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Understanding how bookkeeping works from the ground up is an excellent way to go if you want to boost your business smarts. After all, accounting is the language of business, and bookkeeping courses can teach you the skills you need to land a rewarding career.
Already understand the fundamentals but want to acquire advanced knowledge to make your job easier or position yourself for career advancement opportunities? There are several options to choose from.
Let Benzinga help you find a bookkeeping course that suits your needs, budget and busy lifestyle.
Quick Look: Bookkeeping Courses
Take a sneak peek at the top bookkeeping courses:
- Bookkeeping - Step by Step Mastery by Udemy
- Introduction to Bookkeeping by edX
- Accounting Foundations: Bookkeeping by LinkedIn Learning
- Intermediate Bookkeeping by edX
- Manual Bookkeeping by Udemy
- Basic Bookkeeping Hacks by Udemy
- Bookkeeping Basics #3: Quickbooks Fundamentals by Udemy
- How to Start a Bookkeeping Business! by Udemy
- Bookkeeping to Command a Senior Bookkeeping Position by Udemy
What Makes a Bookkeeping Course Great?
There are several bookkeeping courses out there - both free and with a fee - to choose from. But how do you know which are best? Keep these considerations in mind as you explore classes to find the best fit.
Led by Experienced Subject-Matter Expert
You want a course that’s facilitated by an accounting or finance expert with extensive industry experience. They should also weave real-life scenarios and experiences into the lessons to make them more relatable. Read reviews from both past and current students to learn more about the instructor's teaching style.
Starts with the Basics
The best bookkeeping courses start with or include a refresher on the basics to ensure you get the most from your online learning experience. This is particularly important for those new to accounting and students who haven’t taken a continuing education class in a while and are a bit rusty on the foundational elements.
Self-Paced
Avoid options that impose strict deadlines that don’t quite work with your busy schedule. Instead, only consider courses that allow you to work at your own pace and spend as much time you need on each segment until you fully grasp the material.
Our Top Picks
We’ve researched hundreds of options to compile the best bookkeeping courses. Our list features selections from edX, LinkedIn Learning and Udemy.
The courses are divided by skill level - beginner, intermediate students and advanced students. Each class also includes a description and price point, so it’s easy to choose the best fit for you.
Bookkeeping Courses for Beginners
New to accounting and bookkeeping and searching for foundational knowledge? These course selections are an excellent place to start.
1. Bookkeeping - Step by Step Mastery by Udemy
Who it's for: Beginners
Price: On sale
Bookkeeping — Step by Step Mastery is a 7-module course that teaches both basic and advanced bookkeeping concepts. You will learn how to master manual and computer-based bookkeeping using accounting software.
A compiled list of the modules is listed below:
- Introduction
- Recording Purchases
- Recording Sales
- Handling Cash and Bank
- Journals and Nominal Ledger
- Reports and Accounts
- Bonus Lecture
Instructor Jafar Iqbal, a chartered accountant and business adviser, touches on several core topics, including the basics of debits and credits, how to make entries into sales ledgers and the mechanics of reconciliation. Iqbal also teaches you how to produce year-end balance sheets and profit and loss statements.
You’ll have instant access to 28 lectures and 10 downloadable resources. Enroll today for a price that’s too good to pass up.
2. Introduction to Bookkeeping by edX
Who it's for: Beginners
Price: Free
Want to enhance your business smarts? This course is ideal because it covers the basics in a way that’s easy to understand, even if you have no prior accounting knowledge.
You’ll learn how double-entry bookkeeping works, examine payroll and ledger accounts and the process used to reconcile accounts.
Here’s a sneak peek at the syllabus:
- Types of business transactions and documentation
- Duality of transactions and the double-entry system
- Banking process and transactions
- Payroll
- Ledger accounts
- Sales and purchase credit transactions
- Reconciliations
- The trial balance
This course is led by Josie Adams, senior lecturer, and Linsey Taylor, senior tutor, both with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Enrollment is free, and you can complete the course in 6 weeks at a pace of 4 to 5 hours per week.
3. Accounting Foundations: Bookkeeping by LinkedIn Learning
Who it's for: Beginners
Price: Included with the monthly membership
Learn the foundational elements of bookkeeping in this popular class designed for beginners. The course includes 5 modules condensed into 1.5 hours of video content.
Take a look at what you can expect to learn in each section:
- Introduction
- Review of the Financial Statements
- Four Steps in the Bookkeeping Process
- How Transactions Affect the Accounting Equation
- The General Ledger
- Illustration of the First Three Steps in the Accounting Cycle
- Conclusion
Accounting professors, Kay and Jim Stice, begin with a primer on financial statements, followed by an overview of 4 integral steps in the bookkeeping process. The second half of the course focuses on financial transactions, the general ledger and the first 3 steps in the accounting cycle.
Successful completion of the course earns you a certification of completion from LinkedIn Learning. And if you score 70% or higher on the final exam, you’ll also receive 2.9 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits.
Enrollment is included with a $29.99 per month LinkedIn membership. Or you can grab a seat for free by signing up for a 1-month trial membership.
Intermediate Bookkeeping Courses
If you have bookkeeping experience, you may find these intermediate courses useful.
