How to Hire the Best Virtual Assistant Bookkeeper
Most of us don’t love the nitty-gritty work of handling business finances. It takes a lot of focus and dedication to maintain accurate records – not to mention, it’s incredibly time-consuming. If you’re a small business owner who simply can’t keep up, it might be time to hire a virtual assistant bookkeeper.
A remote bookkeeper can take the heavy lifting off your plate and help you get back to doing what you love. It can improve the accuracy of your records, and often, you’ll find you make more money with someone helping you track every penny! And if you’re wondering, “How much will this cost me?,” check out our guide to learn how much a VA costs.
What Does a Virtual Bookkeeper Do?
Virtual Assistant Bookkeepers are essentially the same as traditional bookkeepers. The difference is they work remotely and are often hired on a contract basis.
Remote bookkeeping assistants (like regular bookkeepers!) can handle a variety of financial tasks. It all depends on the scope you’ve agreed upon in advance and their capabilities. Here are some of the things they might tackle for your business:
Reconcile accounts. Bookkeepers ensure that the balances in your bank accounts and credit cards match the records you’ve kept for your company's financial statements. If there are any mistakes or discrepancies, they’ll sort them out.
Prepare financial documents. Virtual bookkeeping assistants generate financial statements that provide valuable insights into your business’s financial health. They might prepare cash flow statements to see how much gross revenue you’re generating or balance sheets to understand your total equity.
Manage transactions and accounts. They also track how much you owe suppliers or vendors, and how much other people owe you. This is essential if you struggle to process payments on time or can’t remember who owes you what.
Managing payroll. If you have employees, your remote bookkeeping assistant can handle your employee payroll.
What to Delegate to your Virtual Assistant Bookkeeper
Depending on how many hours you’ve agreed on, your VA bookkeeper can take a lot off your plate. Here are some tasks you might want to delegate to them:
Day-to-day entries. Your VA bookkeeper can reconcile your accounts at the end of each day and make sure all recorded transactions are accurate. This saves you from the end-of-year panic when you realize you’re missing a million little receipts!
Invoicing. If you’re tired of chasing down overdue invoices, your VA can track people down! Some of the most common software you’ll find bookkeepers using for this task are HoneyBook, Harlow, or Bonsai. All three of these tools are great options that help small business owners and bookkeepers work together smoothly. And if you need even more ideas about which tools to make your business easier, check out our favorite apps for solopreneurs.
Financial software management. To keep things running smoothly, your virtual bookkeeper can regularly update and clean up the software you’re using to track business finances. If there’s a technical issue, they might be able to troubleshoot or find someone who can help. Most bookkeepers are proficient in QuickBooks, which can be used for payroll, invoicing, and even taxes.
Organizing and filing. If you don’t have a system in place to store invoices and track spending, a great VA bookkeeper can create a system for you! Part of their daily or weekly tasks could include organizing your files, receipts, and other records. They might use QuickBooks for these tasks, too.
Communicating with external sources. A virtual bookkeeper can serve as a point of contact for financial inquiries, whether they come from clients, vendors, or other members of your team. They can also relay important financial information to you promptly.
Finding a Virtual Assistant for a CPA
For CPAs who are looking for a virtual assistant, you may want to look specifically for a bookkeeping or accounting VA. Lots of virtual assistants pick a specialty, so this could be more common than you think!
You can use sites like Upwork and Fiverr to look for budget-friendly candidates, although it can be harder to confirm details like education or work history. Using a virtual assistant agency is a more secure way to go. At She’s a Given, we vet our candidates by checking their college education, certifications, and references. For a bookkeeping VA, we’d check for things like an American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB) certification.
You may also want to look for someone familiar with the industry you serve. This isn’t a dealbreaker for most people, but if you have a complicated niche or want someone who can jump right in, it’s worth considering.
Virtual Assistant bookkeepers are a fantastic way to propel your business forward. If you think you’re ready to invest in this type of support, let us know. We’d be happy to find the right fit for your business!
