Frequently Asked Questions, FAQs
The Accountant Beside You series includes church and nonprofit QuickBooks help.
Let us help with your accounting questions.
If you are wondering what people are saying about The Accountant Beside You products, check out all our reviews here.
For information on the nonprofit or church accounting products and free resources, click on the topic you have a question about. If your question is not answered, check out the Discussions page or send us an email.
Click the section links below to jump to them directly.--PRODUCT INFORMATION-- --SYSTEM INFORMATION-- --ORDERING & SHIPPING INFORMATION-- --GENERAL INFORMATION-- PRODUCT INFORMATION
OUR CHURCH IS JUST GETTING STARTED. WHAT DO I NEED?
Check out Church Accounting for Small & Growing Churches 2nd Edition. It will be your go-to resources for the rules and regulations around church accounting. If you are wanting to use a simple spreadsheet program to track expenses and donations, the Church Accounting Spreadsheet Package with 5 Fund General Ledger will get you started. If you would rather start out with a computerized accounting program, check out the Church Accounting System Bundle with Book Edition to get both books, example programs, the QuickBooks custom files, and a policy and procedures manual and save money in the process.
I AM THE NEW TREASURER OF MY CHURCH. WHICH BOOK WILL HELP?
Church Accounting for Small & Growing Churches 2nd Edition will explain what you need to know about internal controls, donor acknowledgments, IRS regulations, etc. If you are currently using QuickBooks and wonder if you can improve the system or are considering converting to QuickBooks, I would recommend QuickBooks for Churches and Other Religious Organizations.
WHAT RELATED PRODUCTS DO YOU OFFER FOR EACH BOOK?
Each book comes in a paperback and e-book version. Additionally, each book has a related Handbook and downloadable files (QuickBooks or Excel spreadsheets). Money-saving packages bundle the book in paperback or ebook versions with the downloads & handbooks. From the menu across the top of this page, select Series Options and the book you are interested in to access all of the additional options.
Do you sell the QuickBooks program?
No. My books are written to show you how to use QuickBooks in a church or nonprofit environment. The best place for Nonprofits and Churches to purchase QuickBooks is www.techsoup.org. Qualifying organizations can purchase the most current Desktop Premier Nonprofit Version for only $50.
What is the difference between your Church Accounting & QuickBooks for Churches combo bundle and your QuickBooks for Churches bundle?
The combo bundle includes almost everything. It has both books, the Quickbooks file with the chart of accounts & preferences, the example package from Church Accounting and the Policy & Procedures Handbook.
If you are already familiar with the rules and regulations around church accounting but need help getting set up on Quickbooks, the QuickBooks for Churches bundle is all you need.
I run a religious-based nonprofit or mission. Which of your books should I use?
QuickBooks for Nonprofits & Churches-The Step by Step Guide to the Pro, Premier, and Nonprofit Versions would probably be your best bet. It focuses less on the weekly offerings of a church and more on grants and memberships.
I see you have Church Accounting The How-To Guide for Small & Growing Churches. Is it QuickBooks related too?
No, Church Accounting The How-To Guide is designed to be used by any church no matter what accounting system. But it is a good companion book, detailing the ins and outs of how to calculate payroll and housing allowances, donation acknowledgment requirements, internal control procedures, and all the other things churches need to know to assure they are following the necessary rules and regulations for accounting. It even shows you how to set up an accounting system using spreadsheets, if you are just starting out and can't afford a computerized program.
I'm using QBO (QuickBooks Online). Will your books help?
Yes. QuickBooks Online (QBO) is a completely different program than the desktop version, so I have a separate book for it, Using QuickBooks Online for Small Nonprofits & Churches.
I purchased the course bundle but can't remember how to access it. What do I do?
All courses are hosted at www.NonprofitAccountingClasses.com Log in with your email at that site. If you have any problems, email us at Questions@accountantbesideyou.com and we'll get you set right up.
System Information
Do the QuickBooks files work on Macs?
I am sorry to say they don't.
My organization is using Quickbooks 2012. Will the files work for it?
Sorry again. The books are still useful, but the QuickBooks chart of account files will only work with Microsoft PC version 2013 and later.
I've got the latest version of QuickBooks. Will your books still help?
