Bookkeeping & Accounting Basics

Whether you’re running a business or a nonprofit, understanding your QuickBooks Online reports is what turns tracking into strategy. You’ve entered your invoices, received payments, paid your bills, and recorded your expenses — well done! But what’s all that work actually telling you? QuickBooks Online doesn’t just collect data — it builds a picture of your organization’s financial health. But only if you know where to look. This post will walk you through the core financial

Understanding Bills, Checks, and Expenses — and how they shape your reports You probably don’t need anyone to tell you that money’s going out of your organization — but how you record it in QuickBooks Online makes a bigger difference than most folks realize. Whether it’s paying rent, reimbursing a staff member, or covering costs for a youth program, QBO offers different tools for different types of payments — and using the right one matters. In this post, we’ll cover: The dif

And why it matters for both your cash flow and your sanity If your income process in QuickBooks Online feels a bit like guesswork — you’re not alone. Many business owners and nonprofit leaders don’t realize there’s a flow to how income should be recorded, tracked, and collected. And no, it doesn’t start with a deposit and end with a “paid” stamp. This post walks you through that flow: from estimates to invoices, from payment links to deposits, and ultimately into your Accoun

How Classes, Projects, and Locations Work Together to Build a Statement of Functional Expenses — and Where Categories Fit In Setting up...

If your nonprofit receives donations, manages grants, and runs programs, your accounting needs to show not just what you spent — but how,...

COA, the key to great financial record keeping My apologies up front, as this will be another longer post. I just could not fit this...

This post is a little longer than some of my others — but that’s because we’re diving into one of the most important (and misunderstood)...

When your business buys equipment, vehicles, or other long-term assets, those purchases aren't just another expense. Instead, the cost of...

As a business owner, you’ve got enough on your plate—managing operations, delivering great service, and growing your bottom line. But...