Good Life Bookkeeping

07/06/2026

QBO payroll subscribers may have already heard that QBO is automating payroll tax filings. In the past there has been an option to opt out and file these manually.

Here is an article with more information on the change:
https://quickbooks.intuit.com/community/getting-the-most-out-of-quickbooks-11/updates-to-quickbooks-workforce-taxes-287441

04/10/2026

Things don't always go according to plan. In fact, they usually don't. When the unexpected comes up in business ask-

What went wrong?
It's important to ask where the problem originated, how it grew, and what the final straw was so the issue can be identified earlier and stopped next time.

What did I learn?
It's easy to get down when something goes wrong but turning the problem into a learning opportunity leads to a feeling of growth and a strategic plan that prevents it from happen again.

What can I change?
It's important to pay attention to what we have control over in a situation. Other people's feelings, natural disasters, and policy changes are often things where we have little to no sway in. Don't dwell if it's not something that you can change.

04/08/2026

I am a regular LifeKit podcast listener. I liked this one so much, I thought I'd share.

Financial missteps can cost you money. Make better-informed decisions about budgeting, investing and borrowing money.

04/07/2026

QBO Requests Feature

I have been testing out the QBO request feature. While categorizing I can request a receipt or more information. A link to all the requests after categorization can then be sent to clients. I'd be curious to hear feedback from anyone else using this feature.

Sometimes you need more info on what a transaction was for. Now you can request details and files directly from any transaction. Save time getting the info you

04/03/2026

04/01/2026

I'm currently reading -Small is Beautiful. Economics as People Mattered- by E.F. Schumacher.

As an accountant it is easy to get lost in the numbers. There are more important things than the almighty dollar.

Favorite quote so far-

"How could we even begin to disarm greed and envy? Perhaps by being much less greedy and envious ourselves; perhaps by resisting the temptation of letting our luxuries become needs; and perhaps by even scrutinizing our needs to see if they cannot be simplified and reduced."

03/31/2026

Bindweed is my nemesis but I do have to admire it's resilience. Even in concrete, 6 feet away from any soil surface, it continues to grow.

Want a business as resilient as my nemesis? Check out the SBA Business Resilience Guide-

https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/Business%20Resilience%20Guide.2025.pdf

03/24/2026

Is the income statement showing a profit but the bank account is running low on cash?

It's possible to have a profitable business and still have issues with cash flow. The statement of cash flows shows the cash coming in and out of the business in three sections- operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities. At the bottom of the statement it also lists the cash the period started and ended with.

"That's all well and good, Heather, but what do I do with it?"

Review each section of the statement. Where is the cash going? Was there a big investment in equipment that drained cash? Is there a loan that is syphoning cash needed for operating expenses each month? Did one of the owners take a distribution that has diminished available funds?

One we know where the cash is going, we can figure out what to do about it.

02/19/2026

Complete Bookkeeping Tasks in the Waiting Room

This week I found myself unexpectedly in a waiting room when I would normally be in my office working. This got me wondering what kind of work business owners can sneak into these few moments of random wait time. Below are 3 things business owners can do in the QBO app during their spare moments.

1. Upload receipts to QBO. Pull those receipts out of coat pockets, laptop cases, and the glovebox. Quickly scan these in using the QBO app and attach them to expenses.

2. Enter mileage into the QBO app. Mileage is often something busy business owners forget to record but those miles can add up to real tax deductions. Entering these in QBO makes tracking miles easy.

3. Answer the accountant's requests. QBO has a feature where accountants can request more information or receipts for different transactions. Taking a few minutes to answer these helps accountants get financial information to business owners faster so owners can make informed decisions.