A bookkeeping assistant who keeps your numbers current
Keep the books reconciled and invoices moving with a teammate experienced in small business accounting software.
Jobs this person takes over
- Categorizing transactions and reconciling accounts
- Sending invoices and chasing late payments
- Entering bills and preparing payment runs for approval
- Tracking receipts and expense reports
- Preparing month end reports for you or your accountant
- Keeping vendor and customer records clean
A sample week
An example of how a week could look once your teammate is settled in. Every role is shaped around your business.
Bank feeds reconciled
Invoices sent and reminders scheduled
Bills entered and a payment run prepared
Receipts matched to expenses
A cash snapshot sent to you
Tools they can work in
We recruit for the software you already use.
QuickBooks Online or Xero
Bill.com or Ramp
Gusto or your payroll system
Dext or Hubdoc
When this hire pays off
If your books are more than a month behind, you are making decisions without current numbers. A bookkeeping assistant keeps them up to date every week.
It also cuts what you pay your accountant to clean things up at year end.
Cash flow gets easier to see as well. When invoices go out on time and reminders follow a set schedule, money comes in sooner and you spend less time wondering who has paid.
The work, grouped by area
Daily and weekly
- Categorizing bank and card transactions
- Matching receipts to expenses
- Entering bills
- Logging customer payments
Receivables
- Creating and sending invoices
- Sending payment reminders
- Applying payments to invoices
- Reporting on overdue accounts
Payables
- Preparing payment runs for approval
- Tracking due dates
- Collecting vendor tax forms
- Reconciling vendor statements
Month end
- Reconciling every account
- Preparing profit and loss and balance sheet drafts
- Listing questions for your accountant
- Closing the period
Software by name
We look for experience in the tools you already run. These are the ones owners ask about most.
Accounting
QuickBooks Online, Xero, FreshBooks
Bills and spend
Bill.com, Ramp, Expensify
Receipts
Dext, Hubdoc
Payroll
Gusto, ADP, Paychex
How onboarding works with delegateit
Start with a quick call
We learn where your time goes and scope the role with you, including hours and the tools you use.
We recruit and test
Candidates go through skills tests, live interviews and reference checks before you meet anyone.
You interview and choose
You meet the finalists yourself and pick the person who fits. Once you choose they can start within 24 hours.
Your client success manager runs onboarding
You get one named contact who helps set up access, first tasks and regular check ins. Your new teammate writes down your processes as they learn them.
You direct the work
You set priorities day to day. We handle payroll and HR. If the fit is wrong we recruit a replacement at no cost under our guarantee.
Your hiring checklist
Have these ready before the call and your shortlist will be sharper.
- Confirm which accounting software and version you run
- List every bank and card account
- Decide who approves payments
- Introduce your accountant and agree who does what
- Note how far behind the books are today
Questions worth asking in the interview
You interview every finalist yourself. These questions show how someone actually works.
- Walk me through a bank reconciliation that does not balance. Listen for a step by step method.
- How do you handle a transaction you cannot categorize? Good answers park it and ask.
- Which accounting systems have you used daily? Match to yours.
- What would you need to catch up three months of books? Look for a realistic plan.
- How do you keep payment approvals separate? Strong candidates never approve their own payments.
What it costs per hour
A full time bookkeeping assistant on the Specialist plan starts at $2,200 a month. At about 160 hours that is roughly $13.75 an hour. Benefits and payroll on our side are included in that rate and plans run month to month with 30 days notice.
See how that stacks up against published prices from other providers and US employer cost data in our virtual assistant cost guide, or compare with a local hire in delegateit or a local hire.
Your first 30 days
A simple rhythm that works for most owners. Your client success manager helps you adjust it.
Week one
Give access to your main tools and hand over three or four tasks you do every week. Record a short screen video of how you do each one. Your teammate turns those into written steps you can check.
Week two
Add the next layer of work. Read the end of day notes and correct anything that is off while habits are still forming. Small fixes now save hours later.
Week three
Move from checking everything to checking samples. Agree the numbers you will look at each week so feedback stays tied to results.
Week four
Sit down with your teammate and your client success manager. Talk about what is working and what to hand over next. Most owners find a few more tasks they forgot they were doing.
What to measure
Pick two or three numbers and review them every week with your teammate. These are good places to start.
- Days to close each month
- Unreconciled transactions
- Overdue invoices
Keep the list short. If a number stops being useful, swap it for one that is.
Roles that pair well
As the work grows, owners often add one of these next.
- Admin Assistant. Data entry and documents kept tidy every day.
- Data Entry Assistant. Records entered and cleaned up with care.
- Executive Assistant. Your inbox and calendar handled so your day stays yours.
Browse every role we staff or read our cost and comparison guides.
What it costs
This role is on the Specialist plan. Your final rate is confirmed in writing before anyone starts.
Specialist
from $2,200/mo
Full time with deeper experience in the field.
Team
Several seats with a team lead. Quoted after a call.
Our satisfaction guarantee† see guarantee note
We want you fully happy with the person working for you. If your offshore hire isn't the right fit, tell your client success manager and we will replace them and recruit someone new for you, and we keep going until you are happy with your team.
Book a free callQuestions owners ask
Will a bookkeeping assistant replace my accountant?
No. They handle the daily bookkeeping so your accountant can focus on tax and advice.
Who approves payments?
You do. Your assistant prepares payments and you approve them in your own accounts.
Why is this a Specialist role?
Bookkeeping needs real experience with accounting software, so we recruit for that and it sits on the Specialist plan.
Do bookkeeping assistants file taxes?
No. They keep the books current so your accountant can handle tax.
Can they work in my QuickBooks file?
Yes, with a user seat you create and control.
What happens if the person is not a good fit?
Tell your client success manager. We recruit and place a replacement at no cost and keep going until you are happy, for as long as your account is active.
Is there a long contract?
No. Plans are month to month and you can cancel with 30 days notice.
How is my data protected?
Everyone we place signs an NDA and only gets access to what the job needs. You control every login.
Further reading
What a virtual bookkeeper costs and what you get for it
How to hire a Filipino bookkeeper who keeps your books clean
A QuickBooks virtual assistant for the daily bookkeeping grind
Invoice processing and accounts payable with a virtual assistant
An accounts receivable virtual assistant to chase invoices for you* Start times count from when you choose your hire after interviewing them. Timing is confirmed case by case for each applicant.
† Our satisfaction guarantee is a promise to replace and recruit staff until you are happy. It is a replacement promise and does not include refunds of fees for time already worked. Read the full guarantee terms.