Lizbits

Spate of Phishing Expeditions

Email security scams are popping up like tulips at Keukenhof. One of the latest appears to come directly from Intuit instructing the recipient to download an update or another saying that you will not be able to access your Intuit QuickBooks account without the "Intuit Security Tool" (IST(tm)) after 10th of April, 2011.

Some scam giveaways are misspelling, strange grammar or foreign date formats. We say don't read your email when you're too tired to concentrate. And, if there's even a scintilla of doubt, don't open the email.

According to Intuit,

Here's what you can do to protect yourself from a phishing attack:

1. If you suspect you have received a phishing email from Intuit, please forward it immediately to spoof@intuit.com. We will look into each reported instance.
2. Make sure you subscribe to an anti-virus software and keep it up-to-date.
3. Make sure you have updated your web browser to one that includes anti-phishing security features, such as Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox version 3 or higher
4. Make sure that you keep up to date on the latest releases and patches for your operating systems and critical programs. These releases are frequently security related.
5. Do not respond to emails asking for account, password, banking, or credit card information.
6. Do not open up an attachment that claims to be a software update. We will not send any software updates via email.
7. Make sure you have passwords on your computer and your payroll files.

 

ACT! QuickBooks Link

For those old enough to remember the disaster that was the original ACT! to QuickBooks link, here's a another idea. Karen Fredricks, author of 11 CRM books and world-renowned ACT! expert, has worked with a developer to bring her vision of the link to life.

For more info, click here: ACT! to QuickBooks Link .

 

Add More Users to QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions

Effective February 18, 2011, Intuit is offering the following Add Seat Promotion:

5->10 Users: $2,500 $2,000 plus the adjusted FSP - everyday price

10->30 Users: $3,500 $3,000 plus the adjusted FSP

5->30 Users: $5,500 $5,000 plus the adjusted FSP

Note that the price is for the software only and that a prorated Full Service Plan fee will be added to this dollar amount. 

Annual prices for the Full Service Plan are as follows:

Users	Full Service Plan Renewal Price
5 users	$850 per year
10 users	$1,300 per year
Up to 30 users	$2,000 per yea

For help determining your prorated FSP cost, contact us via email or by phone 561-737-3999.

This promotion expires March 31, 2011.

Happy New Year!

Everyone at Abaca.net wishes you and your family a happy and prosperous new year.

Xobni: The Outlook Add-on Miracle

We've recently become big fans of Xobni, the Outlook Add-on that makes mincemeat out of Outlook's native search functions. Although there is a free edition, we're betting that once you start using it, you will quickly choose to upgrade to the $30 edition.

Imagine, seeing at a glance, all of the files exchanged between you and the highlighted email contact. Or all of the emails exchanged in decending date order.

No more struggling to find all the emails you sent to so-and-so about such-and-such. Who0pee!

For more information, click here: Xobni

 

 

ProAdvisor Customer Review: QuickBooks Training

reviews.proadvisor.intuit.com

Elizabeth and Eve have given us help over the last five years. I highly recommend their services to anyone with questions about QuickBooks.

Back from the Berkshires

Like a lot of folks, I'm suffering from back from vacation-itis. How do you ease back into a work routine after, in my case, a month-long break? (Hey, if the Italians, and, for that matter, most Europeans deem August to be a month to "far niente," who am I to argue?)

Right now, just the idea of clearing off my desk or answering email ranks right up there with ironing or having a tooth extracted.

How do you get back? I'm open to ideas. For a few thoughts from the experts, click here.

Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act - Part II

How to implement the (HIRE) Act in QuickBooks:

1. Make sure that you have the most recent release of the tax table update. (To check, click on Employees  & Get Payroll Tax Table Updates.)
2. The following screen will hopefully say “You are using tax table version 21012.” 
3. If not, click on "Update."
4. Click on Employees, Payroll Setup.
5. Click on #3,  Employee Setup. (Two drop down boxes appear.)
6. Click on Employee List drop down box. (The Review Your Employee List appears.)
7. Highlight the qualified employee.
8. Click Edit.
9. Click "Next" 7 times until you get to the Federal Information screen.You should now see a “HIRE Act Exemption” Check Box.
10. Click on the down arrow to the right and select “Qualified Employee”   If the employee doesn’t qualify, it will tell you (based on the hire date info which can be changed.)   If it’s OK, click "Next" and "Finish" to save the change.

Understanding the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act

Lately We've been getting questions about the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act.

There are two separate tax benefits to employers:

1) Employers get an exemption from the employer's 6.2 percent share of social security on wages paid to QUALIFYING EMPLOYEES, (see the second faq,pdf link below for a definition), effective for wages paid from March 19, 2010 through December 31, 2010.

2) In addition, for each qualified employee retained for at least 52 consecutive weeks, businesses will also be eligible for a general business tax credit, referred to as the new hire retention credit, of 6.2 percent of wages paid to the qualified employee over the 52 week period, up to a maximum credit of $1,000.

Like all government programs, there is paperwork galore. The employer needs to get a signed statement (Yes, Matilda, there's a form for that called a W-11 http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw11.pdf ) from each eligible new hire certifying under penalties of perjury, that he or she was not employed for more than 40 hours during the 60 days before beginning employment with that employer.

As you might imagine this act has generated a ton of questions: For answers to some, see the following document: http://www.paychex.com/pdf/www/hireact/hire_act_faq.pdf

For answers to the rest, we highly recommend that you consult with your own tax professional.

Droid Incredible Or Droid X? -- InformationWeek

Shopping for an Android smartphone this summer? Be prepared to wait. The Droid Incredible technically went on sale over a month ago, but new orders placed on Verizon Wireless' Web site won't ship until July 22. The Droid X is only available for pre-order at this time. It goes on sale July 15. That leaves plenty of time to decide which is the better for you.

via www.informationweek.com