Set Up a Bookkeeping System in QBO

Configure a complete QuickBooks Online bookkeeping system for a consulting firm.

Introduction

30 Second Summary

Every small business needs someone to set up and manage their books. Remote bookkeeping is one of the fastest-growing entry-level roles in accounting, and QuickBooks Online is the tool employers expect you to know.

In this project, you will set up a complete bookkeeping system from scratch for a fictional consulting firm called Apex Consulting LLC. You will configure the company, build a chart of accounts, record transactions, reconcile a bank account, and generate professional financial reports.

What You'll Build

A fully operational bookkeeping system in QuickBooks Online that demonstrates the exact proficiency remote bookkeeping employers test for: setup, transaction recording, reconciliation, and financial reporting.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

A configured company profile with a customized chart of accounts tailored for a consulting firm.
Sample transactions recorded including client invoices, vendor bills, and operating expenses using double-entry bookkeeping.
A reconciled bank account matching a provided statement, plus professional Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet reports.
Secret Mission: Perform a month-end close with adjusting entries and generate a Trial Balance.

Are there any prerequisites?

This project assumes a basic understanding of double-entry bookkeeping (debits and credits) and familiarity with accounting software concepts. You do not need prior experience with QuickBooks Online.

Set Up Your QuickBooks Online Account and Company Profile

Every bookkeeping engagement starts the same way: a client hands you their business details and says "set up my books." The first thing you configure is the accounting software itself.

In this step, you will create a QuickBooks Online account and configure the company profile for a fictional consulting firm called Apex Consulting LLC. This mirrors what you would do on day one of a remote bookkeeping role.

In this step, get ready to:

Sign up for a free 30-day QuickBooks Online trial.
Configure company details and accounting preferences for Apex Consulting LLC.
Verify your dashboard displays the correct company information.

Sign up for the QuickBooks Online free trial

QuickBooks Online offers a 30-day free trial on its Simple Start plan. This gives you full access to every feature you need for this project at no cost.

Open your web browser and navigate to the QuickBooks Online free trial page:
https://quickbooks.intuit.com/free-trial/
Select the free 30-day trial option on the page.
Create an Intuit account by entering your email address and setting a password.
Complete the initial onboarding questions when prompted.
When asked for your industry type, select Consulting.

What happens during onboarding?

QuickBooks Online asks a few questions about your business type and goals when you first sign up. These answers help QBO pre-configure some default settings and categories for you. You can always change them later.

If you see prompts about connecting a bank account or importing data, skip those for now. You will configure everything manually in this project to learn the underlying process.

Bookmark the free trial page

The trial lasts 30 days from signup. After that, the Simple Start plan costs $38/month. You will learn how to cancel before the trial ends in the Before You Go section.

Configure company settings for Apex Consulting LLC

Now that your account is active, you need to enter the business details that appear on invoices, reports, and tax forms. In QuickBooks Online, all company settings live under one central page.

Click the Settings gear icon (⚙) in the top navigation bar.
Select Account and settings.

You are now on the Account and settings page. Start with the Company tab.

Select the Company tab from the left menu.
Click the pencil icon (✎) next to the Company name section.
Enter Apex Consulting LLC as the company name.
Click Save.
Click the pencil icon (✎) next to Company type.
Select LLC as the company type.
For Industry, select Consulting.
Click Save.
Click the pencil icon (✎) next to the Address section.
Enter the company address: 500 Innovation Drive, Austin, TX 78701.
Click Save.
Click the pencil icon (✎) next to the Contact info section.
In the Company email field, enter accounting@apexconsulting.com.
In the Company phone field, enter (512) 555-0147.
Click Save, then click Done.

Next, configure the advanced accounting preferences.

Go back to Settings (gear icon) and select Account and settings again.
Select the Advanced tab from the left menu.
Click the pencil icon (✎) next to the Accounting section.
Set the first month of fiscal year to January.
Set the Accounting method to Accrual.
Click Save.
Click the pencil icon (✎) next to the Chart of accounts section.
Turn on Enable account numbers.
Click Save, then click Done.

Why accrual instead of cash?

