Unlock your Data: Understanding Display and Compare options in QuickBooks Online reporting

In this guide, we'll explore key features that empower you to get the most out of your QuickBooks Online experience and leverage your financial data effectively. We'll show you how to optimize your view within reports and compare options across different time periods. Let's dive in.

Section 1: Optimize Your View - Understanding Display Options

The "Display by columns" option is a neat feature that helps you dive deeper into your reports. It's not available in every report, but when it is, it lets you break down those big total numbers so you can see all the individual amounts that make them up. Think of it like looking at each ingredient in a recipe instead of just seeing the final dish.

Here's how to use it:

1. Look for the "Display" button or option within your report.
2. You'll see a dropdown menu, usually labeled something like "Display columns by ▼". Click on that and select the category you want to explore. For example, if you're looking at sales, you might choose to display columns by individual products or by sales reps.
3. Once you select a category, the report will update to show you the individual contributions to the total. Even with this option selected, the overall total will always be there unless you apply another filter.
4. If you want to go back to just seeing the main total without all the individual breakdowns, simply click the “Clear” button.

This feature is super helpful for getting a more detailed understanding of your data. Give it a try in your reports and see how it helps you.

Section 2: Compare Options

Ever wanted to see how your numbers stack up against another time period? Some reports let you do just that, displaying time periods side-by-side so you can easily spot what's changed. It's super helpful for understanding trends and making informed decisions.

Here's how you can set up these comparisons. First, you'll need to tell the report which time frame you want to compare against. You've got a few handy options:

• Previous Year (PY): This shows you the same period but for the year before. So, if your report is for June 2024, it'll compare it to June 2023.
• Previous Period (PP): This compares your report's period to the one immediately before it. For example, if your report covers February, the "Previous Period" would be January.
• Custom Period (CP): Want to pick your own dates? No problem. This option lets you enter a specific date range to compare against.

Remember: Not all reports will have every one of these comparison options.

Once you've selected your comparison period, you'll then choose how you want to measure the difference. These options might change a bit depending on what you selected in the first step:

• $ Change: This simply shows you the difference in dollar amounts.
• % Change: If you prefer percentages, this option calculates the difference as a percentage.
• % of Row: This will show you the percentage based on the value of that specific row.
• % of Column: This calculates the percentage based on the value of the entire column.

After you make your selections, your report will automatically refresh to show you all those comparison changes. It's a fantastic way to gain deeper insights into your data.