Frazzled Student Bookkeeper!

[Kayla Larson]

Hi all!

My name is Kayla, I live in WI, and am currently going to school for my associates in accounting online. I should graduate by the end of the year. In preparation of that I decided to look for an introductory accounting position. I found a position, which I thought was suitable and was hired. Boy! Did I get a big surprise! I think what my boss really wanted was an experienced accountant. So now I am trying to figure out not only Quickbooks, but how to manage the accounts for an entire, albeit small business. Work is frazzling, but I thought my boss would be knowledgeable enough to help me. I was also wrong there too! To be honest I have no hands on accounting experience, and neither does he. I'm terrified of ruining his accounts, and Quickbooks is frustrating! Any advice or suggestions would be so helpful!

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forum Kayla!

 

[Kayla Larson]

Welcome to the forum Kayla!

Thank you!

 

[kirby]

If you can afford to do so then it is time to bail out of this job. As a student your focus should be on your studies.

 

[Kayla Larson]

If you can afford to do so then it is time to bail out of this job. As a student your focus should be on your studies.

Hey Kirby,

Unfortunately, that is not an option financially, not to mention I only attend school part-time.

 

[Janofaus]

Lots of reading in your spare time as there is no fast tracking

 

[Ashe Skyler]

Here's a list to all the official Quickbooks tutorials: http://quickbooks.intuit.com/tutorials/all-quickbooks-tutorials/

Whenever I'm put in to an established system, I spend a lot of time poking around the previous entries to try and figure out how the last one ran things. Receipt categories and whatnot. If you have some spare time, perhaps you can read the other entries to give you an idea how to handle the confusing new ones?

 

[Kayla Larson]

Here's a list to all the official Quickbooks tutorials: http://quickbooks.intuit.com/tutorials/all-quickbooks-tutorials/

Whenever I'm put in to an established system, I spend a lot of time poking around the previous entries to try and figure out how the last one ran things. Receipt categories and whatnot. If you have some spare time, perhaps you can read the other entries to give you an idea how to handle the confusing new ones?

Thank you! I'll look into the tutorials! I did ask to look at the previous accounts, however my boss said it wasnt worth looking at since the program he was using stopped working and he lost a lot of data.

 

[Ashe Skyler]

Thank you! I'll look into the tutorials! I did ask to look at the previous accounts, however my boss said it wasnt worth looking at since the program he was using stopped working and he lost a lot of data.

Oh goodness... You certainly do have your hands full! My best advice is to just take it one step at a time and determine the best classification per receipt, which you're probably already doing.

Although I'm curious about the details of his old program. Depending on the reason it's not working, the save files could still be intact and perhaps pulled up on a different system such as an older version of Windows. (Assuming the logs were stored in subfolders on the hard drive and assuming you use a Windows operating system.) Similarly, if something is simply corrupted in the execution files and those logs are separate, you could scoot the logs to a safe folder, reinstall the program, and scoot the logs back in the right place. Windows Updates have been known to block programs. When I was in class for computer networking and administration, we were told to have a standalone test computer for that very reason if we got hired on to a big company.

The sad thing is, based on my own experience, you're getting a pretty well-rounded introduction to real-world bookkeeping. Your training shall be complete when you get a shoebox full of wadded-up receipts, cigar smoke, and insect exoskeletons.

 

[Kayla Larson]

Well from what I understand he did a purely online program called 1-800 accounts and did not maintain any back ups of the records. When the new year came they issued a whole new and improved program which failed miserably and lost the records on his accounts. When he contacted customer service for them to sort out what was going on the guy apologized for the data being lost but to me go to quickbooks. So he did but had to start from scratch...i mean i do. Lol! Wadded up reciepts check, cigar and insects yet to encounter! Only a matter of time! This is definitely a sink or swim job! As frustrating it is sort of a fun challenge if that makes sense!

 

[Ashe Skyler]

Those online records and services make me really nervous. For reasons just like that. I wish you the very best of luck rebuilding the paper empire. Which really is a lot more fun than it should be.

 

[Kayla Larson]

It is, actually. Next challenge is to get my boss to sit still long enough to pick his brain for the info I need.

 

[Ashe Skyler]

Duct tape. Buy lots of duct tape. And maybe a few dozen doughnuts to tempt him with so you don't have to resort to the tape as quickly.

 

[jwmca.com]

Kayla; You have been blessed with the best opportunity. It is the scenario I have built the foundation of my career on.

SINK OR SWIM

You may not be the smartest person, or have all the answers, but you have the opportunity to work the hardest. Work ten times harder then the average person works and your career will soar.

Feel free to pm me with any questions ill try my best to help. Time permitted.

 

[Kayla Larson]

Duct tape. Buy lots of duct tape. And maybe a few dozen doughnuts to tempt him with so you don't have to resort to the tape as quickly.

I was able to pin him and bug him about his checking account, he looked like he kept wanting to scurry off through most of it. But i got his check book reconciled! Wooo!!!

 

[Kayla Larson]

Kayla; You have been blessed with the best opportunity. It is the scenario I have built the foundation of my career on.

SINK OR SWIM

You may not be the smartest person, or have all the answers, but you have the opportunity to work the hardest. Work ten times harder then the average person works and your career will soar.

Feel free to pm me with any questions ill try my best to help. Time permitted.

Thank you! It was pretty stressful at first, but i think i got my stride. I do need help on charitable contributions. He has about a dozen goodwill donation tickets but none are marked with a difinitive amount. How would I go about accounting for that?