Glossary

The bookkeeping and credential terms that come up when choosing between AIPB, NACPB, Intuit Academy, and QuickBooks ProAdvisor, defined in plain language.

Accrual basis vs cash basis

Two accounting methods: accrual basis records income and expenses when they are earned or incurred, while cash basis records them only when cash actually changes hands.

AIPB (American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers)

The US professional body that administers the Certified Bookkeeper (CB) designation, a general bookkeeping-competency credential gated by bookkeeping experience or an education substitution. See the AIPB CB credential page.

Bookkeeping vs accounting

Bookkeeping is the day-to-day recording of financial transactions; accounting is the broader discipline of interpreting, summarizing, and reporting on those records, often requiring more formal credentials such as a CPA. See which bookkeeping credential fits your situation.

Certified Bookkeeper (CB)

The professional designation issued by AIPB after passing a four-part exam, meeting an experience or education requirement, and signing a code of ethics. Read the full AIPB CB exam requirements guide.

Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB)

The license issued by NACPB after passing multiple exam modules and meeting eligibility, background-check, and code-of-conduct requirements. A license, not a one-time certificate. Read the full NACPB CPB requirements guide.

Continuing Professional Education (CPE)

Ongoing coursework or training credits a credential holder must complete on a set cycle to keep a certification or license active. See how CPE costs stack into the total cost of certification.

Double-entry bookkeeping

The standard bookkeeping method where every transaction is recorded in at least two accounts, a debit and a matching credit, so the books always stay in balance.

Freelance (virtual) bookkeeper

A bookkeeper who serves multiple clients independently rather than as one employer's staff, typically billing hourly or on a monthly retainer. Certification is optional; many clients hire on demonstrated software fluency and references instead. See freelance and retainer rate ranges.

General ledger

The complete record of a business's financial transactions, organized by account, that every other financial statement is built from.

NACPB (National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers)

The US professional body that administers the Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB) license, a broader, module-based bookkeeping credential covering bookkeeping, payroll, accounting principles, and software. See the NACPB CPB credential page.

Professional designation vs license vs course badge vs software certification

The four kinds of credential this site compares are not the same thing: a professional designation (AIPB's CB) and a license (NACPB's CPB) are issued by independent bodies, a course badge (Intuit Academy) confirms course completion, and a software certification (QBO ProAdvisor) confirms tool fluency, not general competency. See how the four credential types compare.

Prometric testing center

A proctored, in-person test center network where candidates sit AIPB's Certified Bookkeeper Parts 1 and 2. The other two CB parts are open-book, back-of-workbook exams that do not require a Prometric visit. Read the full AIPB CB exam requirements guide.

QuickBooks Online (QBO) ProAdvisor

A free Intuit certification, earned through a QuickBooks Online Accountant login, that certifies QuickBooks Online software fluency rather than general bookkeeping competency. Read the full QBO ProAdvisor exam guide.

Reconciliation

The process of comparing two sets of records, most commonly a bank statement against the company's own books, to confirm they agree and to catch errors or missing transactions.

Trial balance

A working report listing every account and its balance, used to confirm that total debits equal total credits before financial statements are prepared.