Accounting and Finance   

Gain a marketable new skill by learning the basics of double-entry bookkeeping, financial reporting, and more.

In this comprehensive course, you will learn the basics of double-entry bookkeeping, as well as how to analyze and record financial transactions. You will get hands-on experience with handling accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll procedures, sales taxes, and various common banking activities.

Accounting Fundamentals covers all the bases, from writing checks to preparing an income statement and closing out accounts at the end of each fiscal period. Whether you're a sole proprietor looking to manage your business finances or you simply want to gain an understanding of accounting basics for career advancement or for personal use, this course will give you a solid foundation in financial matters.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
• A calculator and a printer.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Account Classifications, Account Titles, T Accounts, and the Accounting Equation

Welcome to Accounting Fundamentals! In this first lesson, you will learn all about account classifications, debits, credits, and T accounts. You will learn the difference between a liability and an asset, and you will find out how to determine an owner's equity.

General Ledger Accounts and the Balance Sheet

Here's where you will begin your hands-on accounting practice: You will start by creating an imaginary company for which you will be the accountant. You will learn how to analyze your company's transactions to determine which amounts go into which accounts, then you will create your company's own General Ledger forms and post a few transactions into those accounts.

Journalizing Transactions and Posting to the General Ledger

Now that you understand the functions of the General Ledger, you're ready to move on to the next phase of recording transactions: the Journal. In this lesson, you will learn how to enter transactions into an 11-column journal and then post or transfer those amounts into appropriate General Ledger accounts.

Journalizing and Posting Cash and Charge Purchases and Payments on Account

In this lesson, you will learn all about Accounts Payable, which is money that you owe your vendors and suppliers. You will practice journalizing cash purchases and purchases on account, and you will get hands-on practice transferring those purchases to their corresponding Accounts Payable Ledger accounts.

Journalizing and Posting Cash and Charge Sales and Cash Received on Account

In this lesson, you will learn about Accounts Receivable, which is another name for money owed to your company by its customers. You will learn how to journalize and post those sales on account, how to enter charge sales into the journal, and how to transfer the information into an Accounts Receivable Ledger.

Payroll and Various Deductions

It's payday! This lesson will teach you how to determine gross pay, deductions, and net pay. You will learn how to prepare a payroll, write payroll checks, and how to prepare and maintain accurate payroll records.

Banking Services and Reports

In this lesson, you will learn all about banks and banking services: You will learn the proper way to write checks, make out deposit tickets, and reconcile your company's checking account with the bank statement. These are important skills you will find valuable in both your business and personal life!

Posting Journal Totals to the General Ledger and Schedule of Accounts Payable and Schedule of Accounts Receivable

This lesson will teach you how to prepare a Schedule of Accounts Payable and a Schedule of Accounts Receivable. These reports can be used to compare the amount of money your business owes its creditors with the amount of money your customers owe your business.

End-of-Year Worksheet

In this lesson, you will prepare a worksheet showing the net income or net loss for the fiscal period. The worksheet will show all income and expenses for the fiscal period as well as the assets, liabilities, and owner's equity account balances.

End-of-Year Financial Reports

In this lesson, you will learn how to prepare various reports that are vital to the well-being of your company. You will learn how these reports can be used to make sound financial decisions in the next fiscal period. You will discover how to put together an Owner's Equity Statement, an Income Statement, and a Distribution of Net Income.

Journalizing and Posting Adjusting Entries

In this lesson, you will prepare for the end of the fiscal period by adjusting your asset account balances to accurately reflect the assets remaining at the end of the year. You will also find out how to journalize and post adjusting and closing entries to bring your company's General Ledger up to date.

Journalizing and Posting Closing Entries and Preparing a Post Closing Trial Balance

In the final lesson, you will prepare a Post Closing Trial Balance report to ensure that all of your debits and credits in the General Ledger balance out in preparation for the new fiscal period.

Give yourself skills that are in high demand by exploring corporate accounting.

While it is true that accounting professionals are scarce, those with corporate accounting experience are even scarcer. This course will provide you with a solid understanding of corporate accounting practices.

In Accounting Fundamentals II, you will explore such topics as special journals, uncollectible accounts receivable, plant assets, depreciation, notes and interest, accrued revenue and expenses, dividends, retained earnings, and various financial reports for corporations.

