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Who are you, and what inspired you to create something like this?

Please see a full explanation on the About page.

What’s online training like ?

Learn construction accounting and management through webinarsWho has the time (or money!) to leave town to attend one, two or three days of training at a time? At best, you can do this only once or twice a year, right?

Instead, recent changes in technology allow you to tap into specialty seminars that we can offer via the Internet. This means that you can attend seminars in shorter, focused segments throughout the year. Instead of getting overloaded with mind-numbing amounts of information that go into a notebook and get placed on a dusty shelf, you can learn on your own schedule, at your own pace. And then you can apply what you picked up – right away – on your home turf!

The presentation takes place right in front of you – from the comfort of your home or office, and with a clearly visible screen (no more straining to read tiny type from fuzzy projectors!)

If you’re a CAMP member you’ll also receive notices of upcoming live workshops. You simply click on the link given to you in the e-mail. You then see, on your computer screen, what the presenter is covering (using PowerPoint, QuickBooks, Excel, etc.). You listen in via phone or headset, and ask the seminar leader questions (or share ideas and insights with fellow participants) by typing in your comments or speaking during “open mike” time.

Will the online training work if I use a Mac computer?

As long as you have access to the Internet, you will be able to attend workshops.  Please note however, that the Mac versions of QuickBooks differ significantly from the PC versions that we will be using for presentations.  We believe, however, that you will still learn a great deal about construction accounting concepts, requirements, and financial management even if you use the QuickBooks Mac version.

What if I’m a beginner in QuickBooks?  Or if I’ve been using QuickBooks for a long time?  Will you address my specific needs?

Everyone was a beginner in everything at some point!  Beginnings are a wonderful place to be because you bring an open and inquiring mind to the session.  We’ll present information at a pace that allows you to absorb new information and concepts while still making steady progress.  And best of all…you’re never alone.  If you’re a CAMP member we’ll have live monthly consulting and coaching sessions to answer questions that you share during the meeting, or that you’ve sent in during the month. 

Have you been using QuickBooks for a long time? If so, you’ll find that Diane shares new and innovative ways to access features that you may have never explored, and that will help you to achieve mastery of this powerful package.  Diane’s been working in QuickBooks for more than 16 years, and continues to learn new techniques, shortcuts, and workarounds on a regular basis.  So you’ll find a variety of thought-provoking tips, techniques, work-arounds, and advanced materials to keep you engaged.

I’m not in construction, but I’d like to learn QuickBooks job-costing and financial management for job-shop manufacturing or service firms… Will these seminars provide the information that I need?

Job Cost Accounting for Manufacturing or Service Companies

Identical Techniques Apply to Job Cost Accounting for Job-Shop Manufacturing or Service Companies

Yes, indeed.  Although these seminars use construction industry examples, the same principles and techniques apply to any companies who want to create job-cost reports and more useful management accounting information.  The QuickBooks methodologies and concepts that Diane presents are nearly identical for job-shop manufacturing and service firms who want to track and understand job profitability (e.g., job costing,  labor allocation, process-tracking, income-recognition, and profit-enhancement practices).

You’re welcome to take advantage of these workshops, as you should be able to easily apply the construction-based concepts and examples to your specific needs.

(Note: Construction accounting is one of the more complex accounting arenas, so it’s likely that you will be exposed to most of what you need if you’re looking to implement QuickBooks or Enterprise in nearly any industry.) 

How long do individual sessions last?

The times for individual sessions are noted with each class.

What if have connection difficulties?  Or get pulled away mid-session?  Or just want to go back and review the material again?

If you have Internet connection difficulties, just wait until your Internet is acting in a normal fashion and go back to the workshop link.  If you’re interrupted, simply click on the pause button and resume at will.  Regarding access to the workshops:

  • If you purchased an individual class, you should be able to access it for at least a full year following purchase (in fact, we have no plans to terminate access to individually purchased workshops). 
  • As a CAMP member you’ll be able to view and/or revisit all of the workshops until you terminate your membership. 

Will I have the opportunity to ask questions?

We actively encourage your questions.  Diane will sponsor a live coaching session each month to cover a ”quick topic” and will then address questions from participants and from emails that she’s received.  Live coaching sessions offer the opportunity for ”open mike” discusssions where participants can speak in person to ask additional questions, request clarification and/or offer opinions.

What if I have questions that are very specific to my company’s circumstances?

Live coaching sessions are designed to address “extra’s” that are related to the topics presented in the workshops (similar to what you would experience in a typical conference or seminar presentation.)

If your circumstances are critical or require more in-depth exploration, Diane is also available on a consulting/fee basis to discuss how you can go about resolving a wide variety of accounting and/or financial management issues.

How many classes are offered?

Unlike a college or university with defined semesters, this subscription-style series is intended to be available to you on an ongoing basis.  There are many layers and levels of information and knowledge that continue to evolve, and certain topics generate requests for even more in-depth sessions.  Your involvement and desire to learn new skills, acquire advancing levels of expertise, and interact with other people in the “construction accounting community” will be entirely up to you…

More than 60 topics and workshops are currently available, and the intention is to continue to add more unique content as we move forward, and to upgrade or update certain topics.  As you’ll likely realize when you begin to attend the recorded workshops, they are based on live sessions.  Each new topic is recorded and adds to the course offering list.  As a CAMP member you’ll be invited to each upcoming live session. 

