Important Traits for Bookkeepers

Many small business owners handle the bookkeeping and financial management by themselves—at least in the beginning—but over time, many find that outsourcing some or all of the bill paying, payroll processing, and payment-issuing to a virtual bookkeeper is time- and cost-efficient. Many bookkeepers today offer virtual and remote services, enabling you to connect with them from anywhere and to pay only for the time and services provided.

If the financial management has become a bit neglected or is falling out of date, it may be time to consider some professional help and expertise. A professional bookkeeper can help:

· Get your bills and payments back up to date

· Organize records and documents needed by an accountant

· Improve cash flow management

· Free up more of your own time to devote to other aspects of running your business

Looking to add a bookkeeper to your team, or to outsource some of the work to one remotely? Some qualities to look for to get the most for your time and money:

Attentive to details

Accuracy is vital in bookkeeping, and attention to detail is a key trait for any successful bookkeeper. Payment omission and duplication, miscalculation, and data entry errors are all common when the bookkeeping is neglected or done carelessly; bookkeeping mistakes can often be difficult to find and costly to fix, which is why a detailed eye and focused attention are important qualities to look for when selecting a virtual bookkeeper.

Time-efficient

Virtual bookkeepers who charge a flat monthly fee or an hourly rate can offer more affordability to small businesses than many other full-time or in-house bookkeeping hires. Businesses on a budget benefit the most from virtual bookkeeping services that work efficiently to manage the finances in the least amount of time, without compromising accuracy. Recommendations from other business owners, particularly those who operate companies in the same or a related industry, can help narrow down the selection process and guide you to an informed choice based on positive client reviews and experiences.

Comfortable with automating tools

Bookkeepers today have more access than ever before to online tools that make financial management a simpler, more streamlined affair. Online check printing is a cloud-based software tool with which many bookkeepers are already very familiar. Like other online, cloud-based tools, online check printing allows unlimited 24/7 access from anywhere and can keep your checkbook and registry updated in real time. Online check printing through Checkeeper can work as a stand-alone system for issuing check payments on demand to suppliers and employees, or it can integrate with other widely-used accounting and payroll software for businesses. Checkeeper is well-known to bookkeepers and financial managers; Checkeeper allows users to:

· Print customized checks on demand

· Upload a client's company logo to each check

· Work with multiple types of checks stocks and layouts

· Issue paychecks with pay stubs for those employees who are paid by paper check

· Access the online check registry remotely

· Convert unpaid invoices directly into check payments with bundled totals and attached invoice tables

· Sync check data in real time with other accounting, payment, and payroll applications

· Approve check payments initiated by other team members

· Order checks to be printed and mailed

· Search for a check payment according to any check field

· Print, download, or share with an accountant a complete history of every check created for tax preparation, expense tracking, and financial analysis

Reliable with communication and follow-up

Good bookkeepers are also good communicators: they get back to you promptly regarding questions or issues, and they keep clients informed of important financial transactions. Since they may also have to coordinate some tasks with an accountant, it is important that they keep organized records that can be shared and communicated reliably and accurately.