Bookkeeper Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the bookkeeper job description, to help you learn the work they do.

It highlights the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities that majorly make up the bookkeeper work description in most firms.

It also highlights the major requirements employers/recruiters may want you to fulfill to be hired for the bookkeeper role, as well as the salary expectation for the position.

What Does a Bookkeeper Do?

The bookkeeper job description involves maintaining books of accounts and correction of errors in bookkeeping records.

He/she will also prepare financial statements, balance sheet, income statement and other financial documents to be submitted to the internal customer and external auditors.

They ensure that the journal and other critical records are maintained in accordance with accounting practices.

It is also their duty to make sure that the documentation is completed and properly filed for internal and external purposes.

The bookkeeper job description entails making sure that payment within the bank is made if required by law or by the business rules and policies of the bank with respect to financial obligations or other accounts.

It also involves preparing data for control purposes where required by internal or external control systems.

Some of the major duties of bookkeepers are audit planning, preparing performance review reports and budgets.

The bookkeeper also takes care of the non-operating assets, which means that bookkeepers will be responsible for all the assets and liabilities in the financial statements except for operating assets.

They check that all the receipts are deposited into bank and are recorded in the books, along with making sure that the cash is available for withdrawals by customers.

Also, all checks received by customers should be issued by a person authorized to sign checks on behalf of a company (i.e., Manager).

They produce reports such as management financial statements, budget reports, and so on.

The role also entails continuous consult with the managers for keeping the accounts current.

Bookkeepers are responsible for preparing journals to record transactions, which receivable from people or bank.

They verify that all information is properly entered into the accounting system and record all the transactions in a timely manner.

More on Bookkeeper Job Description

The bookkeeper also liaises with vendors to ensure that bills are paid in time and that proper records exist to track the expenditures (i.e., via purchase orders).

It is the task of the bookkeeper to verify the accuracy of monthly bank reconciliations, preparation of remittance advices for payment, and any other transaction involving banks.

They ensure that all taxes are calculated and paid on time to comply with the tax laws.

The bookkeeper is also responsible for payroll calculations and preparation of reports to be submitted to the appropriate regulatory bodies.

They coordinate and prepare payroll reports.

As a bookkeeper, you ensure that all other financial tasks of the organization are properly carried out, including overseas payments, foreign deposits, and provision for bad debts, and reserves.

Bookkeeper Job Description Sample/Example/Template

The bookkeeper job description entails the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Maintain and correct books of accounts
• Keep track of all payments, receivables, and revenues
• Make journals, receive documents and bills
• Prepare purchase orders and correspond with vendors on the same subject
• Gather outgoing mail for the finance department (i.e., purchase orders, checks)
• Prepare payroll reports, tax deductions and tax returns as required
• Verify that all bank transactions are properly recorded in books of accounts as well as properly submitted to bank for payment
• Prepare IBANs for overseas payments
• Make reports for management
• Calculate and pay taxes (i.e., income tax, sales tax, VAT, etc.)
• Prepare internal revenue service (IRS) form 1099R’s as required
• Generate reports for bank reconciliation, including preparing remittance advices for payments
• Reconcile accounts payable so that all payments and receipts are properly accounted for in books of accounts (i.e., deposits in bank)
• Prepare budgets, charts, and reports as required by management or customers/partners/suppliers/etc.
• Monitor cash flow and accounts receivable as required by management or customers/partners/suppliers/etc.

Bookkeeper Job Description for Resume

If you have worked before in the position of a bookkeeper or are presently working in that role and are writing a resume or CV for a new job, you can create a compelling Professional Experience section for your resume by applying the sample bookkeeper job description example provided above.

You can highlight the bookkeeper duties and responsibilities from the above sample job description in your resume’s Professional Experience to show that you have been successful performing the functions of a bookkeeper.

This piece of information can greatly influence the recruiter/employer to grant you an interview, especially if the new position you are seeking requires someone with some bookkeeper work experience.

Bookkeeper Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

If you are seeking the bookkeeper job, here are major requirements you may be expected to meet to be hired:

• Strong computer skills and attention to detail
• Excellent ability to communication both in writing and in speaking
• Ability to effectively perform multiple tasks without error
• Excellent customer service, interpersonal, and organizational skills
• Strong project management skills, attention to detail and the ability to set deadlines and track progress on different tasks related to the job (i.e., invoicing, preparing payroll reports)
• Good time management skills that allow for flexibility when completing multiple tasks in a given time frame (i.e., invoicing, completing payroll reports).
• Natural interest or curiosity about financial and accounting procedures and how money works in general
• Basic understanding of accounting software, SAP or other enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions
• Familiarity with tax laws for the country in which your work also helps to be a bookkeeper
• Have an understanding of accounting terms and how businesses record transactions in their books of accounts (i.e., debits, credits, journal entries) will help to be a better bookkeeper.

Bookkeeper Salary

According to Salary.com, the average bookkeeper salary in the United States is $45,446 as of March 29, 2022, with a typical range of $39,887 to $50,984.

Conclusion

This post is helpful to individuals interested in the bookkeeper career.

They will learn all they need to know about the duties, tasks, and responsibilities that the bookkeeper typically performs, and be able to make the right decision about getting into the career or not.

It is also useful to recruiters/employers looking to create a detailed job description for the bookkeeper role in their companies, for use in their hiring process to fill a vacant bookkeeper position.

They can apply the sample bookkeeper job description provided on this page.