Course for business owners
Small business bookkeeping basics for owners
A short, practical course for owners who keep their own books: set up a chart of accounts, reconcile every account, close each month, and understand the federal payroll, 1099 and sales tax basics well enough to know what to ask your accountant.
Enroll for $49Read a free lesson
One payment. No time limit. 14-day refund.
Who it's for
- Owners and founders who keep their own books in QuickBooks, Xero, Wave or a spreadsheet
- Office managers and family members who took over the books
- Anyone about to hire a first employee or pay a first contractor who wants the federal basics in order
Not the right fit if
You want to work as a bookkeeper for clients (our longer Bookkeeping Fundamentals course is built for that), or you need advice on your own tax return.
Course outline
7 modules, 21 lessons
- Module 1: How a small business's books work. What your books are for, the two reports that come out of them, cash and accrual in plain words, and the habits that make everything else in this course easier.
- What your books are for
- Cash or accrual, in plain words
- Three habits that keep books clean
- Module 2: The chart of accounts. The list of categories every transaction is sorted into: the five account types, a numbering scheme that stays tidy, how many accounts a small business really needs, and how to change the chart without breaking past reports.
- Five account types
- A short, numbered chart
- Changing the chart without breaking reports
- Module 3: Reconciling every account. How to prove your books match the bank and card statements: the steps of a reconciliation, outstanding items, the usual reasons a difference appears, and payment apps and loans.
- What a reconciliation proves
- Cards, payment apps and loans
- Finding a difference
- Module 4: The monthly close, and the workbooks that help. A repeatable close checklist: categorize, reconcile, review receivables and payables, check the reports for anything odd, lock the month, and where the store's workbooks fit if you want them.
- The close checklist
- Reading your reports for warning signs
- Using the site's workbooks (optional)
- Module 5: Payroll basics: the federal side. What changes when you hire: employee or contractor, the forms at hiring, the federal taxes withheld and paid, the returns and deposits, and where to find your state's rules in our state tables.
- Employee or contractor, and the forms at hiring
- Federal payroll taxes, returns and deposits
- Your state's rules, from our sourced tables
- Module 6: 1099 basics for 2026 payments. Who gets a 1099-NEC, the new $2,000 threshold for payments made in 2026, collecting W-9s before you pay, the February 1, 2027 due date, e-filing, and the state filings to check.
- Who gets a 1099-NEC
- W-9s first, then pay
- Filing: e-file, corrections and states
- Module 7: Sales tax nexus basics. When a business has to collect a state's sales tax: physical presence, economic nexus thresholds, marketplace sales, and how to track your sales by state, using our sourced table of every state's published rule.
- What nexus means
- Marketplaces, exemptions and what counts
- Tracking it in your books
Every module ends with a short quiz that explains each answer. Key terms become flashcards. The worksheets print from inside the course. A 21-question final exam, graded on our side, earns the certificate of completion.
Free lesson
What your books are for
Bookkeeping is the record of every dollar that comes into and goes out of the business, sorted so you can answer three questions at any time: am I making money, what do I own and owe, and where did the cash go?
The two reports
| Report | What it shows | Question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Profit and loss (income statement) | Income minus expenses for a period, such as a month or a year | Did the business make money? |
| Balance sheet | Assets, liabilities and owner's equity on one date | What does the business own and owe right now? |
A third view, cash flow, explains why profit and the bank balance differ: a customer who hasn't paid yet, a loan payment, equipment you bought.
Who uses them
- You, to price, plan and decide when you can afford to hire.
- Your tax professional, to prepare returns.
- A bank, if you apply for a loan or line of credit.
What good books look like
Every bank and card account is recorded, every transaction has a category, every account is reconciled to its statement each month, and you can find the receipt or invoice behind any number. That's the whole goal of this course, one step at a time.
If you'd like a structured way to track the numbers you'll review monthly, the store's Monthly KPI Dashboard Workbook ($29) is one option; a simple spreadsheet works too.
General education, not tax, legal or accounting advice. We are not your accountant or lawyer. Figures and rules change; check the linked official source before you rely on them.
Try three quiz questions
Enroll
Small Business Bookkeeping Basics, $49 once
- 7 modules and 21 lessons
- 42 quiz questions and 49 flashcards
- 6 printable worksheets
- A 21-question final exam and a certificate of completion with a link anyone can check
- No time limit, any device
Prices plus sales tax where applicable, calculated at checkout from your billing address.
Already enrolled? Email me my access link.
Refunds. 14-day full refund: email us within 14 days of enrolling and we refund the course in full, as long as no certificate of completion has been issued for it yet. A refund ends your access to the course.
Certificate. A certificate of completion from MCC Solutions. It is not a license, commission, certification or credential from any state, agency or industry body. It is not an accounting, bookkeeping or tax credential.
Independent training from MCC Solutions, a New Jersey bookkeeping and notary business. We are not your accountant or lawyer, and this is not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax rules and dollar limits change; each lesson links the official source.
Pairs with
Kits from the store that go with this course
Optional, sold separately at their normal prices. The course teaches the steps; these are files you keep and fill in.
- Month-End Close Workbook ($19): A real month-end close in one Excel file. It tells you when a rec does not tie, which variances still need an answer, and when the period is ready to lock.
- Chart of Accounts and QuickBooks Import Pack ($24): Start your books with an account list built for your type of business, instead of the generic default, and compare it with the accounts you already have.
- Year-End Close and 1099 Kit ($29): Close the year cleanly, get 1099s out on time, and hand your accountant everything in one go.
FAQ
Questions before you enroll
How is this different from Bookkeeping Fundamentals?
Bookkeeping Fundamentals is a longer, college-level course for people who want to keep books for clients, with journal entry drills and a practice set. This one is shorter and written for owners keeping their own books.
Which software does it use?
None is required. The steps work in QuickBooks Online, Xero, Wave or a spreadsheet. Where a workbook from our store helps, the lesson links it; buying one is optional.
Does it cover my state's payroll or sales tax rules?
It teaches the federal payroll and 1099 basics and how sales tax nexus works, then links our state-by-state tables, which cite each state's official page. For your own filings, check your state's agency or a tax professional.
What's included?
7 modules, 21 lessons, 49 flashcards, 42 quiz questions with explanations, 6 printable worksheets and a 21-question final exam.
Is there a certificate?
Yes, a certificate of completion when you pass the final with 80% or better. It is not a professional credential.
What is the refund rule?
14-day full refund: email us within 14 days of enrolling and we refund the course in full, as long as no certificate of completion has been issued for it yet. A refund ends your access to the course.
From the bookshelf
Bookkeeping Fundamentals
A college-level bookkeeping course, without the tuition. By Matthew Colt, $9.99 as an ebook (EPUB and PDF).