| In the accounting profession, it is evident | | | | Marshall, What the Numbers Mean). What this |
| that difference is made between bookkeepers | | | | statement does not say is who will be making |
| and accountants. Whether you work in a small | | | | decisions and informed judgments? How does an |
| business or large corporation, it will again | | | | accountant identify, measure and communicate |
| make a difference. Are you an accountant or a | | | | the information? Who is interpreting the |
| bookkeeper? Is the consideration of the | | | | accounting information? |
| bookkeeping role appropriate? | | | | |
| | | | Bookkeeping consists of various mechanisms |
| We will discuss here both roles that have | | | | used to identify and accumulate the |
| evolved over time, and their principal | | | | information, in order to measure and provide |
| differentiation, depending on roles within | | | | financial results. A proficient bookkeeper |
| small businesses or large corporations. | | | | will have sufficient expertise to provide |
| | | | analysis of value to the audience. So, is |
| Accounting positions in large corporations | | | | there a difference with accountants? |
| often consist of day-to-day recordkeeping. | | | | |
| Junior Accountant, Expense Accountant, | | | | I would associate most of the "accounting" |
| Revenue Accountant, Accounts Payable | | | | positions is large corporations to what a |
| Specialist, General Ledger Accountant, and | | | | "bookkeeper" in a small business is. Large |
| much more titles invented to attract clerical | | | | numbers of accountants today has no |
| personnel whose work is primarily performed | | | | accounting education and are solicited to |
| with well-developed systems, detailed | | | | provide the expertise in fields such as |
| procedures and professionally designed | | | | accounts payable, accounts receivable, |
| training programs. Within just weeks, large | | | | revenue recognition, etc. This is dangerous. |
| corporations can benefit of highly educated | | | | |
| individuals in record keepers' positions that | | | | Primarily, I expect accountants to be |
| will do the clerical side of accounting. | | | | organization's goalkeepers, deal with |
| | | | internal and external requirements so to |
| On the other side, a "bookkeeper" working in | | | | reflect what is happening in the organization |
| a family ran business, will be involved in | | | | and outside and help the individuals who are |
| resolving important tax matters, evaluating | | | | not able to understand the results of |
| the efficiency of operations and managing the | | | | operating activities make the informed |
| broad range of complex accounting | | | | judgments. |
| transactions. | | | | |
| | | | Both, bookkeeping and accounting involve |
| I, like most of my peers, think that the | | | | preparing and understanding of organizations' |
| segregation of duties within large | | | | activities. |
| corporations does not help the individuals in | | | | |
| their personal development. For those | | | | The criteria that guides decisions made to |
| individuals working in large corporations who | | | | hire a bookkeeper versus accountant will be |
| are frustrated by the low pace, impatient to | | | | the level of education. Wrong! Working |
| learn more, and bored of doing routine tasks, | | | | experience and the use of computer systems, |
| the enthusiasm for learning more fades away. | | | | ethics, and behavior, will prevail in my |
| Either they go out and look for different | | | | decision making process for engaging a |
| jobs, or they lose self-confidence for doing | | | | "record keeper"! Be proud to be a bookkeeper. |
| anything else. | | | | Not the bookkeepers are only to perform their |
| | | | day-to-day, timely, and accurate, |
| Lack of controls, almost inexistent in family | | | | transactional system entries but they are to |
| ran businesses, will however stimulate the | | | | keep their education at a level adequate to |
| individuals to make great sacrifices to | | | | perform all accounting paperwork. The |
| achieve success. | | | | increasing demand on accountants makes the |
| | | | daily work ever challenging and interesting |
| Whether we discuss the information issued by | | | | for all involved professionals. Bookkeepers |
| an accountant or a bookkeeper, the | | | | shall be more then welcome to join large |
| information is used for a decision making | | | | corporations since the need for stable and |
| process. A means to an end! | | | | efficient working environment is apparent. |
| | | | To choose between the qualified |
| "In a broad sense, accounting is the process | | | | "presenteeism", in other words, highly |
| of identifying, measuring, and communicating | | | | educated individuals bored with daily |
| the economic information about an | | | | recordkeeping work, and involved and |
| organization for the purpose of making | | | | productive recordkeeping professionals, the |
| decisions and informed judgments" (2003, | | | | choice has no alternative. |