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Set up and run a one-month bookkeeping system

The capstone project for Bookkeeping for Small Businesses — a free Business course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

A shareable link to your one-month bookkeeping system (a Google Sheet set to Viewer access, OR compiled photos/PDF of your notebook cashbook), including the running cashbook, the reconciliation, the month's profit-and-loss with a cashflow note, and your written summary.

What to do, step by step

  1. Choose one real or sample Nigerian small business (a provisions shop, salon, phone-accessories stall, tailor, 'mama put', or your own side hustle). Set up its cashbook either in a ruled notebook OR in a Google Sheet, with columns for Date, Details, Category, Payment Method (Cash/POS/Transfer), Money In (₦), Money Out (₦) and a running Balance — start with a clear opening balance.
  2. Record at least one month (minimum 30 transactions) of realistic income and expenses, capturing every entry with date, what it was for, in/out, amount and payment method. Include the small spends (transport, data, generator fuel), at least two credit sales clearly marked 'owing', and at least one owner drawing or salary — keeping personal money separate from business money throughout.
  3. Reconcile your records as taught: show that your closing cash matches the cash on hand, and that your bank/POS entries match a statement or POS total (record any POS or transfer charges as expenses). Note any mismatch you found and how you fixed it.
  4. Produce a simple profit-and-loss for the month: total sales, cost of goods sold, gross profit, total expenses (broken down by at least three categories), and net profit. Also show a one-line cashflow note — did you end the month with more or less cash than you started, and why.
  5. Write a short summary (150-250 words) covering: your net profit for the month, the single biggest expense category, one place money was leaking that you can fix, and whether your cash and profit told the same story or different ones (and why).
  6. Share your work: if you used Google Sheets, set the link to Viewer for anyone with the link; if you used a notebook, take clear, readable photos of every cashbook page plus your P&L and reconciliation, and compile them into one shared photo album or PDF link.

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 7 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
A complete, well-structured cashbook: clear columns, an opening balance, at least 30 realistic transactions recorded with date, category, payment method, money in/out, and a correctly running balance30%
Correct handling of money types: personal kept separate from business, owner drawing/salary recorded, at least two credit sales marked 'owing', and small spends captured rather than ignored20%
A genuine reconciliation: cash matches cash on hand, bank/POS entries match a statement or total, charges recorded, and any mismatch found and resolved is explained20%
A correct, readable profit-and-loss (sales, cost of goods sold, gross profit, categorised expenses, net profit) plus a one-line cashflow note20%
A clear written summary with net profit, biggest expense, one fixable leak, and an honest read of cash vs profit10%

You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish Bookkeeping for Small Businesses before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Bookkeeping for Small Businesses is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 6 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

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Ready to earn this certificate?

Bookkeeping for Small Businesses is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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