Condensing Data

Important: condensing data has a significant effect on your company file. We suggest you review How QuickBooks condenses data before you proceed.

To condense data:

  1. To close all QuickBooks windows, command-click the close box in any open window.

    Before you can condense data, you must first close all windows that are currently open on the QuickBooks desktop.

  2. Choose File > Utilities > Condense Data.
    Before you can condense data, QuickBooks asks to close any windows that are currently open on the QuickBooks desktop.
  3. Enter the ending date for the period of time you want QuickBooks to condense the transactions. If you track inventory, it's best to make the date the last day of the month. That way, your average cost for items will remain correct.

    For example, to condense data up to the end of 2008, you would enter 12/31/08. This would condense all transactions dated on or before 12/31/08. Transactions dated 1/1/09 and later would not be affected.

  4. (Optional) After QuickBooks condenses the transactions, you may have list items that are no longer in use. If there are any unused list items that you wish to delete, select the checkboxes for those items.
  5. Click OK.

    A message appears stating that QuickBooks will make a backup file before it condenses the transactions. The backup file ensures that you will still have a record of the details of any transactions that QuickBooks deletes from your company file.

  6. Click OK to create the backup file.