I am pretty good with all forms of accounting for nonprofits (humble brag) but I feel I need to take an online class is budgeting. It does not have to be free. I have to think some other folks have done this and can make some recommendations. Thanks
I want to set up fixed assets using the FA module in QBO Advanced. Since the new FA module tracks things like depreciation and gives a list of all assets, what do I use for the fixed asset GL Accounts? I could see one FA GL account and reference the module report but I think it would make more sense to group FA together by categories such as Land, Buildings & Improvements. I am thinking one group-GLaccount for each Fixed asset subtype. Any suggestions ?
I have a nonprofit client whose fixed assets and depreciation are pretty jumbled. It's on QBO Advanced, and I want to take advantage of the fixed asset functionality. I have created a list of the fixed assets, in-service dates, and in-service costs. I plan to enter each fixed asset into the FA module as of 9/30/2026. This will calculate and capture the depreciation entries back to the in-service date for each asset. I will then make one correcting entry to bring the total depreciation to date in line with the depreciation calculated by QBO. QBO will automatically post the depreciation going forward, so I only need to make sure the accumulated depreciation to date is correct. Doing this before 9/30/2026 should have QBO post the October depreciation entry on 10/1 and going forward, not just calculate it. I wanted to run this past the group to make sure I have not missed anything
I was looking at illustrations in a different sci-fi group and realized that, in illustrations and in film, robot soldiers usually are depicted as huge with semi-human shapes and carrying human style weapons. I have seen a few videos of Chinese robots which look like dogs with weapons mounted on their backs.
I don't think the robot soldiers of the future will have fully automatic weapons because they will be much better shots than human soldiers. Plus, they will not have to deal with the physical effects of fear messing up their aim. I think they will be small, possibly four legged as I see not advantage to the bipedal shape. I believe they will be designed for stealth and will depend on overwhelming positions with numbers if stealth is not effective.
Edit. I know about aerial drones but I think there will be a need for "foot soldiers"
What are your thoughts?
I am implementing Quickbooks for a nonprofit which has several construction projects going on. My plan is to create a parent account for CIP and then a child GL Account (category) for each CIP project. I plan to ask for the following information when setting up the new CIP account and I want to know if you folks think I should add something. It just seems a too-short list.
I use QBO projects to track grant spending. It works great but only for income and expense, not purchases of fixed assets. How should I track grant spending for fixed assets?
This is a question about a non fiction document. I put in accounting systems for nonprofits as a volunteer. Years ago, I found myself answering the same, emailed, questions over and over. First, I simply documented the answers so I could cut and paste. Then, I tried to expand on the answers even including links to (my) Youtube instruction videos. It worked great and the document is used by many nonprofits as a resource. I am going on a cruise and I have always wanted to better organize the document, as well as update some of the information.
I was hoping someone here could offer suggestions or tips about how best to do this.
I'm trying to type less and want to switch to dictation instead. I'm on a Mac and need something that works system-wide, across any app or website, not just a specific program.
I'd rather avoid a monthly subscription. A one-time purchase is fine.
Does anyone have suggestions for dictation software that fits this?
I spent the last 20 years of my working career consulting, and I still do it now as a volunteer. When I was getting paid, I didn't mind pain-in-the-ass clients, because they always generated more billable hours. Now that I'm doing this pro bono, I'm not willing to put up with the same bullshit.
I work through a couple of volunteer-matching nonprofits that post pro bono projects; I apply, the client requests an interview, and either side can decline the match. The work itself is implementing or fixing accounting systems for small nonprofits. I plan for roughly three weeks per project: two Zoom calls a week, plus whatever hours it takes in between.
I just came off a rough one, and it's got me rethinking my process. My biggest issues are clients who miss Zoom meetings, don't deliver on time, and think they should be managing the project despite having no idea what actually needs to happen.
I'd like to get better at catching these red flags during the interview, before I commit to a match. Has anyone found good questions or techniques for weeding out difficult clients before the engagement even starts?
I am retired and now implement Quickbooks Online for nonprofits, pro bono. One question is when to "cut over" from their legacy system to QBO and I consider it best practices to do this as of the beginning of their current fiscal year. I occasionally get a client who wants to cut over for the previous fiscal year in order to get history or better reporting than they have. I applaud the idea but this means reposting a full year of transactions on top of keeping up with current postings. I have lost the argument 3 times in my volunteer career and all ended in disaster for the pro bono client. Needless to say, I feel bad about this.
I would prefer to talk them out of it but I do not seem to have the communications skill to do so. They simply do not understand the amount of work an extra year of posting means. I would like your advice on whether to refuse to continue with the project if they take this approach. I have a viable alternative of doing the current year, getting comfortable, and then reposting the prior fiscal year.
My thought is to simply say "This is how it is done" and refuse to continue with the project if they do not listen to me. (It is good to be a volunteer). I would appreciate your thoughts?
I see so many recommendations here but we all think we are unique so here I go. I have a Mac Mini and use my current headset only for Zoom calls. I do 2-4 hours a day of Zoom calls (usually 2 at the most). I have had some comments that users could not hear my voice on the current, wired, set I have today. (Microsoft - Modern USB Headset - Wired, On-Ear Headphones, Noise-Cancelling Microphone, In-Line Controls, for Teams & Zoom - Black).
Thoughts?
Looking for some real-world perspective from other nonprofit finance/accounting folks on this.
