Full charge bookkeepers are responsible for full-cycle accounting, which requires an ability to juggle several organizational tasks at once. Their responsibilities include managing all aspects of general ledger, accounts receivable, and accounts payable, as well as handling payroll information, credit card statements, and cash flow. They may also be called upon for various other miscellaneous duties.
A full charge bookkeeper typically must have extensive experience with payroll, financial statements, bank reconciliation, and general bookkeeping. At least a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or business is usually preferred. Advanced knowledge of computer software, particularly QuickBooks and Microsoft Office, is essential.
The job is extremely hands-on and detail-oriented, bearing much responsibility, so a bookkeeper must be responsible and self-reliant. The ability to present information to owners and coworkers is critical; in those presentations, they must be able to define problems distinctly, collect data accurately, establish reliable facts, and draw valid conclusions. Full charge bookkeepers often work overtime due to time-sensitive or a large number of tasks.
Full Charge Bookkeeper Tasks
- Reconcile all accounts as needed and update payroll information.
- Produce financial statements and track key metrics, and forecast depreciation, profit, and loss.
- Update and maintain all accounting records using bookkeeping software.