QuickBooks classes can take anywhere from a few hours to a few months to complete, depending on what the class covers and what kind of class you are taking. The quickest ways to learn QuickBooks include taking an introductory class or a QuickBooks bootcamp. The slowest ways to learn QuickBooks will be by enrolling in a comprehensive degree program, a part-time class, or teaching oneself how to use QuickBooks. Read on to learn more about the length of different kinds of QuickBooks classes and what to consider when choosing the right QuickBooks class for your own needs.
Length of QuickBooks Classes
How long a class takes is important to consider when choosing QuickBooks classes. Some learners need to learn QuickBooks in a matter of days, while others can afford to take weeks or even months to master QuickBooks slowly. Prospective learners will want to consider whether they need an introductory or advanced class, which training format is best for their needs, and whether they want to take a part-time or full-time QuickBooks class.
Introductory Classes
Introductory QuickBooks classes will vary in course content, though they can be shorter than some other types of QuickBooks training. Some introductory classes might last only an hour or two, though these are usually very basic classes that do little besides providing an overview of the software. Introductory courses can also seek to familiarize learners with important accounting terms and concepts, as it is important for QuickBooks users to have familiarity with basic accounting principles.
Other introductory QuickBooks bootcamps and classes are intended for beginners and usually will take between four and twenty-four hours to complete. These classes will cover basics like navigating the software interface, setting up your company profile, linking accounts, and recording transactions. Introductory courses vary by content and provider, so they might also cover how to create customer invoices, read or customize reports, or start automating certain tasks in QuickBooks. Instructor-led introductory classes will often take less time to complete, though self-motivated learners who pick up skills quickly might be able to learn QuickBooks in a short amount of time by taking self-paced introductory classes.
Intermediate & Advanced Classes
Like introductory classes, the length of intermediate and advanced QuickBooks training classes will vary. Intermediate-level training will focus on building upon what one has learned in a previous class whereas advanced training will move into teaching learners more complex features that often involve detailed customization or industry-specific needs. Some people also seek to learn just one intermediate or advanced feature, like customized inventory management, and this hyper-specific training can be completed in a matter of hours by watching a YouTube video tutorial or taking an on-demand class.
While the skills learned in intermediate and advanced classes can take longer to master, overall, the training itself should be of a similar length to an introductory class, especially if one takes these classes in a sequence. Expect these classes to also take between four and twenty-four hours to complete, on average. Taking a sequence of introductory, intermediate, and advanced QuickBooks classes will provide one with a comprehensive, detailed knowledge of QuickBooks, though it can take weeks, if not months, to complete this form of QuickBooks training.
Certificate Programs
Certificate programs are career-oriented courses of study that aim to provide students with all of the knowledge and skills to work in a specific career upon completion. While one can become QuickBooks certified, there are no QuickBooks certificate programs. Rather, one can find QuickBooks training included in bookkeeping and accounting certificate programs.
Those seeking to become certified Accountants or Bookkeepers should consider taking a certificate program to learn the skills necessary to work in these professions. These classes are often weeks to months in length, as students need to work through many modules to learn the necessary information and skills. If you only need to learn QuickBooks, taking a bootcamp or on-demand class is a better option than taking a full certificate program. Learning about common accounting terms and concepts is considered a useful prerequisite to taking a QuickBooks class, though one can find shorter classes to take if not intending to become a professional Bookkeeper or Accountant.
Bootcamps
Bootcamps are accelerated classes that aim to teach students about one skill or one topic. Because QuickBooks is only a software program, bootcamps are often on the shorter side. One can find six to twelve-hour or one-to-two-day QuickBooks bootcamps, depending on the course material the class will cover. While many QuickBooks bootcamps provide comprehensive instruction that combines both basic and intermediate or advanced knowledge of QuickBooks, some will be sequenced for beginning, intermediate, and advanced skill levels.
Students looking for the quickest way to learn comprehensive QuickBooks should consider taking an instructor-led bootcamp. Instructor-led bootcamps provide students with the interactive, hands-on guidance they need to complete QuickBooks training and students can ask instructors questions or for help with troubleshooting issues that arise while learning QuickBooks. Additionally, this training format offers individualized feedback for learners, which will allow them to improve their skills throughout the class and set them up for success after the class.
