Although not famous for its user-friendliness, QuickBooks’ market position shows that, once you get it figured out, it works very well for what it’s supposed to do. If you’re a small business entrepreneur whose business has grown to the point at which you have books to keep, you’d do well to consider QuickBooks for your non-human accounting needs. Although the software could, in theory, replace a professional accountant to oversee your books, you’re still better off having a human to check up on QuickBooks every month or quarter. As a result, accountants with a clientele that uses QuickBooks need to know how to use the software themselves.
Knowing how to use QuickBooks is also a valuable and highly transferable skill for the people who keep the books when the latter gets too complicated for the business owner to keep them. These are the bookkeepers who, generally without college degrees, do the heavy lifting when it comes to bean-counting for smaller enterprises that neither need nor can afford an accountant to handle the day-to-day accounting duties. This type of bookkeeper can work on staff for one company or freelance for a number of smaller concerns; the common denominator for much of this work (and there is a lot of it out there) is QuickBooks.
QuickBooks comes in two versions, a desktop one and a cloud-based one. The desktop version is QuickBooks Pro/Prime/Enterprise (the name changes as companies grow and their software needs increase), while the cloud-based one is QuickBooks Online. Both are available only by annual subscription, and neither comes cheap. The makers of the software, Intuit, appear to be trying to steer people to the online version, but they do continue to sell the desktop version and promise that it’s not going to be withdrawn from the market anytime soon. Somewhat confusingly, neither version of the software can do everything the other version can do: QuickBooks Pro is generally considered the more powerful version of the software, but if you want to be able to access your financial information on a mobile device, process a wide variety of payments, or issue international invoices, you’re going to need QuickBooks Online. The two versions also differ in their learning curves: QuickBooks Online, while not a cinch to learn, is considered easier than QuickBooks Pro, which can be a decidedly tough nut to crack.
#1:Real World Training—Intuit QuickBooks Training (live Online)
QuickBooks Training (more correctly known as Real World Training) is Intuit’s only chosen partner for training students to use its flagship product. The school teaches both live online classes and self-paced on-demand courses in both versions of QuickBooks.
Mastering QuickBooks Level 1 will get you properly set up to use the program before moving along to everyday transactions and how to record them. That covers invoices, payments, and deposits (that’s money coming in) alongside bills, electronic payments, and vendor credits (which are money going out). How to manage inventory and calculate and pay sales tax are also covered. Refunds, credits, and other difficult transactions follow, along with a host of tips and tricks to make the software more efficient. The class proceeds to elucidate participants in automation and customization before tackling all the different reports QuickBooks can generate. Note that the desktop version can create a far wider range of reports than the online one. The curriculum finishes with payroll and how to use QuickBooks to get that thorniest of financial tasks right.
Key Information
The price for the live online course is $679.95, due up front, with discounts of approximately 25% frequently available. There is also a discount of $250 if you are sending multiple attendees to the course. The class meets for two successive full days of learning, each day from 9:30 to 5:30 Central Time. Classes begin once a week for QuickBooks Pro and twice a week for QuickBooks Online.
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Each day’s class concludes with a question-and-answer session during which students may ask for clarification of anything they didn’t understand during the day’s learning. The instructor can also remain after class to answer difficult questions 1-on-1.
The course prepares students for the QuickBooks Certification exam. Tuition includes a voucher for taking the exam and a spare should you not pass on your first go.
Students who were at first wary of taking an online class were sold on the teaching modality by the end of the course. They appreciated the question-and-answer periods and found the class “very informative” and the instructors very skilled at maintaining the class’ attention as well as “patient, ” “honest, ” and “funny.” One student made the helpful recommendation of printing out the online training manual prior to the beginning of the class, as it makes following along easier and gives you a place to scribble notes.
