I am new to QBO. How best can I structure to manage a company with 1 admin unit (not VAT registered) and 1 retail outlet (VAT registered)? Can class be a solution here?

Let me guide you on setting up your admin unit and retail outlet in QuickBooks, Mr Tangerine Man.

Classes are used to get deeper insights into your sales, expenses, or profitability for each part of your business. At the same time, location is used to categorise data from different locations,  offices, regions, outlets, or departments of the same company. If you have the Plus and Advanced versions, you can set up and use location tracking instead. 

To turn on the feature, you can follow the steps below:

1. Go to the Gear ⚙ icon, then select Account and settings.
2. Select Advanced.
3. In the Categories section, select the Edit ✎ icon.
4. Select the checkbox to track locations.
5. Click Save, then Done.

Once done, add a location to track the unit and outlet. Here's how: 

1. Go to the Gear ⚙ icon, then select All lists.
2. Select Locations.
3. Select New, then add the Name of the location you want to track.
4. Select Save and close.

On the other hand, tracking your accounts is a great way so you'll know the money movement of your company. You can either create a separate account for each or a subaccount to make sure all your data and amounts are accurate. To give you more detailed steps on how. Check out this article for your reference: Create Subaccounts In Your Chart Chart Of Accounts In QuickBooks Online.

Moreover, QuickBooks Online (QBO) also offers different reports that provide useful information for your business. I've added this handy article that you can go through for more information: Run Reports In QuickBooks Online.

Don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions on how to manage your business. We'll always be right here to help you.