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 | |
| 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
