Bookkeeping Basics #3: QuickBooks™ Desktop Fundamentals

Start off the course by learning exactly what QB is and how it actually works.

In QB, you only have to record information one time and it’s everywhere you need it to be.

YOUR QuickBooks™ has already given you sample companies to use when you’re learning AND experimenting. 

Examine the three main methods of getting around QB.

Shortcuts, tricks and tips make using the program easier and faster.

QB is built around using lists so let’s take a lesson to understand what they are and what they have in common.

Understand the opportunities we’ve built into the course to help you practice what you’re learning. 

Welcome to your "homework" for the course.  In the Resources section of this lesson are the instructions and working for the entire assignment  as well as your Assignment for Part 1.

The most important of all the lists is examined along with a deeper look at how all lists work. 

Find out if you have to actually print every check out of QB or What other options you have.

Wrap up learning how to get checks recorded in QB and out of the system.

There’s no need to record a check in the register after you’ve written it but you can use this as your first stop in the process.

Learn to use QB to professionally print checks along with check stubs to provide more information.

Sometimes checks need to b deleted, voided or changed and this lesson explains how.

Begin the process of entering income into QB.

The Customer List is the one-stop place for all information about your Customers.

The Item List is used to actually record WHAT it is you’re “selling” even if it’s recording donations.

Learn how to accept payment when you’re selling directly to a customer and they’re paying right now.

Extending credit to your customers means needing to get them invoices for your services.

You’ve billed your customers and now they’ve sent you payment. Learn how to record it.

Doesn’t do any good to receive payments unless you can actually get them into the bank and recorded as deposited in QB.

You owe your customers some credit back on their account so let’s find out how to enter it.

Expenses are a part of every operation so let’s examine the entire process and the Vendor List.

Get bills into the Accounts Payable system along with credits from your vendors. 

After bills and credits are entered into A/P they still need to be paid.  Learn how in this lesson.

Along with checks or bills, you can also purchase using a credit card but it needs to be recorded in QB. 

Making sure your QB records match what the bank or credit card company says happened is VITAL to running a company properly.

The steps and processes to reconciling a bank statement in QuickBooks are covered in this lesson.

Matching everything up is step one.  What happens next?  What if it doesn’t match?

How could the starting numbers not match and what to do if that happens.

Learn the small differences between reconciling a bank statement versus a credit card statement. 

Begin learning how to get information OUT of QuickBooks.

Examine the entire Reports process and some information common to all of them.

Managing the Content, the actual data on the reports, is examined in this lesson. 

Adjusting how the data looks (and the color purple) is the focus of this lesson.

Important information that stands on its own is explained.

Which version of QuickBooks™ is best for you?  Do you HAVE to update every year?

Allow multiple users access to each company file in QB and determine exactly what access they can have in each.

Customize each company file to work exactly how you and your team wants it to...

Accidents and emergencies happen.  Use QB's powerful backup system to recover quickly.

Have "almost" duplicate items in the same list?  Quickly merge them into one.

If you like working with debits and credits (and even if you don't) this lesson is important.

Get started with YOUR company records by creating your own company file.