Project Accounting Series: Viewing Total Expense Reports in QuickBooks Online

In my previous article, I mentioned that the total expenses recorded in Google Sheets should match the total expenses recorded in QuickBooks Online for the same reporting period.

In this article, I would like to share how I usually view expense reports in QuickBooks Online and compare them with my expense records in Google Sheets.

Accessing the Reports Menu

To view expense reports, click the Reports menu located on the left side of the QuickBooks Online dashboard.

The screen will appear as shown in Figure 1.

Figure (1)

QuickBooks provides several recommended reports. One of the reports that I use most frequently is the Profit and Loss Report.

Click Profit and Loss, and the report will open as shown in Figure 2.

Gambar (2)

Viewing Total Expenses

The Profit and Loss Report displays income and expenses for a selected period.

If you would like to view expenses for a specific month or project, click the Customize button located in the upper-right corner of the report.

The screen will then appear as shown in Figure 3.

Gambar (3)

In the customization section:

• Select the reporting period, for example:
  • December 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017
• Select the donor name from the Donor filter
• Click Run Report

The report will then display the results as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure (4)

Figure (5)

The total expenses shown in the report represent all expenses that have been entered into QuickBooks Online for the selected reporting period.

Comparing QuickBooks with Google Sheets

Since I also use Google Sheets to record daily project expenses, I regularly compare the total expenses shown in QuickBooks with the total expenses recorded in the spreadsheet.

Ideally, both totals should be exactly the same.

If there is a difference between the two totals, several situations may have occurred:

• Some expenses have been recorded in Google Sheets but have not yet been entered into QuickBooks.
• Some expenses have been entered directly into QuickBooks by the Headquarters office but have not yet been recorded in Google Sheets.
• There may be an error during the reconciliation process.
• An expense may have been entered into the wrong project, donor, or account category.

The Importance of Regular Review

In my experience, the second situation often requires the most attention.

Because QuickBooks Online is cloud-based, accountants working at Headquarters can enter, edit, or update transactions at any time.

As a result, project expenses can change throughout the month.

For this reason, I make it a habit to regularly review QuickBooks and check whether there are any new expenses entered by the Headquarters accounting team.

Regular monitoring helps ensure that:

• Expense records remain accurate.
• Project reports are complete.
• Reconciliations can be completed more smoothly at month-end.
• Financial information is consistent across different reporting tools.

Another benefit of QuickBooks Online is that internal stakeholders, such as Project Managers and Finance Managers, can quickly access up-to-date financial information whenever they need it.

Final Thoughts

Reviewing expense reports regularly is an important part of project accounting.

By comparing QuickBooks reports with daily expense records maintained in Google Sheets, we can identify discrepancies early and maintain accurate financial records.

Although the process requires careful attention, it helps ensure that project expenses are properly tracked and reported.

Thank you for reading, and I hope this information is helpful for anyone working with project accounting and QuickBooks online.