As a business owner, handing your bookkeeping and finances over to an accountant can be a huge relief. No longer do you have to worry about categorizing transactions, reconciling accounts, or generating financial statements. However, you still want visibility into your books. That’s where the Accountant’s View in QuickBooks Online comes in handy.
Switching over to your accountant’s view is straightforward. Just follow these steps:
Step 1: Invite Your Accountant to Your QuickBooks Online Account
Before anything else, you need to connect your accountant to your QuickBooks Online (QBO) account.
- Log into your QBO account and click the gear icon in the top right corner.
- Select Manage users under Your Company.
- Click Invite accountant and enter your accountant’s email address. This will send them an invitation to join your books.
Once your accountant accepts the invitation, they will have access to your QBO account.
Step 2: Navigate to the Accountant’s View
Now you’re ready to switch views.
- While logged into your QBO account, click the gear icon again.
- Select Switch to Accountant’s view.
That’s all there is to it! The switch happens instantly.
You’ll notice right away that the UI looks a bit different in this view. The navigation bar now shows Accountant as the primary tab. This is where your accountant can access everything they need to reconcile accounts, clean up transactions, generate reports, and more.
As the business owner, you can still access all the views and tools you’re used to. Just click the Client tab in the navigation bar to switch back to your regular small business view.
Step 3: Grant Accountant Permissions
When you first invite your accountant to QBO, they are limited in what they can access. To give them full capabilities, you need to set their user permissions.
Here’s how:
- Go to the gear icon > Manage users
- Click the dropdown next to your accountant’s name and choose Edit user permissions
- Check the boxes for all accountant activities they should have access to
- Click Save
Now your accountant will have no restrictions in the Accountant’s View!
Key Features of the Accountant’s View
Switching to the Accountant’s View unlocks several useful features for your accountant:
- Accounting Overview – This dashboard gives your accountant a quick snapshot of account balances, income/expenses, reconciliations, and more.
- Client View – Lets your accountant easily toggle to your regular QBO view to see your workflow.
- Ledger – A detailed transactions list similar to a T-account ledger. Helpful for auditing.
- Reconcile – Walks through the steps to reconcile your bank accounts and credit cards.
- Reports – Provides a library of financial reports your accountant can run.
- Journal entry – Enables your accountant to make journal entries for adjustments, accruals, etc.
- Cleanup – Tools to reclassify, delete, merge, and modify transactions.
- Accountant’s changes – An audit trail showing all changes your accountant makes.
These features allow your accountant to dig in and manage your books like the experts they are!
Communication is Key
Handing your QuickBooks Online account over to your accountant is a big shift. Make the transition smooth by maintaining open communication:
- Agree on regular check-ins to discuss financials and strategies. Monthly is usually ideal.
- Use the Accountant’s Changes report to stay on top of adjustments your accountant makes.
- Set permissions thoughtfully. Find the right balance between access and security.
- Ask questions! Your accountant wants you to fully understand your finances.
By mastering the Accountant’s View in QuickBooks Online, you and your accountant can collaborate seamlessly. You can focus on running your business while relying on their expertise to handle your books accurately and efficiently. Reach out to the QuickBooks Online support number at any time if you need guidance on unlocking all the capabilities the Accountant’s View has to offer.