QB Live Assisted - What is it and what does it mean to Accountants?

So, you're a small business owner. You've been managing your own books, stumbling through QuickBooks Online like a bull in a china shop, desperately hoping you're not accidentally committing financial seppuku. But fear not, dear entrepreneur, Intuit QuickBooks has heard your cries for help. And their solution? QuickBooks Live Assisted Bookkeeping, because apparently, managing your own finances just isn't stressful enough.

Enter the New QuickBooks Live Assisted

Introducing the latest and greatest addition to the QuickBooks Live family: Assisted Bookkeeping. Because why pay an accountant to do your books when you can have a QuickBooks "expert" cheerfully guide you through the chaos at a fraction of the cost? It's like having a personal trainer for your financial fumbles, except instead of building muscles, you're building reports.

But don't worry, this isn't your grandma's bookkeeping service. Oh no, this is a 'do-it-with-me' experience. Because who wants professionals taking care of pesky details when you can fumble through it together, right?

Who are these "Experts?"

Intuit has been seriously investing in this term "Experts." It's very similar to Disney calling their employees "Cast Members" and their customers "Guests" because that terminology has a deeper connotation than a sterile relationship. The term from the outside looking in has distinct meaning. If I talk to an expert, the answers they give me must be right because.....they're an "expert," right? Well we all know that a certification, or accreditation does not equate to being an "expert" in anything. People in the trades, Lawyers, Doctors, are all experts in their field, but you know as well as I do, results may vary.

That being said, the Assisted Bookkeeping team are Intuit employees, and QuickBooks Online or Online Advanced Certified ProAdvisors. Their qualifications include at least one of the following:

• Active Certified Public Accountant
• Active Certified Public Bookkeeper
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance
• 3+ years managing books for a small business

All bookkeepers are ProAdvisors and have:

• An active QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Online Advanced certification, and
• A minimum of one year of experience working with QuickBooks Online

So unlike included support, you can be sure that at a bare minimum, the person you are working with has passed a certification, and has worked in QuickBooks Online for at least 1 year. That is not a guarantee when you reach out ot Intuit QuickBooks customer care directly from within the product.

Wait a Second....Isn't Already Support Included?

Well yes, that is true, but the caliber of representative can and will vary. They are focused on the technical aspect of QuickBooks, reporting bugs and defects and providing support for unexpected results, where the QuickBooks Live Assisted is focus on more of a coaching or best practice aspect of using QuickBooks. One way to look at it is like when you go to the gym, there are people who work there, that can show you around, and speak to the equipment, but then there are Personal Trainers that can really teach you the right way to use the equipment.

But Wait, What about my Accountant or QuickBooks ProAdvisor?

If we continue on the fitness analogy above, a good accounting professional is not someone who is employed by the gym. They are independent of that gym and not beholden to any of the prescribed workflows that are only available at that gym. An accounting Professional is more like a "Health Coach" that looks at your business holistically. They might recommend a specific gym to go to, they could also add additional "exercises" that the gym does not offer that complement that gym. They can also come into that gym and give you a personal session independent of anyone working at that gym.

That being said, maybe once you go to the gym you have some specific questions without your Coach being available, that's were this QB Live Assisted service could be of value, but be aware, that those QuickBooks "Personal Trainers" might be motivated to discuss other services to add on at the gym that might interfere with what your Health Coach has in mind. If you are already working with a QuickBooks ProAdvisor, please discuss this with them before you opt into this service.

How Much?

For the low, low price of $50 a month (subject to change, because why not?), you can have access to trained bookkeepers and QuickBooks product "experts" who will hold your hand through the treacherous journey of automation, categorization, reconciliation, and more. And hey, if you're lucky, you might even get to work with a different expert each time, because variety is the spice of financial mismanagement.

The Poison Ivy Approach - Look But Don't Touch

But wait, there's more! QuickBooks Live Assisted Bookkeeping doesn't include actually working in your books. Nope, these experts are here to offer sage advice and answer your burning questions, not to, you know, do any actual bookkeeping. Because who needs someone to handle the nitty-gritty details when you can just chat about them over the phone?

The Bottom Line

So, if you've ever thought to yourself, 'Gee, I really wish managing my finances was more confusing and frustrating,' then QuickBooks Live Assisted Bookkeeping is the service for you. Because why pay for peace of mind when you can pay for a monthly subscription to financial befuddlement? Thanks, Intuit, for making our lives just a little more complicated.

If you are looking to streamline your QuickBooks experience? QuickBooks Live Assisted Bookkeeping offers affordable guidance without taking control of your books, allowing you to manage them yourself with "expert" support. But if you value your time and seek quick, direct help from real life experts industry experts like Dan DeLong, QuickAnswers is your solution. With options for Elite Membership at $99 a month or $990 a year, including access to QuickAnswers, or a one-time $49 "Day Pass" for unlimited access, QuickAnswers ensures you can swiftly resolve your QuickBooks queries and get back to business hassle-free.