Bookkeeper duties and responsibilities
To excel in the role of a Bookkeeper, individuals must have a good understanding of how to properly manage a company’s financials. The job role of a Bookkeeper includes tracking and managing financial data, entering financial transactions into various databases, notifying upper management of any accounting errors, and organizing financial reports.
Additional duties and responsibilities of a Bookkeeper include:
- Fact-checking accounting information
- Recording all transactions
- Disseminating reports to staff
- Balancing subsidiary accounts to reconcile accounts
- Ensuring all financial actions comply with local legal requirements
- Preparing financial reports by analyzing, collecting, and condensing account trends and information
- Using a system to account for the financial transactions made by the company to establish a chart of accounts
Bookkeeper skills and qualifications
A successful Bookkeeper candidate has strong financial literacy and natural organizational skills. By being detail orientated, the Bookkeeper keeps accurate financial records. Other key skills and qualifications include:
- Great interpersonal skills that enable the Bookkeeper to clearly and effectively communicate with other employees
- The ability to work on multiple projects while adhering to tight deadlines
- The ability to communicate complex financial data with other members
- Good data entry skills
- Familiarity with the general principles of accounting
- A strong understanding of math and numbers
- The ability to use various financial transactions such as accounts payable and accounts receivable
Bookkeeper experience requirements
The experience required to become a Bookkeeper varies. Because it is an entry-level role, there may be some organizations that require no experience and instead are willing to train on the job if the candidate has a GED or high school diploma. Some companies require one to two years of experience with job titles such as Administrative Assistant, Accounts Payable Coordinator or Payroll Assistant. If a company uses special accounting software, experience with that software may be a requirement for the position.
Bookkeeper education and training requirements
Most companies request that Bookkeepers have an advanced degree in math, statistics, or financing. Experience in fields such as business or office administration can take the place of education requirements. Some entry-level bookkeeping jobs may only ask for a high school diploma because training is provided on the job.
Organizations such as the Canadian Bookkeepers Association and the Canadian Institute of Bookkeeping provide training and certification for all levels of Bookkeepers. Many organizations provide training and certifications in accounting software as well.
Bookkeeper salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Bookkeeper in Canada is $22.38 per hour, which may be dependent on experience, location, and company.
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