Friday, January 30, 2009

Hello Mohannad,

The New Year is traditionally a time for change. But the economic winds are still blowing cold as the New Year begins. In this issue of GrowthForce E-News, you will learn best practices that can help small businesses to combat a slow economy. You will also discover how to set up a financial system of internal controls that will protect your business from fraud - especially important in this volatile economy. Lastly, you will hear about the 2009 QuickBooks upgrade containing some long-awaited changes. 

Take some time to learn some tips and tricks from GrowthForce in the New Year, then make some modifications to your business practices. The change will do you good!

QUICKBOOKS ’09 – Time To Upgrade

We have fully battle tested the new release of QuickBooks 2009 issued last December. After experimenting with it in a live product environment, we have found that Intuit has fixed the bugs in the banking download. We are happy to report that it is now safe to upgrade to QuickBooks 2009.

There are many good reasons to take the plunge. Some of the best new features in QuickBooks are:

• Bank Downloading with simpler set up and interface
• Excel-Based Intuit Statement Writer
• Multi-Currency Transactions
• Bank Reconciliation that sorts by column
• Client Data Review For CPAs
  

Click Here to view the video highlights from Intuit

Intuit offers an extra discount to pro advisors who upgrade to QBES. Click here for more information.

Internal Controls

One of the most devastating problems that small businesses face is employee fraud. Small business owners and their CPAs need to understand of the ways that fraud can be perpetuated in QuickBooks – so they can discover it and stop it quickly. Toprevent fraud in small businesses, GrowthForce has created an Internal Controls White Paper which outlines the most common types of fraud cases. Be aware that it’s a reference tool only for small business owners and their CPAs. Do not allow employees with financial responsibilities to read this report and learn the fraudulent tricks. Click HERE to download Internal Controls Whitepaper.  You can learn more about these features at our FREE February seminar: Best Practices for Internal Controls Using QuickBooks. See Upcoming CPE Seminars on the right for more information.

Weathering The Economic Winds

Small businesses don’t need to be blown over by an economic downturn. There are practices that small businesses can implement to weather a bad economy. GrowthForce has outlined six steps that businesses can take to brace themselves against an economic crisis. Click HERE to download Weathering the Economic Winds Whitepaper. 

Click here if you’d like more information about GrowthForce’s outsourced bookkeeping and financial services
or call 281-358-2007.

* GrowthForce is not a CPA firm.

These companies have recently signed up for GrowthForce Services

GrowthForce has added thirteen exceptional companies to our client roster. 

Bergeron Management Services
Daily Court Review 
The Enhancement Institute 
Growth Capital Partners 
H Texas Magazine 
Lalji Dental P.C. 
Lalji Investment, Inc. 
LMS Group 
Prime Natural Resources
ProtoStar Engineering, Inc. 
Royal Dental Management, Inc. 
Star Fleet Yachts 
Stiles Fuel 

Upcoming QuickBooks Training:

QuickBooks Training Class
Taught by GrowthForce Senior Manager of Accounting Systems
Margaret F. Gow, CPA* Advanced Certified QB Pro Advisor

Thurs., Feb. 19, 2009
8 a.m.- 5 p.m.
at EMLOYER FLEXIBLE PEO
7904 North Sam Houston Pkwy. West, Houston

This introduction to the QuickBooks system offers everything a novice user of QuickBooks needs to know to get started. You’ll learn about creating Lists – Chart of Account, Items, Centers; bank account and balance sheet activities; selling and paying for goods and services; reporting results, tracking time, designing forms and letters.

The cost is just $299 per person. Discounts are available for multiple attendees from one company. Each attendee will receive a comprehensive QB training procedure manual.

HURRY SPACES STILL AVAILABLE!
Click here to register and to be contacted with more information. 

Upcoming CPE Seminars:

How Not to Get Ripped Off by Your Office Manager: Best Practices for Internal Controls Using QuickBooks

Taught by GrowthForce CEO Stephen King, CPA*
Click Here for a seminar description. 

Tues., Feb. 24, 2009
11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m.
at Bank of America
5718 Westheimer
Houston, TX 77027

Click Here to Register 

Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009
11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m.
at Houston Technology Center
410 Pierce Street
Houston, TX 77002

Click Here to Register 

CPAs note: You can earn CPE credits by attending the February seminar. Or you can join Briggs & Veselka, TR Moore, GBH CPAs and dozens of other CPAs in Houston who earned CPE credits from GrowthForce in their own offices. Click here for more information.

Houston CPA Society Northeast Satellite
Texas Tax Update
Speaker: Robert Lochridge, Sr. Manager, Ernst & Young
Wed., Feb. 4, 2009
3-5 p.m.
Homewood Suites at Kingwood Parc
2330 Hwy. 59N, Kingwood, TX
Click HERE to register.