Bookkeeping is recording a business's daily financial transactions accurately: sales, bills, payments and bank activity. Accounting uses those records to analyze, report, plan and handle taxes. Bookkeeping is the foundation, accounting builds on it. If you want to start with the hands-on part, our 12-hour QuickBooks Bookkeeping Essentials class teaches core bookkeeping, online or in person.
What bookkeeping covers
Bookkeeping is the day-to-day work of keeping records complete and correct. Typical tasks include:
- Recording sales and sending invoices
- Entering bills and recording payments
- Categorizing transactions
- Reconciling bank and credit card accounts
- Running standard reports like the profit and loss and balance sheet
Good bookkeeping answers the question: "What happened with our money?"
What accounting covers
Accounting takes those records and turns them into decisions and compliance. It can include:
- Preparing and reviewing financial statements
- Tax planning and tax returns
- Budgeting, forecasting and analysis
- Advising owners on the financial side of decisions
- Audits and other formal reviews
Good accounting answers the question: "What does it mean, and what should we do next?"
A simple way to remember it
Think of a building. Bookkeeping is laying every brick straight. Accounting is the architect reviewing the structure and planning the next floor. If the bricks are crooked, the plans do not hold up. That is why accurate bookkeeping matters so much to small businesses and to the professionals who serve them.
Education and career paths
Accountants usually complete formal college study in accounting, and some go on to earn professional licenses. Many bookkeepers start with practical training and software skills, then build experience. Some people begin in bookkeeping and later decide to pursue accounting. Either way, knowing how transactions are recorded is useful.
For a step-by-step look at the bookkeeping path, see our guide on QuickBooks bookkeeping training.
Which do small business owners need?
Most need both. Owners or bookkeepers handle the daily records. A tax professional or accountant usually handles tax filings and bigger questions. When your books are clean, that professional spends less time fixing records and more time helping you. Learning QuickBooks yourself also helps you understand your numbers and ask better questions.
Our class focuses on the bookkeeping side: company setup, customers and vendors, invoices, bills, payments, bank reconciliation and reports. It is practical, hands-on and built for beginners, whether you run a business or want a new career.
Class details
- Class: QuickBooks Bookkeeping Essentials, 12 hours total.
- Evening cohort: Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:00 to 9:00 PM Pacific, November 30 to December 9, 2026.
- Saturday cohort: January 23 and 30, 2027, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Pacific.
- Format: in person at 255 N. D Street, Suite #200-XXVII, San Bernardino, CA 92401, or live online from anywhere in the U.S.
- Price: $297.
- What you get: hands-on practice with company setup, customers and vendors, invoices, bills, payments, bank reconciliation, the profit and loss statement, the balance sheet and other reports.
How to enroll
- Apply online. It takes about 2 minutes.
- Pay with the QuickBooks Bookkeeping Essentials pay link or see every option on the tuition page.
- We confirm your seat within 2 business days.
Not sure yet? Join our free Info Session & Orientation, online every Monday from 5:00 to 5:45 PM Pacific. Register on the enroll page to get the link.
FAQ
Can a bookkeeper do my taxes?
Some bookkeepers also prepare taxes, but that is a separate skill. Ask any professional about their qualifications before hiring them for tax work.
Do I need to know accounting to take the QuickBooks class?
No. The class starts with company setup and walks through everyday bookkeeping tasks step by step.
Is the class taught online or in person?
Both. Join live online from anywhere in the U.S. or in person at our downtown San Bernardino location.
Questions? Call or text (909) 454-7076.