If you have not previously watched or attended a specific topic, you’ll want to join into the live sessions.  If you have previously participated, you may still get valuable insights the second time around.  Why?  Because we present lots of information and many ideas in each seminar.  When re-visiting this kind of information it’s not unusual to pick up a variety of new material that was either missed the first time around, or was not initially applicable – but now makes sense to implement.

Can more than one person in my company take the online classes?

Various members of your team can benefit from online accounting classesYes, this program is designed so that it can be shared by various individuals within one company.  For instance, an experienced bookkeeper may choose to attend all of the silver level classes, and some of the bronze and gold-level classes, but ask a new payables clerk to attend just some of the bronze level classes.  The company owner, and project managers may want to sit in on either the silver or bronze level offerings as well as the gold. 

So, in summary, anyone in the company, depending upon their interest and/or needs, can attend any of the courses shown as being available through the subscription program.

(Please note that purchased workshops or memberships may NOT  be used or shared by more than one company, nor are workshops or memberships licensed to be used for group presentation or broadcast.  It is illegal to do so.)

Will there be handouts, or do we just take notes during the class?

Handouts and other class materials are provided in “.pdf” format.  If you purchase an individual workshop, you’ll receive a document with a link to the handout, or if you are a CAMP member, you will be able to download the pdf when you’re ready to watch the workshop.  Other reference materials (e.g., files, checklists, e-books, procedures, contact information, web links, Q&A’s typed in from the class, etc.) are available on the membership site.  Of course you’re encouraged to use the handouts to take notes, because the process of note-taking helps to reinforce what you’re learning.

Can we earn Continuing Education credits for taking these classes?

Qualifies for NARI Continuing Education UnitsNARI (the National Association of the Remodeling Industry) has approved our presentation-content classes for their Continuing Education Units.  Credits are granted as .1 unit per 50-minutes of presentation time.

Note: Presentation sessions include all financial management, accounting, and marketing seminars; it does not include coaching, showcase, or networking sessions.

We will work towards obtaining Continuing Education credits for other certification programs as we move forward.

Will we be able to earn certifications for taking the classes?

At this time, no certification programs (other than the Continuing Education Credits discussed above) have been established for this program. 

Diane Gilson

Diane Gilson

Who will be leading or moderating the classes?

Diane Gilson is currently the central instructor and/or discussion leader.  Some of the workshops include other presenters, and in the future we’d like to include even more consultants, accountants, successful business owners, trainers, and vendors so that we can add to our mix of viewpoints and topics.  If you know of someone that you’d like to see included – let us know!

Do I need to sign up for a full year?

No…  We’ve designed this to be an affordable monthly subscription-style membership that can be discontinued at any time.  We intend to offer quarterly and annual memberships in the future, but those options have not yet been implemented.  (When you begin your subscription program you’ll provide a credit card, and it will be charged on a monthly basis until you choose to cancel access to the membership site.)

We don’t have employees who work on jobs – will I need to attend detailed payroll training?

No.  We’ve included an overview of the job-costing capabilities included in the payroll module of QuickBooks, as we believe that it’s to your benefit to have a basic understanding of what can be done with the timekeeping and payroll modules.  You can choose to attend (or not attend) any of the workshops that you choose.

 What if there are other classes that deal with topics that don’t relate to my particular circumstances?

As with any “subscription” or membership, you’re likely to prefer, or be able to use, some topics more readily than others.  We still suggest that you attend all of the sessions to which you are entitled, as it’s not unusual that other tips, techniques, or work-arounds will be discussed that will assist you in other areas of the accounting or financial management functions.  Also, something may appear to not apply today, but may be useful to learn about, consider and/or implement in the future.

If I want to cancel, what is the process?

You can cancel your subscription through your membership site.  Upon cancellation, your credit card will no longer be charged the next month’s fee and access to the membership site will no longer be available.

If I find that I don’t like the membership and related benefits, is there a guarantee?

Absolutely!  We offer a 2-month “no questions asked” money-back guarantee.  (Well, if you decide to discontinue, we would appreciate your feedback, but it’s certainly not required [smile]).  We want to provide you with an exceptional experience, and if we’re just not the “right fit” for you, then we totally understand.

But you won’t know until you try it out – so that’s why we’re offering this “TWO-MONTH, RISK-FREE, MONEY-BACK, GUARANTEE” !  (That kind of rhymes, doesn’t it?)

2-Month, Risk-Free, Money-Back Guarantee on Construction Accounting & Management Program

2-Month, Risk-Free, Money-Back Guarantee

What if I have other Questions not addressed on this page?

Please call us (toll free) at 866-244-2228 (9-5 Mon-Fri EST).
Or go to the Contact Page and write us an e-mail.
We’ll answer you personally, and if it’s a great question, we’ll add it to this page!