Definitely! The basic menu structure of the program has not changed since 2013 nor have the workarounds I've developed. Check my blog posts for a
I'm a bit confused about how to load the QuickBooks files.
Under the Video Tutorials tab on this website are a couple of videos showing how to back up and restore files and how to import a chart of accounts.
http://accountantbesideyou.com/video-tutorials/
How do I get my e-book onto my Kindle or other devices?
This link explains the different formats. Click here to scroll to the explanation below.
Here is a website that explains how to get books onto your Kindle easily. https://askleo.com/how-do-i-get-a-mobi-ebook-onto-my-kindle/
Ordering & Shipping Information
How long will it take my book to arrive?
E-Books, digital files and classes are available immediately. If you don't see an email with links, please email me at questions@accountantbesideyou.com with your order number and I'll get you the access.
Books are shipped that day or the next. Priority mail service (flat rate of $8.95) should arrive in 2-3 days from shipping. Media mail (flat rate of $3.95) usually arrives within a week.
I would like to buy multiple copies for my clients (or board members, etc.). Do you offer quantity and shipping discounts?
Of course! Email me at Questions@accountantbesideyou.com with the number of books you are considering and I'll get you a discount price list. We also sell wholesale to bookstores and retail establishments.
I ordered a downloadable product. How do I download it?
Thanks for your order. Immediately after the credit card clears, you should receive an email with links in Blue saying Download Files. It will link you directly to your account with your purchased files.
I didn't receive an email confirming my order.
This happens when the email address was entered incorrectly. Please use the contact page http://accountantbesideyou.com/contact to send me an email with the correct email address and I'll send you the confirmation email right out.
I need to download the file on a different computer than where my email came. What do I do?
All orders are stored under your email address even if you did not originally set up an account. Select Sign In or Create an Account at the top right corner of the screen and log in or set up an account. You will then be taken to a history of your orders where you can download the files.
I purchased some files months ago and am finally ready to download, but am now getting an error.
Just use the http://accountantbesideyou.com/contact page and I'll reset the files for you.
Oops. I meant to order the paperback, but ordered the e-book instead.
Don't worry. Shoot me an email http://accountantbesideyou.com/contact/ letting me know and I'll cancel the first order and put the dollar$ in a store credit for you. You can then order the product you wanted and pay the difference.
I don't have a credit card. Can you invoice me?
Sure. Shoot me an email with the products you would like purchased, your address, and a phone number and I'll get that right out.
General Information
What is your return policy?
I am a firm believer that nonprofit organizations and churches shouldn't spend money on things they can't use. If you don't find the books or files useful, just send me an email and I'll refund your purchase.
What version of QuickBooks do you recommend?
That is such a difficult question as it depends on your organization's size, needs & budget.
This blog post may help Which QuickBooks is for Nonprofits? (accountantbesideyou.com)
If you are a qualifying nonprofit or religious organization, you can get QuickBooks Nonprofit Premier desktop version at a fraction of the cost at the nonprofit website, www.techsoup.org. That would be the first place to check.
I'm still a bit confused about classes vs account vs items.
I've got a blog post that may help.
http://accountantbesideyou.com/blog/classeshow-they-differ-from-account-numbers-and-items/
Which formats do you sell your ebooks in and where do these formats work?
We sell our e-books in one or more of the following formats:
Mobipocket (MOBI) - This file type can only be recognized by the Amazon Kindle eReader and Kindle apps. To transfer the file to your Kindle, simply plug your e-reader into computer and copy the file from you PC into the document folder on your device. To use on the IPad's Kindle app, use Amazon's program for transferring files to Apple devices at http://www.amazon.com/gp/sendtokindle/mac.
PDF - Adobe's PDF format is recognized by Adobe Acrobat Reader. Virtually every e-reader can handle it, and it retains page numbers, but it may not provide the best reading experience on a small screen. That said, PDF's are a good choice for publications you intend to print.
What are your returns and shipping policies?
Returns Policy
You may return most new items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).
Due to the nature of downloads, they are not returnable. If you have any difficulty opening or using a download, email questions@accountantbesideyou.com and we will resend or assist you in loading the file.
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.
Shipping
We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to some international destinations.
