Choosing the right bookkeeper for your business or charity
1: Qualifications
Look for a bookkeeper who has relevant qualifications, such as a certification from a recognized bookkeeping or accounting organization. This can ensure that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to handle your business’s financial records and ensure compliance with regulations.
There are several professional bodies that require learning, examinations and experience to be a qualified member. Selecting a bookkeeper from one of these bodies can give you confidence in their ability and skill. It is worth checking for these qualifications and then searching for their details on their association’s websites.
Below are some of the recognised professional bodies:
- The Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA) – a body that provides qualifications in statutory annual accounting, management accounting, bookkeeping, tax and audit.
- The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) – a body that provides qualifications in statutory annual accounting, management accounting, bookkeeping, tax and audit. The ICAEW qualification tends to focus on statutory annual accounting, tax and audits.
- The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) – a body that provides qualifications primarily in statutory annual accounting, management accounting, and bookkeeping. (Website des not provide a directory to search qualified members)
- The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) – a body that provides qualifications primarily in bookkeeping.
2: Experience
Find out how long the bookkeeper has been in practice and whether they have experience working with businesses similar to yours. This can give you confidence in their ability to handle your financial records and understand your specific needs and challenges.
3: The needs of your business or charity
You should consider your overall needs for accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, tax and other services for your business or charity. Having a bookkeeper as part of an organisation that provides a suite of services that caters for you will help to streamline and coordinate services more seemlessly such as from bookkeeper to accountant and to tax. This can help pick up identify and deal with issues and risk more efficiently.
4: Technology
Consider whether the bookkeeper uses up-to-date technology and accounting software, which can help to ensure accurate financial records and efficient bookkeeping. Accounting software helps streamline the bookkeeping process which can reduce errors and A bookkeeper who uses outdated or inefficient systems may be more prone to errors and can cost you time and money.
5: Communication
Communication is crucial when working with a bookkeeper, so consider whether they are responsive, easy to work with, and can explain financial information in a clear and understandable way. A bookkeeper who is unresponsive or difficult to communicate with can cause frustration and delays in your bookkeeping process.
6: Trustworthiness
The bookkeeper will have access to sensitive financial information, so it is important to choose someone who is trustworthy and has a good reputation. Look for reviews and references from other clients to gauge the bookkeeper’s reputation and reliability.
7: Fees
Compare fees from different bookkeepers and ensure that the fee structure is transparent and meets your budget. A bookkeeper who charges hidden or excessive fees can be a financial burden on your business.
8: Availability
Consider the bookkeeper’s availability and whether they can work with your schedule to ensure timely and accurate bookkeeping. One who is not available when you need them can cause delays and impact your business’s financial operations.
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