Introduction 1
Book 1: An Accounting Primer 7
Chapter 1: Principles of Accounting 9
Chapter 2: Double-Entry Bookkeeping 29
Chapter 3: Special Accounting Problems 49
Book 2: Getting Ready to Use QuickBooks 71
Chapter 1: Setting Up QuickBooks 73
Chapter 2: Loading the Master File Lists 93
Chapter 3: Fine-Tuning QuickBooks 117
Book 3: Bookkeeping Chores 149
Chapter 1: Invoicing Customers 151
Chapter 2: Paying Vendors 185
Chapter 3: Tracking Inventory and Items 205
Chapter 4: Managing Cash and Bank Accounts 235
Chapter 5: Paying Employees 267
Book 4: Accounting Chores 279
Chapter 1: For Accountants Only 281
Chapter 2: Preparing Financial Statements and Reports 297
Chapter 3: Preparing a Budget 319
Chapter 4: Using Activity-Based Costing 331
Chapter 5: Setting Up Project and Job Costing Systems 347
Book 5: Financial Management 359
Chapter 1: Ratio Analysis 361
Chapter 2: Economic Value Added Analysis 379
Chapter 3: Capital Budgeting in a Nutshell 393
Book 6: Business Plans 409
Chapter 1: Profit-Volume-Cost Analysis 411
Chapter 2: Creating a Business Plan Forecast 431
Chapter 3: Writing a Business Plan 469
Book 7: Care and Maintenance 483
Chapter 1: Administering QuickBooks 485
Chapter 2: Protecting Your Data 503
Chapter 3: Troubleshooting 521
Book 8: Appendixes 527
Appendix A: A Crash Course in Excel 529
Appendix B: Government Web Resources for Businesses 545
Appendix C: Glossary of Accounting and Financial Terms 563
Index 593
Stephen L. Nelson, MBA, CPA, provides accounting, business advisory, and tax planning and preparation services to small businesses. He has written more than 100 books explaining how to use computer software to manage personal and business finances.