How to Use QuickBooks: Beginner Tutorial in 2025

Is keeping track of your business money making your head spin?

Do you wish there was an easier way to see where your cash is coming from and going?

You’re not alone…

There’s a tool called QuickBooks that can be a real helper.

This guide will show you the simple steps to get started with QuickBooks.

We’ll take it slow and make it easy to understand, so you can feel confident managing your business money.

Getting Started with QuickBooks

Imagine you have a lemonade stand.

You need to know how much money you make selling lemonade and how much you spend on lemons and sugar, right?

Well, QuickBooks is kind of like that, but for a wide range of small businesses.

It helps you keep track of your money stuff on a computer.

What is QuickBooks?

QuickBooks is like a special computer program for small businesses.

It helps you keep track of all the money coming in and going out. 

Think of it as your business’s money notebook, but way better!

Different Kinds of QuickBooks

Just like there are different kinds of phones, there are different kinds of QuickBooks. Here are a few:

• QuickBooks Online: This one lives on the internet. You can see it from any computer or tablet.
• QuickBooks Desktop: This one you download and keep right on your computer.
• QuickBooks Self-Employed: This one is made for people who work for themselves.

Which QuickBooks is Right for You?

Which one should you pick?

It depends on what you need. If you want to check your money stuff anywhere, QuickBooks Online might be best.

If you only need it on one computer, QuickBooks Desktop could work.

If you are your boss, QuickBooks Self-Employed might be perfect.

What Can QuickBooks Do?

QuickBooks helps you do important things.

You can make a bill, called an invoice, to send to your customers.

If you have helpers, it can even help with payroll, which is paying them.

Important Things to Know

When you start using QuickBooks, there will be rules called terms and conditions.

Also, sometimes what QuickBooks can do or how much it costs might change.

Setting Up Your Business in QuickBooks

Putting in Your Business Info

First, you need to tell QuickBooks about your business.

This is like writing your name and address in your money notebook.

You’ll put in your business name and how to contact you. Make sure all the info is right!

Setting Up Your Money Categories

Next, you need to set up categories for your money.

Think of it like making labels for different piles of money.

You’ll have labels for money coming in and money going out. 

These labels are called your “chart of accounts.”

Connecting Your Bank and Credit Cards

You can also connect your bank accounts and credit cards to QuickBooks.

This is like having your bank automatically write down every time money goes in or out. 

It makes it much easier to see where your money is going!

Connecting Other Helpful Apps

Maybe you use other apps for your business, like selling things online. 

You can often connect these apps to QuickBooks. 

This helps everything work together smoothly.

Letting Your Team Help

If you have other people who help you with your business, you can let them use QuickBooks too.

But you can also set rules about what they can see and do.

This way, everyone can help without needing to see everything.

Working with Customers

Adding Your Customers

Think about the people who buy stuff from you.

These are your customers.

In QuickBooks, you can make a list of all your customers.

You’ll put in their names and how to get in touch with them.

This helps you keep track of who you sell to.

Making Bills for Customers

When a customer makes a purchase, you need to send them a bill. 

This bill is called an invoice.

QuickBooks helps you make nice-looking invoices. 

You can put what they bought, how much it costs, and when they need to pay.

Making Your Bills Look Good

You can even change how your invoices look.

You can add your business’s name and colors.

This makes your bills look professional.

Keeping Track of Payments

After you send a bill, QuickBooks helps you see if your customer has paid you.

If they haven’t paid, you can even send them a friendly reminder.

This helps you get your money faster.

Managing Vendors and Expenses

Adding People You Pay

Think about the people or companies you buy things from for your business.

These are your vendors.

You can make a list of them in QuickBooks, just like you did for your customers.

Keep their information handy so you know who to pay.

Entering Bills You Owe

When a vendor sends you a bill, you can put that bill into QuickBooks.

You write down how much you owe and when it’s due.

This helps you remember to pay on time and avoid late fees.

Paying Your Bills

When it’s time to pay a bill, you can record that in QuickBooks.

If you pay online, you can often connect QuickBooks to your bank to make it easier.

If you pay with a check or cash, you can write that down too.

Getting Money Back from Vendors

Sometimes, a vendor might owe you money back, such as when you return something.

QuickBooks helps you keep track of these credits and refunds.

This way, you make sure you get the money you’re owed.

Tracking Your Banking

Connecting Your Bank to QuickBooks

Imagine your bank keeps a list of all the money that goes in and out of your account.

You can connect this list to QuickBooks automatically!

It’s like your bank and QuickBooks talking to each other. 

This saves you from having to type in every single thing.

Checking Your Bank Stuff

Once your bank is connected, QuickBooks will display all your money moves.

You need to look at these and tell QuickBooks what each one was for.

For example, if you see money coming in, you might say it was from selling your product.

If you see money going out, you might say it was for buying supplies.

Matching Things Up

Sometimes, you might put something into QuickBooks yourself, like when you pay a bill.

When your bank info comes in, QuickBooks will try to match it up.

This helps make sure everything is correct.

Making Sure It All Matches

It’s a good idea to check your QuickBooks bank info with your actual bank statement.

This is called “reconciling.

It’s like making sure your count of your money matches what the bank says. 

Why is this important?

Because it helps you catch any mistakes!

Conclusion

So, that’s the basics of QuickBooks.

It might seem like a lot at first.

But take it slow. 

You will get the hang of it. Think of it like a new game.

There are rules to learn at the start.

But it gets easier as you play.

QuickBooks can really help your business.

You can see who owes you money.

You can see who you need to pay.

And you can see how your business is doing. This helps you make smart choices.

Frequently Asked Questions