What qualities does it take to make a good bookkeeper? Not everyone is cut out to be a bookkeeper. Let’s take look now at what makes a good reliable bookkeeper.
Bookkeeping is critical to any business organisation, and finding the best bookkeeper could contribute to the financial success of your business.
Whenever a business is looking to hire a bookkeeper, there are essential qualities such a business should look out for.
Hiring a bookkeeping specialist with the right qualities helps a business minimise the risk of liability as they can oversee all their duties.
Bookkeepers are also entrusted with valuable financial information of a business organisation and are therefore required to keep such information confidential from other parties.
Bookkeepers with the right qualities ultimately help a business observe the financial rules and avoid misstatements and irregularities in the financial accounts.
For organisations that may be looking for bookkeepers, here are some of the essential qualities to look out for:
- Proper organisation
- Good communication skills
- Professional qualifications
- Honesty and transparency
- Confidence
- Tech-savvy
1. Proper Organisation
Given the nature of their job, a good bookkeeper is one with the ability to organise vital financial documents. This makes it easy to retrieve the source documents when it is time to input the information in journals and accounts.
Good organisational skills also ensure that there is a quick response whenever a supplier or any other business partner needs to confirm a transaction through a source document.
Being organised also means that a bookkeeper can complete tasks within the stipulated timelines.
2. Good Communication Skills
Bookkeepers are expected to discuss with managers matters regarding the finances of the business. They are also expected to present basic financial reports based on the various financial statements such as income/loss statement.
They should also give updates regarding cash flow to the financial managers of the business organisation.
Bookkeepers are also required to manage credit control of a business. For proper credit control, bookkeepers are required to run debtors reports and prepare customer invoices.
They are also required to contact these customers politely while collecting debts. Such processes require good communication skills.
3. Professional Qualifications
Although basic bookkeeping does not need one to have all the academic and professional qualifications, having a proper understanding of bookkeeping is essential.
Small businesses and startups may not be specific on the years of experience one must have as a bookkeeper.
However, it is important to have the required qualifications as defined by bodies such as Certified Public Accountants (CPA) and the International Association of Bookkeepers (IAB).
Bookkeepers should also demonstrate their skills of double-entry bookkeeping, which is critical in tracking errors and correcting them.
4. Honesty And Transparency
Bookkeepers are entrusted with important and confidential financial information about a business organisation.
Payroll records and bank statements are some of the documents that bookkeepers are entrusted with and which they are required to handle with confidentiality.
Furthermore, they should use such statements and documents in the right way without necessarily being monitored by their supervisors.
5. Confidence
Every business owner wants to have a confident employee – one who can express boldness while executing the duties bestowed upon them. Managers want to listen to reports presented confidently.
Confidence paints the picture of self-belief and often plays a huge part in delivering the desired results.
6. Tech-Savvy
Modern bookkeepers are required to know how to use modern bookkeeping software.
The use of software in bookkeeping is becoming popular among business organisations as it makes it less overwhelming compared to manual bookkeeping.
Bookkeepers are therefore expected to prepare the various financial statements using bookkeeping software to improve accuracy and also make the task easier.
Proper bookkeeping calls for a certain set of qualities. Such qualities include competence, honesty, confidence, and organisation. Bookkeepers are also expected to have good communication skills and be tech-savvy.
Are you looking for trustworthy and reliable bookkeeping services in Melbourne at reasonable prices? If so, then look no further than Numbers Pro.
If you are looking for a blend of truly personal service and expertise, please call us today on 03 9510 2120 or contact us through our website.