Bookkeeping Resources: 68 Courses, Tools, Sites, and More!

Bookkeeping is challenging because every business has its own unique needs. Whether you’re working from home or in an office, one of the biggest hurdles of bookkeeping is finding the support or resource you need to help you overcome the obstacle you have just run across while doing your books.

Here, we have put together the “best of everything bookkeeping” to help save you some time. From bookkeeping resources for beginners to more advanced topics for seasoned pros. Bookmark this article, so you no longer have to spend hours searching the web for bookkeeping resources while you’re in the middle of doing your books.

Best books on bookkeeping

There is a large assortment of accounting books on the market. Some are purely text-based, and some feature more of a workbook format. Ideally, it’s good to have a mix of the two so that you can actively practice the concepts.

1. Accounting QuickStart Guide: The Simplified Beginner’s Guide to Financial & Managerial Accounting For Students, Business Owners and Finance Professionals by Josh Bauerle, CPA

This book reaches a large audience from accounting students to small business owners and finance for personal and professionals. You’ll learn the fundamental principles of financial and managerial accounting, along with controlling cash flow, and increasing your profits through basic bookkeeping examples and relevant, real-world examples.

2. Accounting Made Simple: Accounting Explained in 100 Pages or Less by Mike Piper, CPA

This is a very intuitive and comprehensive accounting book that covers the accounting equation, generating financial statements, calculating financial ratios, depreciation & amortization expenses, cost of goods sold, inventory, and cash method vs. accrual method.

3. The Accounting Game: Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting by Darrell Mullis and Judith Orloff

This book will take you back to your childhood days. The bookkeeping examples included in this book make accounting seem less intimidating by simplifying the accounting principles and equating them to running a lemonade stand.

4. Accounting for Non-Accountants: Financial Accounting Made Simple for Beginners by Wayne Label

Looking for a resource that lends itself to bookkeeping for beginners? This is a great book for those who don’t have any accounting experience whatsoever. It covers financial statements, cash flow, cash receipt journals, budgets, ratios, and audits.

5. Accounting for Small Business Owners by Tycho Press

This is a great book for teaching basic accounting to those who are looking to start their own small business. It covers setting up & running a business, managing & selling products & services, and generating month-end financial statements.

Best bookkeeping blogs

There are a number of valuable bookkeeping and accounting blogs online that will provide answers to your bookkeeping questions, teach you basic and complex accounting principles, and keep you up-to-date on bookkeeping and accounting topics.

6. Accounting Coach

Accounting Coach is not your typical blog. Harold Averkamp has created his blog around a comprehensive curriculum based on accounting concepts and tutorials.

7. 5minutebookkeeping.com

Veronica Wasek simplifies complex accounting concepts and offers bookkeeping tips in her short and succinct blogs. Each blog also includes a video tutorial. Here, you can learn just about anything in 5 minutes or less.

8. Dancing Accountant

Nancy McClelland is known as “The Dancing Accountant.” Her blogs cover taxes, accounting, and bookkeeping tips and resources.

9. Bookkeepers.com

Ben Robinson’s blogs cover topics such as sales, marketing, pricing, and basic bookkeeping skills. Bookkeepers.com is a great blog for anyone who is starting a small business.

10. Accounting Department.com

Various bloggers contribute to Accounting Department.com. Topics include bookkeeping workflow procedures, billing, job costing, identifying discrepancies, and the treatment of certain transactions.

Best bookkeeping paid courses

Many companies offer online bookkeeping courses to prepare you for a career in finance. They will teach you everything you need to know to become a professional bookkeeper and some even offer certification upon the completion of the course.

11. NACPB Online Bookkeeping Classes

NACPB is a very structured bookkeeping course that lasts 13 weeks with one session a week. The course consists of video lectures, bookkeeping basics worksheets, quizzes, and textbook lessons.

12. U.S. Career Institute

The U.S. Career Institute is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission and offers personalized coaching. This course covers subjects such as tax accounting, economics, business law, small business management, and accounting principles.

13. Udemy

Udemy offers a variety of detailed bookkeeping classes taught by experienced instructors. The courses typically consist of videos divided into different sections. There’s also a mobile app available.

14. Skillshare

Skillshare offers a wide selection of bookkeeping courses that are highly rated. They offer a basic course on bookkeeping, along with a class on starting a bookkeeping business, bookkeeping for small businesses, and courses using specific accounting tools.

15. Penn Foster Bookkeeping Course Review

Penn Foster’s bookkeeping course is an online self-study course. The course consists of text-based material, video lectures, and different support options from instructors and other students.

Best free bookkeeping courses

Just because a course is free doesn’t mean it’s lacking in value or quality. There are plenty of free bookkeeping courses offered online that will help you kickstart a career in bookkeeping.

