Professional Bookkeeping with QuickBooks Online with Payroll and Practice Management
Become a Professional Bookkeeper
Acquire the skills you need to make the most of QuickBooks Online and payroll basics. This course also serves as preparation for the QuickBooks Certified User exam and the Fundamental Payroll Certification exam, developed by the American Payroll Association.
Career FAQs
- Successfully set up a company file in QuickBooks Online.
- Perform fundamental analysis of accounts, financial documents, and reports.
- Apply basic accounting principles to bookkeeping practices and duties Understand fundamental accounting concepts, including how QuickBooks works to support these concepts
- Explain the use of the forms required to withhold, deposit, and report federal income taxes
- Recognize dates, procedures, and regulations to ensure payroll compliance and reporting
- Correctly process payroll from start to finish (payroll project)
Prerequisites and Requirements
This course is designed to prepare you for an entry-level position as a full-charge bookkeeper. You do not need any prior experience or training in this field. You should have basic keyboarding and computer skills, be able to use a basic 4 function calculator, be comfortable navigating the Internet and using email, and have an understanding of a word-processing program (such as Word). This course is intended for anyone interested in developing their management skills.
Curriculum
- Professional Bookkeeping with QuickBooks Online
- Introduction to Bookkeeping
- Accounting Basics
- Getting Started With QuickBooks Online
- The Chart of Accounts
- Centers and Lists
- Bank Accounts
- Recording Expenses and Paying Bills
- Credit Cards and Loans
- Sales Receipts
- Invoices, Estimates, and Customizing Sales Forms
- Billable Expenses and Customer Credits
- Sales Taxes and Reports
- Midterm Exam
- Product and Service Items
- Managing Inventory
- Managing Projects and Sales
- Progress Invoicing, Late Fees, and Bad Debts
- Payroll
- Fixed Assets and Loans
- Business Entities and Owner Transactions
- Banking Rules, Receipts, and Budgets
- Adjusting and Reviewing the Books
- Starting a Bookkeeping Business
- Your Career Roadmap: The Job Search and Future Opportunities (Optional Lesson)
- Communication and Organization (Optional Lesson)
- Final Exam
- Payroll Practice and Management
- Introduction to Payroll
- Determining Worker Status
- The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
- Federal Employment Taxes
- Payroll Forms
- Fringe Benefits – Tax-Preferred and Other Related Health Benefits
- Fringe Benefits – Deferred Comp, Retirement Plans, and Stock Options
- Other Employee Benefits
- Calculating Gross Wages
- Calculating Gross Pay – Additional Topics
- Paycheck Calculation – Taxes
- Paycheck Calculation – Voluntary and Involuntary Deductions
- Gross to Net Paycheck Calculation
- Compliance – Laws and Reporting
- Global Payroll
- Payroll Process and Systems, and Audits
- Paying the Employee
- Payroll Administration and Management
- Basic Accounting
- Exploring Payroll Careers
- Exam Preparation
- Payroll Project
Instructors
Wade Lindenberger
Wade Lindenberger is a CPA with over 20 years of financial accounting and management experience in public accounting and private industry. He is currently Director of Finance and Administration for New Children's Museum. Before his current position, he worked as the National Finance and Accounting Service Line Leader for Premier Alliance Group, a national professional services firm. Wade was also Director of the Finance and Accounting service line for the San Diego office of a global, publicly held professional services firm. Before becoming a consultant, Wade was Divisional Controller for one of the leading health and fitness club chains in the world. He has also been Internal Audit Manager and Divisional Controller for a division of a Fortune 500 global energy project management company. He began his career with Coopers & Lybrand, a predecessor to PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the "Big Four" CPA firms. He has previously served as an instructor for courses at Coopers & Lybrand and UC San Diego. He is currently an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Business. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Bookkeepers' Advisory Board.
Helene K. Liatsos
Helene K. Liatsos is a business advisor and QuickBooks Certified Advisor with more than 25 years of experience. She consults for a range of companies, from travel agencies to startups. Her company Home Office Management Experts was awarded the 2004 Home-Based Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Helene holds a Bachelor of Arts from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Career FAQs
DO I NEED A DEGREE TO BECOME A BOOKKEEPER?
You do not need an advanced degree to become a bookkeeper. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you will need to have your high school diploma or equivalent to pursue a career as a professional bookkeeper. Many bookkeepers get started with an online course like this Professional Bookkeeping course. However, in order to stay competitive and open up even more job opportunities down the road, you may want to think about earning an associate degree in bookkeeping or accounting at some point in your career.
IS A BOOKKEEPER THE SAME AS AN ACCOUNTANT?
Not exactly. There are five major parts to the accounting process and they include: recording, interpreting, classifying, analyzing, and reporting financial information. Bookkeeping is the first, foundational part of the accounting process — recording financial transactions. However, bookkeeping is a great first step into an accounting career and with additional education, you use this as a way to gain experience and become an accountant in the future.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE SALARY OF A BOOKKEEPER?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most recent media pay for bookkeepers was $41,230 annually. However, bookkeepers can increase their earning potential through years of experience, certification, or starting your own bookkeeping business.
ARE BOOKKEEPERS IN DEMAND?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are a lot of jobs for bookkeepers, and the job outlook is expected to remain relatively constant through 2026. Understanding how to efficiently use bookkeeping software like QuickBooks will make you a more desirable candidate as more and more businesses turn to technology to perform basic accounting tasks.
HOW DO I BECOME A BOOKKEEPER?
To become a bookkeeper, you need a background in accounting and specialized knowledge in payroll and taxation. You can gain this knowledge through a course or on-the-job training in an accounting department or working underneath an experienced bookkeeper. You will also need to gain experience with bookkeeping software.
WHERE DO BOOKKEEPERS WORK?
Most bookkeepers work in an office environment during typical 9 to 5 hours and spend a large amount of their time in front of a computer. As a professional bookkeeper, you will usually be working alone but may have a few people from other areas of accounting that work alongside you. It is even possible that you could work remotely from home for one or more organizations at a time.
DO BOOKKEEPERS DO THE TAXES FOR A COMPANY?
No, bookkeepers do not do company taxes. Taxes are done by an accountant. However, bookkeepers play an important role in making sure that financial transactions are recorded in a timely and accurate manner. This ensures that the financial information for a company is easy to read and use once it is time for an accountant to take over and do the taxes.