On-Demand Classes
On-demand classes are self-paced classes that give learners access to the course material so that they can work through it at their own speed. How long these classes take depends on two things: the amount of course material a class offers and the learner’s own pace of learning. On average, an on-demand class will provide four to twenty-four hours of course content, which often includes video lectures and tutorials as well as practice and skills tests. Some on-demand classes, especially those for beginners or that teach highly specialized skills, will offer two-to-four hours of QuickBooks content. Others are much more comprehensive, geared towards mastery, and provide learners with over 100 hours of course material to move through.
Any sort of self-teaching or self-paced class will rely on the learner’s self-motivation and it is up to the learner to determine how quickly or slowly they will learn the material. If one is determined to move through the QuickBooks course material at a fast pace, on-demand classes can allow someone to learn QuickBooks quickly and comprehensively. However, for most people, on-demand classes are often not the quickest training options because it is up to the learner to work through the material on their own. The lack of instructor guidance in this training format means that if learners run into challenging material, they can become stuck and it can take longer to learn QuickBooks in an on-demand class.
College Degree Programs
While there are no QuickBooks college degree programs, one can learn QuickBooks or other accounting software as part of some accounting degrees. Community colleges and technical schools are the most likely higher education providers to offer degrees in accounting or even business where one will also learn QuickBooks. Because this form of training involves learning additional theories and skills besides QuickBooks, it is one of the slowest ways to learn how to use this software. It can take between one and four years to earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in accounting and one will need to fulfill the school’s requirements in addition to learning QuickBooks. This can still be a useful option for those wanting to work professionally in accounting or finance, though it is not the best way to learn only QuickBooks.
Part-Time vs. Full-Time
Enrolling in a full-time QuickBooks class will almost always allow one to learn QuickBooks faster than enrolling in a part-time class. However, those with busy schedules or who want to slow down their training pace should consider part-time QuickBooks classes. Outside of on-demand classes, taking a part-time class is the best way for someone with a full-time job or other commitments like childcare or pet care to complete structured QuickBooks training. Select professional training centers, like Noble Desktop, or some community colleges and technical schools are one’s best options for finding part-time instructor-led QuickBooks classes. To make them even more accessible, part-time classes are often offered for evening or weekend classes, as well.
Learn QuickBooks Skills with Noble Desktop
Noble Desktop offers expert in-person and live online training for those interested in learning QuickBooks. Every Noble Desktop class comes with expert, hands-on guidance, small class sizes, and free retake options and many classes offer both part-time and full-time options so that one can find the QuickBooks or finance class that works best for their schedule. For fast and comprehensive training in QuickBooks, consider enrolling in Noble Deskop’s QuickBooks Bootcamp which teaches students everything they need to know about how to use QuickBooks to track and manage a business’s finances. This bootcamp uses interactive training to teach students the basics of QuickBooks like configuring a company profile, working with customer, vendor, and inventory lists, and invoicing and processing payments as well as the more advanced management and customization features. Noble Desktop offers this bootcamp live online from any location and it can be taken in person at Noble Desktop’s training facility in New York City.
Noble Desktop also has accounting classes and bootcamps which are a great option for anyone interested in developing their skills or learning more about finance and accounting. The Intro to Financial Accounting & Financial Statements class uses hands-on exercises to teach students the fundamentals of analyzing financial statements and reports. After completing this introductory class, students can progress to the Intermediate Financial Accounting class which teaches more complex topics like earnings per share and deferred taxes. For those who want a comprehensive, accelerated class that tackles both beginner and intermediate topics of accounting, consider the Financial Accounting Bootcamp which teaches everything students need to know in two class sessions.
Noble’s finance and accounting classes are great for those who want to grow their financial literacy beyond learning about QuickBooks. These classes are also useful for those interested in becoming a Bookkeeper or Accountant. If this is something that interests you, you can learn more about the career path of an Accountant by reading Noble Desktop’s comprehensive guide to accounting, a free resource that covers essential information about accounting and how to learn the skills necessary to make this one’s career. Learning principles of accounting or receiving QuickBooks training can be the first step on the path to becoming a Financial Manager or Financial Analyst. For those who want to work in finance, Noble Desktop’s guide to finance is a useful way to read about different career options and how to receive training for careers in finance.