QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop vs. Excel from Udemy

Welcome to this comprehensive course designed to delve into a comparative study of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Microsoft Excel for accounting transactions. This course will provide a complete understanding of the three platforms, allowing you to evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, and best-fit scenarios based on your unique requirements.

Starting with an introduction to each platform, we'll clarify their distinct functionalities, highlighting what makes each of them unique. We'll explain the context in which one might be more beneficial over the other, considering factors such as cost, convenience, complexity, and capabilities.

The course will guide you to master the navigation of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. You'll learn to set up and organize data, understanding the interfaces, and identifying the relationships between data input and the resultant financial reports.

We use a transactional analysis approach, categorizing transactions into vendor, customer, and employee accounting cycles. You'll gain an understanding of each cycle's data input forms and their impact on financial statements and related reports in all three platforms.

A significant part of this course involves creating and managing a new company file. We will guide you through setting up foundational accounting components such as the chart of accounts, service items, revenue items, and starting balances in each platform.

We'll demonstrate how to perform common transactions over a span of two months in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, helping you understand the differences in workflows and impacts on financial statements and reports.

Bank reconciliation, a critical part of maintaining financial integrity, will also be covered. You'll understand how to handle bank reconciliations in both QuickBooks versions and emulate the process in Excel.

We delve into the details of adjusting entries in each platform, used to align financial statement reports to their accounting basis at the month or year-end. We'll explore the management of different accounting bases such as accrual, cash, or tax basis across QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel.

By the end of this course, you will have gained a comprehensive understanding and developed a robust skillset to expertly navigate and utilize QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel for all your accounting needs. You will be able to compare, contrast, and choose the best platform based on the specific requirements of your business or profession.

This course provides a thorough, in-depth exploration of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel as accounting tools, enabling you to understand their potential to enhance your accounting efficiency and make informed decisions. Whether you're an accountant, a business owner, a student, or simply interested in learning about different accounting tools, this course is your one-stop solution.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Analyze the core functionalities of quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, and excel for accounting tasks.
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each platform in handling accounting transactions.
Execute common accounting transactions in quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, and excel.
Conduct transactional analysis in the vendor, customer, and employee accounting cycles across all three platforms.
Create, manage, and interpret financial statements and related reports in quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, and excel.

Perform bank reconciliation procedures in both quickbooks versions and mimic the process in excel.
Apply adjusting entries at the month or year-end to align financial statement reports to their accounting basis across all three platforms.
Examine the management of different accounting bases such as accrual, cash, or tax basis in quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, and excel.
Compare and contrast the workflows in quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, and excel and decide on the best platform based on specific requirements.

Analyze the core functionalities of quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, and excel for accounting tasks.
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each platform in handling accounting transactions.
Execute common accounting transactions in quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, and excel.
Conduct transactional analysis in the vendor, customer, and employee accounting cycles across all three platforms.
Create, manage, and interpret financial statements and related reports in quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, and excel.
Perform bank reconciliation procedures in both quickbooks versions and mimic the process in excel.
Apply adjusting entries at the month or year-end to align financial statement reports to their accounting basis across all three platforms.
Examine the management of different accounting bases such as accrual, cash, or tax basis in quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, and excel.
Compare and contrast the workflows in quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, and excel and decide on the best platform based on specific requirements.

Syllabus

QBO-Getting Started 2023

1005 How to Access the Software

1011 QuickBooks Online vs QuickBooks Desktop

1013 Increase Screen Size, Duplicate Tabs, & Open Multiple Browsers

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides a comparative study of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Microsoft Excel, which are commonly used platforms in accounting and business management

Covers bank reconciliation, which is a critical process for maintaining financial integrity and ensuring the accuracy of financial records across different platforms

Explores adjusting entries, which are essential for aligning financial statement reports to their accounting basis at the month or year-end, enhancing financial reporting accuracy

Requires learners to download software and sample files, which may pose a barrier to some students who do not have access to these resources