#2: ONLC Training Centers—QuickBooks Desktop Introduction & QuickBooks Online QuickStart (live Online, Virtual Instructor)
ONLC Training Centers, a school with locations in over 300 American cities, also teaches its courses online via Remote Classroom Instruction technology. It offers classes in both versions of QuickBooks, geared both to beginners and those with some experience using the software. QuickBooks Desktop Introduction starts at the beginning, with how to start the software and how to set up a company file. Other topics covered include lists, inventory, sales, invoicing, processing payments, working with bank accounts, and handling bills. QuickBooks Online QuickStart also starts at the beginning but follows a different trajectory due to the substantial differences between the two versions of the software. Thus students learn to use the Sales Center, the Expenses Center, and the Banking Center built into the cloud-based software. They will also learn how to access and work with the software using a mobile device.
ONLC offers follow-up classes for those who require more functionality from the software. QuickBooks Desktop Beyond the Basics covers such topics as reports, graphs, sales tax, and payroll, while QuickBooks Online Advanced goes into such territory as customization, budgets, closing the books, and payroll.
Key Information
The classes in the desktop version of QuickBooks each last for two consecutive weekdays, from 10:00 to 4:45 Eastern Time, and are priced at $695 ($795 for last-minute enrollment). Tuition is due before the beginning of the class. Companies interested in investing upwards of $2500 in ONLC classes in one calendar can pay that entire figure up front and receive a 20% discount on the classes they select. That discount rises to 35% for those interested in paying $25,000 in advance.
The classes in QuickBooks Online last for a single weekday each (again from 10:00 to 4:45 Eastern Time) and are priced at $395 apiece. The discount scheme described above is available as well.
The class presupposes familiarity with the Windows environment and basic accounting concepts. A self-study online class in the latter is available for those with no financial background. The course, Accounting On-Demand: Business Accounting, Bookkeeping, and Payroll, is available for $495. It comprises over 21 hours of classroom videos and takes some five days to complete.
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ONLC’s live computer lab format includes a virtual teacher who appears via remote in the classroom. As the teacher in the online version is, by definition, appearing via remote, this arrangement will impact online students far less than those taking the class at an ONLC location.
Class size is “typically limited” to 12 students nationwide.
A free retake option is available for students requiring a brush-up within 12 months of initially taking the class.
Students receive a Certificate of Completion about a week after they finish an ONLC class. Certificates are provided in.pdf format to enable students to reprint them as desired.
Be aware that ONLC is not licensed in 26 states and the District of Columbia to provide classes to private individuals (as opposed to businesses) within the same jurisdiction. This applies to online classes in those jurisdictions as well. Among the states in which ONLC is not licensed are California and Texas; they are licensed in New York, however. Regardless of your location, you can send yourself from your own business to an ONLC class, assuming the business is paying for your attendance.
Completing both classes in either the desktop or the cloud-based versions of QuickBooks prepares students for the QuickBooks Certified User exam. Students are responsible for setting up and paying for their own exams through Certiport.
An alumnus of the class commented positively on the balance between software instruction and the coverage of accounting concepts. The same student also praised the teachers, the learning environment, and the hands-on aspect of the training.
#3: Noble Desktop—QuickBooks Online Level 1 (live Online)
A New York-based IT school that offers its classes both in-person at its Midtown Manhattan school and live online from anywhere you find convenient, Noble Desktop’s QuickBooks Online Level 1 class is devoted to the cloud-based version of the software. It focuses on the functions of the software most frequently used by small businesses, from creating a company in QuickBooks to understanding the concept of reconciliation and reconciling bank accounts. Along the way, the class also touches upon working with the many lists (customers, vendors, inventory items, etc.). the software generates, invoicing, and processing payments. The class also covers basic accounting concepts, making it a good choice for anyone new to bookkeeping. Additionally, accountants who have clients who use QuickBooks will find the class a useful way to get up to speed with QuickBooks.
Key Information
The class unfolds in a single day and runs for six hours. The price is $229, and payment must be made prior to the start of class. Noble Desktop does not make any additional discounts available for this course.
Beyond knowing how to use a computer, there are no prerequisites. The class is suitable for complete beginners with no previous knowledge of accounting.
