Bookkeeper Selection

Small business can be hard enough to manage, you need to be able to juggle a LOT! But lets get realistic, you just can't do everything. So one of the things we decided to outsource was a bookkeeper. We didn't realise how hard it would be to find someone with the right skills that you can trust.

Lets face it - its really hard to trust someone with you financials. So unless you  want to micro manage them and check all their entries and expenditure, which then leads you back to doing it yourself, you need to be able to trust them.

There are so many around its hard to figure out where to start. We thought we would share our experience in the hope that it makes it easier for another small business.

Here's some of the things we did;
* Firstly we looked online to find someone local - as there would be times they needed to come in we didn't want the added expense of travel allowances.
* When we found a bookkeeper we liked the sound of, we checked their accreditation and training - being a registered BAS Agent is a must for us. Find out if they are accredited through this link - Tax Practitioners Board.
* After BAS check we looked at their experience. Remember not to be too caught up in price - even though this is important, price will not necessarily equal the output. IE someone with more experience may be able to complete the work in half the time therefore being cheaper in the long run.
* Ask for references, this was a great avenue for checking there work and what tasks they are currently completing for other businesses, it will demonstrate if they have the skills you require. It's no different than asking for an employee reference. If they are good at what they do and have established a good rapport with other businesses they shouldn't have any issues providing you with references.
* Meet up with them and see if you feel comfortable, determine if they understand your business and if they ask questions to demonstrate that they have genuine interest. You want to ensure that they are not afraid to ask if they don't know something. Don't underestimate how important them asking questions is - you don't want them mucking things up because they were embarrassed to ask.
* Once you have appointed someone introduce them to your accountant - electronically is fine - let them know that they are able to ask each other information about accounts and journal entries, but make sure that you request to be CC'd into all their emails.
* Lastly make sure you do an occasional audit to ensure that things are being recorded correctly as per your or your accountants instructions.

Remember your bookkeeper is privy to information that you normally don't even share with your friends and family - so don't be shy to look around. Ask as many questions as you feel appropriate. Don't pick anyone you don't feel 100% comfortable with and change your mind at any stage if you feel unhappy.