Running QuickBooks in Nonprofits, by Kathy Ivens, is a must-have guide for anybody taking care of bookkeeping chores in a nonprofit environment using QuickBooks.

The author does an outstanding job organizing the material and making it easy to understand. The guide contains many topics that will be familiar to experienced QuickBooks users, such as Entering Bills, Making Bank Deposits, and Writing Checks. The author does an excellent job presenting these mundane topics as they apply to nonprofits, often covering them quite deeply. The Entering Bills section, for example, is almost 11 pages long, a few of the many subtopics being: Posting to Multiple Expense Accounts, Allocating to Multiple Programs, and Allocating to Grants and Contracts.

The guide also covers unique topics that pertain to nonprofits. Allocating payroll across multiple grants or programs, managing volunteers, and preparing for an audit, are just a few of the difficult subjects found in this guide.

The range of topics covered by this 498 page volume is impressive, and includes the following:

1. QuickBooks Limitations for Nonprofits
2. Getting Started
3. Chart of Accounts
4. Configuring Preferences
5. Configuring Classes and Lists
6. Managing Revenue
7. Managing Expenses
8. Managing Bank Accounts and Cash
9. Budgets and Projections
10. Producing Reports
11. Year End Activities
12. Audits
13. Managing QuickBooks Files
14. Managing Users and Security
15. QuickBooks Fundraising Tools
16. In-Kind (Non-Cash) Revenue
Appendix: Nonprofit Accounting Issues

Running QuickBooks in Nonprofits opens with a discussion of the limitations of QuickBooks for the nonprofit environment. The author's reminder that QuickBooks was not designed for nonprofits, but rather reworked for them, helps readers understand why there is a need for workarounds and other tips and tricks. These workarounds, tips, and tricks are more fully discussed in other parts of the book.

The 18 page index is well populated and will serve as an effective research tool when important information is needed.

Anybody who has even dabbled in bookkeeping for nonprofits knows that it can be an extremely complicated task. This guide will serve as a valuable reference for years to come, helping nonprofit organizations keep their books accurate and well-organized. Well worth the retail price of $34.95.

Running QuickBooks in Nonprofits is published by CPA911 Publishing.