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Noble Desktop offers a free retake option within a year of taking the class. This can be a refresher or a way of catching things you missed the first time around. The school also makes a recording of the class available to students for one month following the date of the class.
Class sizes are small, and the curriculum is interactive. Noble Desktop guarantees that you will learn the material in question, or it will refund your tuition.
A digital Certificate of Completion is issued to students at the end of the class. The certificate is suitable for display in a LinkedIn profile.
Student reviews praise the teachers, the small class sizes, and the ease of asking questions. They also commented on the density of the information conveyed by the teachers, and opined that the retake option might well be something helpful of which to avail themselves.
#4: Certstaffix Training—QuickBooks Desktop Edition: Basic Course & QuickBooks Online Edition: Basic Course (live Online)
These two courses in QuickBooks Pro and QuickBooks Online are designed for complete beginners. They begin by showing students how to set up a QuickBooks company and how to work with the lists of customers, employees, inventory items, and vendors that lie at the heart of the software’s functionality. Inventory, sales, service items, invoices, processing payments, bank accounts, and bills are the primary topics covered in the desktop version course. Much of the same terrain is covered in the online version class, adapted, of course, to accommodate the differences between the two programs. For example, only the online class demonstrates how to process a payment using PayPal. The desktop version class concludes with a demonstration of using QuickBooks Quick Step Interview for setting up a company, while the online version class finishes with a module on the top 12 mistakes people make using the software.
For the desktop edition only, Certstaffix offers an advanced class in the software. Topics covered include memorizing transactions (that is, having the software memorize them so you don’t have to), creating reports and graphs, dealing with sales tax and time tracking, and job costing. Writing letters using the letter-writing wizard is also covered, but note that the course does not go into any of the intricacies of payroll.
Key Information
The introductory courses each last a single day and are priced at $435 each, due upfront. The two classes (basic and advanced) in the desktop version may, however, be bundled for a discounted price of $790, a savings of $80 over the individual prices of the classes. Note that registration for classes closes two weeks prior to the event.
Although no accounting background is required for any of the QuickBooks classes, the courses do assume that all students possess basic computer literacy and the ability to operate within a Windows environment. If you lack that knowledge, fear not: Certstaffix has a one-day Windows for End-Users course (priced at $335) that will teach you all you need to know to be able to tackle one of the beginning QuickBooks classes.
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Students will need to set up a free trial with Intuit to have access to the QuickBooks software (unless you already have a QuickBooks subscription and can use that). Training is hands-on, and workbooks are included in the price of tuition. A six-month free-retake option is also included.
Students who complete any of the QuickBooks classes receive a certificate of completion along with a digital badge verifiable through Credly that can be displayed on digital resumes and sites such as LinkedIn.
Note that these classes are not compatible with Macintosh versions of QuickBooks.
The two desktop version classes cover subject matter covered in the QuickBooks Certified User examination. Certstaffix leaves it up to the student to arrange for the third-party exam through Certiport. The school does not provide examination vouchers.
Student reviewers on Indeed praised the class and said they would recommend it to a friend. One reviewer attends the class annually to stay on top of new QuickBooks features.
#5: Computer Training Source—QuickBooks Desktop Part 1 & QuickBooks Online Part 1 (live Online)
Computer Training Source’s QuickBooks Desktop Part 1 is a hands-on training that has students working with the software rather than just watching someone else show them how to use it. This introductory class is devoted to all the basics, from creating a company to setting up lists, inventory, sales, invoicing, payments, and integrating bank accounts and bills. For dessert, students are also taught how to use the Easy Step Interview for setting up their own companies. Computer Training Source offers two further classes in QuickBooks: Level 2, in which more advanced topics are covered, and Level 3, which has students work through every aspect of the software using a mock company.