Focuses on QuickBooks Desktop 2023, which may become outdated as newer versions are released, potentially limiting the long-term applicability of the skills learned

Requires learners to create accounting worksheets in Excel, which may be time-consuming and require a strong understanding of accounting principles

Reviews summary

Comparing accounting software & excel

According to learners, this course offers a clear and comprehensive comparison of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel for accounting tasks. Students particularly appreciate the practical demonstrations and the instructor's ability to explain complex concepts in an easy-to-understand manner. While many find the course helpful for understanding the different workflows across platforms, some learners note that the depth of coverage for specific advanced features within each software might be limited, making it best suited for those seeking a solid foundation and comparison rather than advanced mastery of a single tool.

Offers a solid introduction, best for beginners.

"This course provides a great overview for beginners trying to decide which software to use."

"It's a solid introduction to how each tool handles basic accounting cycles."

"While it covers the essentials well, experienced users might find it lacks depth on advanced features."

"Good for getting started and understanding the basics in each platform."

Instructor explains topics clearly and effectively.

"The instructor is very clear and makes complex accounting flows easy to grasp."

"His teaching style is engaging and easy to follow, even for someone new to some of these concepts."

"The explanations for why things are done a certain way are well-articulated."

Hands-on examples illustrate concepts well.

"The practical examples used to demonstrate transactions in each software are very helpful."

"Seeing the actual process within QuickBooks Online and Desktop was invaluable for understanding."

"I appreciated the step-by-step demos. They made the learning process much smoother."

Provides effective comparison of accounting tools.

"This course clearly outlines the differences between QBO, QBD, and Excel, which is exactly what I needed."

"The comparative approach is fantastic. It really helps you see the pros and cons of each platform side-by-side."

"I found the segment comparing the workflows for vendor/customer cycles across the three tools particularly illuminating."

"Comparing QBO, QBD, and Excel was the core of the course and it delivered well on that front."

Content may not reflect latest software updates.

"Some parts of the QBO interface shown differ slightly from the current version, but still followable."

"Wish it used the very latest versions of the software for consistency."

"Minor differences existed between the course's QBO interface and what I saw, but the core concepts were the same."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop vs. Excel with these activities:

Review Basic Accounting Principles

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Reinforce your understanding of fundamental accounting principles. This will provide a solid foundation for comparing how QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel handle accounting transactions.

Browse courses on Double-Entry Bookkeeping

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Review the accounting equation (Assets = Liabilities + Equity).
Study the definitions of debits and credits.
Familiarize yourself with the main financial statements.

Read 'Accounting for Dummies'

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Gain a broader understanding of accounting principles. This will help you better appreciate the functionalities and limitations of QuickBooks and Excel.

View Accounting For Dummies on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Accounting for Dummies'.
Read the chapters covering basic accounting principles.
Take notes on key concepts and terminology.

Practice Entering Transactions in Excel

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Solidify your understanding of how transactions affect financial statements. This will make it easier to compare Excel's manual approach with QuickBooks' automated processes.

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Create a simple Excel worksheet with columns for debits and credits.
Enter sample transactions and track their impact on the accounting equation.
Generate basic financial statements (income statement, balance sheet) from your Excel data.

Four other activities

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Follow QuickBooks Online Tutorials

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Familiarize yourself with the QuickBooks Online interface and features. This will help you understand the platform's capabilities and how it differs from QuickBooks Desktop and Excel.

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Search for official QuickBooks Online tutorials on Intuit's website or YouTube.
Follow tutorials on setting up a company file, entering transactions, and generating reports.
Experiment with different features and settings to gain hands-on experience.

Create a Comparative Chart

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Synthesize your knowledge of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. This will help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of each platform and make informed decisions about which one to use.

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Create a table with columns for QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel.
List key features and functionalities (e.g., bank reconciliation, reporting, inventory management) as rows.
Compare and contrast how each platform handles each feature, noting advantages and disadvantages.

Write a Blog Post: Choosing the Right Accounting Tool

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Reinforce your understanding by explaining the differences between the three platforms to others. This will solidify your knowledge and help you identify any gaps in your understanding.

