This is the first course in a series of four that will give you the skills needed to start your career in bookkeeping. If you have a passion for helping clients solve problems, this course is for you. In this course, you will be introduced to the role of a bookkeeper and learn what bookkeeping professionals do every day. You will dive into the accounting concepts and terms that will provide the foundation for the next three courses. You will learn how to work your way through the accounting cycle and be able to read and produce key financial statements.

Bookkeeping basics
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Bookkeeping basics
This course is part of Intuit Academy Bookkeeping Professional Certificate

Instructor: Intuit Academy Team
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What you'll learn
Define accounting and the concepts of accounting measurement.
Explain the role of a bookkeeper and common bookkeeping tasks and responsibilities.
Summarize the double entry accounting method.
Explain the ethical and social responsibilities of bookkeepers in ensuring the integrity of financial information.
Skills you'll gain
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There are 8 modules in this course
This module introduces the fundamental role and responsibilities of a bookkeeper, emphasizing the importance of accuracy, ethical conduct, and professionalism. You will explore how bookkeeping supports business success through financial tracking and integrity.
What's included
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This module introduces the foundations of accounting, focusing on the accounting equation, categorization of financial transactions, and core accounting principles. You will explore how assets, liabilities, and equity interconnect on financial statements and apply key assumptions and principles to ensure accuracy and integrity in bookkeeping.
What's included
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This module explores the six-step accounting cycle—the process of collecting, recording, adjusting, and reporting financial data to produce accurate financial statements. You will also examine how accounting principles like periodicity, revenue recognition, and matching ensure consistency and accuracy in financial reporting.
What's included
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This module covers the first step of the accounting cycle—collecting and analyzing transactions. You will explore how to record transactions in a journal and understand how these entries connect to the chart of accounts and general ledger to maintain accurate financial records.
What's included
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This module focuses on recording and posting transactions, the second step of the accounting cycle. You will explore double-entry bookkeeping, reconciliation, and the use of different accounting methods—cash, accrual, and modified cash-basis—to ensure accuracy and consistency in financial reporting.
What's included
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This module explains how to prepare unadjusted and adjusted trial balances and make adjusting entries to ensure accurate financial reporting. You will apply the matching principle and accrual accounting concepts to align revenues and expenses within the correct accounting period.
What's included
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This module covers the final step of the accounting cycle—preparing financial statements. You will explore the purpose and structure of the four key financial statements: the income statement, balance sheet, statement of equity, and statement of cash flows, and how together they reveal a business’s overall financial health.
What's included
1 assignment1 plugin
This module reinforces the foundational principles of bookkeeping through practical application. You will review key accounting concepts—such as the accounting equation, double-entry method, and financial statements—by completing real-world bookkeeping scenarios.
What's included
1 assignment1 plugin
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Reviewed on Jun 11, 2022
The course was set up very well but, I would have just preferred to have some sort of workbook that allowed us practice with every aspect of documentation. Repetition makes me better.Thank you.
Reviewed on Oct 27, 2023
I have learned a great deal of basic bookkeeping in this course but have limited knowledge on how to actually perform all of the duties. This first course set a solid foundation to build upon.
Reviewed on May 28, 2022
I got stuck at the end. When adding all of the debits I had to choose the multiple choice that was closest rounding down. all of my ither answers were correct based off of my journal entry.
Frequently asked questions
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Certificate, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
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