In QuickBooks Online Part 1, the curriculum is similar to that of the desktop class, modified, of course, to the differing capabilities of the cloud-based version of the software. Thus students learn to input all manner of transactions, sales, expenses, and taxes, and learn how to collaborate with a professional accountant. Students also are shown how to turn on payroll, a topic covered in further depth in the ensuing Level 2 class. A Level 3 course is also available, which, like the Level 3 desktop course described above, has students working practically with QuickBooks and a mock company.
Key Information
The Level 1 QuickBooks classes are both priced at $425 for six hours of hands-on instruction. The Level 2 and 3 classes are priced higher, at $499 and $545, respectively. The desktop class is available in a one-day format, whereas the online course offers the option of a single weekday or two weekday evenings.
The Level 1 classes have no prerequisites (but you should still know how to use Windows).
Payment for classes is due upfront. A 20% discount is available for those purchasing all three levels of QuickBooks classes at the same time. Computer Training Centers has QuickBooks programs that are eligible for grants from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the Trade Adjustment Act (TAA) which may cover all or part of the class costs for unemployed prospective students interested in attaining bookkeeping literacy. Scholarships are even available to correct any shortfall in your WIOA grant. Contact the school for complete details. Companies may also take advantage of a coupon scheme that provides discounts for purchases of multiple classes.
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Student manuals are included in the price of the class and are the students’ to keep after the training.
Free telephone and email support is available for the 30 days following your class.
A free retake option (within six months) is available as well for those who need a refresher or who may have missed something the first time they took the class.
Student reviews are highly complementary about the teaching staff, its ability to keep the class to a common pace, and its sense of humor. One student mentioned that the instructor took “temperature checks” to ensure that the entire class was (literally) on the same page.
#6: Digital Workshop Center—QuickBooks Bookkeeper Certificate (live Online)
Specializing in upskilling non-traditional students (such as those returning to school later in life) and others seeking to improve their workplace situation, Digital Workshop Center offers a QuickBooks Certificate program that delves deep into the software’s capabilities as part of a larger program that prepares students to assume the reins of a business’s bookkeeping needs. The certificate program comprises instruction in the fundamentals of accounting and payroll, as well as how to use QuickBooks. In addition, students have the option to take an elective class in Microsoft Excel. Students also complete a capstone project using real-world data under the 1-to-1 supervision of a mentor. Upon completion of the program, students will be able to run a small business using QuickBooks. They will also have learned best practices for business accounting and how to manage payroll.
The individual classes that comprise the certificate program are also available à la carte. Thus you may also take QuickBooks Online Beginners and QuickBooks Online Advanced without having to commit to the entire certificate program. These two workshops instruct students in how to use QuickBooks, from startup through to using the software for payroll.
Be advised that Digital Workshop Center only teaches the online (cloud-based) version of QuickBooks. Those interested in the desktop version will have to look elsewhere.
Key Information
The full certificate program comprises 67 hours of live online instruction, and most students manage to complete the series of seven workshops that comprise the course in under six months. The total tuition for the certificate program is $5714, which comes down to $5514 if paid in full upfront. The school has a host of financing and payment plans available, including a 0% interest scheme that breaks the tuition down into 12 payments of $345.
Digital Workshop Center has scholarship programs for the unemployed, for women seeking to begin careers in tech, and for veterans. It also accepts funding through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and works with the Colorado Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to assist Coloradans with disabilities to acquire tech and career skills.
The individual QuickBooks classes each run for ten-and-a-half hours on three non-consecutive weekday afternoons. Tuition for each is $1406; no payment plans are available for stand-alone classes.
The certificate program and the beginner QuickBooks class have no prerequisites beyond knowing how to use a computer. Microsoft Excel 2021 software is required for the optional Excel portion of the curriculum. A free sample company file from Intuit is included for use in the QuickBooks classes.
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The certificate program includes working 1-on-1 with a mentor prior to and as part of the capstone project. Career services are also included, including a resume workshop, a job-search workshop, and mock interviews. Four half-hour sessions with a career counselor are included with the certificate program.
The school also partners with Dewey-Parker by making paid “micro-internships” available to students in certificate programs.
