Bookkeepers provide essential support for businesses in every industry, helping manage day-to-day financial transactions and ensure long-term financial health. Whether you're a startup founder or e-commerce business owner, or are managing payroll for a growing team, skilled bookkeepers offer the precision needed to streamline operations, maintain compliance, and improve financial decision-making.
What does a bookkeeper do?
A bookkeeper is a finance professional who records and manages a company's financial transactions, such as invoices, expenses, payroll, and bank reconciliations. Their role is to ensure that financial data is accurate, up to date, and organized for reporting and compliance purposes.
Bookkeepers typically work with small business owners, entrepreneurs, and accounting firms to handle tasks like accounts payable and receivable, cash flow tracking, payroll services, and tax preparation support. They use tools like QuickBooks, Excel, Xero, or Gusto to record transactions, generate financial statements, and support business tax filing.
How to hire bookkeepers on Upwork
Upwork makes it easy to find and connect with bookkeepers from all over the world and of every experience level. And to narrow that talent pool to the person with the right skills and experience for your project, you only have to follow a few simple steps.
Step 1: Craft a targeted job post
Start by creating a clear, detailed job post to attract qualified bookkeepers whose skills match your specific needs. In your post:
Specify what help you need, which may include accounts payable/receivable, payroll processing, tax preparation support, or full-service bookkeeping
Specify which accounting software you use, such as QuickBooks Online, Xero, Excel, or Gusto
Outline the engagement type, whether you need ongoing monthly support, a one-time catch-up project, or hourly assistance
To create a tailored job post quickly, try the Job Post Generator powered by Uma, Upwork’s Mindful AI™. Describe what you need in a few sentences, and Uma will craft a job post in seconds. You can also review job post templates for bookkeepers to see how job posts are typically formatted, and what information they tend to include.
Step 2: Filter and evaluate candidates
Once applications come in, review each candidate's qualifications, experience, and client feedback to identify the best fit.
Check credentials. Look for qualifications like Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB), Certified Bookkeeper (CB), or QuickBooks ProAdvisor status.
Confirm software expertise. Verify hands-on experience with your specific accounting software.
Review relevant experience. Prioritize professionals with experience in your industry or business size.
Check client feedback. Read reviews to gauge reliability, communication skills, and quality of work.
Step 3: Interview your top choices
Quick video interviews can answer any questions you have left for your top choices. In your interviews:
Discuss the need for accuracy and attention to detail, and ask how the person ensures both
Explore their familiarity with your industry, especially if you have stringent regulatory or compliance needs
Cover the software your business currently uses, as well as the software they prefer
Go over logistical details such as timeline, budget, and scope
To help your conversations be more productive, check out interview questions for bookkeepers. You can also read common interview questions for freelancers.
Step 4: Agree on scope and begin work
Before the person you choose can begin work, you’ll need a contract in place. Contracts protect both parties and help collaborations be productive from beginning to end.
Use Upwork’s tools and services for creating and managing contracts, and processing payments
Choose fixed-price contracts for projects with clear deliverables, such as a single end-of-year report
Set milestones to break larger projects into manageable deliverables, such as collating data, compiling reports, and delivery
Choose hourly contracts for ongoing projects, such as monthly reporting or filing
After the contract has started, be sure to give the expert access to the tools and services they need, especially financial data, transactions, and records.