Bookkeeper Job Description

Bookkeepers keep financial records for business and organizations. Experience, education and company size dictate the extent of responsibilities. Working for a small company broadens job scope, while large companies divide work among several people. Successful bookkeepers enjoy working with financial figures and have an eye for detail and accuracy.

Scope of Job

• Bookkeepers enter financial information and transactions into a general ledger used for compiling reports used in business decisions. They reconcile monthly bank statements to ensure the credits and debits match the general ledger make adjustments for accuracy.


• Bookkeepers calculate company expenditures and prepare profit and loss statements. They use computer software to designate spending accounts and categorize transactions. Company audits performed by experienced bookkeepers calculate financial accuracy and ensure financial integrity.


• In small companies, a bookkeeper’s job includes recording and issuing vendor payments, receiving payments and making bank deposits. Job responsibilities also include employee payroll and preparing local, state and federal tax forms.

Education

• Entry-level bookkeeping positions require a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent. Most employers seek out candidates with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in accounting or bookkeeping. A college degree prepares bookkeepers for positions with greater responsibilities and a higher salary.


• On the job training provides bookkeepers a feel for the financial proceedings of the business or organization. Bookkeepers must have a firm grasp on how to reconcile bank statements and create and maintain general ledgers. Knowledge of payroll and tax rules and regulations proves beneficial in most bookkeeping jobs.

Work Environment

• Traditional bookkeeping positions require work in an office setting with a 40-hour work week. Prepare to work extended hours during tax season and at the end of the company’s fiscal year. This job requires long hours in front of a computer and at a desk.

Employment Outlook

• According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics approximately 2.1 million people worked in the bookkeeping and accounting field in 2008.


• May 2010 employment figures determined the average annual salary of a bookkeeper was $35,340, with an average hourly rate of $16.99.


• The Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimated an average growth through 2018 for careers in bookkeeping.