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 .

 

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.