A one-year retake option goes with all classes, as do professional textbooks, lesson files, class recordings (by request, up to four weeks following the class), 30 days of technical support, and a certificate of completion.
Student reviews on Google are uniformly positive, and single out not only the instructors, but also the support staff for its willingness and ability to help. One student praised the “no fluff or filler classes” approach that concentrated on information that can be used in the workplace. Another student was pleasantly surprised at how much information she was able to retain despite the comparative brevity of the class. A third student wrote that, while he had begun his studies feeling unsure of himself, he left feeling thoroughly confident of his new abilities. He called his decision to attend Digital Workshop Centers a “great life decision.”
#7: Technical Institute of America—QuickBooks Basic Training Class (live Online)
Technical Institute of America, based in New York City, offers its QuickBooks Basic Training Class in the desktop version of QuickBooks. The school does not offer any classes in the online version of the software. In this class, students learn to create a company, set up lists, track inventory, manage accounts payable and accounts receivable, pay sales tax, run a payroll schedule, and generate reports like profit-and-loss statements and balance sheets. Also included in the curriculum is working with bank accounts (reconciliation, transferring funds) and a number of tips and tricks, including keyboard shortcuts. Finally, the class covers basic accounting concepts and exporting data to create a custom report in Excel. An advanced course is also available for those who require even more from QuickBooks.
Key Information
Tuition for the class is $169, due upfront, for eight hours of QuickBooks training. Special pricing is available for government employees. A substantial discount is available if you sign up for both the beginner and advanced QuickBooks classes for $289.
Discounts are also offered on bundled classes: the school offers a Certificate in Bookkeeping Course Package that combines the two QuickBooks classes with a bookkeeping basics and two Excel classes for $889. The bundle is also available minus the introductory bookkeeping class.
There are no prerequisites for the introductory class beyond the ability to operate a computer.
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All classroom materials are included in the tuition price and are either mailed or emailed to students prior to the beginning of the online class.
A free retake option is available for six months (individual classes) or one year (bundled classes) for those who wish to have a brush-up on their skills.
Students receive a certificate of completion at the end of the class.
Student testimonials praised one of the school’s teachers for his ability to convey a great deal of information in a short span of time. This teacher made the program “easy to use” and was up, not only on the software but on general accounting principles as well. Students also singled out the small class size for praise.
#8: Logical Imagination—QuickBooks Online (live Online)
Designed for bookkeepers and small business owners who need to manage their affairs using QuickBooks, this course in QuickBooks Online takes students on a thorough trip through the capabilities of the software. The subjects covered begin with setting up a business account using QuickBooks and continue along to lists, including the chart of accounts, sub-accounts, and importing vendor and customer data. From there, the curriculum shows participants how to work with bank accounts and feeds before branching off into sales (invoices, payments, sales tax) and expenses (bills, payments, checks). Budgeting, payroll, and reports follow in due measure, with the class winding up appropriately enough at the mechanics of reconciliation.
Be aware of the fact that the class only covers QuickBooks Online. Logical Imagination does not teach classes in the desktop version of the software.
Key Information
The price of the class is $750, due upon registration. It runs for two full (seven-hour) weekdays, 10:00 to 5:00 Eastern Time. Small discounts are available when simultaneously booking multiple students for a single class, or multiple classes for a single student.
There are no prerequisites.
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Printed classroom materials are included in the price of tuition and are the participants’ to keep for their future reference.
Logical Imagination has an extremely liberal retake policy: a student may retake a class as often as desired, provided that the class is scheduled. They also offer a money-back guarantee should a participant not be entirely satisfied with the class.
A student review of the QuickBooks training called the experience “very informative” and that it showed the “ins and outs” of the software. The same student also praised the ability to “pick [the teacher’s] brain” and develop a deep understanding of the program.
