What does an accounting staff do?

Bookkeepers are employees who are in charge of the company's general ledger. They are well-versed in basic accounting principles, and they apply these in their work. Bookkeepers manage the entry of items in the general ledger, assign items into their proper categories, and ensure that the entries are balanced. They also act as auditors by checking the accuracy and veracity of the receipts or vouchers in their possession before entering them into the system. Bookkeepers ensure that their files are up to date and free of errors.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an accounting staff are more likely to require skills like "payroll taxes," "cash management," "accounts payable processing," and "quickbooks." On the other hand, a job as a bookkeeper requires skills like "payroll tax returns," "customer service," "data entry," and "credit card accounts." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

An Accounts Receivable Clerk specializes in processing payment records and bill statements of a company or organization. Among the duties include calculating total revenues and unpaid invoices, maintaining financial records and keeping a detailed and organized database, and verifying financial transactions and payment delinquencies. Furthermore, an Accounts Receivable Clerk must resolve and examine deductions, prepare invoices and necessary documentation, and review customer payment plans and history records and coordinate with the collections department should there be any issues.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, accounting staff responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "general ledger accounts," "payroll taxes," "cash management," and "accounts payable processing." Meanwhile, an accounts receivable clerk has duties that require skills in areas such as "customer service," "data entry," "collection calls," and "credit card payments." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

An accounts payable analyst is primarily responsible for managing and processing invoices and payments, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. They are also responsible for coordinating with various departments to obtain and acquire data and invoices, submitting payments to external vendors and suppliers, identifying errors and inconsistencies, and providing corrective measures. One may also perform clerical tasks such as producing progress reports and presentations, managing schedules, addressing issues and concerns through calls and correspondence, and resolving them promptly and efficiently.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, accounting staff are more likely to have skills like "payroll taxes," "cash management," "check runs," and "cpa." But a account payables analyst is more likely to have skills like "customer service," "data entry," "erp," and "strong analytical."

An accounts payable clerk is responsible for supporting the accounting department by performing clerical duties to file financial reports timely and accurately. Accounts payable clerks manage and verify invoices documents, reconcile balance spreadsheets, process payments for suppliers and vendors, resolve billing discrepancies, confirm and post account statements, record outstanding credits, and maintain an organized record of transactions. An accounts payable clerk must have excellent knowledge of the accounting principles to deliver high-quality services and help the business minimize excessive financial loss.