QuickBooks for Accountants: Getting Started Guide

QuickBooks in the UK Accounting Market

QuickBooks Online is one of the most widely used cloud accounting platforms globally and has a significant presence in the UK market alongside Xero and Sage. For accountants in practice, familiarity with QuickBooks is increasingly important as clients use a variety of platforms — being able to work fluently across different systems is a competitive advantage.

Key Features for Accountants

QuickBooks Accountant: A free version of QuickBooks available to accounting firms that allows access to all client QuickBooks files from a single dashboard, with tools for journal entries, reclassification, and year-end adjustments. Bank feeds: Automatic transaction import from connected bank accounts, reducing manual data entry. VAT returns: MTD-compliant VAT return preparation and submission directly to HMRC. Reporting: Profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow statement, aged debtors, and aged creditors reports, all customisable. Payroll: Integrated payroll processing available through QuickBooks Payroll.

QuickBooks Online Plans

QuickBooks Online is available in Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced tiers. Simple Start suits sole traders. Essentials adds multi-user access and bill management. Plus adds inventory and project tracking. Advanced adds custom reporting and dedicated account management. Pricing starts from approximately 10-14 per month for Simple Start rising to 38+ for Advanced, with frequent promotional discounts.

QuickBooks vs Xero for Accountants

Both platforms are capable but have different strengths. Xero is generally considered to have a cleaner interface and stronger third-party app ecosystem. QuickBooks has stronger built-in payroll and is dominant in the US market, making it the preferred choice for clients with US operations. Both support Making Tax Digital. Many UK accountancy practices support both, giving clients the choice.

Getting Certified

QuickBooks offers a free ProAdvisor certification that demonstrates competence with the platform. Certified ProAdvisors appear in QuickBooks' directory, which can generate client referrals for practices. The certification is online and typically takes 3-6 hours to complete. For ACCA members in practice, QuickBooks certification is a practical addition to the technical qualification.