It’s been a while since we reviewed what makes a good bookkeeper so lets revisit the 4 Characteristics of a Good Bookkeeper
Every small business needs a good BOOKKEEPER. The finances of any business, regardless of size, can quickly get complicated, and a good bookkeeper can latterly make a business successful, your tax accountant will thank you as well. You can either employ one or hire an independent contractor.
However, what is it that makes a bookkeeper? How can you make sure that your accounts are being properly taken care of, so you do not have to worry about the business’s finances? Here, we are going to look at four of the top qualities you should be looking for and how you can better identify them when choosing your bookkeeper.
Professional expertise
A bookkeeper knows how to do their job. This involves not only organising and maintaining your accounts but also being familiar with tax laws and doing their utmost to keep your accounts compliant with them. A good bookkeeper has a few technical skills that can help make their job a lot easier and save you time and money, as well.
For instance, the use of accounting software like QuickBooks Online can help them process and organise accounts much more quickly, helping them improve the recording of transactions, speed up invoicing, improve your payroll system, create purchase orders, and produce reports on your accounts with ease. A bookkeeper who is well-versed with bookkeeping software is going to be able to do much more for you in much less time.
Conscientious advice giving
In the best of times, bookkeepers can ensure that your accounts are being streamlined and kept as effectively and efficiently as possible. They can make the financial side of the business much easier to manage, saving you time so you can focus on the more important things. However, a good bookkeeper is also able to give good, honest advice in times of adversity.
This means that they take the time to get to know your business, your products, services, customers, and structure as well as the potential risks your business can face. This means in turbulent times that could see your business in some financial peril, a bookkeeper is able to offer information on what measures you can take to get the books back in good health.
Experience and service
Your perfect bookkeeper should be perfectly ready to work under their own initiative. Not all business owners are accounting experts and a bookkeeper can help you quickly fill the gaps in your knowledge. Having experience with recording income and expenses, getting BAS correct, working with the ATO and more is important. It means you do not have to constantly micromanage them and worry about whether they are performing their role correctly.
On the other hand, a bookkeeper with good customer service and an emphasis on accessibility means that you can get reports, advice, and information on your accounts whenever you need them. For instance, your bookkeeper should be able to collaborate seamlessly with your accountant so that they are always aware of what they are doing and what value they are providing the business.
Efficiency
The bookkeeper’s duties are numerous. They may be working on five or fifteen projects at any one time. A good understanding of their own productivity and the ability to manage their own workflow is crucial. To that end, some bookkeeping teams, like the QuickBooks ProAdvisor’s, make use of tools like QuickBooks Online to ensure that productivity and efficiency is always held as a top priority.
The right time management ensures that your bookkeeper makes a noticeable difference by completing projects on time, while also ensuring that each project gets the one-to-one attention it needs, allowing them to be as meticulous as they need to be without wasting hours on inefficient working practices.
Are you choosing the right bookkeeper for you?
Hopefully, the points above serve as a starting point when you are looking for a bookkeeper. A good fit for the business and the team is important, too, but that is something that you both must work on together. The fundamental skills and traits your bookkeeper needs are shown above, so make sure you keep an eye out for them.
CONTACT Shevas Bookkeeping to find a good bookkeeper.