ClearDesk IQ help center

• All topics
• Start here: fix it yourself
• Getting started
• Opening the program
• Records & saving
• Calculations
• Invoices & payments
• Jobs & estimates
• Backup & recovery
• Exports & printing
• Computer & printer help
• Help & support
• Office & devices
• Everyday tasks
• Dashboard & totals
• Customers & jobs
• Estimates & bids
• Expenses & income
• Employees & time
• Cash planning
• Reports & exports
• Windows & computer help
• Profit review

141 articles

Start here: fix it yourself 11

• Windows says "Windows protected your PC"ClearDesk IQ is sold through the Microsoft Store. The Store version installs without this warning. If you see it, the file did not come from the Microsoft Store.
• Installer says "Close ClearDesk IQ before installing"The program is still running, often hidden in the system tray next to the clock.
• Do I need a key to activate ClearDesk IQ?No. Your Microsoft Store purchase is your license. There is nothing to type in.
• Install on another PC, or my copy will not save new recordsBought from the Microsoft Store. To install on another PC, sign in to the Microsoft Store with the same Microsoft account.
• Can I use it on a Mac, iPad or phone?ClearDesk IQ is built for 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 computers only. It has been tested on Windows 11; Windows 10 has not been tested yet.
• Updating without losing my recordsUpdates keep your records. Save a backup first for peace of mind.
• Email invoice opened my email but the PDF is not attachedWindows does not let programs attach files automatically. The PDF is ready to drag in.
• Connect your office computers (host + other computers)One main computer is the HOST. Each other computer requests to join, and the host types in its 6-digit code.
• My antivirus blocked or removed the programNew programs are sometimes flagged by mistake.
• Where are my records saved?On this computer only, in the ClearDesk IQ Records folder inside your Windows user folder (C:\Users\<your name>\ClearDesk IQ Records). Job and expense photos and receipts are in its attachments folder. Nothing is sent to the internet.
• The program will not openQuick checks before anything else.

Getting started 14

• Set up your first customer and jobStart with your company details, then follow one project from estimate to payment.
• Track several jobs for the same customerCustomers, jobs and invoices are linked through separate records.
• Currency is locked or my currency is unavailableCurrency changes are blocked after financial records because values are not converted.
• Employee hours, approval and gross wagesRecord regular and overtime hours on Employees & time.
• Shop costs and company overheadKeep rent, utilities, fuel and indirect labor separate from direct jobs.
• Archive old jobs without deleting historyThere is no 1,700-entry limit.
• Where is each section and what do I use it for?Use the sidebar to reach each part of the workflow. Help is available without losing an unsaved form.
• Change company details, tax, margin or estimate termsCompany & settings provides business details and defaults for new work.
• Does this handle payroll, banking, mobile access or automatic email?ClearDesk IQ handles contractor workflows and labor costs, not a full accounting or payroll service.
• How to search this help center and narrow the answerSearch checks titles, keywords and the full instructions, checks and troubleshooting text—not just article names.
• Show the welcome guide or replay the quick tourNew workspaces see an optional welcome once. The tour can always be opened again.
• Change startup, connection and invoice options for this computerCompany settings and computer options have separate Save buttons.
• Open at Windows sign-in, choose a start page, or find the hidden windowMake the office host easier to reopen and keep available.
• What is on Overview? Where did the charts and bonus go?Overview focuses on daily work. Reports holds the detailed review and charts.

Opening the program 4

• The program will not open, or a DLL is missingRun the Windows Setup installer, then use the Start menu shortcut.
• Windows or antivirus blocks the download or applicationAn unrecognized-publisher warning and a malware detection need different handling.
• Which computers and licenses does this download need?ClearDesk IQ is a 64-bit Windows desktop app with its own calculation engine. It is sold through the Microsoft Store.
• The window is blank, stuck opening, or stops respondingPreserve saved data and gather a useful error report before attempting repairs.

Records & saving 6

• Sample numbers or unfamiliar customers appearThe demo company uses a separate database with fictional examples.
• Jobs or customers are missing after reopeningCheck the workspace, filters and Windows account before considering recovery.
• A save fails: permission, locked file, or full diskA failed save must be resolved before the new record can be trusted as saved.
• Unsaved changes, Cancel, and closing a formTyping in a form is different from saving a record.
• A customer, job or change cannot be removedLinked records are protected to keep financial history consistent.
• Monthly and quarterly statements and year-end archivingChoose a month, quarter or year without deleting historical transactions.

