Bookkeeping vs Payroll: Whats the Difference?

do bookkeepers do payroll

As a bookkeeper, you can take care of paying the bills for your clients to help them keep organized. If you invoke the guarantee, QuickBooks will conduct an evaluation of the Live Bookkeeper’s work. It’s packed full of useful tips on how to get started, how to maintain the books and what to look for when choosing the right software to meet the Making Tax Digital (MTD) initiative.

Compliance

There are key differences between bookkeepers and accountants that you want to know before hiring a financial professional. QuickBooks Online users already have access to verified experts who can support their whole business, from books to taxes. With QuickBooks Live for bookkeepers, you can get peace of mind and personalized expertise focused on your success. Bookkeepers use organized data to create financial reports like income statements and balance sheets—usually monthly or quarterly. Business owners can review these reports to understand how the business is performing and see its financial standing. According to the QuickBooks Entrepreneurship in 2025 report, over 34% of business owners have made errors when filing taxes.

  • Payroll is critical to keeping employees happy, but it’s also important to keep the government happy.
  • These methods ensure accurate financial reporting, support tax regulations, and keep financial records organized.
  • When properly coordinated, this creates a robust system where each professional can focus on their core expertise while contributing to overall financial health.
  • Some small business owners assume responsibility for these tasks, but they can become overwhelming as operations grow.
  • If a business has fallen behind on its bookkeeping responsibilities, a service provider may offer to review historical financial documents and reconcile the ledgers.
  • The quality of your bookkeeping could be the difference between understanding your financial position and feeling financially lost.

Why bookkeeping is first step in tax resolution

  • Bookkeepers prepare important financial statements such as the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.
  • This lets an accountant use their knowledge to make business recommendations and complete any tax returns.
  • Much like other accounting forms, payroll accounting follows the complete accounting process.
  • Business owners can review these reports to understand how the business is performing and see its financial standing.
  • Hiring a single third party to do all these jobs can be highly beneficial and cost-effective for your business.

Sometimes there is confusion between what a bookkeeper does and what an accountant’s role is, and even though the two complement each other, their tasks and responsibilities are quite different. Make sure you know exactly what services the quoted price includes, and clarify if there are additional charges for tasks outside the standard scope, like extra phone calls or reports. When comparing the two roles, know that an accountant may also be a bookkeeper. You might need only some or all of these services that can be part of the job of a bookkeeper. How your business operates is unique, and your bookkeeping follows suit. Let’s explore what bookkeepers do, some of the benefits of having one, and your options for bookkeeping services.

How to Categorize Expenses and Income

do bookkeepers do payroll

Although they are two different functions, most third-party bookkeepers would also manage the payroll function. Hiring a single third party to do all these jobs can be highly beneficial and cost-effective for your business. Although they are not responsible for payroll, an internal bookkeeper could handle payroll if income summary the business is small in volume and has few employees.

  • It’s packed full of useful tips on how to get started, how to maintain the books and what to look for when choosing the right software to meet the Making Tax Digital (MTD) initiative.
  • It’s possible to earn more money depending on the industry in which you work.
  • Bookkeeping is the ongoing process of recording and organizing all of the financial transactions that affect your company – from buying a pack of pencils to closing your biggest client.
  • Bookkeepers use organized data to create financial reports like income statements and balance sheets—usually monthly or quarterly.
  • Organized financial systems help with tax preparation, tax audits, loan applications and more.
  • Payroll accounting is the tracking of data related to employee compensation.

This can reduce employee issues, maintain morale, and make your staff more productive because they appreciate being paid correctly. General Bookkeepers report to the owner or business manager and have a great deal of freedom in what they do since government regulations do not bind them as payroll processors are. There are a variety of bookkeepers available for your company, from full-time employees to contractors. A bookkeeper is trained in all areas of running a business, while an intern may or may not know all the ins and outs.

do bookkeepers do payroll

Bookkeepers serve on the front lines of a person, company or organization’s financial health. Payroll is a key aspect of an organization’s finances, so bookkeepers are often tasked with handling both. Strong bookkeepers set up, deploy and manage systems that record the flow of funds into (revenue) and out of (payroll and expenses) an entity’s accounts.

Deal With Foreign Currency Transactions

If you’d like to learn more about identifying the best ways to improve back-office practices, contact Visory today. Although bookkeepers are not the same as accountants or payroll experts, occasionally, a bookkeeper may perform some payroll or accounting tasks. Although, it is important to note that performing actions like lodging a tax return requires additional certification, such as becoming a BAS agent. If you’re considering hiring a bookkeeper, consider what types of tasks you need and their area of expertise. If you are looking for a third-party service specializing in accounting, taxing, bookkeeping, and payroll, please don’t hesitate https://teafri.com/index.php/2025/07/10/seattle-small-business-cpa-accounting-services/ to contact us. We have served hundreds of clients over the past years, and we have helped them manage their businesses efficiently.

do bookkeepers do payroll

Payroll software for accountants simplifies the data tracking process. It handles automated reporting of taxes, payout to employees, and production of information that entire departments previously held. bookkeeping and payroll services Aspire also syncs with popular accounting software, such as QuickBooks, for accurate, up-to-date financial records without duplicate entries. With full audit trails and detailed reporting tools, bookkeepers can keep your business—and your cash flow—running smoothly.

The CPA: Your Strategic Financial Advisor

Ask other landscaping business owners in your network if they can recommend any bookkeepers they may have worked with. Ask what specific problems the bookkeeper solved for them and if they helped improve profitability. Ideally, you should find someone who specializes in the landscaping industry, since they’ll understand your seasonal cash flow patterns and any compliance requirements. Payroll should be handled and documented regularly to guarantee accuracy and legal compliance. The following are the suggested rates for payroll processing and bookkeeping. You’ll need sharp attention to detail to catch every number and keep the ledgers accurate.

Bookkeeping provides the foundation for your financial records, while payroll focuses on managing employee compensation. Understanding the differences between these functions can help you streamline your financial processes and ensure compliance. Whether you handle these tasks internally or outsource them to professionals, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of their respective roles. Many small business owners wear multiple hats, often juggling a number of different  bookkeeping and payroll tasks, at the same time. And, while these functions are both essential to a company’s financial health, they serve distinct purposes.