Virtual Accounting Making the Switch

Virtual accountants often have years of experience working for clients in different industries. They also have access to the latest software, ensuring that all the documents are filed correctly. Offshore companies like ConnectOS take great strides to guarantee that information remains secure. There will be no data breach or loss of data within the company since it is safe with your hired virtual accountant. Data is more important than ever before, and businesses have become susceptible to data breaches or other cyber security issues. Security of financial data and other sensitive information is a main concern when outsourcing accounting functions.

Drive accuracy in the financial close by providing a streamlined method to substantiate your balance sheet. The only downside to a virtual accountant is that you can’t have face-to-face meetings with them, although you can engage in face-to-face video meetings. If it’s important to you to be able to sit down and meet with an accountant in-person, virtual bookkeepers might not be right for you. For a business owner, virtual bookkeepers are much more affordable and accessible and can be hired at a much lower rate. This affordable solution will allow you to focus on your core business activities while saving money without sacrificing the quality of the accounting services.

What’s a virtual accounting firm and how does it work?

Virtual bookkeeper jobs can fill the gap for small businesses that would otherwise need to be filled internally. For small businesses that want virtual bookkeeping service to handle their basic bookkeeping tasks, the first place to look is online. Virtual accountants provide bookkeeping services to small business owners, individuals, and self-employed individuals. Cloud accounting involves keeping your virtual accountant business books online, and keeping you and your clients connected to data. If there’s one thing the COVID-19 pandemic has done, is turn many of us into virtual workers – accountants included. Dining room tables that have been turned into desks coupled with a solid internet connection have proven to business owners that high-performing employees can still deliver and serve customers or clients remotely.

That’s why connecting with a network of peers like with the FreshBooks Accounting Partner Program is essential. When you get advice and best practices from other virtual accountants who have “been there, done that,” starting and growing your virtual accounting firm will be smooth sailing. You might wonder why you should hire a virtual accountant, or what a virtual accountant does specifically. A virtual accountant is an alternative to hiring a full-time accountant as an employee or paying for a subscription to a software service. Often contract-based, a virtual accountant can be the most efficient way to tackle your company’s accounting needs. Whether your business is already facing problems or simply trying to figure out the best way to handle finances, a virtual accountant could be the solution.

Virtual accountant vs. traditional accountant

BlackLine and our ecosystem of software and cloud partners work together to transform our joint customers’ finance and accounting processes. Together, we provide innovative solutions that help F&A teams achieve shorter close cycles and better controls, enabling them to drive better decision-making across the company. Before cloud-based accounting software and collaboration tools, accountants were generally limited to working with small business owners in their geographical area. While working with small businesses in other locations was possible, it typically meant sending files back and forth via mail or courier service—a time-consuming process that exposed client data to theft. Both accountants and bookkeepers can be virtual, but they do different things. While both can help you manage the ins and outs of business finances, bookkeepers are not trained in higher-level, complex financial tasks.

As long as the work is completed by the client’s specified deadline, the bookkeeper is free to work autonomously to accomplish her tasks. The prospect of not having to leave home for work is another appealing benefit as this can save the bookkeeper money on gas, automobile maintenance and child care. If the bookkeeper is employed by the company, she will be paid according to the employer’s payroll policies and cycle. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that bookkeepers overall earned a median annual salary of ​$45,560​, or ​$21.90​ per hour, as of 2021. If the bookkeeper is working as an independent contractor, she will invoice the business for the services performed and the client will remit payment in accordance to its contractor payment policy. Financial Post indicated in 2020 that virtual bookkeeper salary for skilled independent contractors was around ​$60​ per hour.

What are the Benefits of Virtual Accounting?

A benefit for both you and your clients is no longer needing to keep physical copies of files. Virtual meetings with video cameras turned on will allow you and your client to see each other, which will help maintain a trusted accountant-client relationship. Visit our Virtual Close Hub for the resources you need to close virtually with confidence. Finance and functional leaders are continually adjusting forecasts and assumptions, and require faster access to data to do so.

The qualifications to become a virtual accountant depend on the services you want to offer. If you intend to provide basic bookkeeping services, you don’t necessarily need a college degree or professional certifications—relevant experience and knowledge of accounting and bookkeeping principles are enough. Looking for online reviews, testimonials, and talking with the company will allow you to get a good idea of if they would be a good choice for you. See if there’s anyone recommending specific virtual bookkeeping services, if there are any bookkeeping services that aren’t recommended, and if there are negative reviews about bookkeeping services.