QuickBooks bootcamps are accelerated courses aiming to teach learners how to use QuickBooks in a quicker-than-normal timeframe. Most people taking Quickbooks bootcamps are either wanting to learn QuickBooks to manage their own business’s finances or are pursuing careers in accounting or finance. You can find QuickBooks bootcamps offered in person, live online, or on-demand, with part-time or full-time enrollment options, and for career-focused learners and those who want to learn QuickBooks for their own uses. If you’re looking for a quick and comprehensive way to learn QuickBooks, read on to learn more about the different varieties of QuickBooks bootcamps and whether a bootcamp is the right option for your QuickBooks training.
What Are the Most Important Criteria to Evaluate in QuickBooks Bootcamps?
There are many factors to consider when evaluating QuickBooks bootcamps, including what the class covers, how it is taught, and how much it costs. To find the right bootcamp for you, look for a class that is geared towards your needs and is offered at a price that you feel comfortable paying. Some bootcamps are for small business owners or those wanting to manage their own finances, while others are for those wanting to pursue professions in accounting or finance. Consider the class format, as some people learn best from instructor-led in-person or live online bootcamps while self-motivated learners with busy schedules can consider on-demand or self-paced bootcamps.
Curriculum
One of the main factors to consider when evaluating bootcamps will be the course curriculum. What content or material the course covers can let you know if it will be the right course for your needs. When looking over a bootcamp’s curriculum, make sure to pay attention to whether the course is for QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop, as both are commonly taught. QuickBooks Desktop is often used in larger, more complex businesses while QuickBooks Online is the more common version of the software used by small business owners, those needing to manage their finances, and accounting or finance professionals.
Most bootcamps are beginner-friendly, though some will offer only an introduction to the software whereas other bootcamps aim to be more comprehensive. Beginners will want to, at the very least, become familiar with the software interface and learn how to do basic things like create a Chart of Accounts, send customer invoices, manage inventory, and receive payments. Many QuickBooks bootcamps will go on to cover more advanced and customizable features, as well, and if that is something you need for your business or career, make sure you sign up for a bootcamp that is comprehensive and all-inclusive. Otherwise, learners might need to take more than one bootcamp as some bootcamps are split into basic and introductory classes and then intermediate or advanced classes.
Training Format
QuickBooks learners can find bootcamps offered in-person, live online, and on demand. If you are looking for the quickest way to learn QuickBooks, consider an instructor-led in-person or live online bootcamp. Many live training options aim to teach learners QuickBooks in as little as one or two class sessions. Most people also find that they learn best in a distraction-free environment and from a live instructor who can guide them through learning QuickBooks.
Those aiming for speed of learning will likely not want to take an on-demand QuickBooks bootcamp. These are bootcamps where learners are given access to the course material but do not need to attend any class sessions with an instructor or other students. While some can learn quickly from this self-paced training format, the speed at which you learn the content is fully up to you, the learner. There are no deadlines and no instructor prompting you to complete the course material which means that even a short on-demand bootcamp can end up taking much longer than an instructor-led QuickBooks class. On-demand classes are best for self-motivated learners who are determined to learn the course content on their own.
Cost
Cost is a very important factor to consider when looking at bootcamps. It is not always the case that the most expensive option offers the best training or that low-cost classes are not useful. There are many self-paced QuickBooks bootcamps that are priced higher than quality live online and in-person options even though they do not offer hands-on instruction in QuickBooks. Make sure to evaluate the course and the training provider to assess whether they are legitimate and that you are getting your money’s worth out of taking a QuickBooks bootcamp. Standalone QuickBooks bootcamps should not cost more than you’re willing to pay and many professional training centers and community colleges offer lower-cost options for QuickBooks training.
What Are the Top QuickBooks Bootcamps?
There are a variety of top QuickBooks bootcamps that are offered in-person, live online, or even on-demand. Use the Classes Near Me tool to find the top QuickBooks bootcamps in your local area. In-person offerings will vary by what city you live in though many professional training centers offer both in-person and live online options to those across the US. Consider also looking for QuickBooks bootcamps offered by your local community colleges. Not all community colleges offer QuickBooks bootcamps, though many offer longer QuickBooks courses for both beginners and accounting majors that would be suitable alternatives.
