The eCommerce solution available from Yahoo has become very popular. One of the reasons is that it takes the hosting and software installation issues by using an ASP model while including built in QuickBooks integration. Another is the wide variety of add-ons that are available to make the entire process from inventory management to bookkeeping functions more automated.
Yahoo! Small Business offers everything from web hosting and merchant solutions to marketing tools. The business model is similar to that of QuickBooks: ease of use at an affordable price (solutions start as low as $39.95/month). Just like with QuickBooks, there are lots of tips and tricks that can make using the solution more effective and having someone that knows those tips and tricks eliminates time consuming trial and error. We have just such an expert in Yahoo store integration on our team, we often help small businesses work through the software related issues to make the process more efficient and profitable. Below are a few tips and tricks from Roxanne Brown:
Auto Tax Issue with QuickBooks integration: We first reported this issue with version 2003, and it is still the same with versions 2004 and now with 2005 as well as the Enterprise Solution. If you are trying to import your orders and having difficulty, this is probably a good place to start.
Online Store Credits: Processing a credit for a customer through the online store is relatively easy, which results in a happy customer. but how does this issue need to be handled within QuickBooks?
Sales Tax by County: This is often an issue for online stores because most carts support a single sales tax rate for the state, but to capture the sales tax by city, every single city needs to be set up in the cart. This can be time-consuming, especially in light of how many cities there are, and that there will be many cities where the store may not have any customers. A few months ago we offered two suggestions, one from within QuickBooks once the orders are imported, and the other is from the Yahoo Store directly.
In addition to knowing the tips and tricks to making the Yahoo! store work well with QuickBooks, there are several add-ons that extend the functionality of both. Below are just a few examples that we have experience with:
StoneEdge Order Manager: Inventory control. Customer management. Order processing and fulfillment. Interface with Credit Card Gateways and Shipping Programs. All in one affordable, feature-rich package. Streamline the entire job of reviewing, processing and shipping orders!
Write It Once: In 3 simple steps, you will bring your online orders right into your business applications. Not only will you eliminate data entry errors, but your productivity will increase. As a result, you will be able to process and ship your orders faster.
Order Processor for Yahoo Stores: If you are tired of manually downloading your orders, hand typing or printing them out, manually updating your store with shipping information, and having to continually hit the Sale button for every order. This tool will automate all of these processes for you.
Order Checker for Yahoo Stores: The Yahoo Store Order Checker is a program designed specifically to help make sure all your orders are properly marked as charged and shipped or they are marked as cancelled. Rather than spending time every week manually reviewing every order to make sure they are all taken care of, this program will do it for you.
As a resource for this and other questions, submit a question via "Ask the Expert" or attend our free, monthly discussion forum tele-class.
Bonnie J. Nagayama, CPA (925-247-0100) has been featured by Intuit in their QuickBooks Advisor Spotlight and frequently teaches and consults on using QuickBooks to its maximum advantage. For a FREE weekly newsletter of QuickBooks tips and tricks, plus many free and low cost QuickBooks resources visit www.4luvofbiz.com.
