SimpleQB Basics

SimpleQB adds SimpleIndex document scanning and retrieval functionality to QuickBooks, and with advent of 2.0, allows for the importing/exporting of data to and from QuickBooks to any ODBC compatible database. The program integrates itself with the QuickBooks user interface by adding a SimpleIndex option to the file menu. This option allows scanned documents or other files to be associated with transactions and customers in the company file, and allows for retrieval at a later time. It is also possible to create your own menu items that will perform repetitive tasks and other jobs that involve moving data in and out of QuickBooks.

• Simple QB Installation
• SimpleQB Concepts

Procedures

When you add or update the menu in QuickBooks, a single menu item is created for each procedure. A procedure is a series of steps that manipulate data or call SimpleIndex to scan or retrieve documents. The procedures can be created, deleted, loaded and saved from the procedures dialog that is accessible by directly starting the program from the start menu, or by accessing the procedures menu item inside QuickBooks.

Steps

Steps are what compose the procedures that are accessed from the QuickBooks integrated menu. A step has one a few different functions; it can call a SimpleIndex configuration or other program, retrieve data from QuickBooks or another ODBC compatible database, and import data to QuickBooks or a database.

Using SimpleQB Procedures

Procedures are installed via the Procedures dialog and are accessed in QuickBooks via the file menu. There will be a file menu option for each individual procedure that is created. There are two procedures installed by default.

Default Procedures

The default SimpleQB 2.0 procedures duplicate the 1.0 functionality and allow you to associate scanned documents with any type of transaction in QuickBooks. The types of transactions include:

Bill, Bill Payment Check, Bill Payment Credit Card, Build Assembly, Charge, Check, Credit Card Charge, Credit Card Credit, Credit Memo, Deposit, Estimate, Inventory Adjustment, Invoice, Item Receipt, Journal Entry, Liability Adjustment, Paycheck, Payroll Liability Check, Purchase Order, Receive Payment, Sales Order, Sales Receipt, Sales Tax Payment Check, Transfer, Vendor Credit, YTD Adjustment

In addition to the transactions listed above, you may associate generic documents, named and sorted by date, with customers.

Scanning Documents

In order to associate a scanned document with a transaction, that transaction must be open in QuickBooks and must be the top window. That transaction must also be a saved transaction, so it cannot be a newly created one. Also, if you have just made changes to an existing transaction, be sure to save it before scanning or the changes will not be reflected in the information passed to SimpleIndex. Once a transaction is open and is the top most window, select the File menu, then SimpleIndex and then Scan Documents. Any documents in your scanner will then be scanned and organized according to the transaction type, reference number and the customer that the transaction is associated with. The memo for the transaction will also be recorded in the SimpleQB database so that you can search for the scanned documents later according to the contents of the memo.

In addition to transactions, you may also associate any document with a customer. To do this, the customer must be opened and the top most window in QuickBooks. The select Scan Documents from the SimpleQB menu. These documents will be sorted by the date they are scanned, rather than a transaction or reference number.

Retrieving Documents

In order to retrieve a document associated with a transaction, that transaction must be opened and the top most window in QuickBooks. Then select the File menu, then SimpleQB and then Retrieve Documents. This will open SimpleIndex in retrieval mode where the document will be displayed. At this time you may use the SimpleIndex retrieval interface to search for additional documents.

In order to retrieve all documents associated with a customer, open that customer in QuickBooks. Make sure the open customer is the top most window and then select Retrieve Documents from the SimpleQB menu. SimpleIndex will now open in retrieval mode with all the documents associated with the specified customer available for display.

Note that you don’t have to have a transaction or customer open to retrieve documents scanned with SimpleQB. If you select Retrieve Documents without one of these windows open you will be presented with the SimpleIndex search window, where you may search through all the documents scanned with SimpleQB. You also don’t even have to have QuickBooks open to search and retrieve your scanned documents. Just select Retrieve SimpleQB Documents from the Start menu.