How Your Decision-Making Style Helps You Get More Out of QuickBooks: What Research Says—and Why It Matters for Small Business Owners
Running a small business requires making hundreds of decisions every year—some predictable, some stressful, and some that feel like they come out of nowhere. Whether you realize it or not, the way you consistently make these decisions plays a powerful role in the health of your business. It influences everything from how you manage your budget, to how you interpret financial reports, to how confident you feel about the future of your business.
But there’s another important layer that most business owners never think about:
Your decision-making style affects how well your accounting system works for you.
Recent research on technology, accounting information systems, and management behavior shows that people naturally differ in how they interpret information—and that these differences deeply shape how effectively they use tools like QuickBooks. When your accounting system aligns with your thinking style, it becomes easier to understand your numbers, notice important financial patterns, and make better decisions about your business—especially decisions involving budgeting, spending, hiring, equipment purchases, vendor choices, and sustainability practices.
This article breaks down the research behind decision-making styles, explains why it matters for QuickBooks users, and shows how small business owners can customize their accounting system to match how they naturally think. You’ll also learn why this alignment matters for long-term success, and how it can help your business become more efficient, more sustainable, and more profitable over time.
Why Decision-Making Style Matters in Today’s Digital Business Environment
The modern business environment places a much heavier emphasis on technology than it did even five years ago. Business owners are expected to interpret dashboards, financial reports, analytics, forecasts, and large amounts of digital information—all while still operating their businesses day to day.
A 2020 study by Ludovico and Pierce highlights a critical point:
Technology-rich environments require decision makers to combine intuition and analytical thinking rather than rely exclusively on one or the other.
Their research shows that business owners who rely only on intuition can miss important details hidden in their financial data, while those who rely only on analysis may move too slowly or become overwhelmed by the volume of information available.
In other words, the blend of intuition and analysis produces stronger, more accurate decisions in technology-heavy situations—including the use of QuickBooks.
This insight matters because accounting systems today look nothing like they did a decade ago. QuickBooks now offers:
real-time financial dashboards
automated bank feeds
trend comparisons
cash flow forecasts
sustainability and vendor tracking
industry-based performance insights
alerts and notifications
integrations with dozens of other apps
This means you’re not just looking at a check register or a collection of receipts—you’re using a system that produces constant data. If you’re not interpreting that data in a way that matches your thinking style, the value disappears.
Understanding Behavioral Decision Styles
Researchers describe differences in decision-making through the lens of Behavioral Decision Styles Theory. This theory explains that individuals tend to rely more on:
Analytical thinking
Intuitive thinking
Or a blend of both
These styles influence how people read information, solve problems, and make choices in complex settings. In accounting environments—where information can be dense, detailed, and technical—understanding your style helps you use QuickBooks more effectively.
Analytical decision makers
These individuals prefer precision, numbers, and logic. They enjoy reviewing detailed financial data and breaking information into smaller parts. Analytical thinkers typically want to know:
why something is happening
how numbers compare over time
whether trends are consistent
how expenses break down by category, vendor, or month
Their decisions tend to be driven by measurable information.
Intuitive decision makers
These individuals rely more on experience, patterns, and instinct. They prefer to see the big picture first and then make judgments based on what feels accurate, reasonable, or aligned with long-term vision. They prefer:
summaries
visual dashboards
high-level interpretations
quick indicators of business health
Their decisions often prioritize momentum, timing, and practical sense.
Blended decision makers
These individuals use both approaches depending on the situation. They may begin with a visual summary and then dive into specifics if something looks unusual or concerning. They appreciate both detail and simplicity, and they often shape the strongest decisions in dynamic environments.
This theory doesn’t claim that one style is superior. Instead, it observes that each style interacts differently with digital tools.
How Decision Style Shapes Your Experience With QuickBooks
QuickBooks is a powerful tool, but like any tool, its effectiveness depends on how well it fits you. Two business owners can look at the same QuickBooks screen and have two completely different reactions: one may feel clarity, the other confusion. The difference often has little to do with intelligence or ability; it has everything to do with thinking style.
For analytical thinkers
If you naturally lean toward analysis, QuickBooks can feel like a treasure chest of information. But it can also feel overwhelming if the system isn’t organized to highlight the details you care about. Without intentional setup, essential insights may remain buried several clicks deep.
Analytical thinkers use QuickBooks best when they have access to:
detailed financial reports
vendor-level breakdowns
twelve-month trend comparisons
cash flow analysis
categorized sustainability tracking (energy usage, waste, suppliers)
These features allow analytical owners to see the deeper patterns in their business and make strategic decisions rooted in measurable change.
For intuitive thinkers
If you rely heavily on intuition, QuickBooks can sometimes feel dense or overly detailed. You may avoid running reports simply because they seem too long or complicated. Still, intuitive thinkers excel when given the right kind of information.
QuickBooks works best for them when it is customized to provide:
visual dashboards
simple summaries
minimal clutter in the chart of accounts
automated alerts for unusual activity
straightforward vendor and income tracking
This allows intuitive thinkers to understand the essence of their financial situation without getting lost in the details.
