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If you’re looking for a career working with numbers, you’ve likely considered accountancy and bookkeeping. Both professions revolve around the financial health of a business https://www.icsid.org/business/managing-cash-flow-in-construction-tips-from-accounting-professionals/ and both offer excellent career prospects. But whether you should study bookkeeping or accounting will depend on what you’re looking to achieve and where your interests lie.
Both groups of professionals are subject matter experts and can save business owners a tremendous amount of time by gathering data and understanding what it means. In the case of accountants, they can also make some strategic recommendations for improvement. In fact, bookkeeping is a small but vital part of the overall accounting function. Whether carrying out bookkeeping on a paper, spreadsheet, or an accountancy software, it is a time-consuming task. Furthermore, whether being an expert or not, an in-house bookkeeper , can make errors. The accountant will take the data produced by the bookkeeper which in most cases will be through your accounting software.
Why should I become a Bookkeeper?
Employers all over the world recognise AAT bookkeeping qualifications, which train people for many different bookkeeping jobs. They can help students become AAT bookkeeping members while also allowing them to work for them. Bookkeepers may begin their careers by working for a small business to gather experience before returning to school to pursue an accounting or finance degree. The AAT’s foundation certificates qualify you for several entry-level positions. So, if you’re eager to make the move into a financial role, your career can start sooner than you might think.
Find out what it’s like to be an accountant and see the job roles you’ll be qualified for. If you’re considering a career in accountancy you’ll need a passion for numbers, a natural flair for problem solving and to work well under pressure. Find out what it’s like to be a bookkeeper and see the job roles you’ll be qualified for. Click here to register for Level 3 Certificate in Computerised Bookkeeping and Accounting as a self-study student. We’ve put together some articles which help address some of the key accounting questions our clients often ask us. Find out how our range of audit and assurance services can help you comply with the legal requirements of a statutory audit.
Simple, straight forward accounting for business
FreeAgent makes it easy to manage your daily bookkeeping, get a complete view of your business finances and relax about tax. Accounting relates to a body of financial knowledge and how this is interpreted, summarised and communicated through statements, product reports and income information. Accounting and bookkeeping are vital functions for small businesses, ensuring that they are financially compliant, healthy and able to grow.
This is conducted in an approachable and efficient way with excellent communication. Bookkeepers aren’t required to have any particular qualification, however, it is strongly advised. The level of certification required to become an Accountant is a whole other level. Bookkeepers lacking adequate qualifications cannot be recognised as Accountants, yet Accountants may be regarded as Bookkeepers. Keep in mind that the scale of the company and the number of transactions executed daily, weekly, and annually determine the efficiency of a bookkeeping procedure.
Bookkeeping vs. Accounting: Goals
Our entire focus is on using these enabling technologies together with integrated bookkeeping and management accounting to put financial data insights at the heart of our client’s business operations on a day to day basis. Any Bookkeeper will by legal necessity record and track your transactions, but for a living, organic business bookkeeping and can do so much more than that. Both help fulfil important regulatory and legal obligations, but also both can and should be helping your business to run more efficiently, profitably and strategically. But many business owners are only getting the first of these two benefits.
Make sure all bank statements and invoices are present and correct, and in date order. Otherwise you’ll be paying your bookkeeper for the time taken chasing down and sorting these documents, when it’s easy to do yourself. Worse, if documents go missing, then you could end up facing a fine for late filing. Whether you plan to handle the role yourself or get someone in to help, this quick introduction will help you understand the essentials of bookkeeping and why it’s so important for a successful business. Bookkeeping for a small business is a vital role if you want your finances to make sense. Initially the bookkeeper may be you, but as your business grows you may find you no longer have the time to spare.
What is accounting?
This may be period end adjustments such as accruals, prepayments and stock or more complex accounting. Once ready the accountant can then present the information in the appropriate way such as management accounts or your year-end financial statements. Bookkeepers keep track of your accounts by tracking receipts, allowing you to see how much and from where the money is coming in. Also they take into consideration the amount that is going out of your company.
What is the difference between accounting and bookkeeping?
However, these concepts are different. While bookkeeping is all about recording of financial transactions, accounting deals with the interpretation, analysis, classification, reporting and summarization of the financial data of a business.
We include our own Xero add-on expert to help our clients reduce time, improve efficiency and save costs. The Level 4 course is ideal if you have significant practical accounting education and experience and want to progress into senior roles such as Finance Officer. Alternatively, if you’re looking to save some money and get ahead at the same time, the AAT Level 2 & 3 Certificate and Diploma in Accounting is an ideal choice. retail accounting So, if you’re currently struggling between choosing a career in Bookkeeping or Accounting and are in need of some clarification, below we’re outlined the difference between the two so that you can make an informed decision. Try out Accounting Cloud now to take your business to the next level, and don’t forget to take advantage of our School of startups, where you’ll find resources that can help you grow your business.