If you're interested in increasing your financial awareness and accountability while also gaining a marketable skill, this is the course for you.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
• A calculator and a printer.

Accounts Payable

In this lesson, you will learn all about accounts payable. You will be journalizing and posting your company's purchases and preparing a Schedule of Accounts Payable. This lesson will give you the tools you need to successfully track those accounts.

Accounts Receivable

In this lesson you will take a close look at accounts receivable. After completing this lesson, you will know how to enter charge sales into your Sales Journal and then post them to your General Ledger. You will have also learned how to journalize payments on account received from your charge customers.

Uncollectible Accounts Receivable

In this lesson you will learn about uncollectible accounts receivable. While many believe customers will always pay what they owe, that is not always the case. You will learn how to account for long overdue receivables that probably won't ever be paid.

Plant Assets and Depreciation

In this lesson, you will learn about plant assets and depreciation. Just like your car, business assets depreciate over time, so you will need to know how to account for that expense in your records. You will also need to record these assets and calculate their depreciation in a timely manner.

Notes Payable and Notes Receivable

This lesson is all about notes payable and notes receivable. You will learn all you need to know about accounting for these situations as you learn how to record the issuance and payment of these notes payables and notes receivables.

Accrued Income and Accrued Expenses

In this lesson, you will learn how to deal with accrued income and accrued expenses. Accrued income is money that the company earns in one fiscal period but doesn't receive until after another fiscal period begins.

Dividends and Starting the Year-End Worksheet

In this lesson, you will be dealing with dividends, which is money paid to the company's stockholders on their investment. You will learn how the business accounts for the dividends it pays to its stockholders. You will also look at retained earnings, or the amount of profit the corporation retains for future use.

Complete Year-End Worksheet with Adjustments

In this lesson you will determine if your business has a net income or a net loss by completing the worksheet started in the previous lesson. And because many General Ledger accounts change throughout the fiscal period—you will need to bring these accounts up to date.

End-of-Fiscal-Period Financial Reports

It's time to begin wrapping up your books for the end of the fiscal period. In this lesson, you will learn how to compile most of the various financial reports a corporation needs to complete at the end of the fiscal period.

Adjusting and Closing Entries and Post Closing Trial Balance

In this lesson, you will get the books all caught up and ready for the next fiscal period. You will go back and journalize those adjusting entries you entered into your worksheet, then you will enter closing entries into your journal.

Preparing a Payroll

This lesson covers every employee's favorite subject: Payroll. You will learn about various mandatory and voluntary deductions from employees' pay, as well as how to journalize and post an entire payroll. As an added bonus, after this lesson, you will be able to check the accuracy of your own paycheck.

Preparing Federal Tax Deposits and Year-End Tax Reports

The final lesson focuses on preparing a variety of end-of-year tax reports. Here's your chance to go step-by-step through a multitude of IRS forms with instructions that are much easier to understand. You will fill out the federal Form 941, then learn how to make federal income tax deposits.

Acquire the skills you need to make the most of QuickBooks Online and payroll basics. This course also serves as preparation for the QuickBooks Certified User exam and the Fundamental Payroll Certification exam offered by PayrollOrg.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 10 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• QuickBooks Online (Free 1-year subscription and practice site included in enrollment.) An additional subscription or software purchase for QuickBooks Online is not required to complete this course. However, please note that this course is only suitable for the QuickBooks Online version.
•  Microsoft Word Online
•  Microsoft Excel
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Microsoft Word or equivalent
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional material required for this program is included in enrollment. The following textbook will be shipped to you approximately 7 to 10 business days after enrollment in the QuickBooks portion of the program:

• Bookkeeping for Dummies
• QuickBooks Online software
  • Your enrollment in this course includes a free 1-year full subscription to QuickBooks Online. You will be shown how to access and activate this subscription.

Digital access to the following book will be available via links in the Payroll Practice and Management course:

• Payroll Accounting 2025, by Bernard J. Bieg and Judith A. Toland (eBook)

Please note: You will receive a digital book if the physical book is on backorder.

