If you're not an accountant and can't tell clean books from messy ones, it's natural to think that you can't hire a bookkeeper you have never met unless someone you trust vouches for them. Often the first thought is to either ask your own accountant for a referral, or to post the job on a marketplace such as Upwork or Fiverr. Both routes can work.
Key Takeaways
- Upwork and Fiverr let you compare rates, reviews and past work, but testing the skills is up to you.
- Remote firms and recruiters do part of the search for a fee.
- Referrals from your accountant or other owners in your field carry the most weight.
- Call two references and set a short paid test before you share any logins.
- Put the scope, the deadlines and the access rules in writing before the first month starts.
Understanding Virtual Bookkeeping
Virtual bookkeeping is an arrangement in which a remote bookkeeper enters transactions, reconciles bank and credit card accounts, and prepares monthly reports while working inside your cloud accounting software. This frees you to focus on customers and cash. Our guide to virtual bookkeeping services explained covers what the service usually includes.
Bookkeepers are people who record transactions and keep the accounts in order. CPAs are licensed by a state board of accountancy, and only they may use the title. A bookkeeper keeps your records current, while representing you before the IRS takes a CPA, an enrolled agent or an attorney.
A remote hire can cost less than a local one, because you provide no desk or equipment.
Key Qualities of a Reliable Virtual Bookkeeper
It all comes down to four things:
- Accuracy. The bookkeeper should catch a duplicated bill or a miscoded payment before you do, and should be able to walk you through each month's bank reconciliation.
- Software skills. The person should already work in the platform you use, and our look at the top accounting software for outsourced bookkeepers shows what to expect from the common choices.
- Clear writing. Updates should be short, dated and specific, so you can see what was done and what is waiting on you.
- Trust: If you can't trust the person, then not being able to see them every day is going to worry you. Make sure you trust who you hire.
Where to Find Reliable Virtual Bookkeepers
Hiring on a freelance marketplace can be a costly step but so can signing with a remote firm. Weigh the gains and costs of each route before you choose.
On Upwork you post a job or browse profiles, interview the people you like and hire them on an hourly or fixed-price contract. Fiverr sells set-price services, and its Fiverr Pro tier lists freelancers that Fiverr has vetted. Credential checks are yours to run on either site. A remote bookkeeping firm usually assigns a team, so someone can cover when one person is out. Our guide on how to choose an outsourced accounting firm lists what to ask each one.
A recruiter sits between the two. We recruit remote bookkeeping assistants, usually based in South Africa or the Philippines. We check the references of every shortlisted candidate and test attention to detail, and you interview and choose. You then pay the assistant's monthly salary directly, after a one-time $1,997 recruitment fee.
Referrals are the fourth route. Your accountant, your banker and other owners in your industry know bookkeepers with a track record, and a recommendation from someone who has seen the work counts for more than a polished profile.
Evaluating Potential Candidates
Before you share any financial records (bank feeds, payroll reports, sales tax filings, or the like), check the candidate's working habits against your own. If possible, give each finalist the same small task, such as reconciling a sample month.
Credentials help, though they are voluntary. The American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers awards a Certified Bookkeeper credential and the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers awards a Certified Public Bookkeeper credential, and neither one makes someone a CPA.
Ask for two references from clients with a business like yours, and call them. Ask how often the work arrived late and how the bookkeeper handled a mistake, and ask also what they would change about the arrangement. That can tell you more than any certificate.
In the interview, listen to how the candidate describes a past problem, such as a bank feed that stopped syncing. A clear account of what they checked and changed shows the habit you will rely on every month.
Establishing a Successful Working Relationship
Once you've picked a bookkeeper, set the ground rules in the first week:
- Write down the scope. List what the bookkeeper owns (for example bank reconciliation, bill entry and monthly reports), what stays with you and when each report is due.
- Meet on a schedule. A short weekly call for the first month, then a monthly one, stops small questions from piling up and gives you a place to raise a problem the day you spot it.
- Share one workspace. Keep receipts, open questions and reports in one folder or inside the accounting software.
- Limit access. Give the bookkeeper a personal login with only the permissions the job needs, and keep payment approval with you.
Final Thought
Three habits keep a remote bookkeeping arrangement on track: a written scope, a regular check-in and shared tools. The table pairs each habit with what it gives you.
| Key Considerations | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Set Clear Expectations | Smoother Workflows |
| Maintain Regular Communication | Improved Transparency |
| Use Collaborative Tools | Scalable Solutions |
You should start by being clear about the work you want to hand over and where you need the most help. You can't hire well until that is clear. Then you can book a free consultation, describe the tasks, and let us recruit a remote bookkeeping assistant for you to interview.