You might also like: Virtual Bookkeeping Jobs: The Total Guide

16. AccountingCoach

AccountingCoach offers courses that are self-paced on bookkeeping fundamentals. The free version provides text-based material and quizzes at the end of each section. Even though they offer free courses, they also have two paid options as well. This is a great option for how to learn bookkeeping for free.

17. OpenLearn University

OpenLearn University focuses on double-entry bookkeeping and generating financial statements. It’s a self-paced course, but there is no access to an instructor. Along with the fundamental bookkeeping course, they also offer instruction in business accounting, risk management, and liquidity management.

18. edX

edX offers self-paced courses through the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. Their courses include introductory bookkeeping, intermediate bookkeeping, and management accounting.

19. Alison

Alison offers a large selection of free bookkeeping courses. These include business accounting, payroll, and double-entry bookkeeping. The courses focus on recording business transactions, classifying transactions, and analyzing business performance. 

20. Oxford Home Study Centre

The Oxford Home Study Centre offers self-paced courses covering topics such as payroll, inventory, journals, assets, liabilities, equity, and the different accounting methods.

Best bookkeeping YouTube channels

If you’re a visual learner, YouTube is a great resource for accounting lessons and lectures. The following channels offer the best in educational videos and instructors.

21. Farhat’s Accounting Lectures

This channel takes complex accounting concepts and breaks them down so that they’re easily understood. Some of the topics covered include profitability ratios, consolidation accounting, audits, accounts payable, payroll taxes, and business law.

22. CPA Strength

This channel is from the perspective of a CPA who had a tough time with accounting when he started out. In his channel, he tries to make it easier for those pursuing a financial career by simplifying the more complex principles of accounting.

23. Accounting Stuff

Accounting Stuff also lays a solid foundation of basic accounting principles for more advanced study. This is a great channel for those new to accounting since they break down the most basic accounting concepts.

24. Else Grech Accounting

This channel is a little more technical and offers a more in-depth approach to accounting. Else Grech covers topics such as ethics in managerial accounting, activity-based costing, preferred share dividends, and materiality.

25. Bench Accounting

The Bench Accounting channel hosts a weekly Q&A series where individuals get to ask a tax advisor their tax questions. Other popular videos include guides on bookkeeping and accounting topics, as well as other helpful knowledge for small business owners.

Best bookkeeping podcasts

Podcasts have risen in popularity over the last several years. Bookkeeping podcasts are no exception. Here are some of the “best of the best” to listen to.

26. Cloud Accounting Podcast

The Cloud Accounting Podcast is one of the most popular among bookkeeping and accounting professionals. Hosted by Blake Oliver and David Leary, the focus is mainly on progressive bookkeeping, such as the latest trends and the future of the bookkeeping profession.

Additionally, it serves as a valuable accounting podcast for accounting professionals, business owners, and anyone interested in staying up-to-date with the latest cloud accounting technology.

27. The Successful Bookkeeper

This podcast focuses on how to build your business and career as a business owner and as a successful bookkeeper. Hosted by Michael Palmer, his podcast offers listeners plenty of encouragement and secrets to success.

28. Earmark Podcast

Earmark Podcast is a relatively new channel hosted by Blake Oliver. This is a good continuing ed channel for accounting professionals where you can even earn CPE credit.

29. I Love Bookkeeping

This podcast consists of a community of bookkeeping professionals who offer their advice on accounting and bookkeeping in the small business arena. This is a great podcast for those who are already in the business or those just looking to start out.

30. Lydia G. Miller, MBA

While outsourcing your bookkeeping is perfectly acceptable in the accounting industry, it’s also important to have a good grasp of it from a small business owner’s perspective. Lydia G. Miller covers DIY accounting, bookkeeping and outsourcing.

Best bookkeeping forums

If it takes a village to raise a child, then it’s fair to say it takes a community to support an accountant or bookkeeper. Online forums are a valuable resource for those bookkeepers looking to bounce ideas off of each other and to gain some expertise.

31. Reddit Accounting

Reddit Accounting is a great resource for discussing obstacles that you run up against as a bookkeeper. This forum covers anything from informal bookkeeping chats to professional learning topics.

32. Accountant Forums

Accountant Forums is a great place to go to find the answers to technical bookkeeping questions. The site is divided up between conversations about accounting and conversations about taxes.

33. AccountingWeb

AccountingWeb is set up with a somewhat different format than most forums. Bookkeepers and accountants can submit their own post and watch it play out in real time with other CPAs discussing the post in the comment section.

34. Proformative

Proformative is a popular forum for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals to discuss financial topics such as cash management, technology, and more. They also offer live CPE accredited webinars.