This online professional bookkeeping course bundle covers all the essential areas of bookkeeping and payroll management. The key to overseeing a company's finances is knowing how to balance books, track finances, and administer pay—which this online bookkeeping and payroll course will help you understand. These responsibilities often fall to one professional who is well-versed in both disciplines for many small businesses today.

You will first learn how to utilize QuickBooks Online for everyday bookkeeping situations, such as running general ledger reports, working with the chart of accounts, and managing inventory. Next, your online bookkeeping and payroll course will put all those principles into practice, entering and tracking your finances while having all the advantages of computing in the cloud so that your files will be available to you virtually anytime, anywhere.

The professional bookkeeping training helps you learn the principles of payroll management. Payroll practice and management provides a foundation for classifying workers, calculating overtime pay, and overseeing payroll functions. There is more to payroll than calculating gross wages, though—you will also learn to manage year-end forms, which rely on your bookkeeping skills.

Once you complete this payroll and bookkeeping certification course, you will understand how to manage your finances and be prepared for the QuickBooks Certified User (QBCU) exam. You will also be ready to pass the Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) exam offered by the PayrollOrg.

1. Professional Bookkeeping with QuickBooks Online
   1. Introduction to Bookkeeping
   2. Accounting Basics
   3. Getting Started With QuickBooks Online
   4. The Chart of Accounts
   5. Centers and Lists
   6. Bank Accounts
   7. Recording Expenses and Paying Bills
   8. Credit Cards and Loans
   9. Sales Receipts
   10. Invoices, Estimates, and Customizing Sales Forms
   11. Billable Expenses and Customer Credits
   12. Sales Taxes and Reports
   13. Midterm Exam
   14. Product and Service Items
   15. Managing Inventory
   16. Managing Projects and Sales
   17. Progress Invoicing, Late Fees, and Bad Debts
   18. Payroll
   19. Fixed Assets and Loans
   20. Business Entities and Owner Transactions
   21. Banking Rules, Receipts, and Budgets
   22. Adjusting and Reviewing the Books
   23. Starting a Bookkeeping Business
   24. Your Career Roadmap: The Job Search and Future Opportunities (Optional Lesson)
   25. Communication and Organization (Optional Lesson)
   26. Final Exam
2. Payroll Practice and Management
1. Introduction to Payroll
2. Determining Worker Status
3. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
4. Federal Employment Taxes
5. Payroll Forms
6. Fringe Benefits – Tax-Preferred and Other Related Health Benefits
7. Fringe Benefits – Deferred Comp, Retirement Plans, and Stock Options
8. Other Employee Benefits
9. Calculating Gross Wages
10. Calculating Gross Pay – Additional Topics
11. Paycheck Calculation – Taxes
12. Paycheck Calculation – Voluntary and Involuntary Deductions
13. Gross to Net Paycheck Calculation
14. Compliance – Laws and Reporting
15. Global Payroll
16. Payroll Process and Systems, and Audits
17. Paying the Employee
18. Payroll Administration and Management
19. Basic Accounting
20. Exploring Payroll Careers
21. Exam Preparation
22. Payroll Project

What you will learn

• Successfully set up a company file in QuickBooks Online
• Perform fundamental analysis of accounts, financial documents, and reports
• Apply basic accounting principles to professional bookkeeping practices and duties
• Understand fundamental accounting concepts, including how QuickBooks works to support these concepts
• Explain the use of the forms required to withhold, deposit, and report federal income taxes
• Recognize dates, procedures, and regulations to ensure payroll compliance and reporting
• Correctly process payroll from start to finish (payroll project)

How you will benefit

• Gain confidence in your ability to use QuickBooks to perform professional bookkeeping tasks for any company
• Use basic, intermediate, and advanced features of QuickBooks Online proficiently
• Prepare for the QBCU and FPC exams
• Become certified in the fundamentals of payroll
• Possess a certification in payroll that is a desirable attribute many employers seek in payroll candidates
• Obtain additional knowledge and skills that are not often taught in the workplace
• Be able to search and apply for payroll jobs, with the additional resume skills

Wade Lindenberger

Wade Lindenberger is a CPA with over 20 years of financial accounting and management experience in public accounting and private industry. He is currently Director of Finance and Administration for New Children's Museum. Before his current position, he worked as the National Finance and Accounting Service Line Leader for Premier Alliance Group, a national professional services firm. Wade was also Director of the Finance and Accounting service line for the San Diego office of a global, publicly held professional services firm. Before becoming a consultant, Wade was Divisional Controller for one of the leading health and fitness club chains in the world. He has also been Internal Audit Manager and Divisional Controller for a division of a Fortune 500 global energy project management company. He began his career with Coopers & Lybrand, a predecessor to PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the "Big Four" CPA firms. He has previously served as an instructor for courses at Coopers & Lybrand and UC San Diego. He is currently an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Business. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Bookkeepers' Advisory Board.