For blended thinkers
These users benefit from a QuickBooks system that offers both high-level views and access to more detailed drill-downs. They often begin with the Performance Center or custom dashboards, then open supporting reports when they need deeper context.
What Research Shows About Accounting Systems and Decision Making
A 2023 study by Yoshikuni and colleagues explored how emerging accounting information systems affect decision-making performance in North and South American firms. Their findings support the idea that technology improves strategic flexibility only when the information aligns with users’ cognitive styles.
This means that a small business owner who prefers intuition will not benefit from a system that only presents extremely detailed analytical reports—and vice versa.
The research also found that firms using accounting systems effectively were:
more responsive to market conditions
better positioned to adopt sustainable practices
more capable of identifying financial risks
more likely to make proactive decisions
better equipped to innovate and grow
These findings are directly relevant to small business owners using QuickBooks. Even though your business might be smaller than the firms studied, the principle still applies: Your accounting data is only useful if you can process it in a way that makes sense to you.
Using QuickBooks for Sustainability-Related Decision Making
Small business owners across industries are beginning to adopt sustainable practices—not just for environmental reasons, but for financial ones. Reducing waste, lowering energy costs, improving vendor selection, and choosing environmentally responsible options can reduce expenses and enhance long-term stability.
QuickBooks can support these efforts by tracking:
energy expenses
waste-related costs
supply chain spending
eco-friendly vendors
cost savings from sustainability improvements
But the way you interact with this data depends on your decision-making style.
Analytical owners
They want detailed breakdowns of sustainability-related expenses. They will confidently interpret:
monthly utility comparisons
vendor-level environmental costs
category-level spending reports
detailed budgets for future improvements
Analytical thinkers use this information to make systematic decisions about where to cut costs or invest in new sustainable practices.
Intuitive owners
They respond more strongly to clear visual indicators. They may prefer:
“before vs. after” sustainability spending summaries
clean graphs showing cost reductions
simple side-by-side snapshots of energy usage
Intuitive thinkers make sustainability decisions based on clear visual patterns and overall impressions.
Blended owners
They will appreciate having both: a dashboard overview plus access to supporting detail when needed.
Customizing QuickBooks to Match Your Cognitive Style
There is no single “correct” way to use QuickBooks. The best approach is the one that aligns with how you make decisions. Here are some ways to customize QuickBooks to match your natural style.
If you are analytical:
Use the Reports section extensively.
Memorize monthly financial statements.
Use tags and classes to separate sustainability-related expenses.
Add cash flow forecasts to your dashboard.
Explore 12-month comparative reports.
If you are intuitive:
Customize your dashboard to include only the key visuals you need.
Use automated alerts for unusual activity.
Keep your chart of accounts simple and streamlined.
Use summary-level reports before exploring details.
Turn on quarterly performance highlights.
If you are both:
Begin with high-level summaries.
Click deeper into reports when something catches your attention.
Create recurring summary and detail reports.
Review trends visually, then confirm with numbers.
Why Aligning Your Style With QuickBooks Improves Performance
When your accounting system matches your thinking style, several important benefits emerge.
First, you feel more comfortable and confident using your system.
Financial reports stop feeling like a chore and start becoming a strategic tool.
Second, you make decisions more quickly and accurately.
Instead of hesitating or second-guessing your choices, you can see the story your numbers are telling you.
Third, you become more responsive to opportunities.
Whether it’s noticing a rise in expenses, spotting a seasonal trend, or identifying areas to become more sustainable, QuickBooks gives you the information you need in a way that makes sense to you.
Finally, your business becomes more stable and easier to manage.
Strong financial decisions compound over time, supporting growth and reducing stress.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Need to Change Your Thinking Style
Many small business owners believe they need to think differently to understand accounting. The truth is the opposite.
You do not need to change how you think.
Your accounting system should adapt to you.
When QuickBooks is configured in a way that matches your natural decision-making style—whether analytical, intuitive, or blended—it becomes far more than a bookkeeping tool. It becomes a source of clarity, a guide to smarter decisions, and a foundation for building a stable, sustainable, and profitable business.
If you want help customizing QuickBooks so it supports your thinking style and your business goals, I’d be happy to assist. A well-set-up accounting system makes every decision easier—and your business stronger.
References
Bullini Orlandi, L., & Pierce, P. (2020). Analysis or intuition? Reframing the decision-making styles debate in technological settings. Management Decision, 58(1), 129–145. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-10-2017-1030
Ludovico, B. O., & Pierce, P. (2020). Analysis or intuition? Reframing the decision-making styles debate in technological settings. Management Decision, 58(1), 129–145. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-10-2017-1030
Yoshikuni, A. C., Dwivedi, R., Dultra-de-Lima, R. G., Parisi, C., & Oyadomari, J. C. T. (2023). Role of emerging technologies in accounting information systems for achieving strategic flexibility through decision-making performance: An exploratory study based on North American and South American firms. Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, 24(2), 199–218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40171-022-00334-9
