How to learn accounting software without any training
Accounting software assumes users already know foundational bookkeeping concepts like charting accounts and distinguishing between bills and expenses. Without this background, people face conflicting online advice and unhelpful customer service that make it nearly impossible to set up accounts or categorize historical purchases correctly.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- People have been saying this in most months since September 2026.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Searching for conflicting methods onlineDid this help you?
- 2Using limited customer support callsDid this help you?
- 3Looking into training academies or asking outside bookkeepers for helpDid this help you?
- 4searching for free online intro coursesDid this help you?
- 5relying on software repetition and muscle memoryDid this help you?
- 6checking knowledge bases and certificationsDid this help you?
- 7Stop trying to connect it to existing math knowledgeDid this help you?
- 8Treat it like a weird board game with a rulebookDid this help you?
- 9Drill the mechanics of the T-accounts until your hand crampsDid this help you?
- 10Accept the rule and move on without understanding whyDid this help you?
- 11Watching YouTube videos like EdspitaDid this help you?
- 12Doing practice problems first and learning the theory afterwardsDid this help you?
- 13Learning accounting procedures independently via YouTube tutorials and ChatGPTDid this help you?
- 14Consulting external CPAs or professional bookkeepers for helpDid this help you?
- 15Quitting or looking for a new job with proper mentorship and trainingDid this help you?
- 16Watching YouTube tutorials for specific software scenariosDid this help you?
- 17Taking free online training and certification courses provided by the software vendorDid this help you?
- 18Watching Tony Bell's YouTube courses on Financial AccountingDid this help you?
- 19Using AccountingCoach.comDid this help you?
- 20Reading 10-K and 10-Q filings and listening to corporate earnings callsDid this help you?
- 21Working seasonal tax preparation jobs at places like H&R Block for hands-on experienceDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“What books do you recommend to buy on Amazon to learn all about accounting? I have been trying to study and honestly these professors just create a 100 MCQ and suddenly you know the information.”source ↗
“I haven’t used quickbooks since college and it’s been like 4 years. Is it hard to pickup? I’ve been trying to find some online courses but a lot of them are a little pricey.”source ↗
“I'm a 6th year accounting student in Ireland. Picked it up in 5th and I have yet to get a single thing.”source ↗
“Accounting feels like a set of random rules born from late stage capitalism nonsense.”source ↗
“It feels like my teacher is just saying made up words that when I Google them the explanation is built from even more made up words.”source ↗
“Im in my first semester and won't be taking anything accounting related until junior year”source ↗
“Im kinda thinking on the side I could dedicate a few hours a week to self learning account to help me down the line.”source ↗
“reading definitions in the textbook would not stick in my brain, but seeing the practical application then going and learning why you account for certain things a certain way would make much more sense to me.”source ↗
“Is it bad if I say I hate Intacct?”source ↗
“I've been around 35+ years, I've worked on some doozies. The DOS-based ones were the worst.”source ↗
“I started in February I was under the impression I’d be like an assistant for the daughter whose father owns the business. I thought I’d just be working on invoices mainly since I didn’t know much about quick books.”source ↗
“Now I’m 7 months into the job the dad/owner showed me how to create invoices, create checks & that’s about it everything else I’ve had to YouTube learn on my own.”source ↗
“At this point I would like to try and fix the books but idek where to start. Any advice would be appreciated I’m starting to feel like maybe the job isn’t worth keeping”source ↗
“I’m an office administrator with no formal Quickbooks training.”source ↗
“Would this be an “Expense” or a “Bill” and do I need to create “Accounts” for these?”source ↗
“Quickbooks did a call with me but it wasn’t very helpful.”source ↗
“Anyone have actual sound advice on how to tackle this? I’ve come across many conflicting methods.”source ↗
“Principles are clear but not being able to learn quickbooks or just get too lost in it,any suggestion to make it a bit easy?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 13Simple offline accounting software without monthly subscriptions