Helene K. Liatsos

Helene K. Liatsos is a business advisor and QuickBooks Certified Advisor with more than 25 years of experience. She consults for a range of companies, from travel agencies to startups. Her company Home Office Management Experts was awarded the 2004 Home-Based Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Helene holds a Bachelor of Arts from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Sherida Habersham

Sherida Habersham is an accomplished professional from Georgia at the intersection of technology, education, and service. She started her career as a software developer specializing in human resource management (HRM), payroll, and quality systems. Over her extensive career in education, Sherida has held several roles, including program lead, college professor, and division dean for business and information systems.

Sherida holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in educational psychology, a Master of Science in computer science, and a Master of Business Administration in business. With expertise in curriculum development, business systems, and instructional leadership, she is dedicated to promoting learning and development. Additionally, she has over a decade of experience as a bookkeeping and tax expert, assisting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in streamlining their operations with comprehensive bookkeeping and tax support.

Acquire the skills you need to make the most of QuickBooks Online and payroll basics. This course also serves as preparation for the QuickBooks Certified User exam and the Fundamental Payroll Certification exam offered by PayrollOrg.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 10 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• QuickBooks Online (Free 1-year subscription and practice site included in enrollment.) An additional subscription or software purchase for QuickBooks Online is not required to complete this course. However, please note that this course is only suitable for the QuickBooks Online version.
• Microsoft Word Online
• Microsoft Excel
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Microsoft Word or equivalent
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional material required for this program is included in enrollment. The following textbook will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment in the QuickBooks portion of the program:

• Bookkeeping for Dummies
• QuickBooks Online software
  • Your enrollment in this course includes a free 1-year full subscription to QuickBooks Online. You will be shown how to access and activate this subscription.

Digital access to the following book will be available via links in the Payroll Practice and Management course:

• Payroll Accounting 2025, by Bernard J. Bieg and Judith A. Toland (eBook)

Please note: You will receive a digital book if the physical book is on backorder.

This online professional bookkeeping course bundle covers all the essential areas of bookkeeping and payroll management. The key to overseeing a company's finances is knowing how to balance books, track finances, and administer pay—which this online bookkeeping and payroll course will help you understand. These responsibilities often fall to one professional who is well-versed in both disciplines for many small businesses today.

You will first learn how to utilize QuickBooks Online for everyday bookkeeping situations, such as running general ledger reports, working with the chart of accounts, and managing inventory. Next, your online bookkeeping and payroll course will put all those principles into practice, entering and tracking your finances while having all the advantages of computing in the cloud so that your files will be available to you virtually anytime, anywhere.

The professional bookkeeping training helps you learn the principles of payroll management. Payroll practice and management provides a foundation for classifying workers, calculating overtime pay, and overseeing payroll functions. There is more to payroll than calculating gross wages, though—you will also learn to manage year-end forms, which rely on your bookkeeping skills.

Once you complete this payroll and bookkeeping certification course, you will understand how to manage your finances and be prepared for the QuickBooks Certified User (QBCU) exam. You will also be ready to pass the Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) exam offered by the PayrollOrg.

This payroll and bookkeeping certification course offers enrollment with or without a voucher. The voucher covers the cost to sit for the QBCU certification exam upon eligibility. A voucher for the FPC exam is not included.

