Beth Freschi at A Time for Expression
The QuickBooks ProAdvisor Academy, a fresh initiative by Intuit, brings new levels of flexibility and rigor to accounting professionals pursuing QuickBooks certifications. This reimagined academy introduces a personalized experience and targeted training paths for accountants and bookkeepers. And…it’s all FREE!
Here’s a closer look at the new features and structure that help us learn more and learn more quickly.
My Hub: Your Personalized Learning Dashboard
Your ProAdvisor training portal is in your QuickBooks Online for Accountants (QBOA) portal. Click on ProAdvisor, then on Training. Click on the Start Learning button and you’re on your way to the ProAdvisor Academy!
Users are greeted by My Hub, a homepage showcasing your current course status, certifications in progress, and the badges you’ve earned so far. As you start and move through your certification training and exams, this dashboard provides quick access to pick up where you left off on your last visit.
Redesigned Certification Pathways
Replacing the previous Core and Advanced certification levels, ProAdvisor Academy now offers two main certification programs—Foundation and Specialty. Foundation is where you’ll find our familiar exams. Instead of being called “Core” and “Advanced” Certification, they have been renamed into “Level 1” and “Level 2.” These new names were changed with future expansion in mind.
Level 1 Certification is structured as a comprehensive introduction to accounting workflows, with “light-touch client advisory moments.” Level 2 Certification takes professionals further, delving into sophisticated tools and client advisory services—skills that set you apart in today’s competitive market.
Both Level 1 and Level 2 certifications are renewable, requiring a shorter recertification exam to be completed between April and June. This helps ensure that ProAdvisors’ skills remain current. Recertification is one of my favorite ways to make sure I know about all the QuickBooks updates.
Something new is that both exams now feature two study tracks: Regular and Test Out. The Regular track offers module-based learning, where users can work through the training materials, absorb knowledge in manageable chunks, and test their skills at the end of each stage with that segment’s exam.
The Level 1 Certification currently contains five courses - Getting Started, Sales and Customers, Expenses and Vendors, Banking, and Period End. Users earn CPE for completing each segment, which can be completed in any order.
Experts can opt for the fast track instead by toggling the “Test Out” slider. This allows you to bypass the training modules and head straight to the exam. This exam must be done in one sitting. It is expected to take about two hours, but it must be completed within five hours, at which point it times out for immediate grading.
Once you’ve passed Level 1 Certification, you can move on to Level 2, with six modules. The topics are similar but include deeper knowledge and skills, with an additional section for Custom Reporting.
As in the past, both the Level 1 and Level 2 exams are open book, give you three attempts, require an 80% to pass, and have a cool off waiting period before you can attempt it again.
Intuit’s Bookkeeping Certification
The ProAdvisor Academy’s Foundation tab also includes a new Intuit Bookkeeping Certification, a targeted program for those looking to build a foundation in bookkeeping. This path requires no prior QuickBooks knowledge.
This free certification was formerly a paid course on Coursera. It is particularly appealing to non-traditional hires or career switchers, offering a structured path to mastering essential bookkeeping skills.
The course takes approximately 30 hours to complete, and includes Bookkeeping Basics, Tracking Expenses Liabilities & Equity, Tracking Assets and Sales, and Reconciling Accounts and Examining Financial Statements. It does require access to Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers.
Once you’re done with the training (or if you consider yourself a Pro and don’t need training), you’ll use the Test Out feature to turn on the exam.
Notably, this certification is proctored to maintain integrity. It requires users to install a Chrome extension that sets up a secure testing environment with camera and microphone access. This exam is not open book - you can only use the tab you’re in. Any suspicious activity, like going off camera, looking at second monitors, or talking to people in the room, will be flagged for review to ensure that you’re not cheating.
Because its focus is on fundamental skills, the Bookkeeping certification does not expire, providing a long-term credential for those entering the accounting field.
Specialty Certifications
Beyond foundational QBO training, ProAdvisor Academy offers Specialty certifications, which include QuickBooks Online Payroll, Desktop Certification, and Desktop Enterprise Certification.
Yes, ProAdvisors using Desktop are still recognized for their expertise! The training portion consists of 11 modules and a single exam. The QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise certification, which requires the Desktop exam as a prerequisite, consists of four modules and a single comprehensive exam.
The QuickBooks Online Payroll training is essential to make sure QBO Payroll is running smoothly. The five modules include Getting Started with Payroll, Managing Workers, Wages and Taxes, Deductions and Contributions, and Tax Liabilities and End-of-Period Activities. As before, you can work through each individual topic and take its certification exam as you go, or opt for the Test Out option and take the exam in one sitting.
Supplemental Courses
For those who would love extra learning support, the Learn Tab features individual modules and live webinars, each eligible for CPE credits. Topics include all of the mini-courses from all of the certifications, but offered a-la-carte and without an exam.
My History and Credentials
As users progress through courses and certifications, they can monitor their accomplishments through the My History tab, where they’ll find Intuit’s CPE certificates and badges awarded by Credly.com.
While there is no need to create a Credly account, I myself have badges there awarded by Microsoft, Skillable, Certiport, Pearson, and several other certification programs, allowing you to create a landing page showing off all your professional credentials in one place.
In addition to the My History tab, ProAdvisor Academy sends CPE certificates directly to users’ emails, making it easy to keep track of earned credits.
If you need your CPE certificates from before the move to the new ProAdvisor Academy, you can email accountant_training@intuit.com for support.
A Rewarding Learning Experience
In addition to CPE and marketing materials, completing the certification exams awards points towards your ProAdvisor Benefits, the second tab in the ProAdvisor section of QBOA. Level 1 and the two Desktop certifications each earn 100 points. Level 2 and Payroll certifications each earn 200 points. After earning 500 points, you earn a listing in the findaproadvisor.com directory, Premium US-based support with a dedicated phone number (my #1 favorite benefit).
Intuit’s new ProAdvisor Academy emphasizes flexibility, advanced learning, and future-focused career paths in accounting. By combining foundational training with specialty certifications and secure credentials, the program is built to grow alongside each user. For QuickBooks professionals seeking a comprehensive path to certification, ProAdvisor Academy represents a well-thought-out evolution in QuickBooks training and skill development.
For additional information, please visit https://quickbooks.intuit.com/proadvisor-academy/ and https://www.firmofthefuture.com/quickbooks-proadvisor/introducing-proadvisor-academy/.
Further Training
While ProAdvisor Academy is essential for QuickBooks ProAdvsiors to get up and running, many still find that their real-life client scenarios require additional experience. That’s where Royalwise Solutions, Inc. comes into play! Alicia Katz Pollock, MAT has put together a collection of deep-dive QBO topics that include best practices and tips from one of the most recognized trainers in the industry. Explore more opportunities at learn.royalwise.com?affiliate=1712352!