The accrual method records revenue when it is earned and expenses when they are incurred, regardless of when cash changes hands. This gives a more accurate picture of a business's financial position at any point in time.

Most employers and QuickBooks proficiency tests expect you to understand accrual-basis bookkeeping. It demonstrates knowledge of revenue recognition and expense matching, which are core accounting principles.

Don't see the Advanced tab?

If the Advanced tab is not visible in your Account and settings page, try opening QuickBooks in a private or incognito browser window. This resolves browser cache issues that occasionally hide interface elements.

Help me find the Advanced tab in my QuickBooks settings.

Verify your dashboard and navigation

Before moving on, confirm that QuickBooks Online is properly configured and ready for transaction entry.

Click Dashboard in the left-hand navigation menu to return to the home page.
Confirm your company name (Apex Consulting LLC) appears at the top of the page.
Locate the main navigation items in the left sidebar: Dashboard, Banking, Sales, Expenses, and Reports.
If you see any guided setup prompts or tutorial pop-ups, dismiss them by clicking Not now or the close (X) button. You will configure everything manually in this project.

Why configure manually instead of using the guided setup?

QuickBooks Online offers a guided setup wizard that automates some configuration. In this project, you are doing each step manually because remote bookkeeping employers test whether you understand the underlying settings. Knowing where each preference lives and what it controls is what separates a proficient bookkeeper from someone who just followed a wizard.

Your QuickBooks Online account is fully configured. Next up, you will build a customized chart of accounts tailored specifically for Apex Consulting LLC's consulting business.

Build and Customize the Chart of Accounts

Your company profile is set up and ready to go. Now it's time to build the foundation of your bookkeeping system: the chart of accounts.

A chart of accounts is the complete list of categories your business uses to organize every financial transaction. Think of it like the filing system for all money flowing in and out of a business.

In this step, you will tailor the default chart of accounts to fit a consulting firm, add custom accounts with proper numbering, and set opening balances so the books start balanced from day one. Getting this right is the exact first task a remote bookkeeper handles when onboarding a new client.

In this step, get ready to:

Clean up the default chart of accounts by removing irrelevant accounts.
Add 13 custom accounts tailored for Apex Consulting LLC.
Enter opening balances that properly balance through the Opening Balance Equity account.

Review and clean up the default chart of accounts

QuickBooks Online created a set of default accounts when you selected Consulting as your industry. Some of these accounts are designed for product-based businesses and are irrelevant for a consulting firm.

Select All apps from the left navigation menu.
Select Accounting.
Select Chart of accounts.

You should see a list of accounts organized by type: Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Income, and Expenses.

What is a chart of accounts?

A chart of accounts is the backbone of any bookkeeping system. Every transaction you record gets assigned to one of these accounts, which is how financial reports like the Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet get generated automatically.

Account types from the top of the list down to Equity appear on the Balance Sheet. Account types from Income to Other Expenses appear on the Profit and Loss statement.

Now you will make irrelevant accounts inactive. A consulting firm does not sell physical products, so accounts like Inventory Asset and Cost of Goods Sold are unnecessary.

Find any product-related accounts (e.g., Inventory Asset, Cost of Goods Sold).
For each one, click the dropdown arrow in the Action column on the right side of the row.
Select Make inactive.
Click Yes to confirm.

Why make inactive instead of delete?

QuickBooks Online does not allow you to delete most default accounts. Making them inactive hides them from your working list without losing any historical data. This is standard practice in professional bookkeeping.

Can't make an account inactive?

Some default accounts are protected and cannot be deactivated. If you see an error, skip that account and move on. The important thing is that product-specific accounts are hidden from your everyday workflow.

Why can't I make this account inactive in QuickBooks Online?

Add custom accounts for Apex Consulting LLC

Now you will build the accounts that Apex Consulting actually needs. Each account gets a number for easy reference, a type that determines which financial report it feeds into, and a detail type that gives QuickBooks more context about the account's purpose.

Click New in the top-right area of the Chart of accounts page.

For each account below, fill in the Account type, Detail type, Name, and Number fields, then click Save. Repeat for all 13 accounts.

