![]() ![]() It doesn’t mean there aren’t users just because they were deleted. “Don’t get blinded by what you see,” he said. This is also important information to know if a user has done in an attempt to hide something. Users can also compress data, which shrinks entries and removes critical information like history that you can’t ever get back. Users can enter, change, void and delete transactions. He also clicks a box to “Include Inactives.” He wants to see even things that are no longer active on the lists. You can see lists of bills, vendors, payments, employees and more. He prefers to see everything as a list, which is essentially what Quickbooks provides. Pedneault said he chooses to close everything and start with a blank screen when he opens a file instead of using the default navigational screen. Make sure you find and document which platform the files are in, where it resides, how many users it has, what package or suite is it, and what year the version is. And don’t go through Quickbooks to open the files go through what you find on the hard drive. A tip Pedneault mentioned was going to the computer and searching the entire hard drive for anything that has “QB” in it. Don’t just assume that there is one set of books or one version available. There could always be more than one Quickbooks file. “If we can’t, then we carry with us hard drives and take a picture of the entire hard drive without relying on the client." If that fails, you can put files on a jump drive yourself or have them emailed to you. ![]() “If there is a way for me to take the whole computer, I will take it. He also advised adamantly to preserve the original file before you access it and complete your work using a working copy. “For your case in court, how you obtained, secured, and accessed the QuickBooks file will directly impact how admissible the file will be, as well as how your work will be based on the file,” Pedneault said. You have to consider not only admissibility, but authentication and accessibility. This step is critical for the admissibility of any potential evidence to be used in court. He said to look for Quickbook files in hard drives, network drives, USB or flash drives and even backup drives. Pedneault said that you are not just looking for files on the computer. Here are Pedneault’s 10 lessons learned to help guide you through your next investigation involving Quickbooks: While it is a handy, affordable tool for small business, nonprofits and churches, it is also vulnerable to manipulation. Stephen Pedneault CFE, CPA/CFF of Forensic Accounting Services LLC said he has been using Quickbooks before it was even called Quickbooks (it used to be called Quicken for all you youngsters out there). ![]()
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