Bookkeeping Basics #1: Understand the Fundamentals (Udemy.com)
Learn bookkeeping terms and concepts to make owners, employees & students more confident and successful!
Created by: Ron Trucks
Last updated January 2026
What you will learn
- Understand the basics of bookkeeping helping business owners and managers feel more confident
How it compares
Against the other 200 rated Udemy courses in Accounting on CourseDuck:
- Rating4.6 out of 5higher than 69% of them
- Reviews7,998#8 of 201 by number of reviews
- Length4.6 hoursshorter than 61% of them
- Last updatedJanuary 2026more recently than 68% of them
Course Description
As a business owner, entrepreneur, employee or student you may be great in your field but that doesn't mean you're strong in every area of running a business...
A great chef may be incredible in the kitchen...
An award-winning body builder can help the most out of shape person...
A talented web designer or graphic artist may create unbelievable designs...
But when it's time to balance the checkbook or talk to the CPA at tax time, it feels like it's a completely different language you've never learned!
Using simple, easy-to-understand discussion, illustrations and note sheets, this 4.5 hour course with over 50 video lessons teaches you the basic building blocks of how money is tracked and what that means to your business or project.
Everyday examples using common phrases and terms you already know allows the instructor to teach that "other language" and for you to feel more confident in working with vendors, customers, employees, investors, instructors and more!
After completing the course, students will feel more confident and knowledgeable on topics such as...
What is Income and how do you track it?
Which types of Expenses can be claimed by your business
The difference between Assets, Liabilities and Equity
The Five W's of Bookkeeping
Transactions, The Fundamental Financial Equation and Charts of Accounts
Accounts Receivables and Accounts Payables
Reading Financial Reports
Business Odds and Ends such as Mileage Tracking, Credit Terms, Shipping and Freight, Trade Discounts
The Top 10 Mistakes Small Businesses Make
The Top 6 Tips for Good Bookkeeping
CPE (Continuing Professional Education)
CPE Learning Objectives
Recognize the difference and the importance of tracking personal finances separately from business finances.
Identify the primary four types of business structures in the United States.
Define “transaction” as it is used by non-accounting professionals in the small business world.
Differentiate between revenue and other types of funds received by a business.
Explain the difference between Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) and other types of small business expenses (overhead).
Explain the differences between Assets, Liabilities, and Equity.
Identify the difference between Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable.
State the different information included in Income Statements, Balance Sheets, and A/P & A/R Aging reports.
List common mistakes small business make in bookkeeping activities.
For additional information, including refunds and complaints, please see Udemy Terms of Use, which is linked from the footer of this page.
For more information regarding administrative policies, please contact our support using the Help and Support link at the bottom of this page.
Instructor Details
- 4.6 Rating
7,998 Reviews
Ron Trucks
For over 30 years, I’ve worked with businesses of every size—from mom-and-pop shops to billion-dollar financial firms—helping them build stronger operations, better teams, and smarter strategies.
Along the way, I’ve spent more than 20 years teaching business management at the college level, working with students who wanted not just theory, but real-world skills they could use.
My approach is simple:
Make the complicated understandable - and the intimidating activities doable.
Here on Udemy, I've helped over 50,000 students strengthen their business knowledge, earning over 8,000 five-star reviews by keeping the focus on practical, clear, and real-world learning.
Whether you’re starting a business, managing a team, or just wanting to understand how businesses work, I’m excited to help you build skills that make a difference.
More courses by Ron Trucks
Intro to Business • HR: Payroll Fundamentals (2023)
4.6 (2,551 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 3.4h
$10.99
Bookkeeping Basics 4: QuickBooks Online • All new for 2026!
