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itsmefast
Level 1
posted
‎March 04, 2025 06:56 AM
last updated ‎March 04, 2025 6:56 AM

need advice on quickbooks automation for my small education academy (to escape spreadsheet hell)

As a non profit trying to help local education school. They're drowning in Excel sheets, manual invoicing, and accounting errors. Looking to level up with QuickBooks but need guidance from those who've been there.

Current Setup

  • ~110 students, 18 teachers

  • Monthly subscription model (not upfront payments)

  • Currently using:

    • Excel sheets (one per teacher + master sheet)

    • QuickBooks Basic (bookkeeping only)

    • Go High Level (marketing)

    • RBC Express (bank charges)

    • Looking at Pluto for payment processing

Key Problems

  • Manual data entry between systems

  • No automatic invoicing to students

  • Payment tracking errors (missed charges, overpayments)

  • Time-consuming monthly reconciliation

Potential Solution

  • Upgrade to QuickBooks Plus/Essentials

  • Integrate with Pluto for payment processing

  • Create automated workflows for invoicing

Questions

  1. Can QuickBooks handle teacher-student relationships with customized pricing?

  2. Is it possible to automate monthly invoice generation based on recurring services?

  3. Can QuickBooks integrate with both Pluto and Go High Level?

  4. Has anyone successfully moved from spreadsheets to QuickBooks for a subscription-based education business?

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1 Comment 1
LouiseG
QuickBooks Team
QuickBooks Team
‎March 04, 2025 10:10 AM

need advice on quickbooks automation for my small education academy (to escape spreadsheet hell)

I appreciate you providing a detailed explanation of your concern, itsmefast. Let's dive deeper into how QuickBooks can address each of your concerns and explore the best practices for a successful transition from spreadsheets to a more robust, integrated QuickBooks system.

 

To begin, QuickBooks efficiently manages customized pricing. However, please know that this functionality is currently not  available in the international versions.

 

Regarding the automation of monthly invoice generation for recurring services, the software supports this capability. You can set up a recurring invoice template within the platform that will automatically generate and send invoices to your students according to a defined schedule. This ensures consistent and timely billing each month, which can greatly enhance operational efficiency.

 

Here's how:

 

  1. Navigate to the Gear icon.
  2. In the Lists column, select Recurring transactions.
    image (3).png
  3. Click New, then pick a transaction type to create and hit OK.
    image (2).png
  4. Enter a Template name.
    image.png
  5. Choose a Type: Scheduled, Reminder, or Unscheduled.
    image (1).png
  6. Complete the fields and Save template.

 

For comprehensive guidance, please refer to the article: Create recurring transactions in QuickBooks Online.

 

Additionally, for automation and integration, you can utilize the App center to determine if the applications can be integrated. If integration is unavailable, I recommend reaching out to the developers of Pluto and Go High Level to confirm their compatibility with QuickBooks.

 

Finally, transitioning from using spreadsheets to QuickBooks Online (QBO) is feasible. The program offers tools to import data directly from spreadsheets, enabling you to transfer existing financial and customer data seamlessly into the system. This shift helps reduce manual data entry and the likelihood of errors, while significantly enhancing the effectiveness of your financial management strategy.

 

Check out this material for more information: Import data from other software into QuickBooks Online.

Moreover, I've included this material that provides guidance if  you want to personalize your sales forms: Customise invoices, estimates, and sales receipts in QuickBooks Online.

 

If you have any additional questions or need further assistance, please feel free to contact us. We are dedicated to supporting you throughout this transition and are here to help you tailor QBO to suit the unique needs of your educational institution.

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