35. Intuit ProConnect

Intuit ProConnect started out as a support group for Intuit products but has expanded into a great resource for small business accounting and bookkeeping questions in general.

Best free websites on bookkeeping topics

While there are a lot of articles online dealing with accounting and bookkeeping topics, not all of them are free. Here are some free articles that provide insight into bookkeeping, accounting, and how to run a successful small business.

36. Accounting Today

Accounting Today is a trade magazine that has been around for many years. A paid subscription is necessary for full access to the magazine, but the free account allows you to read most of the financial articles.

37. 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy

360 Degrees of Financial Literacy is published by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. This free bookkeeping resource is geared toward the general public, but it also covers a lot of topics useful for bookkeepers and accountants with its general articles on money management.

38. Insightful Accountant

Insightful Accountant is geared for bookkeepers and accountants and provides the latest updates in software, has a “Niche Market” section for industry-specific bookkeeping, and an education hub on its website. Their digital magazine is free.

39. Journal of Accountancy

Journal of Accountancy has a lot of free and valuable articles on its website on accounting and bookkeeping. It is an affiliate of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

40. The CPA Journal

The CPA Journal is more of a technical publication that caters to accountants or anyone in a financial profession. It is highly respected and recognized internationally. It covers various financial topics relevant to small businesses.

Best bookkeeping tools

Our bookkeeping resources list would not be complete without listing tools that will make your life as a bookkeeper much easier. Because the right bookkeeping tools can lend themselves to a more efficient process.

41. Shoeboxed

Shoeboxed is a receipt and expense tracking app that will save you lots of time, money, and frustration. It will help you maximize your tax deductions and get reimbursed quickly. The app scans your receipts, organizes the receipts, and creates expense reports. You can also send your receipts in a prepaid Magic Envelope to effortlessly digitize years of receipts in one go.

42. QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks offers plenty of accounting tools all in one package. The software includes dashboards with financial data, customizable financial reports, an online payment processor, and an invoice generator.

43. Gusto

Gusto is a payroll accounting tool that comes with lots of extra features. Along with the standard payroll features, you can enroll in health benefit plans, manage human resources, and manage retirement plans.

44. TSheets

If you’re looking for one of the best time-tracking tools out there, then TSheets is everything you will need and more. Timesheets can be tracked from anywhere at any time, and it integrates with QuickBooks Online or Xero.

45. Expensify

Similar to other softwares such as Shoeboxed and Concur, Expensify automates the process of recording expenses. Expensify will take a snapshot of your receipt, categorize it as a business expense, code the expense, and automatically report the expense. It also features a rapid automatic reimbursement system.

See also: Shoeboxed vs. Expensify: Which One Is for You?

Best bookkeeping guides for various industries

Various industries have particular guidelines that must be followed. For instance, church bookkeeping or non-profit bookkeeping both have a different focus than bookkeeping for an LLC.

Here are guides that outline the best practices for bookkeeping in various industries.

46. Bookkeeping for Entrepreneurs: A Step-by-Step Guide

This article discusses the best practices for bookkeeping for entrepreneurs. It begins by noting that bookkeeping is the foundation of any successful business and outlines several tips for keeping accurate and organized records. These include regularly entering transactions, tracking all expenses, and taking advantage of accounting software. The article also discusses how to handle tax returns, how to easily categorize expenses, and how to reconcile accounts.

47. Construction Bookkeeping: 8 Top Tips for Contractors

Learn how construction bookkeeping differs from bookkeeping in other industries. And master tips and best practices on how to manage construction projects without going in the red.

48. Bookkeeping for Rental Properties: 9 Best Practices to Implement Today

Rental property accounting and bookkeeping is essential for tracking investments, comparing profitability, analyzing income and expenses, reducing expenses, creating financial statements, and ensuring timely payments. It will also assist with completing tax returns. Learn about all these aspects in this guide.

49. The Essential Guide to Bookkeeping for Truckers

For truckers who are always on the road, staying organized with their financial records can be difficult. Documenting transactions and not losing receipts can be challenging, but it is essential for running a successful trucking business. This guide provides tips to simplify the bookkeeping process, giving owners-operators the information they need to track their performance and be prepared for tax time.

50. Bookkeeping for Nonprofits: Best Practices, Tips, Resources, FAQs

The goal of bookkeeping for nonprofits is to ensure funds are being spent properly in order to maintain tax-exempt status with the IRS. Understanding the statements required and following best practices for nonprofit accounting can help maintain financial health.

51. Bookkeeping for Freelancers: 5 Proven Best Practices

Freelancing requires managing one’s own finances and filing taxes, which can seem daunting but is made easier with certain strategies and accounting software. This article provides guidance on the best practices, software, and considerations for freelancers in their self-accounting endeavors.

