Yes, you can learn QuickBooks on your own. Teaching yourself how to use QuickBooks can allow you more freedom to learn the specific QuickBooks features you need and can be one of the cheapest ways to learn how to use this software. There are a variety of free and low-cost resources that will allow someone to teach themselves QuickBooks. As you consider whether to self-teach, keep in mind that it will often take longer and be more challenging to learn QuickBooks on your own than to learn from a live instructor. Read on to learn about how to teach yourself QuickBooks, what tools and free materials will make learning QuickBooks easier, and why you might want to consider taking a QuickBooks course.
Advantages of Self-Teaching QuickBooks
There are many advantages to teaching yourself QuickBooks, including lower cost and the ability to learn what you want on your own schedule. Cost is the biggest factor that leads someone to consider self-teaching as some QuickBooks courses can be expensive. When self-teaching, you are more likely to rely on free or low-cost materials and you can determine which materials will be best for you to use. Those who already have experience with accounting and bookkeeping will have the greatest advantage when self-teaching as they will be able to skip over some of the easier or more beginner-level skills which can save time when learning QuickBooks.
Being able to determine your own training schedule is the second most important benefit of self-teaching. Self-teaching is a great option not only for those who want to reduce the cost of QuickBooks training but also for those with demanding schedules. People with full-time jobs or other important commitments like caring for family members or pets can find it hard to locate an instructor-led class that fits in with their busy schedules. When self-teaching, you can decide when to study and how long to study. While this is useful for someone needing to juggle their obligations alongside learning QuickBooks, it can mean that it will take longer to become proficient in QuickBooks because you are not learning within a set timeframe.
QuickBooks Self-Teaching Tools
There are a variety of free and low-cost resources that are useful when self-teaching. Some people find that with accounting experience they can sign up for QuickBooks and start trying to figure out how the software works on their own. Intuit does offer a free trial for QuickBooks, so, for those that have a background in accounting or bookkeeping it might be useful to see how much you can figure out by just testing out the software yourself. Most people learning QuickBooks, however, will need more training than this and there are free resources and inexpensive classes that QuickBooks learners can utilize to get this training.
For accounting professionals, Intuit offers a free version of QuickBooks called QuickBooks Online Accountant. This is a great option for anyone who is or is pursuing becoming a Bookkeeper, an Accountant, a Financial Manager, a Financial Analyst, or a Financial Advisor, as these professionals will likely need to be familiar with QuickBooks but might not use it in the same way as someone who is tracking and monitoring their own finances in QuickBooks. Not only can one access QuickBooks Online Accountant for free, but this version comes with training and practice modules that learners can use to teach themselves the software. This is an especially useful option for those who want to become a Certified ProAdvisor as Inuit offers free training materials for their certification exam.
Whether you are learning QuickBooks to manage your business’s finances or to aid your clients, many QuickBooks learners start with YouTube tutorials. These free videos provide walkthroughs and overviews of the software, cover the differences between the versions of QuickBooks, and go over some of the software's most important features. Some of the benefits of watching video tutorials are that you can pause and rewatch necessary sections and you can follow along on your own software in real time. Because there are so many YouTube tutorials, it can take some time to determine which instructor’s style you enjoy the most and which video or video sequence is best for your needs.
On-demand classes are another great tool for Quickbooks self-teaching. These are self-paced classes where learners are given access to course material that they can move through at their own speed. This allows learners to speed up if the material covers something they already know and slow down to review, rewatch, and reread material covering more challenging aspects of QuickBooks. Providers like Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare offer inexpensive on-demand QuickBooks classes. Many public libraries also offer free access to LinkedIn Learning, LinkedIn’s on-demand learning platform, for library card holders.
Free resources and on-demand classes are a great way for beginners to start learning QuickBooks and you can set yourself up for success by learning the basics from an on-demand class or a YouTube video tutorial. However, it will be more difficult to learn everything you need to know from YouTube tutorials or low-cost on-demand classes as these are often geared toward a more generalized audience. Many learners find that there is a steep learning curve when it comes time to master the more complex, customizable, and industry-specific aspects of the software. Guided, hands-on QuickBooks training is one of the best ways to learn these more advanced operations.
It is also important to keep in mind that those with little to no accounting and finance knowledge should consider learning some common accounting terms and concepts before starting with QuickBooks. This will include knowing about income, assets, liabilities, deductibles, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and cash vs. accrual accounting. It will also be important to know how to read financial statements and reports. Without this knowledge, learning QuickBooks on your own will be much harder and take much longer as you will need to teach yourself basic bookkeeping and accounting, as well.
Drawbacks to Learning QuickBooks on Your Own
One of the main drawbacks to learning QuickBooks on your own is a lack of guidance and structure. When you’re teaching yourself QuickBooks, it is entirely up to you to find the right course materials, make sure the materials are accurate and up-to-date, and keep yourself motivated to read instructions, watch tutorials, and practice the skills you are learning. Keep in mind that self-teaching is best for self-motivated, determined individuals who pick up new skills quickly. With QuickBooks, it is also recommended that you have some knowledge of accounting principles before using this software on your own. If you are someone without the right background or mindset, it is likely a better option for you to take a short, low-cost QuickBooks course rather than trying to teach yourself QuickBooks.
Additionally, those who opt to self-teach can run into challenges when learning QuickBooks on their own. While the basic features of QuickBooks are not difficult to master, some people find the software difficult once they start needing to learn the more complex, advanced, or customized features. When this happens outside of a QuickBooks class, there is no one person to turn to for help and this can significantly slow down one’s learning process. If you are self-teaching, consider posting questions in social media groups and online forums, as that will be the best way to troubleshoot any issues that may arise as you are learning.
Alternatives to Learning QuickBooks on Your Own
The main alternative to learning QuickBooks on your own is taking an instructor-led class. You can find both in-person and live online QuickBooks classes and bootcamps that will offer hands-on training and guidance in learning QuickBooks. These classes can be more costly, however, one can find low-cost options from professional training centers, like Noble Desktop, New Horizons, and ONLC Training, and local community colleges. These classes are the best way to learn the more complex and advanced features of QuickBooks such as managing inventory, creating customized reports based on class, department, or location, tracking projects, automating workflows, and setting up customized user roles.
Those pursuing careers in finance or accounting should also consider taking a longer certificate program. These are career-oriented courses that aim to teach students the most important skills and knowledge they need to work as Bookkeepers, Accountants, Financial Managers, or Financial Analysts. While there are no QuickBooks certificate programs, certificate programs for accounting and bookkeeping will often include QuickBooks training as a necessary skill to learn in the course. Keep in mind that those intending to become a certified Bookkeeper in the US will need to take a QuickBooks training course approved by the National Association of Certified Professional Bookkeepers, self-teaching alone will not suffice.