QuickBooks
QuickBooks is the most popular accounting software for small businesses. It handles invoicing, expense tracking, payroll, and tax prep: all in one place. Whether you run a deli, salon, or retail shop, clean books are the foundation of every smart business decision.
Getting Started in 5 Steps
Sign up for a QuickBooks account
Visit quickbooks.intuit.com and choose the plan that fits your business. The Simple Start plan covers invoicing, expense tracking, and basic reporting for most small businesses.
Connect your bank accounts
Link your business checking and credit cards so transactions flow in automatically. This saves hours of manual data entry every month.
Set up your chart of accounts
Customize income and expense categories to match your business. A restaurant might track food costs, labor, and rent separately; a retail shop might track inventory and cost of goods sold.
Create your first invoice
Use QuickBooks' built-in templates to send professional invoices. Set up recurring invoices for repeat customers to automate billing.
Run your first profit & loss report
Go to Reports → Profit & Loss to see exactly where your money is going. Review this monthly to spot trends and catch issues early.
Pro Tips for Small Business Owners
- Turn on automatic mileage tracking in the mobile app to capture every deductible mile.
- Use the QuickBooks Payments add-on to let customers pay invoices online: funds deposit in 1-2 business days.
- Schedule weekly time to categorize uncategorized transactions: 15 minutes keeps your books clean.
- Invite your accountant with read-only access so they can pull reports without interrupting your workflow.