two different non-profit organizations.

Both of you:

I don't know which versions that you have but QB Help can be of assistance. Search for "add to your chart of accounts" and "types of QuickBooks accounts." QB Help is a great resource.

My current non-profit's financial statements may be found on the web page below. You are free to look at the accounts as examples.

No one can say what accounts you will need. The IRS, general accounting practices and your Board of Directors (Trustees) will usually have some input. Get them involved, they are the ones responsible.

The Minuteman Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit charitable corporation: http://www.theminutemanfoundation.org/documents.htm

This web page provides some guidance regarding Charts of Accounts, but is very general:
http://www.qbalance.com/Chart_of_Accounts.htm

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

11-29-2007 5:36 AM

The National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) has a unified chart of accounts that can be imported into Quickbooks and a site to file your annual form 990.
http://nccsdataweb.urban.org/FAQ/index.php?category=31

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

11-29-2007 6:54 AM

Tobey,

There are two links on the page. The first one is correct.

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

12-04-2007 4:30 PM

Other resources for the Unified Chart of Accounts (UCOA) are here, www.canonprofits.org/programs/ucoa.html

If you are using the QB's nonprofit edition it might have an import tool built into it. My 2004 version does. But I would echo the advice on not changing your chart if you don't have to. Print out the UCOA and yours and compare them side by side, see where you have deficiencies and add those accounts or clean up as needed.

If you do want to install a new chart here are a few tips:
Renumber your current system if it has four numbers. The UCOA has four numbers so if you add a "0" to the end of all your account numbers your existing chart will then have five numbers.

You can then merge your chart w/ the UCOA, dump UCOA numbers you don't need, etc. Merging accounts keeps comparability to past years. Say you have three supplies accounts that you want to combine into the one UCOA supplies account. Just change the number of you existing accounts to the UCOA number. QB will ask you if you want to merge them, click yes. Now all of your past info will be in the UCOA format.

Changing you chart can be tricky and it will be time consuming and I would strongly advocate making back ups of you company file before you start, and practice merging accounts in another company file before you work with your own, in case I have left anything out.

Finally, two books on making QB work for you that might help (and will have all this info and more in there I am sure).


hth, Alan

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

12-05-2007 7:02 AM

Does anyone know if this can be imported into the Quickbooks Simple Start version (specifically) the free version?) This would really help my nonprofit. We don't really have a budget but we do want one.
Thanks!

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

12-05-2007 1:21 PM

The chart of accounts are a backup file and should restore into any version of Quickbooks.

They also come in an import file. As far as import, it's going to depend on the existing accouts. You'll probably run into accounts with different types but the same name that will prevent your import from completing.

My suggestion is to restore the backup which will create a new company UCOA3. You can then modify these accounts to match your current accounts. Then export from your current company. Finally, import into the UCOA3 company and make sure the accounts have transferred correctly. That way you're not messing with your current account and you can repeat this process as many times as is necessary to successfully complete the transfer.

elwoodpc

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

12-07-2007 9:46 AM

Just as a bit of additional information, when you download the UCOA3, there are two excel files where you can list the chart of accounts. These two files you should find very helpful

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

12-10-2007 9:15 AM

We did this last year after we decided to switch from the desktop version to online. We closed the 2006 "company" and opened a new one, importing and starting fresh with the UCOA noted here. We had to make a few description changes and deactivate quite a few accounts we didn't need but all in all our books match up for nonprofit tax reporting much better now. We don't use QB payroll though.

RE: importing QuickBooks nonprofit chart of accounts

01-03-2008 8:58 PM

I understand that the UCOA is made to synch with the IRS form 990. My question is: does the UCOA need any updating to synch with the changes to Form 990?

Jed Daughtry
PERC, the Piedmont Emergency Relief Center