52. Bookkeeping for a Restaurant: All Your Questions Answered

Running a successful restaurant requires more than a passion for food. It includes setting up books, tracking finances, restaurant budgeting, financial reporting and best practices for restaurant accounting. With the right knowledge, even those without a passion for numbers can enjoy their passion for food and hospitality.

53. Bookkeeping for Real Estate Agents: All Your Questions Answered

This article covers the unique aspects of bookkeeping for real estate agents and the accounting method and practices that will best suit their needs.

54. Bookkeeping for LLC: Best Practices and FAQs

Starting a business can be a daunting task, but the rewards can be great. Forming a business as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a popular choice for small business owners as it limits their personal liability, keeps them in line with regulations, and provides simple bookkeeping and tax payment options. In this article we discuss why LLCs are beneficial, how to set up bookkeeping, and how taxes are handled.

55. Bookkeeping for Churches: Best Practices, Tips, Resources, FAQs

Churches have unique accounting needs that require an understanding of how a church operates and basic accounting knowledge to maintain an efficient system. Church accounting is different from other organization’s finances, and best practices and church accounting software solutions should be considered when setting up the system.

56. Bookkeeping for Startups: Best Practices, Steps, FAQs

A proper accounting system is essential to record and organize financial information, and can act as the foundation for a successful startup.

57. Bookkeeping for A Law Firm: Best Practices, FAQs

Law firm accounting is more complex than regular business accounting, with added components such as trust funds. Read this guide on the essential elements to understand if you are bookkeeping for a law firm.

58. Cannabis Bookkeeping: Fundamentals & Best Practices

To ensure their books and inventory are kept accurate and organized, cannabis jobs and companies must adhere to best practices when it comes to bookkeeping.

Learn fundamentals and best practices to follow in this guide.

59. Bookkeeping for Franchises: Best Practices and FAQs

When franchising, it is important to have a specialized bookkeeping system in place to ensure success and keep up with any changes in regulations. This guide dives into bookkeeping and accounting aspects that franchisees should be aware of.

60. Bookkeeping for Independent Contractors: Guide and FAQs

This guide explains the responsibilities of an independent contractor, demonstrates the significance of keeping accurate financial records each month for independent contractors, and illustrates how independent contractors manage their bookkeeping and tax obligations.

Best bookkeeping articles for beginners

61. 18 Bookkeeper Skills That Create Loyal Clients

Bookkeeping involves recording financial transactions, tracking income and expenses, and preparing financial reports. Knowing how to keep accurate books is a critical part of knowing how to make sound financial decisions. This article explores the basics of bookkeeping and discusses the skills needed to be successful.

62. 10 Common Bookkeeping Mistakes as Explained by a Bookkeeper

Errors in bookkeeping can be costly and time-consuming for both yourself and your business. To prevent aggravation, you should be aware of the most frequent bookkeeping blunders, so they can be avoided. These mistakes usually stem from not devoting adequate time to bookkeeping and making erroneous assumptions concerning procedures and transactions. Allocating adequate time and gaining knowledge will help ensure your business’s success. This article covers the most common bookkeeping errors that small businesses make.

63. Virtual Bookkeeping Jobs: The Total Guide

This article examines the advantages and steps needed to pursue a career in virtual bookkeeping. We discuss the tasks regularly carried out, qualifications needed, and the benefits of the job.

64. Types of Bookkeeping: Single Entry vs. Double Entry

A concise explanation of the 2 types of bookkeeping businesses use.

65. How to Get Clients As a Bookkeeper: 5 Steps & Tips

If you’re a beginner who is just starting out, this is a handy guide to building your pool of loyal customers, even if you don’t have any experience.

66. 61 Bookkeeping Terms Explained for Beginners

To help you get to grips with basic bookkeeping terms, we’ve created a glossary of essential financial terms and their meanings.

67. Bookkeeping Job Description 101: Everything You Ought to Know

What’s in a bookkeeping job description? What skills will you need to show that you have? What compensation can you expect? We cover all the essentials.

68. Monthly Bookkeeping Checklist: An Easy Guide

A handy checklist to help yourself not forget all the monthly tasks in order to keep your financial statements in order.

Frequently asked questions on bookkeeping resources

In closing

There are so many valuable bookkeeping resources out there if you just know where to look. Hopefully, this list will save you the trouble of having to spend a lot of time looking for just the right resource.

Caryl Ramsey has years of experience assisting in different aspects of bookkeeping, taxes, and customer service. She uses a variety of accounting software for setting up client information, reconciling accounts, coding expenses, running financial reports, and preparing tax returns. She is also experienced in setting up corporations with the State Corporation Commission and the IRS.

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