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How to become a bookkeeper

Maintain and analyse balance sheets, ledgers, payroll documents, bills, receipts and other financial documentation.

Pathways to this career

  1. Complete a Certificate IV or a Diploma in Accounting and score an entry level role with your vocational bookkeeping course.

  2. Study the relevant GST and Business Activity units as part of your Certificate IV. As an alternative. you may have the option to tick these off under the supervision of a registered BAS agent.

  3. To register as a BAS agent yourself, apply to the Tax Practitioners Board. This enables you to charge a fee for conducting BAS services.

What does a bookkeeper do?

Bookkeepers maintain and evaluate records of financial transactions in account books and computerised accounting systems.

Duties and tasks

  • Calculate and dispense employee payroll and superannuation

  • Checked balances in ledgers and various transaction accounts

  • Create budget reports

  • Handle accounts payable and receivable

  • Manage financial records and balance accounts using a combination of computerised and manual systems

  • Monitor transaction records and alert management of any anomalies

  • Prepare invoices, financial statements and expenditure reports

Professional bodies

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