Bank accounts:

Number: 1010 | Name: Business Checking | Account type: Bank | Detail type: Checking.
Number: 1020 | Name: Business Savings | Account type: Bank | Detail type: Savings.

Receivable and payable accounts:

Number: 1200 | Name: Accounts Receivable | Account type: Accounts receivable | Detail type: Accounts Receivable.
Number: 2000 | Name: Accounts Payable | Account type: Accounts payable | Detail type: Accounts Payable.
Number: 2100 | Name: Credit Card Payable | Account type: Credit Card | Detail type: Credit Card.

Equity account:

Number: 3000 | Name: Owner's Equity | Account type: Equity | Detail type: Owner's Equity.

Income accounts:

Number: 4000 | Name: Consulting Revenue | Account type: Income | Detail type: Service/Fee Income.
Number: 4010 | Name: Training Revenue | Account type: Income | Detail type: Service/Fee Income.

Expense accounts:

Number: 5000 | Name: Rent Expense | Account type: Expenses | Detail type: Rent or Lease of Buildings.
Number: 5010 | Name: Software Subscriptions | Account type: Expenses | Detail type: Software and Web Subscriptions.
Number: 5020 | Name: Professional Development | Account type: Expenses | Detail type: Education and Training.
Number: 5030 | Name: Office Supplies | Account type: Expenses | Detail type: Office/General Administrative Expenses.
Number: 5040 | Name: Marketing | Account type: Expenses | Detail type: Advertising/Promotional.

Why do account numbers matter?

Account numbers provide a universal shorthand that any bookkeeper can read at a glance. The numbering convention groups accounts by type: 1000s for assets, 2000s for liabilities, 3000s for equity, 4000s for income, and 5000s for expenses.

Most employers expect you to work with numbered accounts. It is a standard skill tested in QuickBooks proficiency assessments.

Don't see the Number field?

If the Number field is missing from the new account form, account numbers may not be enabled. Go to the gear icon, select Account and settings, then Advanced, and toggle Enable account numbers on.

Help me find the account numbers setting in QuickBooks Online

After adding all 13 accounts, scroll through your Chart of accounts to confirm they all appear with their correct numbers and types.

Enter opening balances

Opening balances tell QuickBooks how much money was already in each account when the business started using the software. In double-entry bookkeeping, every debit must have a matching credit. When opening balances are entered correctly, the system stays in balance.

You will enter opening balances for three Balance Sheet accounts as of January 1, 2026.

In your Chart of accounts, find the Business Checking account (1010).
Click View register in the Action column for that account.
Look for a row labeled Opening Balance with Opening Balance Equity listed as the payee.
If no opening balance entry exists, click Add entry and enter the date 01/01/2026 with a deposit amount of $25,000.00.
Click Save.

Repeat the same process for these accounts:

Business Savings (1020): Opening balance of $10,000.00 as of 01/01/2026.
Owner's Equity (3000): Opening balance of $35,000.00 as of 01/01/2026.

Why does Owner's Equity equal the sum of both bank accounts?

The owner invested $35,000 total into the business: $25,000 into checking and $10,000 into savings. In double-entry bookkeeping, every dollar in the bank (an asset) must have a corresponding source. Here, the source is the owner's investment (equity).

Assets ($35,000) = Liabilities ($0) + Equity ($35,000). The accounting equation balances perfectly.

Now verify that everything is in balance.

Navigate back to your Chart of accounts (All apps > Accounting > Chart of accounts).
Find the Opening Balance Equity account in the list.
Verify it shows a balance of $0.00.

A $0.00 balance on Opening Balance Equity confirms that your debits and credits are perfectly balanced. This is the gold standard check that professional bookkeepers use after entering opening balances.

Opening Balance Equity is not $0.00?

A non-zero balance means your debits and credits are out of sync. Check that the Owner's Equity opening balance ($35,000) exactly equals the sum of Business Checking ($25,000) plus Business Savings ($10,000).

Also confirm all three entries use the same date (01/01/2026). If one amount is off, click into that account's register and edit the Opening Balance entry to correct it.

Help me figure out why my Opening Balance Equity isn't zero

Your chart of accounts is fully built and balanced. Next up, you will bring these accounts to life by recording real transactions: client invoices, vendor bills, and operating expenses.

