Is QuickBooks Easy to Learn? A Business Owner’s Guide

QuickBooks is popular accounting software that’s designed to simplify financial management for small and medium-sized businesses. It can be used for everything from creating invoices and processing payments to managing payroll and generating reports. If you’re a new business owner or bookkeeper, you may wonder if QuickBooks is easy to learn. The answer depends on how you plan to use it.

For some, the automations of QuickBooks Online may help simplify your business operations. For others, the software might complicate things if not used correctly. Here’s what to know about learning QuickBooks, so you can decide if it’s the right solution for you.

Is QuickBooks easy to learn?

QuickBooks is easy to learn if you want to use it for simple workflows. If you lack a basic understanding of accounting, however, some features might not make sense or be complicated to learn. For example, you might not know how to categorize certain transactions or properly reconcile accounts.

Many different types of businesses use QuickBooks, from solo entrepreneurs and small business owners to full-fledged accounting professionals. Intuit, the company behind QuickBooks, has a variety of products, including QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and QuickBooks Solopreneur (formerly QuickBooks Self-Employed), each tailored to different business needs.

You don’t need to be an accountant or have a business degree to get started. QuickBooks offers a user-friendly interface along with automated features like linking bank accounts and credit card accounts for automatic transaction downloads. These features speed up tasks like processing payments and tracking expenses. Also, the internet is filled with QuickBooks tutorials, QuickBooks courses, and guides, so you can learn at your own pace.

Having a foundational understanding of accounting principles and best practices, along with bookkeeping knowledge, will allow you to get the most out of the software. Knowing the difference between accounts receivable and accounts payable, or how to perform a bank reconciliation, will help you interpret your financial data and ensure your financial records are accurate.

How long does it take to learn QuickBooks?

How long it takes to master QuickBooks will depend on your financial literacy and goals:

• For the basics. A few hours to a few days of hands-on practice can be enough for a small business owner to get a handle on the essentials, such as setting up a company file, creating invoices, and entering bills.

• For proficiency. If you want to handle all your business finances and manage regular bookkeeping tasks through QuickBooks, it might take a few weeks of consistent use. This includes exercises like reconciling accounts, handling accounts payable, and payroll basics.

• For expertise and certification. If your goal is to become an accounting professional or earn a QuickBooks certification, you can expect to spend several months studying and practicing to become an online accountant or QuickBooks ProAdvisor. This level of expertise involves understanding advanced features like job costing, financial reporting, and even payroll tax forms.

What do you need to know to learn QuickBooks?

To make the most of this powerful accounting software, you need a blend of theoretical and practical knowledge. You don’t need formal training, but an understanding of fundamental concepts is a huge advantage. This includes knowing how to use basic accounting principles like debits and credits and the chart of accounts and how to read financial reports, such as a balance sheet and income statement.

You also need to know how to perform tasks within the software. This involves setting up your company file, connecting bank accounts, managing customer and vendor lists, creating invoices, tracking expenses, and generating reports. You must know how to properly use the bank feed to categorize transactions and reconcile accounts to ensure your financial records are accurate.

How to learn QuickBooks

There are many ways to learn the software, whether you prefer a structured course or a self-paced approach.

Watch QuickBooks tutorials

Videos are an excellent way to see the software in action. Here are two examples:

• QuickBooks Learning Center. Intuit offers its own learning portal (accessible within the QuickBooks Online Accountant platform) featuring videos, articles, and guides for different versions of the software. This is a great place to start, since the information comes directly from the software’s creators.

• YouTube. A free and massive resource for QuickBooks tutorials, YouTube offers videos on almost any topic, from getting started to tasks like managing payroll and tracking inventory. Hector Garcia, CPA, offers hundreds of free videos on both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop that are focused on resolving common issues. 

Take a QuickBooks class

If you’re interested in a more structured approach, another option is to enroll in a class where you can work through real-world scenarios in a guided environment. QuickBooks training sessions can be live, instructor-led courses or self-paced courses that take place online or in person. A typical curriculum will cover setting up a company file, managing your chart of accounts, handling sales and expenses, and other functions. Many courses also include a component on preparing for the QuickBooks certification exam.

If you want to take a QuickBooks class, some platform options include:

• Udemy. This platform lets you choose from a selection of QuickBooks courses at various price points. On Udemy, you can find everything from comprehensive bundles that cover all the basics to specialized courses on topics such as payroll taxes or advanced reporting. 

• LinkedIn Learning. With its high-quality professional training, LinkedIn Learning has several courses on QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. Experts in the industry teach these courses, which often come with practice files.

• Coursera. In partnership with Intuit, Coursera offers professional certificate programs that teach you how to use the software and give you a solid grounding in accounting principles. These courses are a useful way to gain skills, especially if you’re seeking a QuickBooks certification.

• Certstaffix Training.Certstaffix provides both self-paced courses and instructor-led classes for multiple versions of QuickBooks.

How to gain experience with QuickBooks

• Start with a sample company
• Simulate real-world scenarios
• Practice new skills

No matter how many tutorials you watch or courses you take, nothing will advance your skills faster than hands-on practice. It’s like the difference between knowing the theory of driving a car and getting behind the wheel. QuickBooks offers ways to practice without worrying about making mistakes on your actual financial records.

Start with a sample company

QuickBooks provides a sample company file that is prepopulated with data. This is an invaluable tool for beginners to practice creating invoices, entering bills, and customizing reports without impacting their own business’s data. It’s a good place to learn more about the software’s capabilities and feel more at ease with its functions.

Simulate real-world scenarios

Challenge yourself with practical exercises. Set up a sample company and enter a month’s worth of fake transactions, then try to reconcile accounts and run a statement of cash flows. This kind of focused practice lets you understand the entire flow of money in and out of a business, from recording expenses to receiving payments.

Practice new skills

Consistent, practical application is one of the best ways to become proficient with QuickBooks. By routinely performing core functions, you build muscle memory and an understanding of how each action impacts your financial data. This can prepare you to manage your own business finances with accuracy.