How to Master the QuickBooks Nonprofit Edition
One of the industry specific versions of QuickBooks is the Nonprofit edition. While the functions of the bookkeeping for a nonprofit organization are similar, there are specific differences in the chart of accounts, handling the customer (donor) designations and issues regarding restricted giving versus unrestricted giving. There are two alternatives in choosing QuickBooks software for your nonprofit organization. The first is to purchase the industry specific QuickBooks for Nonprofits. The second is to purchase the QuickBooks Premier version and choose the Nonprofit organization when you are completing the Easy Step Interview.
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Instructions
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Use the free video tutorials that come with the QuickBooks software. Each copy of QuickBooks, including the Premier and industry specific Nonprofit version comes equipped with video tutorials to help train the new user. There are eight different sections, or categories, for which these videos were created. Each category covers a particular area of using the software, like customers, vendors or banking. Intuit advises using these tutorials before you begin using the QuickBooks software. Each section has about 40 to 60 minutes of video instruction broken up in smaller segments.
The advantage to using this method to master the QuickBooks Nonprofit Edition is, of course, the cost. It's free. The disadvantage to using this method is that it isn't extremely flexible. For a nonprofit organization just starting out, this may be the best alternative to getting trained on QuickBooks.
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Purchase the Intuit recommended Real World Training disc, "Mastering QuickBooks for Nonprofits." Real World Training is an Intuit approved third party program that trains and certifies users in various areas in QuickBooks. The disc comes in the mail and is a 9.5 hour class on disc. The class is divided into sections with quizzes and tests that must be passed before taking the final exam.
You must pass the quiz with an 85 percent grade before progressing to the next section. Once you have passed the quizzes, you will send the copy of the file to Real World Training and the company will give you the registration code to unlock the final test. You must pass the final test with an 85 percent grade. Once you have passed the final, Real World Training will reward you with certification in the Mastering of the Nonprofit QuickBooks version. As of October 2010, the cost for this disc course is $399.95. The benefits of being properly trained far outweighs the negatives of the cost involved.
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Register for the on-site classes by Real World Training. In addition to the disc that you can purchase, you also have the option of attending an on-site class. The course is a two full daylong courses with paperwork, instruction, tests and certification completed at the end of the course. This would be for those of you who feel more comfortable in a fully interactive learning environment. Check the Real World Training website for the details of these courses offered in your state. The on-site course, as of October 2010, costs the same as the disc option.
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