Most bookkeepers are ready to become accounting clerks, but not all accounting clerks are ready to become bookkeepers. This is because bookkeepers record all financial transactions, while accounting clerks often record one category of financial transactions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS, groups bookkeepers and accounting clerks together because of the similarities in qualifications and duties between the two positions. But bookkeepers and accounting clerks operate in very different work environments.
Bookkeepers record all the financial transactions for a small to medium-sized company. These transactions include invoicing customers, monitoring receivables, paying bills and processing payroll. Bookkeepers also generate financial reports and monitor petty cash. A contracted accountant often oversees the bookkeeper's work on a monthly or quarterly basis and provides assistance by phone or e-mail, when needed.
Accounting Clerk Duties
Accounting clerks often specialize in one part of the accounting process. These clerks have titles that reflect their specialties, such as billing clerks, payroll clerks, purchasing agents, accounts payable clerks and accounts receivable clerks. Accounting clerks work in medium to large-sized companies and are often supervised by a staff accountant or CPA. If a company has only one accounting clerk, he may be a generalist who records a variety of financial transactions, similar to the financial transactions a bookkeeper records.
An accounting clerk records transactions in billing, purchasing, payroll, accounts payable or accounts receivable, while a bookkeeper records all these transactions. Bookkeepers usually work in small to medium companies while accountants work in medium to large companies. Often, bookkeepers work autonimously, while accounting clerks work in an accounting department with other clerks. Accounting clerks have an on-staff supervisor, and bookkeepers have an independently contracted CPA or accountant. Small companies use off-the-shelf financial software that the bookkeeper must know. Large corporations may use customized financial software that accounting clerks must be trained to use. Because accounting is a standard process, familiarity with any accounting software makes it easier for accounting clerks to learn custom accounting software.
Bookkeepers and accounting clerks can work in accounting firms or bookkeeping firms that provide services to the business community on a contract basis. The educational requirement for both accounting clerks and bookkeepers is a high school diploma. However, these financial professionals sometimes have associate's degrees. To perform either job, you must have strong math skills, strong computer skills, know spreadsheets and know financial software. According to the BLS, as of 2010 the median pay for both jobs is 16.36 per hour or $34,030 per year.
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