ProAdvisor Program - THE ACCOUNTANT’S GUIDE TO Acing the QuickBooks Online Certification Exam - Insider tips, tricks and facts to help you pass the first time

Sep 30, 2026

ProAdvisor Program guide for accountants provides practical preparation strategies for the QuickBooks Online Certification Exam. It explains how certification helps accountants stand out, build client trust through exclusive support access, and grow practice visibility via an online directory listing. The guide walks readers through actions before the exam (training course, webinars, screenshots, notes), then during the exam (resources usage, staying focused, careful reading, no bonus points, documenting and reviewing answers) to improve first-time pass success.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Before the exam

During the exam

Certification exam by the numbers

ProAdvisor Program THE ACCOUNTANT’S GUIDE TO Acing the QuickBooks ® Online Certification Exam Insider tips, tricks and facts to help you pass the first time. Brought to you by Intuit’s professional QuickBooks trainers. INTRODUCTION Certification is a sign of your expertise. Becoming a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor® requires preparation, focus and determination—and it delivers great rewards, for you and your clients. By getting certified, you’ll have what you need to: STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD Put your expertise on display by posting your certification badge wherever you advertise. BUILD CLIENTS’ TRUST Answer questions quickly and resolve any issue with exclusive phone and chat access to our team of U. S. -based QuickBooks experts.1 GROW YOUR PRACTICE FASTER You’ll get a free listing on the Find-a-ProAdvisor online directory, visited by more than 700,000 small businesses each year.2 It’s easier to achieve than you think. This guide is your sidekick, crafted to help you finish your certification exam faster, more confidently, and in fewer attempts. It’s divided into two sections: BEFORE THE EXAM Use these simple tips to prepare yourself for success. DURING THE EXAM Get practical advice to help you navigate the exam itself. Your certification exam by the numbers: 2–3 HOURS That’s the average time it takes to complete the QuickBooks Online Certification exam. If you stop between sections, don’t worry—we’ll save your place. Come back and finish anytime. 5 SECTIONS. 75 QUESTIONS TOTAL. Complete any section in any order. We will save your progress. 80% This must be your minimum score on each section in order to pass. But don’t worry—the handy tips in this guide will help you succeed! 4 ATTEMPTS If you need to retake a section of the exam, you’ll only answer the questions you missed before. Refer to the self-study training modules in your Certification Center for help with questions you may have missed. 365 DAYS Once you’ve passed the exam, your certification status will remain valid for a full year. | INTRODUCTION cont’d | | | --- | --- | | Take the first step right now.
Ready to dive right in? Or need to brush up on a few skills first? Whatever you want to do next, we’ve got you covered. | | | Get prepared!
Click on the Certification tab in QuickBooks Online Accountant. You’ll find free certification prep courses waiting for you.

Ready! Now what?
In the Certification tab, click“Get certified” to start your exam. You can save your progress and comeback later by clicking the same button.
| | | | | | BEFORE YOU START YOUR EXAM | | | | --- | --- | --- | | Take the pre-certification training course.
The course is structured exactly like the certification exam, and it includes a tour of the exam’s exact topics—everything from setting up a chart of accounts to paying for expenses. Plus, there are a few sample questions, and tips for using the sample database. That’s it. Simple. | | For extra preparation, take one of the live webinar training courses. That way, you can ask questions.
The training course won’t just prepare you for the exam—it will also give you CPE credits! | |
Capture screenshots during training.
You have the opportunity to access the information you need to answer a question during the exam. Use that to your advantage by snapping photos of sample questions during your training. Keep those photos as a handy reference while you’re taking the exam.

You can use your computer’sprint screen option to snap photos during training. Windows users can use print screen or SnagIt and Mac users can use Grab.
It’s a lot easier to answer a question about creating and modifying list entries, for example, if you can just ﬂip to that section in the training.
It’s also a great idea to capture screenshots of the test questions when you take the test, and use those screenshots to review the training material if you need to ta

FAQs

How can I prepare for the QuickBooks Online Certification Exam before starting?

Take the pre-certification training course, which mirrors the exam structure and topics, and consider live webinar training for Q&A support. Capture screenshots and take notes from the training materials and PDFs for quick reference during the exam.

What should I focus on during the exam to avoid losing points?

Answer questions directly with no bonus points. Stay focused on the question, double-check answers before submitting, and use screenshots and notes from training to support questions. You can also save progress and complete sections in any order.

What are the exam requirements and scoring expectations?

The exam typically takes 2–3 hours, includes 5 sections and 75 questions total, and you can complete any section in any order. You must score at least 80% on each section to pass, and you have 4 attempts where retakes focus only on missed questions.

Sep 30, 2026

Upload by Alex Sinclair