eForms Logo

Bookkeeper Job Description Template | Sample

4.5 Stars | 24 Ratings
Downloads: 266

Updated September 23, 2024

A bookkeeper is an administrative professional who manages a business or organization's daily financial records and transactions, such as payments, purchases, receipts, and sales. The job description will include the bookkeeper's daily responsibilities as well as any experience and educational requirements.

Salary (Median Pay)

For bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks.[1]

  • Salary: $42,410/yr
  • Hourly Rate: $20.39/hr

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Accurately record all financial transactions;
  • Balance the general ledger;
  • Create and distribute invoices;
  • Create financial statements;
  • File tax returns;
  • Manage company accounts;
  • Manage staff payroll;
  • Monitor compliance with local accounting laws and regulations;
  • Post debits and credits; and
  • Track deviations from the budget.

Qualifications

  • Basic knowledge of accounting and best practices;
  • Data entry experience;
  • Familiarity with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP);
  • Familiarity with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS);
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Excel;
  • Knowledge of bookkeeping software is a plus (FreshBooks, Quickbooks, XERO, Wave, Zoho, etc.)
  • Precision, accuracy, efficiency, and attention to detail; and
  • Well-practiced organizational skills.

How to Become a Bookkeeper: Two (2) Options

While there is no degree or certification required to become a bookkeeper, there are formal certifications available that can be helpful both in finding full-time work and securing higher pay.

  1. American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB)
    1. Participate in sixty (60) hours of continuing education every three (3) years;
    2. Pass the national exam; and
    3. Two years of full-time work experience.
  2. National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers (NACPB)
    1. Participate in twenty-four (24) hours of continuing education every year;
    2. Pass tests for bookkeeping, payroll, small business accounting, and small business financial management;
    3. Pass the national exam;
    4. Sign a code of conduct; and
    5. Two-thousand (2,000) hours of related work experience.

Sources

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)