Noble Desktop’s QuickBooks Bootcamp is a great in-person option for those local to the New York City area and is also available for anyone live online. This comprehensive QuickBooks course teaches both basic and more advanced uses of this accounting software and students will learn everything from navigating the software and creating a Chart of Accounts to generating financial reports, setting up customer, vendor, and inventory lists, using project management features for estimating jobs and cost and tracking time. This instructor-led class offers learners guided, hands-on training in how to use QuickBooks in just two class sessions.
ONLC Training also offers quality instruction in QuickBooks. They have on-demand and instructor-led QuickBooks bootcamps offered for both QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop versions. Their instructor-led bootcamps are split into two levels of training, for QuickBooks Online learners there is a one-day QuickStart bootcamp for beginners and a one-day Advanced bootcamp for those with more QuickBooks experience or who have already taken the first bootcamp. The QuickStart bootcamp covers the basics of setting up a QuickBooks account and using some of the most important features to track and manage finances, while the Advanced bootcamp covers topics like inventory tracking, purchase orders and returns, customization options, auditing, and payroll. The QuickBooks Online Advanced class is particularly useful for those pursuing accounting or bookkeeping.
QuickBooks learners with less flexible schedules should consider taking an on-demand bootcamp. One of the top-rated QuickBooks bootcamps on Udemy is Mark Smolen’s “Mastering QuickBooks Online.” This class offers access to 4.5 hours of video content and additional resources and will walk learners through the steps of getting started with QuickBooks. For more intermediate or advanced skills, one will need to take additional QuickBooks courses along with this self-paced bootcamp.
Enrolling in a QuickBooks Bootcamp Part-Time or Full-Time
The main difference between taking a QuickBooks bootcamp part-time or full-time is how long it will take to complete the course. Full-time study will generally allow someone to complete a class at the fastest possible pace Full-time classes can usually be found for in-person and live online bootcamps and bootcamp classes tend to be between four and six hours in length. If you’re taking a full-time QuickBooks bootcamp, you will usually be attending, on average, one or two four-to-six-hour class sessions.
Not everyone has time to attend a bootcamp full-time and some people want to learn at a slightly slower pace. For someone with a busy schedule, part-time enrollment is a great option. This can mean that class sessions are shorter in length and one takes them over a longer period. Part-time can also mean taking one class session a week, which should still make it a more accessible option for those who cannot spend two days in a row away from work or other responsibilities.
Part-time options are most likely to be available from providers like professional training facilities and colleges or universities. You will rarely see an on-demand class advertised as part-time because the learners themselves can schedule when they engage with the content in this type of course. An alternative option for those with busy schedules is to look for classes offered on evenings or weekends, as this can make it easier to take a bootcamp quickly while still completing one’s other work or life obligations.
Enrolling in a QuickBooks Bootcamp In-Person or Online
QuickBooks bootcamps are often offered either in-person or online. In-person options can usually be found at professional training centers and community colleges. This mode of training is still considered the best way to learn a new skill and retain the knowledge, as in-person classes are taught by expert instructors in classrooms that try to minimize distractions by outside elements. However, in-person QuickBooks bootcamps can be difficult to find for those living outside of large US cities and some people might prefer at-home learning instead of commuting to an in-person classroom.
Online QuickBooks bootcamps are best for those who cannot find an in-person class to take, who are working around a busy schedule, or who just prefer to learn from home. In these cases, one can find both live online QuickBooks training and on-demand, asynchronous online training. Live online QuickBooks bootcamps should offer similar benefits as in-person training. These types of classes are taught by an expert instructor and generally have similar content and pace compared to an in-person class. The main disadvantage of taking a live online bootcamp is that one will need to adjust to online learning and commit to making their own learning space as free from distractions as possible.