Record Sample Transactions

Your chart of accounts is set up and your opening balances are in place. Now it is time to bring the books to life with real transactions.

Every bookkeeping system needs transactions flowing through it to be useful. In this step, you will record the three core transaction types that remote bookkeeping employers test for: invoices (money owed to you), bills (money you owe), and expense receipts (money already spent).

In this step, get ready to:

Create customers and invoices to track revenue.
Enter vendor bills and operating expenses.
Record a client payment and verify it hits the bank register.

Create customers and send invoices

Before you can invoice a client, QuickBooks Online needs a customer record on file. You will add two clients for Apex Consulting LLC, then create an invoice for each.

Invoices represent money your clients owe you. When you create one, QBO automatically increases your Accounts Receivable balance.

Select Sales from the left navigation menu.
Select Customers.
Select Add customer.
Enter the following details for your first customer:
Select Save.
Select Add customer again to create the second customer:
Select Save.

Both customers now appear in your Customers list. Next, you will create invoices for each of them.

Select the + New button in the top-left corner of QuickBooks.
Select Invoice.
In the customer field, select TechVision Inc..
Set the Invoice date to 01/15/2026.
Set Terms to Net 30.
In the product/service line item area, enter a description: Strategic Consulting - January.
Enter the amount: 5000.
Select Save and new to save this invoice and immediately start a new one.

What is Net 30?

In the Terms field, "Net" refers to the number of days a customer has to pay the invoice. Net 30 means the payment is due 30 days from the invoice date.

In the customer field, select GreenLeaf Partners.
Set the Invoice date to 01/20/2026.
Set Terms to Net 30.
In the product/service line item area, enter a description: Leadership Training Workshop.
Enter the amount: 3500.
Select Save and close.

You should now have two invoices: #1001 for $5,000.00 and #1002 for $3,500.00. You can verify them by going to Sales and checking the Invoices list.

Invoice numbers don't match?

QBO assigns invoice numbers sequentially. If your numbers differ from #1001 and #1002, that is fine. The important thing is that the amounts and customer names are correct.

If you do not see both invoices in the list, check that you selected Save and new (not just Save) on the first invoice.

Why aren't my invoices showing up in QuickBooks Online?

Enter bills and expenses

Bills represent money your business owes to vendors but has not paid yet. They increase your Accounts Payable balance. Expenses are purchases already paid from your bank account.

You will first add a vendor, then record one bill and two expenses for Apex Consulting.

Select Expenses from the left navigation menu.
Select Vendors.
Select Add vendor.
Enter the following details:
Select Save.

Now record the bill from CloudSoft Solutions.

Select the + New button.
Select Bill.
In the vendor field, select CloudSoft Solutions.
Set the Bill date to 01/10/2026.
Set the Due date to 02/10/2026.
In the category/account column, select Software Subscriptions (5010).
In the description field, enter Annual Software License.
Enter the amount: 1200.
Select Save and close.

What is the difference between a bill and an expense?

A bill records money you owe but have not paid yet. It sits in Accounts Payable until you pay it later. An expense records a purchase you already paid for directly from your bank account or credit card.

Using bills lets you track upcoming obligations and manage cash flow. This is the accrual accounting method in action.

Next, record two expenses that were paid directly from Business Checking.

Select the + New button.
Select Expense.
In the payee field, type Office Depot and select Add new when prompted.
Set the Payment date to 01/12/2026.
In the Payment account dropdown, select Business Checking (1010).
In the category column, select Office Supplies (5030).
Enter the description: Office supplies.
Enter the amount: 350.
Select Save and new.

In the payee field, type WeWork and select Add new when prompted.
Set the Payment date to 01/15/2026.
In the Payment account dropdown, select Business Checking (1010).
In the category column, select Rent Expense (5000).
Enter the description: January co-working space rent.
Enter the amount: 2000.
Select Save and close.

Don't see your account numbers in the category dropdown?

If your categories show names without numbers (e.g. just "Rent Expense" instead of "Rent Expense (5000)"), verify that account numbers are enabled. Go to Settings (gear icon), select Account and settings, then check the Advanced tab to confirm account numbers are toggled on.

