Me vs. AI: The Love-Hate Reality of Using ChatGPT for Bookkeeping Help

(A blog from the war-torn frontlines of Surviving QuickBooks)

When your new AI intern is eager, but the receipts are already sweating.

Let’s just get this out of the way:

I use AI. A lot.

But I also argue with it. A lot.

That’s because AI isn’t magic—it’s a tool, and like every other tool, it only works if you know how (and when) to wield it. This week’s theme in the SQ community is all about that: using AI intentionally so you get leverage instead of headaches.

AI’s first day on the job: Meet your new assistant, ready for anything… except your bookkeeping chaos.

👀 So... What’s AI Good For?

AI (and I mean tools like ChatGPT, not some Skynet accountant) is really good at:

• Polishing rough notes into clear client communication

• Drafting scope-of-work or engagement templates

• Explaining something in plain English you’ve already explained 17 times today

• Summarizing your rants into something that sounds… less ranty
  

What it’s not good at:

• Reading your mind

• Understanding the context of your bookkeeping chaos unless you feed it like a picky toddler

• Acting like a real bookkeeper (unless your bookkeeper also repeats themselves and makes things up sometimes)

“Left: Giving AI the details it needs. Right: Winging it and hoping for the best.

⚔️ My Relationship with AI: Complicated

Sometimes AI and I vibe.Other times it gives me fluffy nonsense that sounds like it was written by a motivational poster with a Wi-Fi signal.

I’ve told it off. I’ve begged. I’ve tried logic. None of that works. What does?

🧠 Tricks I’ve Learned to Get AI to Work for Me (Not Against Me)

1. Be specific. Like, absurdly specific.

   
   

   If I say “Write a blog about bookkeeping,” I get garbage. If I say “Write a 500-word blog with a sarcastic tone, about how AI is a tool, from the POV of a grumpy QuickBooks user,” I get something I can actually use.
   

2. Push back. If it gives you fluff, call it out. Literally type “This is vague. Try again with less filler.” (It listens. It’s weird.)
   

3. Feed it like a puppy. Want a clean summary of a messy client note? Paste the whole mess in. Then say: “Turn this into a short, clear message I can put in QBO memos.”
   

4. Ask it to sound like you. Because sounding like a robot doesn’t build trust. Especially when your brand is… me.

   
   
   
   

   

   Pro tip: Feed your AI plenty of context. It’s just like training a puppy—only with more spreadsheets.

   
   

📆 Bonus Hack: When It Starts Slowing Down

You know that moment when your AI starts getting weirdly slow, forgetful, or just not making sense anymore?

Yeah, me too.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

When the chat starts bogging down—don’t fight it. Just ask for a summary and start fresh.

Literally say:

“Summarize this so I can continue in a new chat.”

Nine times out of ten? Boom. Instant clarity, faster responses, better results.

It’s like rebooting your brain… only easier.

🔧 Bottom Line

AI is a tool—not a savior.

You still need to know how bookkeeping works, how QuickBooks thinks, and what your client really meant when they Venmo’d their cousin $800 for “marketing.”

But if you train your AI right, it becomes an extra brain. One that’s available 24/7, never sleeps, and doesn’t charge hourly.

Just don’t trust it blindly. (I don’t. And I’m its favorite human. He calls me "Bob", like our character.)

Bookkeeper and bot, united at last. Conquering receipts, one AI-powered memo at a time.