Increase QuickBooks Performance
1. Faster Computer
a. Higher Clock Speed (3.2 Ghz versus 1.8 Ghz)
b. More RAM (3 GB versus 1 GB)
c. Faster RAM
d. Faster Hard Drive (10,000 RPM versus 5400 or 7200RPMs)
e. 64-Bit versus 32-Bit
2. Faster LAN
a. Gigabit routers versus 100 MB routers
b. Gigabit cables versus 100 MB Cables
c. MIMO Wireless versus Super G
d. Drive Mapping
3. Run QuickBooks in Single User Mode – In dire circumstances, strike a compromise whereby the bookkeeper operates QuickBooks in single user mode until lunch time each day. After lunch, other users are free to multi-use the system.
4. Suppress Home Page When File is Opened - (Preferences, User Desktop View, uncheck “Show Home Page”)
5. Clear All Open Windows when Exiting QuickBooks – (Preferences, User Desktop View, Check “Don’t save the desktop”)
6. Turn off Reminders – (Preferences, Reminders, uncheck “Show Reminders”)
7. Enable the “Modify Report Window”. (Preferences, Reports & Graphs, check “Prompt to Modify Report”
8. Turn off Auto Refresh – (Preferences, Reports & Graphs, “Don’t Refresh”
9. Close Unnecessary Windows - Each open window uses system resources. Ideally you should no more than 3 open windows at a time. Window drop down menu and then selecting Close All.
10. Turn Off Any non QuickBooks Programs That You Do Not Need
11. Turn off Unnecessary Windows Systems Processes (Control Panel, Administrative, System Processes)
12. In a Multi-User Environment, Host the QuickBooks Data File on a Dedicated Computer
13. Use Terminal Services – (For data files over 200MB - QuickBooks Pro or Premier, or data files over 500MB - QuickBooks Enterprise). Performance gains most noticeable with 3 or more users logged into QuickBooks. Terminal services spools recently used files to RAM which is 500 times faster than a hard drive read or write.
When you use Terminal Services, you still need a QuickBooks license for each unique QuickBooks user, but you do not install QuickBooks on each workstation. Instead, you install on license of QuickBooks on the server and you store the data file on the server as well. Then, up to 30 users run from a single installation of QuickBooks. This networking model is very different from the standard network configuration where QuickBooks resides on each workstation.
14. Reduce the Size of Your QuickBooks File - 3 Options:
a. The Clean up QuickBooks Data QuickBooks Tool removes many of the transactions dated on or before the clean up date.
i. This is not very effective if you use inventory items on purchase forms and/or sales forms.
ii. Further, 1 out of 10 condensed data files experience some type of data file corruption, particularly when excess data resides in the Open Invoices and Unpaid Bills Detail reports. The result may be that reports no longer agree to the Balance Sheet, or the Balance Sheet will no longer balance.
b. Use the Remove All Transactions from File Tool. The downside is that you can't retain any transactions. Only list information, user access privileges, preferences, memorized transactions, memorized reports, form templates, budgets and timesheets remain in the data file.
c. Use the Portable Company File to Re-index Your Data File. QuickBooks 2006 and later allows you to create a Portable Company File – a highly compressed copy of your data file that reduces most QuickBooks data files by 85-90%. To create this highly compressed copy of the file, QuickBooks removes all of the indexing from the file. When you re-open the Portable File, QuickBooks re-indexes the data file. This re-indexing process will often reduce the size of your data file by as much as 50% the first time you create and open a portable company file.
15. Upgrade from QuickBooks Pro/Premier to QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions. This measure will provide some increase in QuickBooks performance, but once the file size exceeds 800MB-1GB even QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions could begin slowing down significantly.
16. Minimize Programs and Processes Running on the Server