Category Archives: Keyboard Shortcuts

QuickBooks for Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts can be great time-savers, eliminating the need for you to repeatedly switch between the keyboard and mouse. Every version of QuickBooks has keyboard shortcuts.  If you’re using QuickBooks for Windows — either Pro, Premier or Enterprise — try out some of the shortcuts below.  I really enjoy them.  I think you will, too.

Please note: the “+” in the “Keys to Press” column is a delimiter; Don’t press the “+” key. 

Keys Category
Shortcut Editing QuickBooks Transactions and Lists
Ctrl+Del Delete the selected line in a transaction
Ctrl+Ins Insert a blank detail line in a transaction
Ctrl+N Create a new transaction or list item
Ctrl+D Delete the current transaction or list item. Please note that you cannot reverse this once done, usually
Ctrl+E Edit an item in an item list, or in a register
Ctrl+O If you are looking at a check in the write checks window, or in the check register, use ctrl-O to copy the check. You can then use ctrl-V to create (paste) a copy of that check if you are in the check register
F5 Refresh List. You only see this if you are in multi-user mode, when you have a “list” open. This will force QuickBooks to go back to the database server and retrieve the latest copy of the list. If multiple users are editing the list this may be useful. Note that all lists that are open at the time should be refreshed.
Shortcut Windows and Lists
Ctrl+W Opens the write check window to write a new check
Ctrl+Q Open a Quick Report for a list item when you have selected the item in the list
Ctrl+Y Open a transaction journal for a transaction, if you are viewing the transaction
Ctrl+J Open the customer center
Ctrl+A Open the Chart of Accounts
Ctrl+I Open the create invoice window to create a new invoice
Ctrl+L Open a list – if the cursor is in a field that has a dropdown list, such as selecting the item in an invoice detail line, this will open the list associated with that dropdown
Ctrl+U Use the list item if you have just used ctrl-L to open the list from a transaction. This is a very useful feature that many people aren’t familiar with. See a more detailed explanation in my article on Improved List Selection
Ctrl+R Most transactions have a register associated with them. This opens the register for the transaction you are looking at
Ctrl+G This is an odd one I’m still figuring out. If you are in a registerfor an account, entering ctrl-G will take you to the register for the “transfer” account associated with the line you have selected
Ctrl+F Opens the find window for the list or transaction type you are working with. This is the old-style Find, not the new Searchfeature (F3)
F1 Opens the Help window
F2 Displays the Product Information window, which has a large amount of information that can be very helpful when diagnosing problems in QuickBooks (Ctrl-1 is an alternate)
F3 Starting with the 2011 version, this opens the newer Searchfeature (as opposed to the Find feature)
F3 If you have the Product Information window open (by pressingF2), pressing F3 here will open the tech help window. This provides a wide range of system and diagnostic information, as well as being a quick way to view (and possibly edit, if you are careful) a number of support and technical files that relate to QuickBooks operations (Ctrl-2 is an alternate)
F4 This opens the QuickBooks Technical Support Helper window
Ctrl+1 This does the same as F2, opening the Product Informationwindow
Esc Close the current window
Ctrl+F4 Close the current window (same as Esc)
Ctrl+F6 Move to the next open window and make it active. NOTE that for some reason SOME windows don’t allow this, such as theAccountant Center (thank you Mary Longacre for pointing that out)
Ctrl+Tab Same as Ctrl-F6, moves to the next open window
Ctrl+H Open the Transaction history – if you have a transaction like an invoice, which has payments applied to it, the transaction history can be very useful
Shortcut Moving Around the Form / Maneuvering
+ (plus key) Increase a number in a form, such as a check number or invoice number
(minus key) Decrease a number in a form, such as a check number or invoice number
Alt+S Save the current transaction
Alt+N Save the current transaction and go to the next
Alt+P Go to the previous transaction
Tab Go to the next field
Shift+Tab Go to the prior field
Up Arrow Go to the previous line in a form
Down Arrow Go to the next line in a form
Page Up Move to a previous page in a form area or report
Page Down Move to the next page in a form area or report
Ctrl+Page Up Move to the first item in a list or register
Ctrl+Page Down Move to the last item in a list or register
Enter If you are viewing a report this will “quick zoom” – open a register or detailed report. In other windows this will often select the highlighted button/operation
Ctrl+Enter Record (save) the current record. If you have several buttons at the bottom of a transaction window (like “Save & Close”, “Save & New”, “Clear” and so forth) then Ctrl-Enter will select the best “save” option available. Enter will select the button that is highlighted, which might not be the best “save” option
Ctrl Start QuickBooks without opening a file. This is useful if you are having problems with the last company file you were using – and you want to start with the Open or Restore Company window
Alt Start QuickBooks without all the windows. If you have your desktop set to remember what windows you have open, sometimes it takes a VERY long time to start QuickBooks. This option will start it without opening all the windows
Alt+F4 Close QuickBooks
Shortcut Date Shortcuts
+ (plus key) Advance to the next day
(minus key) Previous day
T Today
W First day of the Week
K Last day of the weeK
M First day of the Month
H Last day of the montH
Y First day of the Year
R Last day of the yearR
[ (left bracket) Same day in previous week
] (right bracket) Same day in next week
; Same date last month
(apostrophe) Same date next month
Alt+down arrow Opens the calendar for date selection (the small date calendar, not the “Calendar” feature)
Shortcut Memorized Transactions
Ctrl+M Memorize the current transaction. This opens the memorize transaction window
Ctrl+T Create a new transaction from a memorized transaction. This opens the memorized transaction list
Shortcut Miscellaneous
Ctrl+P Print
Ctrl+R+P If you have been trying to register QuickBooks, and you have been given a “validation code”, you can easily get to the registration window where it asks you for this code without having to go through all the normal steps for registration. Open QuickBooks, select Help and then About QuickBooks.When the product splash screen shows, press Ctrl-R-P (hold the Ctrl key down then press R and P in succession). This opens the window that lets you enter your validation code
Shortcut Standard Text Editing
Ctrl+Z Undo typing or changes made in field
Ctrl+X Cut (copy the selected text to the clipboard and remove it from the field).
Ctrl+C Copy the selected text to the clipboard
Ctrl+V Paste text from the clipboard to the field
Del Delete a character to the right
Backspace Delete a character to the left
Home Go to the first character in the field
End Go to the last character in the field
Ctrl+Right Arrow Move to the next word in a current text field
Ctrl+Left Arrow Move to the previous word in a current text field

I hope this is helpful.

Wishing you a happy and prosperous day!

Patti Killelea-Almonte

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