Many can argue whether QuickBooks is the best accounting system to use, but I have had it for many years, even before I had my management system. I yearned for a management system that worked with QuickBooks and thought I had found one, only to be disappointed when I learned it only handled agency billed. Then I found HawkSoft, and the match was made. Do not misunderstand me, I am not a “techie,” just a small agency owner.  But I have found that these two programs were made for each other…really.  Can you actively use HawkSoft without integrating with QuickBooks? Absolutely, but I have found that my agency runs better, smoother and much more efficiently with the integration. An intangible is that each employee has a “buy-in” to the system and thus, appreciates it more.

• When someone comes in and pays a premium, the CSR goes to the HawkSoft contact screen. If it is to be uploaded, they go to the company website from HawkSoft, get the amount, pay it online to the company, make a screenshot of the receipt or payment confirmation, then process the receipt.
• When we write a direct bill policy, the process is similar to the steps of the money transaction above. The key here is that each employee has created their own daily accounting statement. At the end of the day, they print their daily statement and give it to me for the transactions to be reconciled and transferred to QuickBooks.
• With an agency billed account, each CSR does their own invoicing. If the policy is to be premium financed and a down payment is taken, the down payment is listed as customer receivable credit until the funding for the premium finance is received. We get the funding paid to us, and we send money to the company via our account current statement. This can be done differently, but our process of accounting is the same.

The point here is that if the CSR has taken money, direct or agency billed, the close day procedure is the same. I get each CSR’s statement and export the accounting report to QuickBooks. I use laser deposit slips, print off the slip, verify the money and go to the bank that day or the next.

My close day and deposit activities are seamless. My bank statement reconciliation process has never been easier. When I pay my account current statements, it also has been a dream compared to the problems I had when I was doing it manually. The receipt and invoice voiding processes are very simple, and the whole office runs smoother when we integrate with QuickBooks.

There are always errors, but they are resolved easily with the integration in place. This system has saved so much time, and each CSR loves the fact they have a part in the process. Of course, as I have taught this class in a couple of our conferences, there are always other ways to accomplish the same thing, and I love to hear about them. I just know with the marriage of QuickBooks and HawkSoft, my life and my staff’s lives are better, and we are out of the office quicker.

Remember, HawkSoft now makes training modules available to go over all this, and I will be glad to discuss any questions or points you may have anytime. Just contact me. Have a great Holiday Season!!!

Frank F. Millsaps, CIC, CISR, CGA
President
Millsaps & Associates, Inc.
519 Azalea Road, Mobile, AL 36609
www.millsapsinsurance.com    frank@millsapsinsurance.com
Phone:  (251) 344-0427