Quickbooks Resources
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Quickbooks Resources
Description
Financial software in the small business arena is very often in the hands of non-accounting folks. With the specter of taxes and the rush to complete payroll it can be a frightening place to be. Be careful of all the add-ons and advice people are selling you for Quickbooks. You will often be best served to learn how to use Excel better in the long run.
Other Options
Quickbooks isn't the only game in town. It is easily the leader as far as market share and name recognition goes. You will easily find consultants and trainers for QB. Other options include.
- Microsoft Office Accounting Professional 2009. This is almost not a contender in this race. Avoid Microsoft for your accounting needs if possible.
- Peachtree Accounting is a close second in popularity to Quickbooks.
- MYOB is an Apple company which develops a slick accounting software package. AccountEdge is designed specifically for Mac and have Windows versions. My experience with MYOB has been fantastic in the support area.
Other Options Update
I mentioned that my experience with MYOB has been good. Since I wrote that I had a glitch using a trial version of their product (AccountEdge for Mac). I sent in an email and expected an automated response and, eventually, a reply. The next day I got a call from a real person in the Bay Area who gave me some suggestions. That didn't resolve it. A few days later I got a follow up call and in that call we resolved the issue. Now, a week later, I got another phone call to make sure everything was OK and offering me a $100 promo code. Now, if you haven't had much experience getting tech support that might not sound impressive. If you have ever tried to get tech support on a TRIAL version you know this is amazing. I haven't tried their Windows product so I can't give any recommendation there but the Mac version is very comparable to QuickBooks and Peachtree for small business use. For support I have to say it is some of the best.
Quickbooks Communities
Before you hire a consultant try the Quickbooks Communities hosted on Intuit's website. It is very possible you will be able to get your questions answered there. You can ask question both technical and about accounting in general. Be sure to word you questions well and do your home work. The more specific and accurate your question is the more likely you are to get a response and a useful answer.
Accounting 101
You may not be an accountant but you have to play one in the office. Especially if you are a small business owner. If you are a CPA skip this section (or better yet, lend some ideas). To use accounting software you need to know the basics. Single-entry/double-entry, accrual/cash, T-accounts, credit/debit. Get a good book on the topic and go to work. It will be time well spent and could keep you out of serious trouble.
A second bit of advice is to always have a real accountant nearby. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish on this one. It is worth the money to get your account list set up right and have it checked occasionally by a pro.
- Kutztown University of Pennsylvania has a Small Business Development Center offering many resources including online course you can take in accounting, finance, business management, business planning, marketing, etc. It is a pretty full-feature site and worth checking out.
- Of course the SBA is going to be one of your greatest resources. With a clearing house of information and free consulting/mentoring from SCORE they are a great resource. Ask your SCORE mentor what you need to know about accounting and financial software.
Excel
As I say all the time, Excel is your best friend. It can help you with making good looking reports. It can do scenarios for you. It can do business modeling and analysis. Invest in a few advanced Excel courses and try to leverage that tool since you already have it on your computer.
Certification
Think you are getting the hang of Quickbooks? Want to beef up your resume and make yourself more marketable? Consider certification in Quickbooks. Certification as a User is the first level. The cost of the exam is $49.95 and the exam is delivered via the web but Intuit. Want to get certified? We can help you study.
The Quickbooks ProAdvisor program is also available but is typically only for consultants and independent accountants. The price is a bit steep ($449/yr) unless you are in a role which can really take advantage of the benefits.
Certificates
Not concerned with a piece of paper? Want some practical, hands-on training. Take a look at the certificate offerings we have including Technology for Accounting and Finance
