General accounting certificates are designed to give people a general overview of accountancy in a short period of time. People usually take the time to acquire a certificate when they don't want to spend the time it takes to get a degree. Certificates can be used to further careers that are already in progress. They can also be used to add to get certain skills needed in order to advance inside of a company. Sometimes people invest in certificates because they are interested in accounting, and would just like to know more about it. It can be a good way to test the waters.

You'll learn the fundamentals of general accounting when taking courses to earn a certificate. General accounting certificates vary by school to school, but some coursework is basic. An introduction to accounting is necessary for those who don't know anything about accounting at all. This introductory coursework can include what accounting is, the purpose of accounting, and a basic overview of the four major fields of accounting. You will learn the laws that affect accounting, such as taxes and fraudulent practices. Probably most importantly you will learn how to operate various accounting software, such as QuickBooks. You can also learn how to use Microsoft Excel and other spreadsheet software to keep track of budgeting and other finances.

From here, each school's program varies. Some schools that offer general accounting certificates will keep their programs general. They may continue to give you the basics, and expand on important parts of the fundamentals. Other programs may delve deeper into certain parts of accounting. Some may cover important parts of each of the four major areas of accounting. Others may only cover important parts of one or two areas. Some certificate programs may be designed to get you into certain parts of accounting, like taxes or forensic accounting. These programs will give you a general accounting education while gearing you towards an accounting specialty.

General accounting certificates can be earned in as little as a few weeks. Some programs only take eight weeks, while others take a few months. No certificate program should take over a year to complete. Some schools vary in the time limit, by allowing you to learn at your own pace. A student is usually given a deadline to complete all of the coursework, such as two years. If an extension is required after the two years, a student is usually allowed to request one.