#9: Discovery Center—QuickBooks (live Online)
Chicago’s eclectic adult education hub, Discovery Center, which also offers classes in stained glass, starting up a notary business, and astrology and tarot reading, offers up a brief but thorough introduction to QuickBooks Online. The course covers basic navigation through the program, processing simple transactions, and generating reports. The class also includes advice on how to apply the software to a given business model.
Key Information
The price of the class is $50, payable upon registration, not counting a $15 materials fee, payable at the time of the class. The course lasts two-and-a-half hours, one weekday evening.
The course has no prerequisites.
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The average class size for this class is ten students.
Student reviews allot the class a full five out of five stars.
#10: Business Computer Skills—QuickBooks Online Quick Start & QuickBooks Desktop Introduction (live Online)
Business Computer Skills offers up classes in both versions of QuickBooks. The QuickBooks Online Quick Start class shows participants how to maneuver through the cloud-based (and simpler-to-use) version of QuickBooks. Participants learn how to set up a company using the software, then how to keep track of customers, vendors, and banking. QuickBooks Desktop Introduction does much the same with Intuit’s touchier QuickBooks Pro/Premier/Enterprise software. Participants learn how to work with lists, then how to use the software to track inventory, receive payments, handle bank accounts, and pay bills. Finally, participants learn to use the software’s Easy Step interview to set up their own companies.
The school also makes follow-up courses available. The online version is QuickBooks Online Advanced, which includes instruction in how to track inventory, handle purchase orders, work with budgets and customize the software. Students also learn about the accounting cycle, and are shown the ropes of how to run payroll using QuickBooks. The desktop equivalent, QuickBooks Desktop Beyond the Basics, covers such topics as memorizing transactions, customizing forms, reports, graphs, sales tax, payroll, and job costing.
Key Information
In keeping with the relative complexity of the two versions of QuickBooks, the two classes in the online version last a single full weekday (10:00 to 4:45 Eastern Time), while the desktop version classes run for two consecutive weekdays (also from 10:00 to 4:45 Eastern Time). These differing lengths are reflected in the prices: each of the QuickBooks Online classes is priced at $395, while the two desktop classes cost $695 each. These prices incorporate a 10% discount. Payment for classes is due upon registration.
There are no prerequisites for either of the basic classes. Either those or equivalent experience are necessary for the two advanced classes.
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Course and training materials are included; students may keep them after the class. Mock company files are included as well.
There is a free repeat option included in the price of the class.
Students were positive in their impressions of the class. One commented on how much information was covered in a single day “without getting overwhelmed, ” while another praised the trainer for making sure the class had absorbed one topic before moving on to the next one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Different Types of Online QuickBooks Classes?
There are two modalities for learning online: synchronous and asynchronous. The former is the live online class in which the teacher and the student are operating at the same point in time (cf. The expression “synchronize watches”). Thus, the student and teacher can interact as though they were in a live in-person class: most importantly, the student can ask the teacher questions in real-time and get an immediate answer.
In the asynchronous class, the student watches a series of video tutorials that the teacher recorded previously. As a result, there is no way to ask questions and get answers: no matter how much you yell at the computer screen, it’s not going to talk back to you. Asynchronous classes provide no interaction at all with the teacher, which can be a significant stumbling block to learning for some. On the other hand, they give you the freedom to back up the video if you don’t catch something the first time through. By that same token, you can fast-forward the video if it’s talking about something you already know.
As something between a rule of thumb and a universal truth, asynchronous classes are more affordable than their synchronous equivalents. That may well dictate your choice of what type of online class to pursue.
If you’re looking for something even more reasonably priced than an asynchronous class, there is no shortage of free QuickBooks videos on YouTube and similar platforms. These run from 12 minutes to several hours, and are sometimes stand-alone classes and sometimes free introductions to paid courses. Either way, the price is right, especially if you’re interested in getting a feel for QuickBooks before investing in a subscription and the tuition for a paid class and discovering that you hate the software only after it has cost you a lot of money.