On-demand QuickBooks bootcamps are ones where learners are not taught by an instructor or expected to attend class sessions with other students. Instead, learners receive access to course content, usually pre-recorded video tutorials, practices, and skills tests, and can move through it at their own pace. This is the best option for self-motivated individuals who are not able to attend regularly scheduled in-person or live online classes. QuickBooks learners need to be determined to learn the content on their own to complete an on-demand class. Additionally, it will often take longer to learn QuickBooks through this self-teaching method, so one should expect that the speed of an on-demand QuickBooks bootcamp will be slower than taking an in-person or live online QuickBooks bootcamp.
Do You Want to Start a New Career Using Your QuickBooks Training?
QuickBooks learners need to take the right bootcamp for their own goals. Small business owners wanting to learn QuickBooks to manage their business’s finances will have different needs than someone wanting to learn QuickBooks for a career in bookkeeping, accounting, or financial management. Most QuickBooks bootcamps are beginner-friendly, though some might be more career-oriented than others. Small business owners should look for either introductory QuickBooks bootcamps or comprehensive ones that aim to teach how to use QuickBooks to track and manage a business’s finances. These bootcamps can be found at professional training centers, on-demand providers, or community colleges where one should look for classes that specify they are not for accounting majors.
Those pursuing careers in finance or accounting should look for comprehensive bootcamps or look to take more advanced bootcamps that will teach record keeping, auditing, and financial management functions of QuickBooks. Professional training centers, in particular, are a good choice for those looking for career-oriented training. Classes at these facilities are more likely to include career-support services. In-class career support can look like helping students develop a strong portfolio, resume, or LinkedIn page, offering access to mentorship opportunities, and providing a practical hands-on training curriculum. Out-of-class career support can include career counseling, help navigating the job market, access to job boards or job fairs, or providing additional networking opportunities.
Which QuickBooks Bootcamp is Best For Me?
The right bootcamp for you will depend on your reason for learning Quickbooks as well as your needs as a learner. Bootcamps are intensive classes, so you should expect to learn QuickBooks quickly over the course of a couple of days or weeks, depending on the training format. QuickBooks is commonly used by small business owners, self-employed individuals, or professionals working in finance or accounting. Which of these groups you fall into will help to determine the kind of QuickBooks bootcamp you should take and which version of QuickBooks you should learn.
To find the right QuickBooks bootcamp, consider the course curriculum, training format, and cost of a bootcamp. Professional training centers and community colleges often have lower-cost instructor-led bootcamps allowing learners to receive quality hands-on training in QuickBooks without having to pay an exorbitant fee. Beginning learners should look for introductory QuickBooks bootcamps or comprehensive ones that will teach a mix of basic and more advanced skills. Noble Desktop’s comprehensive two-day QuickBooks Bootcamp is beginner-friendly and a great option both for those looking to manage their own finances and those looking to pursue accounting or finance professionally.
As you determine which bootcamp to take, consider whether you want to enroll part-time or full-time or for an in-person or online class. Part-time enrollment will work better for those with busy schedules, while full-time will allow someone to learn QuickBooks at the fastest pace. Check to see if there are evening or weekend classes available, as these are a good alternative to taking a part-time QuickBooks bootcamp. In-person bootcamps will offer some of the best training, but online options are available for self-motivated learners and those who prefer to learn from home. Career-oriented learners should also look to take a class from a professional training facility that offers both in- and out-of-class career support services.
Bootcamps are not the best option for all QuickBooks learners and alternatives exist such as longer instructor-led QuickBooks classes, on-demand classes, and certificate programs. For those who do not want to take an accelerated QuickBooks bootcamp, consider a longer in-person or live online class. These classes can take anywhere from a week to multiple months, depending on whether one takes a class from a community college or a professional training center. Additionally, those who cannot take a live QuickBooks bootcamp should consider taking an on-demand course, the shortest of which provides about an hour of content, and the longest provides about 127 hours of content. Someone pursuing a career as a Bookkeeper or Accountant will want to consider taking a complete certificate program to learn not only QuickBooks accounting software but also the skills and principles necessary to work in accounting and bookkeeping professionally.