Help me find where to enable account numbers in QuickBooks Online.

Record a payment received

TechVision Inc. has paid their invoice in full. Recording this payment moves the amount from Accounts Receivable into your Business Checking account.

Select the + New button.
Select Receive payment.
From the Customer dropdown, select TechVision Inc..
Set the Payment date to 01/28/2026.
In the Deposit to dropdown, select Business Checking (1010).
Enter the Amount received: 5000.
In the Outstanding Transactions section, check the box next to Invoice #1001.
Select Save and close.

What happens behind the scenes?

When you record this payment, QBO performs a double-entry transaction automatically. It debits Business Checking (increasing your cash) and credits Accounts Receivable (reducing what TechVision owes you). The invoice status changes from Open to Paid.

Verify the payment landed correctly by checking the invoice and the bank register.

Go to Sales, then select Invoices.
Confirm that Invoice #1001 (TechVision Inc.) now shows a status of Paid.
Return to your Chart of accounts (All apps, then Accounting, then Chart of accounts).
Find Business Checking (1010) and select View register.
Confirm the register shows the $5,000.00 deposit from TechVision Inc. alongside the $350.00 and $2,000.00 payments to Office Depot and WeWork.

Invoice still showing as Open?

If the invoice status did not change to Paid, go back to + New and select Receive payment. Make sure you selected TechVision Inc. as the customer and checked the box next to Invoice #1001 in the Outstanding Transactions section before saving.

Why is my invoice still showing as unpaid after recording a payment?

Your books now have real transactions flowing through them. Next up, you will reconcile the Business Checking account against a bank statement to prove the numbers are accurate.

Reconcile the Bank Account

Your transactions are recorded, but how do you know the books actually match reality? Bank reconciliation is the process of comparing your internal records against the bank's records to confirm every dollar is accounted for.

In this step, you will reconcile the Business Checking account against a provided bank statement for January 2026. This is the exact skill remote bookkeeping employers test for in interviews and proficiency assessments.

In this step, get ready to:

Review a sample bank statement and understand the reconciliation target.
Match each transaction to the bank statement until the difference reaches $0.00.
Complete the reconciliation and verify it in the reconciliation history.

Prepare for reconciliation

In a real bookkeeping job, you would connect your client's bank account to QuickBooks Online and transactions would download automatically. For this project, you will reconcile manually against a sample bank statement. The logic is identical.

Here is the January 2026 bank statement for Apex Consulting LLC's Business Checking account:

Statement period: 01/01/2026 - 01/31/2026
Beginning balance: $25,000.00
Deposits: $5,000.00 (01/28 - TechVision payment).
Withdrawals: $350.00 (01/12 - Office Depot) + $2,000.00 (01/15 - WeWork) = $2,350.00 total.
Ending balance: $27,650.00

What is bank reconciliation?

Reconciliation means checking off each transaction in your books against the bank statement. If every transaction matches and the difference is $0.00, your records are accurate.

If the difference is not $0.00, it means a transaction was missed, duplicated, or recorded incorrectly. Finding and fixing these discrepancies is a core bookkeeping responsibility.

Perform the reconciliation

Click the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner of QuickBooks Online.
Select Reconcile.
Select the Business Checking account from the account dropdown.
Enter the statement ending date: 01/31/2026.
Enter the ending balance: 27,650.00.
Click Start reconciling.

You should now see a list of transactions in the Business Checking account. Your job is to check off each transaction that matches the bank statement.

Check off the opening balance: $25,000.00.
Check off the payment to Office Depot: -$350.00.
Check off the payment to WeWork: -$2,000.00.
Check off the deposit from TechVision Inc.: +$5,000.00.

As you check off each transaction, watch the Difference field at the top of the screen. Once all four transactions are checked, the difference should show $0.00.

Why does the difference matter?

A $0.00 difference means your books perfectly match the bank's records. Every deposit and withdrawal is accounted for. If the difference is not zero, you have a discrepancy to investigate before you can close the period.

Difference is not $0.00?

Make sure you entered the ending balance as 27,650.00 exactly. A typo here will throw off the entire reconciliation.

