Course 6: Generate and Customize Reports in QuickBooks Online

In this final course, you’ll generate financial reports from your QuickBooks Online records, choose the reporting dates, customize what you see, and save or export the results.

Complete your transaction review and reconciliation before relying on reports for a finished period. Reports reflect the records in your books, so missing or incorrect entries affect the results. Menus, available reports, and customization options can vary by subscription and report view.

Watch the videos

Video 1

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Video 2

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1. Open Reports

  1. Sign in to the correct QuickBooks Online company.
  2. Open Reports, then Standard reports.
  3. Use the report search field to find the report you need.
  4. Select the report name to open it.

2. Generate a Profit and Loss report

  1. Find and open Profit and Loss.
  2. Set the Report period or enter the beginning and ending dates you want to review.
  3. Check the accounting method shown. Use the method agreed with your bookkeeper so comparisons are consistent.
  4. Select Run report if your view requires it. Other views update automatically.
  5. Review the income, expenses, and resulting profit or loss for that period.

The Profit and Loss covers a period of time. Use the same date range and accounting method when comparing it with another copy of the report.

3. Generate a Balance Sheet

  1. Return to Standard reports and open Balance Sheet.
  2. Set the report ending date to the date you want to review.
  3. Check the accounting method and update or run the report.
  4. Review assets, liabilities, and equity.

The Balance Sheet is a financial snapshot as of a date. It is different from the Profit and Loss, which summarizes activity over a period.

4. Check report settings before using the numbers

  1. Confirm that you are viewing the correct company.
  2. Check the date range or ending date.
  3. Check the accounting method.
  4. Review any filters that might hide accounts or transactions.
  5. Check whether the report includes the full business or only a selected customer, account, or other group.

A filtered report can be useful, but it should not be mistaken for an unfiltered view of the entire business.

5. Customize a report

  1. Open the report you want to change.
  2. Select Customize, Customize report, or the equivalent controls in your report view.
  3. Adjust the available rows and columns to show the detail you need.
  4. Apply filters, such as an account or customer, where supported.
  5. Adjust the number format, header, or footer if needed.
  6. Review the updated results. Select Run report if required.

Use filters deliberately and check them again before sharing a report. Available choices depend on the report and your subscription.

6. Review unexpected amounts

  1. Identify an amount or account that looks unusual.
  2. Where available, select the amount to open the supporting transaction detail.
  3. Compare the entries with receipts, invoices, statements, and other records.
  4. Review missing transactions, duplicates, or categorization errors with your bookkeeper.
  5. After any corrections, return to the report and refresh or run it again.

Do not change a transaction just to make a report look better. Corrections should reflect the underlying business records. Changes to reconciled transactions need particular care.

7. Save a customized report

  1. Once your settings are correct, select Save customization or Save as.
  2. Enter a descriptive Report name, such as Monthly Profit and Loss.
  3. If available, choose whether to share it with other users who can access reports.
  4. Add it to a report group where that option is supported.
  5. Select Save.
  6. Use Custom reports to find it again. Check the dates whenever you reopen it.

Saving customization keeps your preferred setup. It is not the same as exporting a fixed copy of the results. If you edit the custom report settings later, save again to retain those changes.

8. Export a report

  1. Open the report and confirm its dates, method, and filters.
  2. Select Export or Export/Print.
  3. Choose an available format, such as Excel or PDF. Other formats may be offered for some reports.
  4. Save the file with a clear name identifying the report and period.
  5. Open the exported file and confirm that the expected information is included.

An exported file is a separate copy. If the QuickBooks records or report settings change afterward, generate a new export.

9. Print or share the report

  1. Open the completed report.
  2. Use the available print controls to review the layout and print it.
  3. If your report supports emailing, review the recipient and report settings before sending.
  4. Share financial reports only with the intended people through an appropriate secure method.

10. Repeat your reporting process each period

  1. Complete the transaction review and reconciliation for the period.
  2. Run your saved Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet reports.
  3. Update the dates and check the accounting method and filters.
  4. Review unusual amounts with your bookkeeper.
  5. Keep the final reports with the supporting records for that period.

You’ve reached the end of the six course series: account signup, the Chart of accounts, bank feeds, transaction categorization, reconciliation, and reports. Return to the relevant course whenever you need to repeat a task.

References

Intuit: Customize reports
Intuit: Save a customized report
Intuit: Run a Balance Sheet report
Intuit: Export reports to Excel

Presented independently by J.R. Harris Bookkeeping. QuickBooks is a trademark of Intuit Inc. This is not an official Intuit course and is not endorsed by Intuit. Screens and available options may vary.