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Outline the key differences between QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel.
Discuss the pros and cons of each platform for different types of businesses.
Provide recommendations on which platform to choose based on specific needs and requirements.

Read 'QuickBooks Online for Dummies'

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Deepen your understanding of QuickBooks Online. This will help you better appreciate its capabilities and how it compares to QuickBooks Desktop and Excel.

View QuickBooks Online For Dummies, 2025 Edition on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'QuickBooks Online for Dummies'.
Read the chapters covering the features and functionalities that are most relevant to your needs.
Experiment with the software to apply what you have learned.

Career center

Learners who complete QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop vs. Excel will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Bookkeeper

A bookkeeper is responsible for recording financial transactions, including purchases, sales, receipts, and payments. This course equips aspiring bookkeepers with a robust understanding of how to manage these transactions using three essential platforms: QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. The course emphasizes setting up and organizing data, managing vendor, customer, and employee cycles, and performing bank reconciliations. By mastering all three platforms, a bookkeeper gains versatility and can adapt to various client needs. The course also covers creating and managing a new company file, setting up foundational accounting components such as the chart of accounts, service items, revenue items, and starting balances in each platform.

See salaries and explore the career path for Bookkeeper

Staff Accountant

A staff accountant is responsible for various accounting tasks, such as preparing journal entries, reconciling accounts, and assisting with financial statement preparation. This course builds a strong foundation in understanding how to manage these tasks using QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. The course emphasizes setting up and organizing data, managing vendor, customer, and employee cycles, and performing bank reconciliations, all essential skills for a staff accountant. By mastering all three platforms, a staff accountant gains versatility and can adapt to various organizational needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Staff Accountant

Accounting Clerk

An accounting clerk performs a variety of clerical and administrative tasks to support the accounting department. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, which are essential tools for an accounting clerk. The course covers creating and managing a new company file. In addition, it goes over foundational accounting components such as the chart of accounts, service items, revenue items, and starting balances in each platform. Furthermore, this course helps accounting clerk roles perform common transactions over a span of two months in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, helping them understand the differences in workflows and impacts on financial statements and reports.

See salaries and explore the career path for Accounting Clerk

Small Business Accountant

A small business accountant focuses on the financial management and accounting needs of small businesses. This course provides a comparative study of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, which are all commonly used in small business settings. The course helps one choose the best platform based on specific business requirements. The course covers the management of different accounting bases such as accrual, cash, or tax basis across QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. A small business accountant benefits from the course's coverage of bank reconciliation procedures and adjusting entries, ensuring financial integrity and accurate reporting.

See salaries and explore the career path for Small Business Accountant

Accounts Receivable Specialist

An accounts receivable specialist manages the money owed to a company by its customers. This course helps accounts receivable specialists understand how customer transactions are recorded and managed in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. The course covers the customer cycle and its impact on financial statements and related reports across all three platforms. Learning this helps accounts receivable specialists with performing common transactions over a span of two months in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, helping them understand the differences in workflows and impacts on financial statements and reports.

See salaries and explore the career path for Accounts Receivable Specialist

Accounts Payable Specialist

An accounts payable specialist manages the payments made by a company to its suppliers and vendors. The course helps accounts payable specialists understand how vendor transactions are recorded and managed in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. The course covers the vendor cycle and its impact on financial statements and related reports across all three platforms. The course also covers performing common transactions over a span of two months in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, helping them understand the differences in workflows and impacts on financial statements and reports.

