YEAR TO DATE TOTALS are numbers that show you the picture of your companies financial situation. These numbers are reflected on your tax returns and are on your balance sheet.  When your looking for end of year totals you need to look at the cash in the company and the debt as well as the equity of the company. The following will help you understand what you are looking at: Cash:  When your are determining your cash what is the business checking account is not the only cash you should be considering.  Cash is also money owed to you better known as Accounts Receivables.  Cash is also money you can get for equipment, office furniture and or vehicles that can be sold. Debt: Is money that a company owes.  This could be for be for invoices from vendors (people who performed services for your company or sold you something). Debt can also be for company credit card charges that have a outstanding balance.  Debt can also be loans a company may have. Equity: Is money that a company may have had invested into it.  It is also the money the company made or lost for the year, in accounting terms it's name is Net Profit or Loss. The above gives the whole picture of where your company is and gives you goals to work towards.  These numbers are important and should be confirmed with your CPA before starting your beginning balances on your quickbooks program.