There is an important warning that should accompany any asynchronous on-demand class. YouTube has been around for almost twenty years, and so have some of its videos. There are QuickBooks instructional videos that are already four years old (at the time of writing, there is also one that was posted 11 minutes ago). QuickBooks, like most software, evolves rapidly, and on-demand classes of all sorts (and price points) can’t keep up with the latest versions of QuickBooks without violating the rules of space and time. Therefore, when sitting down to an on-demand class, be sure that it hasn’t gone past its “best by” date.
What Will I Need for an Online QuickBooks Class?
The most important thing you’re going to need for an online QuickBooks class is a computer armed with a recent version of Windows. Most QuickBooks classes don’t work with Macs. If you’re working on a Mac, double-check with the provider that a class is Mac-compatible before committing to it. You’re also going to need an external mouse (a trackpad won’t work), and, for some schools, a second monitor (to enable you to see the class as well as what the teacher is demonstrating) is a requirement. Finally, you’ll need a high-speed internet connection. Some schools prefer a plug-in connection to wifi because it’s less prone to lagging, although a wifi connection will probably do the job as well. Always be sure to check the system requirements on your prospective school’s website before enrolling.
You’re also going to need the software. Intuit offers a 30-day free trial on both versions of QuickBooks, and you don’t even need to provide a credit card until the trial period has concluded. As the trial starts on the day of enrollment, don’t sign up for it too soon. One of the following links will download the free trial of QuickBooks Desktop; the other will help you set up the free trial of QuickBooks Online, which doesn’t require a download.
You should be aware of the fact that if you elect the 30-day download, you won’t be eligible for any other introductory deals offered by Intuit (such as 50% off for your first three months). Thus, if you’re absolutely sure you are going to use QuickBooks for your business, you’ll save a little money by electing the introductory rate over the free trial.
Can I Learn QuickBooks Online for Free?
How is QuickBooks like skydiving? Clearly, they don’t provide the same level of thrill (even an accountant would agree with what), but you can find introductory videos to both on YouTube. You can’t, however, learn enough about skydiving to earn your skydiving license (yes, you need one of those to jump) through YouTube tutorials, which is probably a good thing. Although you run fewer hazards by running QuickBooks without adequate preparation than you do by randomly jumping out of a plane, your business’ accounting is still a serious matter, and your customers, vendors, employees (and friends at the IRS) would rather you do it properly.
Thus, you can learn QuickBooks online using free YouTube tutorials up to a certain point, but if you’re going to place any serious demands on the software, you should probably sign up for a course, preferably a live one in which you can ask questions of the teacher.
The caveat given above about making sure that your free tutorial is of recent vintage still applies. Just as you wouldn’t skydive from a Sopwith Camel using a World War I surplus parachute, so you don’t want to use out-of-date tutorials to learn to use QuickBooks.
Is It Better to Learn QuickBooks in a Live or Self-paced Class?
The choice of a live (synchronous) or self-paced (asynchronous) class will be dictated by a combination of your personal learning style and necessity. There can be no question that a live online class offers the enormous advantage of being able to work together with your teacher and ask questions to your heart’s desire. You’ll also have the possibility of turning over your computer’s reins to the teacher to help you past any major snags that might arise. You’ll also be working with classmates, who, in turn, may ask helpful questions that haven’t occurred to you.
On the other hand, a synchronous course requires that you be available at a specific time, sometimes for several days, and some people don’t have schedules that make that possible. If you want to learn QuickBooks at two o’clock in the morning, you’ll either have to find a live online class that’s based in Dubai, or you’ll have to resort to an asynchronous course that lets you study at whatever time fits your schedule. Furthermore, some people are natural autodidacts who learn better on their own when they can set the pace and select exactly what it is they want to learn. People with that sort of temperament will also be better served by an on-demand class.
The issue of the bottom line cannot be denied, either. As a rule, synchronous classes cost more than asynchronous ones, so if you don’t have the capital to lay out for one of the former, you may need to take one of the latter instead. Some comparison shopping as far as costs are concerned is definitely in order before you let your wallet make your decision for you.