While school may end after we reach adulthood, we should never stop learning. Even user-friendly products like QuickBooks become vastly easier to use and profit from after some study. QuickBooks courses are one of the best investments you can make as a business owner. Ultimately, they allow your business to operate more efficiently. Choosing the right course, however, takes some thought. You must analyze your needs, your schedule, and your learning style.
Where Are the Gaps in Your Skills?
First and foremost, you need to assess your existing skill set. Perhaps you already use QuickBooks and need to freshen your skills. Alternatively, you might be looking for lessons before you even begin using the software. Either approach works, but they’ll have a major impact on what you choose to study and how you study it. Look at the features you currently use and make note of those you do not. Do you not use these major functions because you’re afraid of messing up important data? It’s possible that you you want a QuickBooks course to help you practice certain functions, just as much as you want to learn new skills. Maybe you’ve simply learned about advanced functions and shortcuts from other business owners and want to integrate them into your own workflow.
If you’re being honest with yourself, you should fall into multiple categories. Before you begin looking at available courses, however, make sure you make a short list of priorities. Be specific as possible. If you want to learn new features, name them. Do a little research to learn what secondary features you want to focus on as well. There are a lot of courses available, and in order to choose the best option, you have to know exactly what you’re looking for ahead of time.
Determine Your Scheduling Needs
As with any kind of study, your schedule will directly impact your results. Time is everything. To some extent, this principle ties in with some of the first questions we asked. For example, do you want to augment existing knowledge that you already use, or are you looking to learn everything in a set, short amount of time? If you already use QuickBooks, you’re probably too busy to sit down at prearranged times with an instructor. You may not even have time to meet deadlines for online courses.
Typically, the best programs are those that let you work at your own speed. If you’re in a rush, you can learn everything in a short amount of time. On the other hand, if your preexisting schedule keeps you on your toes, the same program allows you to take your time and study at random times. Such programs typically come as SAAS products, and you’ll pay a weekly, monthly, or yearly fee for access to materials and additional course features, such as certification tests.
Decide Whether You Need Support
Different QuickBooks courses offer varied bonuses for joining. These range from free access to certification tools to tech support to one-on-one tutoring. While time restrictions may play a role in whether or not you could even use these features, take a moment to consider your learning style. If you don’t absorb written data, particularly well, then having access to a certified instructor who can discuss a tricky feature with you could make a huge difference. These services increase retention and give your investment in the QuickBooks course a higher return.
Remember, paying for a QuickBooks course really is an investment. You must dedicate both time and money to improving your skills, and it’s critical to actually address the issues you listed before you chose the course. If you do not meet these goals, you probably haven’t made the best investment. Support from a course instructor or tutor serves as a kind of safety net for your investment. You may not need them in the long run, but the slight extra cost could prevent the loss of your greater investment.
Consider Where to Take QuickBooks Courses
QuickBooks is popular enough to have a range of course types and locations available. Colleges and universities often offer courses about QuickBooks as part of business and accounting degrees. Small business support groups may offer courses designed to improve skills. There are also online courses. Unless you are enrolled in a degree program, or you use local support groups to develop business connections, online courses offer the best value. QuickBooks courses online offer the most access and the most flexibility. You can also pay for what you need. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced professional, there is a course suited to your skill set.
When you choose between QuickBooks courses, always look for the greatest potential for return with the least interruption to your existing schedule. Find a course that offers what you need without demanding a higher time investment than you can reasonably meet. Look for support, and look for flexibility. While the individual content varies by user needs, these principles affect every QuickBooks student.
