A virtual bookkeeper manages your business’s bookkeeping remotely, regardless of your location or time zone. Using advanced bookkeeping software, all communication and financial documents are securely stored online. Your virtual bookkeeper expertly categorizes transactions and generates accurate financial statements to keep your business finances in order.
What Does a Virtual Bookkeeper Do?
- Pay clients’ bills on a weekly basis
- Reconcile bank statements regularly
- Data entry (coding) and journal entries
- Provide clients with weekly and monthly financial reports (customizable in contracts)
- Generate weekly accounts receivable aging reports
- Manage weekly accounts payable aging
- Prepare monthly aging reports
- Compile monthly balance sheets
- Produce monthly Profit & Loss statements
- Compare budget to actual financials monthly
- Generate monthly statements of cash flow
- Offer additional custom reports at an extra charge
- Manage and maintain the chart of accounts
- Reconcile debit and credit card transactions
- Prepare 1099 forms preparation (may incur additional fees)
- Coordinate payroll processing with certified vendors who set up and schedule payroll
What Does a Virtual Bookkeeper NOT Do?
- Prepare IRS Form 990 (nonprofit tax returns)
- Perform financial forecasting
- Handle payroll taxes (managed by third-party vendors, including W-2 processing)
- Determine appropriate transaction coding beyond bookkeeping scope
- Manage workers’ compensation audits
- Conduct collections or debt recovery services
Understanding the ‘Virtual’ Method of Working
When considering hiring a virtual bookkeeper, it’s essential to recognize the convenience and security this method offers. Your business’s financial health deserves professional attention without geographical limitations. Virtual bookkeeping allows you to efficiently manage your financial data regardless of location or time zone.
In fact, you may already be accustomed to virtual communication tools. Video calls like FaceTime, emails, text messaging, and specialized apps facilitate seamless collaboration with your virtual bookkeeper.
Here are some widely used apps that our virtual bookkeeping teams trust and share with clients to streamline communication and document management:
1Password
1Password securely syncs your passwords and private documents across all devices with one master password, ensuring your sensitive business information stays protected.
CamScanner
Drowning in paperwork? CamScanner lets you easily scan physical documents, notes, and business cards into digital files accessible anywhere, helping you stay organized on the go.
Todoist
Todoist is a top-rated productivity app that organizes all your goals, tasks, and projects in one intuitive platform. It syncs seamlessly across devices and integrates with your favorite apps, helping you stay focused and organized.
Slack
Slack centralizes communication and collaboration with your team, allowing you to create channels by client, project, or department. Features like threads and direct messaging keep conversations organized and manageable.
LastPass
LastPass is a secure password manager that stores all your passwords online for free, offering browser plugins and mobile apps to access your credentials anywhere safely.
Bill.com
Bill.com is a trusted cloud-based platform automating back-office financial operations. Its AI-driven software connects your business with suppliers and clients, simplifying cash inflow and outflow management.
Expensify
Expensify is software designed to manage both personal and business expenses efficiently, helping you track and report spending effortlessly.
What You Should – and Shouldn’t – Be Doing
While your virtual bookkeeper handles daily financial tasks, there are key responsibilities you should maintain to ensure smooth operations. Delegating time-consuming bookkeeping tasks frees you to focus on growing your business, instead of getting bogged down in routine administrative work.
Companies like Belay and Virtual Bookkeeper specialize in relieving entrepreneurs of bookkeeping duties, so you can concentrate on strategic management and business development.
Top Reasons to Hire a Virtual Bookkeeper
Long-Term Savings
Poor financial management can lead to costly mistakes for small businesses. A virtual bookkeeper helps you save money and increase your business’s value by ensuring accurate financial tracking. Additionally, virtual bookkeeping services often cost less than hiring a full-time employee. Virtual bookkeeping services
Flexibility
Virtual bookkeeping services employ experienced professionals who accommodate your scheduling needs without the costs associated with full-time salaries, sick leave, holidays, or employee benefits.
Objective Financial Advice
Hiring a third-party virtual bookkeeper provides unbiased insight into your company’s financial health, enabling more informed and strategic business decisions.
Accurate Financial Reporting
Managing bookkeeping solo can be challenging. Virtual bookkeeping services offer real-time financial reports accessible to your accountant, ensuring preparedness for tax season and compliance.
Cash Flow Management
A virtual bookkeeper enables you to review finances periodically, monitor profit margins, and manage receivables and payables efficiently to keep operations running smoothly.
Save Time and Reduce Stress
Outsourcing bookkeeping allows you to save valuable time, minimize stress, reduce headaches, and free up resources as you approach the end of the fiscal year.
Peace of Mind
Having a reliable virtual bookkeeper take care of your financial details offers unmatched peace of mind, so you can focus confidently on growing your business.
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Look for certifications such as QuickBooks ProAdvisor, CPA credentials, or experience with your industry accounting standards. Strong communication skills and trustworthiness are essential due to the remote nature of the role.
Yes, reputable virtual bookkeeping services use encrypted cloud-based platforms to secure your financial data, alongside secure password management tools like 1Password or LastPass.
This depends on your agreement with the virtual bookkeeper. Most offer weekly, monthly, and custom reports aligned with your business needs.
While virtual bookkeepers coordinate with certified payroll vendors to process payroll, payroll taxes and related filings are typically handled by third-party providers.
Yes, by reducing labor costs associated with in-house staff, improving financial accuracy, and providing insights that help avoid costly errors, virtual bookkeeping can lead to significant savings.
Common platforms include QuickBooks Online, Xero, Bill.com, and Expensify. They often select software that integrates well with your business systems for seamless operation.