4. Intermediate Bookkeeping by edX
Who it's for: Intermediate students
Price: Free
Do you have a basic understanding of accounting and want to expand your skillset? This course helps you build on prior knowledge by equipping you with the skills you need to become a professional bookkeeper or accounting administrator.
Instructors Rachel Banfield and Josie Adams will also walk you through the process of preparing financial statements. You should be able to pass the Maintaining Financial Records exam (FA2) after you take the course.
Enrollment for this 6-week course is free when you register for an edX account. First, complete the Introduction to Bookkeeping course from ACCA.
5. Manual Bookkeeping by Udemy
Who it's for: Intermediate students
Price: On sale
Just $24.99 gets you a seat at the Manual Bookkeeping course from expert Lisa Newton. She is a fellow member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), an entrepreneur and an author.
This Udemy course includes 3 modules:
- Manual Ledgers
- Balance Sheet and VAT Reporting
- Next Steps
You will have instant access to 2.5 hours of video and 3 downloadable resources to help you comprehend and work through the material when you sign up on Udemy.
It’s a good idea to have a working knowledge of double-entry bookkeeping before you enroll.
6. Basic Bookkeeping Hacks by Udemy
Who it's for: Intermediate students
Price: On sale
Basic Bookkeeping Hacks is intended for small and medium businesses. It explores ways to make your bookkeeping tasks easier. This intermediate course also dives into bookkeeping ethics and rules, business structures, basic terminology, account concepts and principles, and so much more.
Co-facilitators Scott Paton, Dwayne Richards and Scott Alex divide the lessons into these modules:
- Introduction
- Bookkeeping vs. Accounting
- Accounting Equation: Assets - Liabilities = Owner’s Equity
- Types of Statements
- Bookkeeping Secrets Revealed
- Sample Transactions
- Wrap Up
- Canadian Bonus Strategy
Register today for full lifetime access to 1.5 hours of on-demand video, 2 articles and 2 downloadable resources.
Advanced Bookkeeping Courses
Seasoned bookkeepers, accountants and financial analysts can take these courses to enhance their bookkeeping skills.
7. Bookkeeping Basics #3: Quickbooks Fundamentals by Udemy
Who it's for: Advanced students
Price: On sale
Do you use QuickBooks in your current position or for your business? If you want to master those complicated income, expense and banking transactions using the software, this course is for you.
Led by college instructor and small business coach Ron Trucks, Bookkeeping Basics #3: Quickbooks Fundamentals includes segments on the following pertinent topics:
- Introduction
- Working with QB
- Banking
- Sales
- Expenses
- Reconciling
- Reports
- The “Additional Stuff”
- So Now What…?
Instruction is delivered through 5 hours of on-demand video, 6 articles and 146 downloadable resources. You will also receive a certificate of completion when you reach the finish line.
Have a basic understanding of core bookkeeping principles, like revenue and expenses, before you enroll.
8. How to Start a Bookkeeping Business! by Udemy
Who it's for: Advanced students
Price: On sale
Are you interested in learning how to build a lucrative bookkeeping business from the ground up? How to Start a Bookkeeping Business! is the perfect course for you. It features 2 hours of on-demand video and 6 downloadable resources that will get your bookkeeping business up and running without all the hassle.
This highly-rated class consists of these modules:
- Getting Started
- Business Formation
- Hardware and Software
- Training
- Marketing
- Advertising
- First Client Meeting
- Let’s Talk Money
- Deliverable
- It’s a Wrap
Instructor Brett Philips is a certified public accountant and experienced entrepreneur.
9. Bookkeeping to Command a Senior Bookkeeping Position by Udemy
Who it's for: Advanced students
Price: On sale
If you already work as a bookkeeper and are actively seeking more advanced roles, this course will show you how to impress your current or potential employers.
Bookkeeping to Command a Senior Bookkeeping Position includes 58 in-depth lectures on the following:
- Understanding the Bookkeeping Process
- Bookkeeping Basics
- Processing Entries
- Introduction to Balancing General Ledger Accounts
- Using Software to Process Transactions
- Advanced Bookkeeping
When you register today, you will unlock a vault of valuable resources. This includes several on-demand videos and downloadable resources to prepare you for a career as a senior-level or full charge bookkeeper.
Choose the Right Bookkeeping Course for You
Don’t spend another minute agonizing over which bookkeeping course to take. Pick from one of our vetted options and get to work right away.
Start with a beginner course if you want an accounting career and work your way up to more advanced options. Once you’re able to understand and apply the concepts learned in the classes, you’ll be much more marketable in the field.
However, if you own a business and want to master bookkeeping to keep your company’s financials in order, an online bookkeeping course is a low-cost, efficient way to acquire the skills you need. While you’re at it, give your business the best chance at success by making your household finances a priority. Take a look at the best personal finance courses to help you get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the elements of an excellent bookkeeping course?
A great course is self-paced; it covers the basics and is taught by industry-leading experts.
What are the best bookkeeping courses for beginners?
Benzinga recommends Introduction to Bookkeeping by edX, Accounting Foundations from LinkedIn Learning and Bookkeeping by Udemy.
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