Top Tips on Finding the Right Bookkeeper

Are you one of the many business owner’s who has not been able to find that super star bookkeeper? The idea of finding a good, reliable bookkeeper can be an overwhelming task if you don’t know what to look for. 

 

Here are are top tips to help you find the right bookkeeper for your business:

 

1. Look for qualifications in bookkeeping or accounting – Oftentimes we recommend business owner’s hire accountants as their bookkeepers. Many people identify bookkeepers and accountants as separate roles to perform separate functions, however there can be many benefits to hiring an accountant as your bookkeeper. An accountant can help you identify opportunities by seeing the bigger picture in real time, not just at tax time. 

2. Hire a registered BAS agent – Hiring a bookkeeper who is also a registered BAS agent will save you so much time and money when it comes to submitting your monthly, quarterly or annual BAS. A BAS agent will be more experienced and knowledgeable when reconciling your accounts and managing your books, reducing the chance of error and ensuring that BAS time runs smoothly and efficiently. BAS agent is qualified in ensuring you are not under or over claiming your GST, basically keeps you out of trouble.

3. Look for experience – Qualification combined with some solid experience will make you confident with your Bookkeeper. If they are looking after 100s of clients chances are they have huge experience with a wide range of clients and you will be looked after.

4. Additional services eg. System advisory, Management consulting – Does your bookkeeper offer additional services? A multifaceted bookkeeper has the ability to review your business from multiple angles and offer assistance and advice where it may have otherwise been overlooked. Investing in a bookkeeper who offers multiple services will prevent you from spending time and money finding and hiring someone in the future.

 

5. Trustworthy and Ethical – Trust and Ethics are the most important qualities you are looking for. A Bookkeeper who is ethical, competent, switched on is what you want.  Look for reviews, read testimonials, meet with them before you sign a contract, these are all things you can do to help you understand who you are hiring. 

Here at Sum and Substance we are passionate about helping businesses resolve their bookkeeping issues. Please contact us if you would like any assistance managing your books. We can be reached at (03) 9424 9447 or info@sumsubstance.com.au. You can directly book in a time to chat by clicking here.