4.6 (1,784 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 6.1h
$94.99
Bookkeeping Basics #3: QuickBooks™ Desktop Fundamentals (2025)
4.8 (998 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 4.8h
$119.99
Intro to Business • Human Resources Fundamentals (2023)
4.6 (266 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 3h
$10.99
QuickBooks™ Online PRACTICE ASSIGNMENT • Quincy Bookstore (2026)
4.6 (153 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 5h
$74.99
More Accounting courses
Bookkeeping Basics #3: QuickBooks™ Desktop Fundamentals (2025)
4.8 (998 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 4.8h
$119.99
QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2022 Made Easy for Beginners
4.8 (158 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 9.1h
$84.99
Financial Accounting & Bookkeeping: From Beginner to Pro (2026)
4.7 (5,344 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 32.5h
$22.99
Xero Online Accounting - Learn Xero in a Day 2026
4.7 (3,109 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 4.2h
$13.99
Reviews
By Lisa Hudson on 8/12/2026
This is the course I needed! Nothing is left out. No prior knowledge is expected. Everything is explained in clear, relatable terms that make the idea of bookkeeping clear -- finally! Thank you, Mr. Trucks and your team. I am starting to feel less lost. :)
By Pete Orlanski on 8/3/2026
The course material and presentation was well put together and clearly communicated. The content was about what I expected from selecting this course. The production value of the video and audio was sub par, however. I heard many improper fades in the dialogue resulting in pops and clicks and the resolution of the video made everything look fuzzy to the point where I could not read any of the documents referenced in the video. If you need help with the the a/v production please reach out!
By Cami Arvizu on 5/28/2026
This course was very well done and the explanations were very clear. I came in with some knowledge and understanding of accounting fundamentals, however, through this course I was able to “connect the dots” with a few things and gain a better understanding of bookkeeping as a whole. I also appreciated the non-text book definitions.
By Lioudmila Kennedy on 5/13/2026
I enjoyed this course very much. The material was presented clearly and easy to understand. I have a much better understanding of what bookkeeping is and why it is important, and feel empowered that I can do it for my own business.
By Mylene Lundang on 5/2/2026
I just wanted to share my appreciation for the course. The topics were discussed very clearly and in a practical manner, making it easy to understand and apply in real-life situations. Great job! Thank you for the effort and clarity you put into teaching.
By Aimee Parrott on 4/23/2026
I'm a little more than halfway through the course and finding it very helpful. I had some experience with bookkeeping, but this has been an excellent refresher and I have learned new things, as well. I'll be signing up for Part 2.
By Udemy User on 4/4/2026
At this point, it's the simple introduction, but I like how the instructor is building a strong, interactive rapport with us. It's a great sign to me that he's breaking things down in simple terms, that he's inviting us to connect via Facebook, and trying to cultivate a personalized connection with us. He is also inviting us to share who we are and where we are at in our bookkeeping journey. In that regard, I'm feeling like I have access to a mentor for more tailored guidance as I navigate my career path in bookkeeping/accounting.
By Nicole Santa Maria on 3/31/2026
It's a good course, but having a small background in basic business activity, I found some of the information a bit common sense. However, I understand that some people are going into it with no experience, so it may be helpful to start from absolute zero. I would have also liked if the instruction tied into some basic software platform that would allow a better understanding from an actual operations standpoint, given that we live in such a technically advanced world. Overall, good for a basic understanding to get started!
By Franco Grandi on 2/25/2026
Very good. It was tailored for the American market but the fundamentals taught were equally applicable in the Australian business environment. I feel much more confident in taking on the book keeping for my wife's travel agency business, and am further encouraged by the offer of continuing ad hoc advice.
By Lisa Bendler on 2/16/2026
This was very well done and I learned a lot. The course had excellent documentation for note taking and further follow up. I appreciate that effort very much. It touched on a number of things that I have not heard of before in bookkeeping. Will definitely look into additional courses from his company.
By Lucy Pedlar on 11/15/2020
Better than I excepted and I learned a lot. Thank you
By Rebecca Balken on 11/15/2020
I wish I would have taken this course years ago. It was a little too basic for my present skills but did an amazing job summarizing the most important aspects of bookkeeping and starting a small business. I still learned some new things and some others were reinforced. I recommend this course to anyone just starting out or anyone who thinks they may have started out incorrectly.
Quality Score
No CourseDuck member has rated this course yet. Taken it? Give each part a thumbs up or down.
Overall Score : 92 / 100