Calculations 11

• A field says to enter a valid number, date or optionValidation rejects ambiguous inputs before they can change the totals.
• Why a 25% margin on $100 costs gives a $133.34 priceThe target is a percentage of selling price; overhead is applied to direct cost first.
• Estimate totals differ by a cent from my calculatorUnit selling prices round upward; line totals, tax and deposits round half up.
• The price increases after a discount or minimum-profit entryAn enabled minimum-profit floor can increase the final price to preserve the entered profit amount.
• Tax on the estimate is missing or seems too lowOnly checked estimate lines are taxable; discounts and floor adjustments are allocated proportionally.
• Job profit does not match the cash in my bankA job forecast and cash activity answer different questions.
• Forecast is incomplete, zero, or too highRemaining cost means future costs only. Recorded costs are already counted separately.
• Business overhead is not included in an individual jobAn expense assigned to Business overhead stays separate from individual jobs.
• A graph is empty or a monthly total looks wrongCharts use the reporting year and different dates for costs versus cash payments.
• Revenue or receipts appear to be counted twiceCustomer invoice payments automatically enter cash activity.
• The 13-week forecast does not update from my invoicesThe cash plan is a separate manual forecast of expected receipts and payments.

Invoices & payments 9

• Invoice tax after changing the amount or jobSuggested tax uses the accepted quote's effective tax ratio, or the company default for a manual job.
• Cannot invoice more than the approved contractProgress invoices must stay within the approved value before tax.
• A payment is rejected or the balance looks wrongPayments must be positive, within the outstanding total, and linked to the correct invoice.
• Duplicate payment request or a payment entered twiceRetrying the same request is protected; a separately entered payment is a new record.
• Cannot edit or remove an invoice with paymentsThe lock protects payment history from accidental changes.
• Overdue days, paid dates and date validationDates determine overdue status and the month cash activity appears in.
• Create a deposit, progress or final invoiceAn invoice bills part of an existing job; it does not record payment by itself.
• Correct a payment amount or date and copy a reminderPayments are corrected by removal and re-entry; there is no separate payment-edit form.
• Change the default due date for new invoicesPick the number of days added to today for newly created invoices on this computer.

Jobs & estimates 2

• An extra or change order is not in contract valueOnly approved changes add to contract value and budget.
• An accepted estimate is locked or cannot be reassignedAcceptance preserves the original quote and creates a connected job.

Backup & recovery 6

• Save a backup that can restore all your recordsA JSON workspace backup can restore records; an Excel export cannot.
• Restore a backup safelyStandalone and demo backups can replace their workspace after validation. Shared-network restoration requires coordinated administrator recovery.
• Backup integrity check fails, or the file is not supportedDamaged, edited, oversized or incompatible backup files are rejected before records are replaced.
• Find the automatic recovery copiesThe program keeps up to 30 snapshots of the workspace from before saved changes.
• The database cannot be read or fails its integrity checkPreserve the original files; use a known-good backup for controlled recovery.
• Move records to a new computer or update the programTransfer a complete backup file. In 0.4.2 and later it includes attached photos and receipts. Excel exports and program folders are not the live workspace.

Exports & printing 2

• A PDF will not save, or the wrong document is exportedSave the document from the relevant estimate, invoice, job or overview.
• Open an Excel export or bring a spreadsheet into the programExports are 16-sheet snapshots, including monthly and quarterly cash. Customer and price lists can be imported; other spreadsheets are not.

Computer & printer help 2

• The PDF opens, but my printer will not print itFirst separate PDF generation from the printer or Windows print queue.
• Computer repair is a separate, optional serviceApplication problems remain product support; household device problems can be separately assessed and quoted.

Help & support 3

• Report an unresolved application problemSend a concise reproducible report so product support can investigate without a computer-repair session.
• What is included in a troubleshooting report?The report contains limited technical checks and coded events, not customer or financial records.
• Update the searchable help databaseThe bundled knowledge base works offline and can be updated with a publisher-provided help file.

