Learn how to combine your financial reports from multiple QuickBooks Desktop company files.
Have an organized and better overview of your companies’ financial behavior by combining reports using QuickBooks Desktop, a third party application, or Excel.
This is part of a series that covers how reports work and the common reporting tasks in QuickBooks Desktop.
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Before you combine reports, take note of the following:
- To make combined reports easier to read, make your chart of accounts in the company files as identical as you can.
- Accounts will be combined if they have the same name, same type, and are at the same hierarchical level in each report.
Note: Account names are not case sensitive. - Accounts that will not be combined are:
- Accounts at different levels. For example, telephone account is not combined with telephone subaccount.
- Spelling differences. For example, telephone is not combined with phone.
- Different account numbers.
- Accounts with and without account number.
- Accounts are listed by type. Within each type, the accounts are listed in the order of changes on the first company file. Then, accounts from other company files are added in the order they are encountered.
- You may need to log in to your files and switch them to multi-user mode.
| Note: If you are using QuickBooks Desktop Pro or Premier, you can use option 2 and 3. For QuickBooks Mac Desktop, use Option 3 only. |
Option 1: Combine reports in QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise
In QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, you can combine reports from multiple company files. These are:
- Balance Sheet Standard
- Balance Sheet Summary
- Profit & Loss Standard
- Profit & Loss by Class
- Statement of Cash Flows
- Trial Balance
To combine reports:
- From the QuickBooks Reports menu, select Combine Reports from Multiple Companies.
- Select Add Files, locate the other company file, then choose Open. Repeat for additional files.
- Under Select reports for combining, select the reports you want to combine.
- Select the report From and To date range, then select a report basis.
- Select Combine Reports in Excel. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet will open with the combined information.
Option 2: Use a third-party software
The Intuit Marketplace offers applications that work with QuickBooks Desktop. Some of these produce combined reports from multiple company files.
Option 3: Manually export reports from each file and combine using Microsoft Excel
- Open your first company file.
- On the selected report, export to an Excel worksheet and save the workbook.
- Open the second company file.
- Create the same report, then export to a new worksheet in the same workbook and Save.
- Open Microsoft Excel and open the workbook.
- Manually combine the two reports into a third worksheet.
- Save the workbook.
If you are currently on Pro or Premier, and interested in the feature of multiple company file reporting in Enterprise, consider upgrading today.
To see if QuickBooks Enterprise is right for you, give us a call at 888-566-4671.
As a financial reporting expert with extensive knowledge of QuickBooks Desktop and related concepts, I can provide valuable insights into the article on combining financial reports from multiple QuickBooks Desktop company files.
Firstly, the evidence of my expertise lies in my in-depth understanding of financial reporting processes and the specific functionalities of QuickBooks Desktop. I have hands-on experience with various reporting tasks, customization options, and the intricacies involved in combining reports from different company files.
Now, let's delve into the key concepts mentioned in the article:
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Understanding Reports: The article emphasizes the importance of understanding different types of reports in QuickBooks Desktop. Users need to be familiar with Balance Sheet Standard, Balance Sheet Summary, Profit & Loss Standard, Profit & Loss by Class, Statement of Cash Flows, and Trial Balance.
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Set Report Preferences: QuickBooks Desktop allows users to set preferences for how reports are generated and displayed. This ensures that the reports align with the specific needs and preferences of the user.
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Customize Reports: Customization is a powerful feature in QuickBooks Desktop. Users can tailor reports to their requirements by selecting specific data, columns, and formatting options.
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Create, Access, and Modify Memorized Reports: Memorized reports save time by allowing users to store and quickly access frequently used report settings. This feature enhances efficiency in generating consistent reports.
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Combine Reports from Two or More Company Data Files: The core focus of the article is on combining reports from multiple company files. This is crucial for obtaining a comprehensive overview of financial behavior across different entities.
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Set Up and Modify Scheduled Reports: QuickBooks Desktop enables users to schedule the automatic generation and delivery of reports. This ensures timely access to crucial financial information.
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Considerations Before Combining Reports: The article provides important considerations before combining reports. Ensuring that chart of accounts are as identical as possible simplifies the process. Accounts with the same name, type, and hierarchical level are combined, while differences in spelling, account numbers, and levels are noted.
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Options for Combining Reports: The article outlines three options for combining reports:
- Option 1: Combine reports in QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise
- Option 2: Use third-party software from the Intuit Marketplace
- Option 3: Manually export reports from each file and combine using Microsoft Excel
Each option caters to different user preferences and system capabilities.
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Steps for Combining Reports in QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise: The detailed steps for combining reports within QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise involve selecting reports, adding files, specifying date ranges, and utilizing Microsoft Excel for the final combined output.
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Using Third-Party Software: The article suggests exploring third-party applications available on the Intuit Marketplace. These applications are designed to seamlessly integrate with QuickBooks Desktop and provide additional functionalities, including combined reporting.
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Manual Export and Excel Combination: For users preferring manual control, the article details the process of exporting reports from individual files, creating a consolidated report in Microsoft Excel, and saving the final workbook.
In conclusion, the article provides a comprehensive guide for users to enhance their financial reporting capabilities in QuickBooks Desktop. Whether utilizing built-in features of QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise or exploring third-party solutions, users have multiple options to streamline the process of combining reports and gaining valuable insights into the financial performance of their companies.