1. Professional Bookkeeping with QuickBooks Online
   1. Introduction to Bookkeeping
   2. Accounting Basics
   3. Getting Started With QuickBooks Online
   4. The Chart of Accounts
   5. Centers and Lists
   6. Bank Accounts
   7. Recording Expenses and Paying Bills
   8. Credit Cards and Loans
   9. Sales Receipts
   10. Invoices, Estimates, and Customizing Sales Forms
   11. Billable Expenses and Customer Credits
   12. Sales Taxes and Reports
   13. Midterm Exam
   14. Product and Service Items
   15. Managing Inventory
   16. Managing Projects and Sales
   17. Progress Invoicing, Late Fees, and Bad Debts
   18. Payroll
   19. Fixed Assets and Loans
   20. Business Entities and Owner Transactions
   21. Banking Rules, Receipts, and Budgets
   22. Adjusting and Reviewing the Books
   23. Starting a Bookkeeping Business
   24. Your Career Roadmap: The Job Search and Future Opportunities (Optional Lesson)
   25. Communication and Organization (Optional Lesson)
   26. Final Exam
2. Payroll Practice and Management
1. Introduction to Payroll
2. Determining Worker Status
3. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
4. Federal Employment Taxes
5. Payroll Forms
6. Fringe Benefits – Tax-Preferred and Other Related Health Benefits
7. Fringe Benefits – Deferred Comp, Retirement Plans, and Stock Options
8. Other Employee Benefits
9. Calculating Gross Wages
10. Calculating Gross Pay – Additional Topics
11. Paycheck Calculation – Taxes
12. Paycheck Calculation – Voluntary and Involuntary Deductions
13. Gross to Net Paycheck Calculation
14. Compliance – Laws and Reporting
15. Global Payroll
16. Payroll Process and Systems, and Audits
17. Paying the Employee
18. Payroll Administration and Management
19. Basic Accounting
20. Exploring Payroll Careers
21. Exam Preparation
22. Payroll Project

What you will learn

• Successfully set up a company file in QuickBooks Online
• Perform fundamental analysis of accounts, financial documents, and reports
• Apply basic accounting principles to professional bookkeeping practices and duties
• Understand fundamental accounting concepts, including how QuickBooks works to support these concepts
• Explain the use of the forms required to withhold, deposit, and report federal income taxes
• Recognize dates, procedures, and regulations to ensure payroll compliance and reporting
• Correctly process payroll from start to finish (payroll project)

How you will benefit

• Gain confidence in your ability to use QuickBooks to perform professional bookkeeping tasks for any company
• Use basic, intermediate, and advanced features of QuickBooks Online proficiently
• Prepare for the QBCU and FPC exams
• Become certified in the fundamentals of payroll
• Possess a certification in payroll that is a desirable attribute many employers seek in payroll candidates
• Obtain additional knowledge and skills that are not often taught in the workplace
• Be able to search and apply for payroll jobs, with the additional resume skills

Wade Lindenberger

Wade Lindenberger is a CPA with over 20 years of financial accounting and management experience in public accounting and private industry. He is currently Director of Finance and Administration for New Children's Museum. Before his current position, he worked as the National Finance and Accounting Service Line Leader for Premier Alliance Group, a national professional services firm. Wade was also Director of the Finance and Accounting service line for the San Diego office of a global, publicly held professional services firm. Before becoming a consultant, Wade was Divisional Controller for one of the leading health and fitness club chains in the world. He has also been Internal Audit Manager and Divisional Controller for a division of a Fortune 500 global energy project management company. He began his career with Coopers & Lybrand, a predecessor to PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the "Big Four" CPA firms. He has previously served as an instructor for courses at Coopers & Lybrand and UC San Diego. He is currently an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Business. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Bookkeepers' Advisory Board.

Helene K. Liatsos

Helene K. Liatsos is a business advisor and QuickBooks Certified Advisor with more than 25 years of experience. She consults for a range of companies, from travel agencies to startups. Her company Home Office Management Experts was awarded the 2004 Home-Based Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Helene holds a Bachelor of Arts from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Sherida Habersham

Sherida Habersham is an accomplished professional from Georgia at the intersection of technology, education, and service. She started her career as a software developer specializing in human resource management (HRM), payroll, and quality systems. Over her extensive career in education, Sherida has held several roles, including program lead, college professor, and division dean for business and information systems.

Sherida holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in educational psychology, a Master of Science in computer science, and a Master of Business Administration in business. With expertise in curriculum development, business systems, and instructional leadership, she is dedicated to promoting learning and development. Additionally, she has over a decade of experience as a bookkeeping and tax expert, assisting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in streamlining their operations with comprehensive bookkeeping and tax support.