Office & devices 25

• Connect an office and five or more onsite laptopsOne host holds shared records; each trusted laptop pairs separately and can queue supported onsite work.
• Give a customer a bid while offlineAdd the customer and create an estimate on your field laptop. Review costs, margin, tax and terms.
• Pending sync or a conflicting office editOpen Office & devices and read the connection and pending-change status. Local saved does not mean the office has received it.
• Set up a daily backup outside this computerOpen Office & devices and choose a backup folder on another drive or a backed-up location.
• Paired computers are on the same network but will not syncCheck the app’s sharing status first, then the connection path and pending work.
• Connect a new laptop or the office secretary’s computerChoose one office host. Each other computer requests to join and is approved at the host.
• What can field laptops and office workstations change?Field and office devices have different permitted actions; they are not separate confidential views of the company.
• Connection code rejected, used twice or device revokedUse a long code only in I already have a connection code. Six-digit approval uses the separate nearby-pairing flow.
• The office address changed, or its sharing port is in usePaired computers can rediscover the same trusted office on the local network. An unrelated host is not substituted.
• Allow office sync without turning off Windows FirewallUse the app’s setup button for rules limited to ClearDesk IQ and the local trusted network.
• Same Wi-Fi name, guest network, Ethernet or VPN still will not connectA network can allow internet and ping while blocking app discovery or the office port.
• Sync stops when I close the office window or the computer sleepsOffice sharing needs the host computer awake, signed in, and running ClearDesk IQ.
• My bid or hours are missing on the office computerSaved locally and synced to the office are different states.
• Office identity or certificate does not matchPairing pins the office identity. A certificate mismatch is not something to ignore or bypass.
• The office computer died or the shared database needs restoringA shared-office restore needs coordinated recovery. A data backup alone does not restore every device identity, queue or certificate.
• Only Create device invitation appears — where is Join?This laptop was set up as an Office host. Undo hosting here, then join the real office. Your existing local records are kept.
• Stop hosting says this office has active devicesThe program prevents an accidental shutdown of an office that other computers may still use.
• Primary office is not listening, even though the computers can communicateA working Wi-Fi connection or ping does not mean ClearDesk IQ is accepting connections.
• My office or laptop is not showing in NearbyOnly computers running a version of ClearDesk IQ with nearby discovery can appear.
• Where do I enter the six digits? What if they do not match?The laptop displays six digits; the person at the office types them into Approve. A long connection code is a different option.
• I invited a nearby laptop — what does its user do next?An invitation highlights the office on that laptop. It does not silently download business records.
• What happens to records already on the laptop when I join?Joining opens a separate office workspace. It does not combine two companies automatically.
• Automatic sync is off — how do I turn it back on?Switch it on in computer options, or use Sync now yourself.
• Use a long connection code when nearby discovery is unavailableThe manual-code option remains available for networks that block discovery.
• It says All changes saved — have they reached the office?Saved on this laptop and synced to the office are different states.

Everyday tasks 4

• Where do I add new time for an employee?Open Employees & time. The office first adds employees and their default regular and overtime rates.
• Compare estimate and actual job costsOpen Jobs & profit and select a job created from an accepted estimate.
• A button is missing, grey, or unavailable on this computerAvailable actions depend on the workspace and access role.
• This month is empty even though I entered workDifferent screens use different dates and payment states.

Dashboard & totals 3

• Where do I enter or see monthly totals?Monthly totals calculate from dated records. There is no monthly-total entry box.
• Change reporting year or find records from another monthCompany & settings controls year-based dashboards; individual registers may show all dates or have their own filters.
• Why profit, contract value and cash are differentA contract is not a receipt, and a forecast is not a bank balance.

Customers & jobs 2

• Add a customer or change contact detailsAdd each customer once and connect multiple estimates and jobs to that customer.
• Create a job without an estimate and assign its customerA job may be created directly or from an accepted estimate. Choose one route to avoid duplicates.

Estimates & bids 2

• Build, save and revise a customer estimateStart with job costs, then review your price and terms before issuing a customer document.
• Follow up on a bid or mark it sent, lost or wonFollow-up dates help organize bids; the program does not automatically email customers or obtain signatures.