Confirm that all four transactions are checked off. If you only see three, go back to Step 3 and verify the TechVision payment was recorded and deposited to Business Checking.

Help me figure out why my reconciliation difference is not zero.

Finish and review the reconciliation

Once the difference shows $0.00, click Finish now.

QBO will confirm that the reconciliation is complete. Now verify it appears in your reconciliation history.

Click the Settings gear icon again.
Select Reconcile.
Select History by account.
Verify that the Business Checking account shows as reconciled for January 2026.

What should I see?

The reconciliation history should list Business Checking with a statement ending date of 01/31/2026 and a status showing the reconciliation is complete. This confirms your books are verified against the bank for the entire month of January.

Your books are now reconciled and verified against the bank statement. Next up, you will generate professional financial reports that prove your system is producing accurate numbers.

Generate Financial Reports

Your bank account is reconciled with a clean $0.00 difference. That reconciliation proves your transaction data is accurate and trustworthy.

Now it is time to turn that accurate data into professional financial statements. In this step, you will generate the two reports that every bookkeeping employer expects you to produce: a Profit and Loss (income vs. expenses) and a Balance Sheet (assets vs. liabilities and equity).

In this step, get ready to:

Run a Profit and Loss report for January 2026 and verify the figures.
Run a Balance Sheet report as of January 31, 2026 and confirm the accounting equation balances.
Export both reports as PDF for your professional portfolio.

Run the Profit and Loss report

The Profit and Loss report (also called an Income Statement) summarizes revenue earned and expenses incurred over a specific period. It answers the question: did the business make money this month?

Select Reports from the left navigation menu.
Select Standard reports.
Search for and select Profit and Loss from the report list.
Set the date range by entering 01/01/2026 in the From field and 01/31/2026 in the To field.
Select the Refresh icon to generate the report.

Your report should display the following figures:

Total Income: $8,500.00 (Consulting Revenue $5,000 + Training Revenue $3,500).
Total Expenses: $3,550.00 (Rent $2,000 + Software Subscriptions $1,200 + Office Supplies $350).
Net Income: $4,950.00.

What does this report tell you?

The Profit and Loss report shows that Apex Consulting LLC earned $8,500 in revenue and spent $3,550 in January. The $4,950 net income means the business is profitable.

This is exactly the report a client or manager asks for when they say "how did we do this month?" Being able to produce it accurately from scratch is a core bookkeeping skill.

Seeing different numbers?

If your Total Income does not show $8,500, confirm that both invoices (#1001 for $5,000 and #1002 for $3,500) were categorized to income accounts (Consulting Revenue and Training Revenue). Open each invoice from Sales and check the account assignment.

If your Total Expenses are off, go to Expenses and verify that each transaction is categorized to the correct expense account.

Also confirm your accounting method is set to Accrual. A Cash-basis report would exclude the unpaid invoice and bill.

Help me figure out why my Profit and Loss numbers don't match the expected values.

Run the Balance Sheet report

The Balance Sheet shows the financial position of the business at a single point in time. It must satisfy the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity.

Return to Reports, then select Standard reports.
Search for and select Balance Sheet from the report list.
Set the date to 01/31/2026 in the As of field.
Select the Refresh icon to generate the report.

Review the report and confirm these figures:

Total Assets: $41,150.00 (Business Checking $27,650 + Business Savings $10,000 + Accounts Receivable $3,500).
Total Liabilities: $1,200.00 (Accounts Payable for the unpaid CloudSoft Solutions bill).
Total Equity: $39,950.00 (Owner's Equity $35,000 + Net Income $4,950).
Confirm that Assets ($41,150) = Liabilities ($1,200) + Equity ($39,950).

Why does the accounting equation matter?

If Assets do not equal Liabilities + Equity, something is posted incorrectly. A balanced Balance Sheet proves that every transaction in your system has been recorded with proper double-entry bookkeeping (equal debits and credits).

Employers test this as a fundamental accuracy check. Being able to point at a balanced Balance Sheet and explain why it balances demonstrates real proficiency.

Balance Sheet not balancing?

Check your Opening Balance Equity account in the Chart of Accounts. If it shows any value other than $0.00, your opening balances were entered unevenly.

