Accountant Or Bookkeeper – What’s the difference?
If a person is doing bookkeeping, they are a bookkeeper. If they are doing accounting, they are an accountant.
What is Bookkeeping?
Bookkeeping is the process of systematically recording the financial transactions of a business, so as to show how the transactions relate to each other.
All bookkeeping steps are mechanical in nature. Bookkeeping is a regimented process usually occurring in monthly cycles consisting of entering transactions into the journals, making adjustments, and preparing reports.
Bookkeepers are responsible for maintaining the “business chequebook”, much like a personal chequebook.
What is Accounting?
The accounting process is much less mechanical and more subjective. The accountant presents the financial statements to the business management in such a way that decisions can be made.
They prepare financial statements and tax returns at year end. Accountants may also prepare budgets for management and loan proposals for bankers; and perform cost analysis for the company’s products or services.
Bookkeeping is procedural and is largely concerned with development and maintenance of accounting records. Book-keeping is the “how” of accounting.
Accounting is conceptual – it’s concerned with the “why”, reason or justification for any action adopted.
