Welcome to the Boomtown blog. Most posts here are about bookkeeping, QuickBooks, and the parts of running a small business that nobody warned you about. I write for self-employed folks who want their books to make sense without becoming an accountant in the process.
When Should You Hire a Bookkeeper for Your Small Business?
Wondering if it's time to hire a bookkeeper? Here are three honest signals worth paying attention to, plus when DIY is still the right call.
How to Create and Send Client Invoices in QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online's invoicing is solid if you need it, but it's not automatically the right tool for every business. Here's how to create and send invoices in QBO, plus when it's the right fit.
How to Use Bank Rules in QuickBooks Online (Without Messing Up Your Books)
Bank rules are one of the biggest time-savers in QuickBooks Online, and also one of the most common places I see DIY bookkeeping go sideways. Here's how to set them up in a way that actually helps.
5 QuickBooks Online Features You're Probably Not Using
QuickBooks Online has features most small business owners never turn on because nobody told them they exist. Here are five that are genuinely worth using, plus honest notes on when each one is worth the effort.
How Bookkeeping Protects Your Small Business from Fraud
Most small business fraud slips through because no one's looking at the books until something obvious is wrong. Routine bookkeeping review is how you catch it early. Here's what to watch for.
How to Set Up QuickBooks Online: A Step-by-Step Guide
You paid for your QuickBooks Online subscription, you logged in, and now you're staring at an empty file. Here's the order I'd set things up in, and what each step actually involves.
How to Track Unpaid Invoices in QuickBooks Online
If you invoice clients, knowing who owes you what (and how long they've owed it) is one of the simpler things QuickBooks can do for you. Here's how to run the report and what to do with what you find.
How to Reconcile Your Bank Accounts in QuickBooks Online
Reconciling your bank accounts in QuickBooks Online is how you know your books actually match reality. Here's how to do it, and what to do if you're months behind.
How to Clean Up Your Chart of Accounts
If you're doing your own bookkeeping, your Chart of Accounts is the foundation everything else rests on. Here's how to set yours up in QuickBooks Online so running a report stops feeling like a chore.