An accountant (we’ll call her Jane), was saying that not all bookkeepers can help businesses with their bookkeeping. Jane continued with a story about Mary (not her real name) that had been doing the bookwork for her husband’s plumbing business.
Does a MYOB course at TAFE make someone a good bookkeeper?
For whatever reason, the business no longer existed, and Mary decided to go to TAFE and brush up on her skills with a MYOB course. At the end of the program the lecturer advised that the students could now go and become bookkeepers!
Does a MYOB course at TAFE make someone a good bookkeeper? Does having a “piece of paper” to show a qualification really help a small business that may be struggling with keeping their finances in order?
The School of Life is where the real learning happens. We have been asked by businesses to come in and sort out their bookkeeping, after their accountant has seen the mess, or the taxman has sent “The Letter” asking about the whereabouts of previous tax returns.
Some small business owners will “shop around” asking bookkeepers for quotes, and taking the “cheapest” price, thinking that they are saving money on their bookkeeping
In Australia there are no formal qualifications for bookkeepers, making it a very attractive career choice for people “good with figures” that do not want to go to TAFE or University to get a piece of paper that tells others that you can do bookwork. The danger to the small business owner is that they may then engage the services of someone who does not have enough experience in bookkeeping, but knows enough to “bluff” their way through to the end of the financial year.
As a consequence, many bookkeepers gain work by referrals from other clients, business associates or friends. Some small business owners will “shop around” asking bookkeepers for quotes, and taking the “cheapest” price, thinking that they are saving money. This can prove to be an “expensive” form of saving, a true false economy.
Ask Jane, the accountant, and she’ll tell you many stories where “cheap” bookkeepers have gone in and caused small businesses heartache through lack of expereince, trying to cut corners or just pure ignorance of the computerised accounting software or the particular business setup.
If your financial records and / or bookkeeping is in a mess, and you’re needing to get your paperwork upto date before you hand it over to your accountant. You may be sinking under the pressure of runnng your businesses and not have time to worry about the Business Activity Statements GST, BAS or PAYG.
You may be looking for bookkeepers that can turn your pile/ shoebox full of receipts and invoices into a neatly filed and documented set of accurate financial records then contact us now
Next BAS due
2 responses so far ↓
1 mel // May 9, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I think its a start to becoming a good book keeper. Where did you start? its all well and good to say all this about book keepers bluffing their way to the end of the financial year. but dont forget a person with an accounting degree will not know anything about accouunts until they have practical experience. That applies to everyone may it be book keepers. Every business is different. I think you are going about the wrong way to gain business. Discouraging book keepers!!shame on you. Book keepers need to start somewhere too….Book keepers only record information any way and not to act like accountants…The accountants job is to bring it all together…Give them a break
2 Margi // May 25, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Sorry Mel, but bookkeepers should know what they r recording,why & chart of accounts…i dont know how many files i’ve had 2 clean up, set up behind the scence or recreate do 2 so called bookkeepers…. Thank god the new legislation has been passed…then we will c who knows there stuff…