I keep running into the same situation: a donor sends a gift, calls it a "grant" in the check memo or the cover letter, but when I actually read what they've sent, there's no restriction on how the funds can be used, and the donor never asks for a report, an accounting, or any follow-up on how the money was spent. No conditions, no periodic reporting requirement, nothing.
Even so, my habit has been to set these up in QBO exactly like a restricted grant with reporting obligations: create a class/project for it, code every expense against it, and track it down to the dollar until the funds are exhausted. That way I can generate a report showing exactly what was spent against that "grant" if anyone ever asks.
Lately I've been questioning that habit. If there's no donor restriction and no reporting requirement, what's the actual justification — accounting or otherwise — for tracking every expenditure against it the way I would a genuinely restricted grant?
I've done pro bono nonprofit consulting for about ten years, sourced through a few different remote volunteer-matching platforms. Every engagement is scoped like a consulting project: three weeks, six Zoom meetings. I ask clients to schedule all six meetings within 48 hours of agreeing to work together so I can plan my life around them. If a client and I click, I'm happy to extend beyond that, but the standard offer is three weeks and done.
For years my no-show policy has been: miss a meeting with less than 24 hours' notice and you lose one of your six meetings. I'm considering simplifying that to just: miss a meeting, you lose it, no notice window at all.
Why. Think of it like an in-kind donation from a corporation, say 40 hours of free legal work, or the use of a conference room for three days. Once those hours or days are gone, they're gone. Nobody expects the law firm to add 40 more hours because the client didn't get organized in time, and nobody expects the room to reopen because a meeting got skipped. But some clients treat volunteer time as if it works differently, as an infinitely renewable resource instead of a fixed grant. And after ten years I've noticed a pattern that's hard to ignore: a striking number of hospitalizations, deaths in the family, and even a dog bite have landed, with suspicious precision, right on top of a scheduled meeting.
I know the reflex here is "nonprofit staff are stretched thin, go easy on them," and normally I would. But I don't want to be in the business of judging whether an excuse is real. A flat rule doesn't ask me to decide who's telling the truth, it just treats everyone's scheduled time the same way, no exceptions to litigate.
Curious how other pro bono volunteers or consultants handle this. Is dropping the notice window too rigid? Is there a better way to hold the line without becoming the villain of the engagement?
I am testing the TASKS feature in QBO Advanced. I have ACCOUNTANT access. I created a task for myself due in four days and did not get an email. I checked Business Planner> Notification settings and "Notify when new tasks are assigned" was checked.
I asked AI and it said there were comments about the notificaton feature not working so I thought I would ask here if anyone had any advice. Seems a neat feature .
I have always been told to use the Sales Receipt form when entering customer sales. Now, I am in the nonprofit world and every revenue P&S is only to enter the category. So, with P&S out of the way, why not post bank sync deposits with a deposit form? If you use sales receipts you have to enter one per donor. If you use deposit, you are presented with multiple lines.
I have tested a few times and donations recorded this way still seem to show up on reports by client. So. is there a reason to continue to use sales receipt(s) or do we lose something in the customer module I am missing?
I tagged this as finance and accounting because that is my responsibility but other parts will have to be updated as well. The organization for which I am volunteering created a P&P document/manual from a template they found. The board and management feel it is inaccurate and inadequate. I am going to work on the financial parts and my plan is to take the current manual, copy and update one or more sections at a time and send to the Treasurer and CEO for review and comment. I will also have to have input from them so I will send questions and we will meet by Zoom when necessary. I am assuming the stakeholders who will be updating the HR and other parts will do the same thing.
I will use the input to create a new P&P document with just the changes which impact financials for board approval. The board treasurer or the CEO may want other stakeholders on our committee but I think the basic plan is solid.
I wanted to get the group's opinion on my approach and any suggestions you might have.
We're a small nonprofit (under 10 people: staff, contractors, seasonal field crew) and our time tracking is a patchwork:
Nothing syncs, there's a lot of manual re-entry, and we don't get accurate project-level labor cost data.
Ideally: one tool that lets staff, contractors, and field crew all log time by project, integrates with Gusto for payroll, and gives real cost-by-project reporting without manual splitting every pay period.
Anyone solved this for a nonprofit with office + contractor + seasonal/field staff? Looking for recommendations.
I retired about 10 years ago from a job that required I create procedure manuals as part of the accounting systems implementation work I did. I am now volunteering to be the finance director for a decent sized nonprofit and I am overwhelmed by the options for documenting the processes I am initiating. "Back in my day" we documented with screen shots and text. I am a big fan of actually recording the steps (Zoom clips) as I walking through the process. I am a bit concerned about PII — personally identifiable information. I know I can blur that stuff out but sounds like a pain.
I wanted to get some opinions from people who are creating procedure manuals today. Thanks
Client's credit union connection to QBO has been posting checking account transactions into the credit card account (but not vice versa), corrupting both feeds and making the bank feed useless for either account.
My plan:
Any comments or does anyone see anything I missed?
Update: Someone pointed out that I could download the CSV file from the financial institution and upload to QBO in place of the interface between QBO and the Credit Union. We tried that with the Credit card and it worked flawlessly. Next up is the checking account. Not perfect but an acceptable work around. Thanks for the help.
I don't NEED a new camera. I have a nice Logitec that clips to the top of my monitor and works quite well but I have seen a few cameras with fun options. Some will track you as you move back and forth and some have the lens in the middle of your monitor (on an extension) so it always looks like you are facing the camera. I do 2-3 hours of Zoom meetings a day. I have a Mac Mini.
I am hoping for some input from folks who have already upgraded their cameras.