Use This Quick Trick When Working in Multiple QuickBooks Company Files
Working in more than one QuickBooks files on a regular basis?
If so, avoid a major “oh crap” moment by using this handy trick to change the color scheme in your files.
BTW – the “oh crap” moment happens when you accidentally enter a couple of hours (or more) worth of data in the wrong QuickBooks file!
Here’s how to change the color scheme in a QuickBooks file (this applies to the desktop versions – Pro, Premier and Enterprise):
- Click Edit, then Preferences
- Click the Desktop View preference on the left hand side
- Once there, on the My Preferences tab, choose a different color scheme from the drop-down box as shown below
In this example, I chose the Pink color scheme. You can see how it visually changes the border within QuickBooks from the default blue color.
By swapping out the colors, you have a visual cue built into your workflow to help you make sure you are in the correct company file.
Note – if you are in a multi-user setup, each user will need to follow these steps to change the color scheme to their liking, as this is a per user setting, not a company-wide setting.
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I do this all the time, usually for client archive QB files which are only intended for looking up old things. I make the colour scheme red and never use red for anything else. I remove all the usual icons and have no home page and no reminders window pop up. And I delete all the users except Admin, which prevents any junior or casual user from accidentally opening. And lock down the closing date with a different password so even once in, no one can accidentally change anything.
All those things together mean when anyone opens (me or client admin users) it looks very plain and very red! Safe from harm.
I also put in my reminders to open the archive QB files semi annually and update the admin password so it always matches the current admin password of the main QB file, meaning that this nice safe access is actually possible. Imagine if you had to figure out what the admin password used to be 5 years ago!