Also verify that the TechVision payment of $5,000 was deposited to Business Checking. If it was deposited to a different account, your Checking balance will not match $27,650.

Help me troubleshoot why my Balance Sheet is not balancing.

Export and save your reports

A polished PDF export is what you hand to a client or attach to a job application. Exporting proves you can deliver the finished product, not just view it on screen.

With the Balance Sheet report still open, select the Export/Print dropdown at the top of the report.
Select Print/Save as PDF.
In the print dialog, select Portrait for orientation.
Select Print and save the PDF to your computer.
Navigate back to Reports, then Standard reports, and reopen the Profit and Loss report (keeping the same January 2026 date range).
Repeat the export: select Export/Print, then Print/Save as PDF, choose Portrait, and select Print to save.

Customize the report header

You can optionally customize the report header to show "Prepared by: [Your Name]" before exporting. Look for Header/Footer options in the report's customization settings. This adds a professional touch when presenting reports to clients or employers.

You now have two exported PDF reports saved to your computer. These demonstrate to employers that you can set up books from scratch and produce accurate financial statements.

PDF not downloading?

If the PDF does not appear, check your browser's pop-up blocker. The print/save dialog may be blocked by your browser. Allow pop-ups from the QuickBooks Online domain and try again.

Help me export my QuickBooks report as a PDF.

You have generated and exported professional financial reports that prove your bookkeeping system is accurate and complete. Next up, tackle the Secret Mission to perform a full month-end close with adjusting entries.

Secret mission

Perform a Month-End Close

You've set up the books and recorded transactions. Now take it one step further by performing a full month-end close. This is the process senior bookkeepers and full-charge bookkeepers complete every single month: reviewing open items, recording adjusting entries, verifying the Trial Balance, and locking the period so no one can tamper with finalized numbers.

Clean Up Your Resources

Decide whether to keep your QuickBooks Online trial running, leave it paused for later, or cancel it entirely.

This project uses the QuickBooks Online 30-day free trial. There are no charges during the trial period, but you will be billed $38/month (Simple Start plan) if you do not cancel before the trial expires.

Cost warning

If your 30-day free trial expires without cancellation, QuickBooks will automatically charge $38/month to the payment method on file. Cancel before the trial ends to avoid any charges.

Resources you used:

QuickBooks Online free trial account (Simple Start plan, no cost for 30 days).

Keep everything running

No action needed. Choose this if you are still actively building on your bookkeeping system or want to continue practicing with more transactions, payroll, or additional months of data entry.

Your free trial lasts 30 days from signup. You can keep using all features during that period.
Set a calendar reminder for your trial expiration date so you can decide whether to keep or cancel before being charged.

Pause - I'll come back to this later

No action needed. Your QuickBooks Online trial stays active and you can log back in anytime during the 30-day trial period.

All your data (chart of accounts, transactions, reports) remains saved in the cloud.
Set a calendar reminder before your trial expires so you are not charged automatically.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Cancel your QuickBooks Online trial to avoid being charged $38/month after the 30-day period ends.

In QuickBooks Online, click the Settings gear icon in the top right.
Select Subscriptions and billing.
Select Cancel your trial.
Follow the on-screen steps to confirm cancellation.
You will receive a confirmation email from Intuit once the cancellation is complete.

What happens to your data after you cancel?

After cancelling, you retain read-only access to your data for one year. You can still view your chart of accounts, transactions, and reports, but you cannot create or edit anything.

That's a Wrap!

Nice work! You just built a complete bookkeeping system in QuickBooks Online for Apex Consulting LLC, from an empty account all the way to reconciled books and professional financial statements.

You've learned how to:

Built a customized chart of accounts with account numbers, proper categorization, and opening balances that net to $0.00 through the Opening Balance Equity account.
Recorded realistic transactions (invoices, bills, expenses, and payment receipts) and performed a full bank reconciliation with a $0.00 difference.
Generated professional Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet reports with accurate figures ready for a portfolio or interview demonstration.
Secret Mission: Performed a month-end close with adjusting entries, Trial Balance verification, and period locking.

Ready to quiz yourself?