See salaries and explore the career path for Accounts Payable Specialist

Business Owner

A business owner manages all aspects of their business, including its finances. This course provides business owners with a comprehensive understanding of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, empowering them to manage their accounting tasks effectively. The course assists business owners with setting up and organizing data, managing transactions, and generating financial reports. This course enables a business owner to make informed decisions about which platform best suits their business needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Owner

Tax Preparer

A tax preparer assists individuals and businesses with preparing and filing their taxes. The course provides a practical understanding of how accounting data is managed in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, all of which can be used to organize financial information for tax purposes. The course covers the management of different accounting bases such as accrual, cash, or tax basis in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, which is particularly relevant for preparing accurate tax returns. A tax preparer also gains insights into how to use these platforms to track income, expenses, and deductions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Tax Preparer

Payroll Specialist

A payroll specialist manages the payroll process, ensuring that employees are paid accurately and on time, and that all payroll taxes are properly calculated and remitted. This course helps a payroll specialist understand how employee-related transactions are recorded and managed in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. The course covers the employee accounting cycle and its impact on financial statements and related reports across all three platforms. In addition, the course helps payroll specialists understand how to perform common transactions over a span of two months in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, helping them understand the differences in workflows and impacts on financial statements and reports.

See salaries and explore the career path for Payroll Specialist

Controller

A controller oversees the accounting operations of an organization, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of financial information. This course provides controllers with a comprehensive understanding of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, empowering them to manage their accounting tasks effectively. The course assists business owners with setting up and organizing data, managing transactions, and generating financial reports. A controller benefits from the in-depth exploration of the three platforms, enabling them to choose the best solution for their organization's specific needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Controller

Financial Analyst

A financial analyst analyzes financial data and provides insights to help businesses make informed decisions. Although financial analysts may typically require an advanced degree, this course provides a solid foundation in understanding how accounting data is organized and managed in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. The course's coverage of creating and interpreting financial statements and related reports helps a financial analyst understand the source data used in their analyses. Furthermore, the course covers performing common transactions over a span of two months, helping financial analysts understand the differences in workflows and impacts on financial statements and reports.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Cost Accountant

A cost accountant analyzes production costs and develops strategies to improve cost efficiency. This course helps cost accountants understand how costs are tracked and managed in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. The course's coverage of the vendor, customer, and employee accounting cycles provides insights into the various cost components of a business. The course also covers setting up foundational accounting components such as the chart of accounts, service items, revenue items, and starting balances in each platform.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cost Accountant

Budget Analyst

A budget analyst develops and manages budgets, helping organizations allocate resources effectively. This course helps budget analysts understand how financial data is organized and tracked in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. The course's coverage of creating and managing financial statements and reports helps a budget analyst access the data needed to develop accurate budgets. The course also covers performing common transactions over a span of two months in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel, helping them understand the differences in workflows and impacts on financial statements and reports.

See salaries and explore the career path for Budget Analyst

Auditor

An auditor examines financial records to ensure accuracy and compliance with regulations. This course provides auditors with a deep understanding of how financial data is recorded and managed in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel. The course's emphasis on bank reconciliation, adjusting entries, and the management of different accounting bases helps an auditor assess the reliability of financial statements. The course may be useful for auditors in understanding different accounting bases such as accrual, cash, or tax basis in QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel.

See salaries and explore the career path for Auditor

Management Accountant

A management accountant analyzes financial information to help management make informed business decisions. This course may be useful for management accountants because it provides a thorough exploration of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, and Excel as accounting tools, enabling them to understand their potential to enhance accounting efficiency and make informed decisions. With the skills gained in this course, a management accountant will be better able to understand financial data, which is the foundation of their role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Accountant

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop vs. Excel.

QuickBooks Online For Dummies, 2025 Edition

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Provides a practical guide to using QuickBooks Online. It covers a wide range of topics, from setting up a company file to generating financial reports. It can be particularly helpful for understanding the specific features and functionalities of QuickBooks Online. This book is commonly used as a reference tool.

QuickBooks Online For Dummies, 2025 Edition

Paperback

Accounting For Dummies

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Provides a comprehensive overview of accounting principles. It is written in an accessible style, making it ideal for those new to accounting. It can be particularly helpful for understanding the underlying accounting concepts that QuickBooks and Excel automate. This book is more valuable as additional reading than as a current reference.

Accounting For Dummies

Paperback

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Accounting For Dummies

Kindle Edition

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QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop vs. Excel

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Comparing accounting software & excel

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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