5 QuickBooks Tips Every Small Business Owner Should Know

If QuickBooks feels overwhelming, you’re not alone. The truth? It doesn’t have to be scary—it just needs to be set up right. Whether you’re new to QuickBooks or still kicking the tires, here are 5 essential tips to make your life a whole lot easier.

1. Use Bank Rules Like a Boss

Tired of manually categorizing the same Starbucks runs and software subscriptions? Bank rules are your new best friend. You can set QuickBooks to auto-categorize recurring expenses, saving you hours (and your sanity).

2. Reconcile Monthly—Not Yearly

Waiting until tax season to reconcile your accounts? That’s a fast track to panic. Take 10–15 minutes each month to match your bank and credit card statements to what’s in QuickBooks. It’ll keep your records clean, your CPA happy, and your future self out of spreadsheet purgatory.

3. Customize Your Chart of Accounts

The default accounts in QuickBooks are fine, but your business deserves better. Streamline your reports by customizing your Chart of Accounts to reflect your income and expenses—not generic guesses. It’ll make insights way easier to pull.

4. Memorize Reports You Love

Do you have a favorite report format you keep tweaking? Good news: QuickBooks lets you save custom reports so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Just memorize it (literally—it’s a button), give it a name, and access it anytime.

5. Don’t DIY Forever

There’s no shame in starting small and learning as you go—but at some point, QuickBooks gets more powerful when paired with an expert. Whether it’s a monthly check-in or a full setup overhaul, getting a bookkeeper involved can save you time, money, and a whole lot of frustration.

Bonus: Need help with setup or clean-up?

That’s what I do. From custom spreadsheets to QuickBooks cleanups, I help small businesses get (and stay) organized—with a little heart, a lot of ethics, and zero judgment.

Let’s connect if you need help getting started or want a second set of eyes on your books.