Online certificate program
Thinking about a career in bookkeeping? With this program, you’ll gain the skills to succeed as a bookkeeper. You develop a solid foundation in bookkeeping theory and learn to work with popular software like Quickbooks and Sage.
Program details
There are six online courses in this program, and you must register for each course individually. Each course has weekly assignments and Level 2 courses include a final assignment.
You need a computer with Windows 8 or higher. The courses in this program are not compatible with Macs, Chromebooks or tablets.
Spring 2024
The Spring 2024 certificate program will run from January 8, 2024 to June 2, 2024
Due to high demand, registration for January has been filled by waitlist/interest list.
This program is in high demand and we advise joining our interest list to secure a future seat. Please email PDTCowichan@viu.ca with your name, email, phone number to be added to our interest list. All of our courses below are offered online. Our next program begins in September 2024.
Program courses
Learn bookkeeping from the ground up. This course is valuable if you have a small business, belong to a non-profit group or need to upgrade your job skills. No bookkeeping experience required.
Topics covered
- journalizing transactions
- posting to the various ledgers
- creating financial statements
- year-end adjustments
- closing the books at year-end
Course work is based on practical situations. Online manual included.
This course builds on the concepts and skills developed in Bookkeeping Level 1. You will expand your skills to include merchandising and manufacturing companies, partnerships and corporations.
Topics covered
- sales tax remittances
- payroll calculations and remittances
- amortization
- gain/loss on disposal of capital assets
- inventory
- interest
- some analysis of financial statements
- organization of source documents
- comparison of different bookkeeping software packages
Online manual included.
Learn QuickBooks and the fundamentals of accounting for small business.
Topics covered
- billing
- generating estimates
- collections
- inventory management
- payroll
- daily transactions
- how to avoid costly interest and payroll penalties
- how to deal effectively with GST/PST and Canada Revenue Agency.
- reduce audit and accounting costs
This course includes hands-on experience, review tests and spreadsheet submissions. Textbook required.
Prerequisites: Computer Basics or equivalent, keyboarding skills, plus some experience in bookkeeping. We recommend you take Basic Bookkeeping Level 1 and 2 prior to taking this course. Proof of prior bookkeeping experience and approval from the instructor will be required if you have not taken bookkeeping classes.
This course builds on the skills you acquired in Level 1.
Topics covered:
- creating new company files
- bank reconciliation
- credit & debit cards
- security
- budgets
- managing inventory features
- additional payroll features
- foreign currencies
Textbook required.
Prerequisites: QuickBooks Level 1 or equivalent experience.
Simply Accounting is used by more than 400,000 Canadian businesses. Whether you sell services or products, you’ll learn how to manage all your daily accounting needs.
Topics covered:
- fully integrated general ledger
- inventory
- accounts receivable
- accounts payable
- payroll modules
- generate meaningful reports
- analyze financial data and improve your business strategies!
Sage requires a Windows-based PC. Textbook required.
Prerequisites: Computer Basics or equivalent, keyboarding skills, plus some experience in bookkeeping. We recommend you take Basic Bookkeeping Level 1 and 2 prior to taking this course. Proof of prior bookkeeping experience and approval from the instructor will be required if you have not taken bookkeeping classes.
This course builds on the skills you acquired in Level 1.
Topics covered:
- setting up data files
- bank reconciliation
- credit card usage
- security
- budgets
- projects
- extra inventory features
- additional payroll features
- foreign currencies
Textbook required.
Prerequisites: Simply Accounting Level 1 or equivalent experience.
Questions?
Email Niki.Scarfo@viu.ca.