Course Description

This course gives you a practical foundation in QuickBooks Online 2026 with a deep focus on the vendor, expense, and accounts payable (AP) cycle — the side of bookkeeping where money goes out and where small mistakes can have big consequences.

We start with the bigger picture: the differences between QuickBooks Desktop and Online, how to choose the right subscription tier, and the four ways to access QuickBooks Online (including the free test drive sample company file used throughout the course). You'll set up your workspace for efficient daily work — adjusting screen size, duplicating tabs, and running multiple browsers — then tour the QuickBooks Online interface and learn how bank feeds, forms, and the accounting cycle fit together.

The heart of the course is a form-by-form walkthrough of the vendor cycle. For each form, we open the balance sheet and profit & loss before and after the entry so you can actually see the accounting impact behind every click. You'll work through bills, pay bills, purchase orders, manage sales tax, checks, and expenses — and finish with how to safely void a check and handle prior period adjustments.

The teaching style is conversational and hands-on, with every concept demonstrated live in the software and reinforced with plain-English summaries from Ara, an AI co-host.

This course is ideal for QuickBooks beginners, small business owners, bookkeepers, accounting students, and anyone moving from QuickBooks Desktop to Online.

Topics Covered

Section 1 — Getting Started with QuickBooks Online 2026

• QuickBooks software types and options: Desktop vs. Online (pros, cons, costs, future-proofing, multiple company files, backups)
• QuickBooks Online subscription tiers compared (Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, Advanced)
• Four ways to access QuickBooks Online: free 30-day trial, student trial, free test drive sample company file, and discounted purchase
• Why and when to use the free test drive (Craig's Design and Landscaping sample company)

Section 2 — Setting Up Your Workspace

• Increasing screen size for easier data entry
• Duplicating browser tabs to view reports and forms side by side
• Running multiple browsers (Chrome and Incognito) to simulate two users or compare views
• Why these workspace habits matter for real bookkeeping work

Section 3 — Navigation & System Overview

• Tour of the QuickBooks Online interface: left navigation, plus (+) new menu, gear/cogwheel, search, reports
• Opening reports in new tabs (balance sheet and profit & loss as your "always open" reports)
• Bank feeds and how they fit into the accounting system
• When bank feeds are enough vs. when you need formal forms and accrual accounting

Section 4 — The Accounting Process & Forms Overview

• The bookkeeper's objective and the three common QuickBooks scenarios (own business, bookkeeping firm, in-house accounting)
• Mapping the accounting cycle to QuickBooks forms
• Cash basis vs. accrual basis and how each affects which forms you use

Section 5 — The Vendor, Expense, Purchases & AP Cycle

• The vendor/AP cycle explained from start to finish
• Why accounts payable matters more as a business grows (time value of money, cash discounts)
• Tour of the Vendor Center (also called the Expense, Purchases, Pay, or AP Center)
• How vendor center data connects to forms and reports

Section 6 — Vendor Forms Deep Dive (Each Form Analyzed With Financial Statement Impact)

• The Bill form — creating an account payable and recognizing the expense
• The Pay Bills form — settling the payable, reducing cash, and clearing AP
• The Purchase Order (PO) form — a non-posting form that commits to a future purchase
• The Manage Sales Tax form — recording and paying sales tax liability
• The Check form — paying directly from the bank account without going through AP
• The Expense form — recording credit card or electronic payments without a printed check

Section 7 — Corrections, Voiding & Prior Period Adjustments

• When and how to void a check safely
• The danger of editing or voiding transactions in a closed/prior period
• Best practices for changes vs. adjusting entries (and what to leave for a later course on adjusting entries)