Expenses & income 4

• Add materials, fuel, gas, tools or another job expenseEnter the cost once and choose whether it belongs to a job or the business generally.
• Mark a bill paid or correct a supplier expensePayment status and payment date determine when an expense enters cash totals.
• Where do I attach a receipt photo or import bank transactions?Attach photos and receipts to a saved job or expense (JPG, PNG, GIF, WEBP, HEIC or PDF). Bank feeds and transaction imports are not supported.
• Record other income without duplicating invoice paymentsInvoice payments belong on the invoice. Other income is for money received outside that workflow.

Employees & time 8

• Add an employee, change rates or deactivate a workerEmployee defaults fill future time entries; saved historical rates remain on each entry.
• Change employee hours after submitting or syncing timeThere is no separate Submitted status for time. A field entry remains Draft after sync until the office approves it.
• Correct approved time, the wrong job or a duplicate entryThe office corrects approved entries. Updating one replaces its linked Labor cost rather than adding a second cost.
• Correct already-paid time or add extra unpaid hoursChanging a paid time record changes both its wage expense and recorded cash settlement. Separate newly owed work from a correction to a payment already made.
• Approve employee hours and record wage settlementApproved time affects costs and profit; marking gross wages fully paid also affects cash.
• Record overtime or split a day across several jobsEnter regular and overtime separately using the actual rates that apply. The program does not decide payroll overtime rules.
• Record employer taxes, benefits and other labor costsTime entries calculate gross wages from hours and rates. Additional actual employer costs are entered separately.
• Employee wages seem to be counted twiceApproved employee time already creates a linked labor expense.

Cash planning 1

• Enter opening cash, weekly bills and a cash bufferThe 13-week cash plan is a manual planning model; it does not automatically schedule all invoices, wages or bills.

Reports & exports 1

• Where do I get a report, invoice PDF or Excel file?Reports & exports creates shareable snapshots; it does not replace a restorable backup.

Windows & computer help 13

• Windows Defender blocked installation, launch or savingIdentify which protection blocked which file. Firewall, ransomware protection and malware detection solve different problems.
• Protected folder access blocked an export or backupA confirmed Controlled folder access event may require approval for the exact trusted app location.
• Not enough storage: safely free space on the computerBoth the Windows system drive and the chosen backup/export drive need free space. Archiving jobs does not shrink the database.
• Choose external storage for backups and large filesAn external drive can hold backup copies and other files; plugging one in does not automatically enlarge C: or move the live database.
• External backup drive is missing, full or write-protectedA scheduled backup cannot succeed when its destination is unavailable or unwritable.
• Access denied, read-only folder or managed computer policyA folder permission or managed policy can block installation, saving or exports.
• Records disappeared after changing Windows user or reinstallingRecords belong to the Windows user profile. The app rename preserves the original data directory for compatibility.
• Power loss, Windows update or unexpected restart interrupted workSaved records and unsaved form text are different. Check what actually saved before re-entering it.
• The app is slow, frozen or uses too much memoryA slow computer, low storage or a large operation can affect responsiveness; do not repeatedly press Save.
• Text is clipped, buttons are offscreen or a window is missingDisplay size and scaling can hide parts of forms or place a window on a disconnected monitor.
• Installer download is incomplete or installation failsUse the supplied Setup package and verify the download completed before installing.
• Disk errors, repeated blue screens or suspected malwareThese are computer-level problems. The help center cannot repair hardware or certify a machine as safe.
• Windows calls my office Wi-Fi PublicNearby connections can be blocked when Windows treats a trusted office network as public.

Profit review 8

• Open Profit review from ReportsFind job-margin, billing, collection and missing-data flags in one place.
• Why a job is below target or projected to lose moneyJob profit is approved contract value minus recorded job costs and remaining costs with contingency.
• Unbilled work, overdue invoices and submitted changesThese three flags have different meanings and are not extra profit to add together.
• Draft hours and missing or outdated forecastsIncomplete information can make profit look better or worse than it really is.
• Understand category overruns and missing baselinesThe category comparison uses the original accepted estimate, not an updated detailed budget.
• Why a laptop profit review differs from the officeEach computer reviews its currently saved copy of the records.
• Overhead increases and cash-buffer flagsPlanning flags describe saved expenses and a manually entered cash scenario.
• Save or print the full Profit reviewThe PDF is an internal business action report, not a customer quote or a backup.