Bookkeeper job description template: scope of the books, the close, software and exempt status
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"Bookkeeper" covers a part-time role keeping one shop's books in QuickBooks, a full-charge bookkeeper who closes the month for a 40-person company, and a firm bookkeeper juggling 25 client files. A bookkeeper job description that does not say which pulls in all three, and their resumes look identical: "accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations, QuickBooks." The details that separate them are the size of the books, how far through the close the person goes, and who reviews their work. Below is a copy-ready template, the certification and overtime lines with sources, how each must-have becomes a screening question and scorecard row, and the mistakes that attract the wrong level. The general method is in how to write a job description that screens.
Decide the scope of the books first
| Scope | What fills the week | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction bookkeeper | Entering bills and invoices, coding transactions, chasing receipts | Has coded transactions to a chart of accounts accurately at volume |
| Full-charge bookkeeper | Everything through the trial balance: reconciliations, payroll entries, month-end close for the accountant | Has closed the month alone and handed clean books to a CPA |
| Client bookkeeper at a firm | Several small-business files, each with its own deadlines and owner | Has managed a client load and kept every file current |
| Cleanup bookkeeper | Months or years of uncategorized or mis-reconciled books | Has rebuilt books from bank statements and found the gaps |
Settle three facts with the hiring manager before writing: the monthly transaction volume (an example figure such as "about 400 bank transactions and 60 vendor bills a month" tells candidates more than "high volume"), whether the books are on a cash or accrual basis, and who reviews the work. A bookkeeper who reports to a controller is a different hire from one who is the whole finance function and talks to an outside CPA at year-end.
The bookkeeper job description template
Bookkeeper — [Full-Charge / Accounts Payable and Receivable /
Client Bookkeeper], [Full-time / Part-time: N hours a week]
[Company], [city] — [On-site / Hybrid: days / Remote within: states]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per [hour / year]. [Benefits summary, if
required.]
SUMMARY
You will keep the books for [our company / a portfolio of about N
small-business clients] in [accounting software], on a [cash /
accrual] basis. You will [record and reconcile transactions and
prepare the month-end close for our controller / own the books
through the trial balance and work with our outside CPA at
year-end]. You will report to [title].
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Enter and code [vendor bills / customer invoices / bank and card
transactions], about [N] a month.
- Reconcile [N] bank, credit card and loan accounts each month, and
resolve unmatched items within [N] days of month-end.
- Run [weekly / biweekly] accounts payable and keep vendor records
current, including collecting W-9s.
- Invoice customers, apply payments and follow up on overdue
balances.
- [Record payroll from [payroll provider] reports.]
- [Prepare and file [state] sales tax returns.]
- Prepare the month-end package for [controller / CPA] by business
day [N].
YOU MUST HAVE
- Reconciled bank and credit card accounts monthly and found and
fixed the causes of differences.
- Kept books in [QuickBooks Online / Xero / NetSuite] or a similar
system, including setting up or changing the chart of accounts.
- [Full-charge roles: completed a month-end close through the trial
balance with limited review.]
- [Client roles: kept [N] or more client files current at once.]
NICE TO HAVE
- Experience with [payroll provider], [bill pay tool], [inventory or
job costing].
- A bookkeeping certification such as AIPB's Certified Bookkeeper.
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
FIXED CONDITIONS
- Busy periods: [month-end days N–N / January for 1099s and year-end].
- Access: the role handles bank and payroll data; offers are subject
to [checks] as permitted by law.
- [Overtime-eligible / hourly].
HOW WE HIRE
[Recruiter call; a 30-minute reconciliation exercise with sample
statements; conversation with [title].]
[EEO STATEMENT]
If you need an adjustment to apply or interview, email [address].Certification, tax and overtime lines
Not legal advice. The points below were checked against the BLS, IRS and federal regulations linked here as of October 2026. State wage and hour rules can be stricter; confirm with counsel.
Certification is optional. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook entry for bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks describes certification as not usually required. The American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers' Certified Bookkeeper designation requires passing a four-part exam, documented bookkeeping experience and continuing education. That makes it good evidence, but requiring it would rule out many capable bookkeepers. Keep it in the nice-to-haves.
Tax returns. If the role prepares tax returns for clients, the IRS says anyone who prepares or assists in preparing federal tax returns for compensation must have a valid PTIN (IRS PTIN requirements). Add that as a fixed condition only for that work; filing sales tax returns or issuing 1099s is a different task.
Overtime status. The federal learned professional regulation says certified public accountants generally meet the duties test, but "accounting clerks, bookkeepers and other employees who normally perform a great deal of routine work generally will not qualify as exempt professionals" (29 CFR 541.301(e)(5)). Month-end is when bookkeepers work long days, so decide the classification before posting and state it.
Pay and EEO. Post the approved range from the requisition; part-time and remote bookkeeping roles can fall under several states' rules at once (pay transparency laws by state). The BLS handbook entry above publishes pay data for the occupation if you want an outside check; this page does not quote figures. Close with your standard EEO statement covering the characteristics the EEOC lists, and an accommodation contact.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
Bookkeeping resumes list the same tasks, so each question asks for a specific recent example. Depth shows in the numbers and the fixes.
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly reconciliations | "Walk me through the last reconciliation that didn't tie out. What was the difference and what caused it?" | Reconciliation accuracy | Names the account, the amount or type of difference, and the cause: a duplicate, a timing item, a missed transfer |
| Accounting system depth | "What did you change in the chart of accounts or the bank rules in your current system, and why?" | System skill | Has set up, not only used: rules, classes, locations or account mapping |
| Month-end close | "List what you do from the last day of the month to handing the books over. Who reviews it?" | Close ownership | An ordered list with a reviewer named; knows what the accountant checks |
| Client load (firm roles) | "How many client files do you keep current now, and how do you track their deadlines?" | Organization | A number, a tracking method and an example of a slipped deadline caught in time |
| Handling sensitive data | "A vendor emails new bank details for payment. What do you do?" | Controls judgment | Verifies by phone using a number already on file before changing anything |
The fuller question set, including how to test QuickBooks and Xero claims, is in bookkeeper screening questions. If the scope drifted toward accruals and analysis, compare it with staff accountant phone screen questions, and use the interview guide for finance roles for the later rounds. To source passive candidates, adapt the strings in Boolean search strings for accountants.
Common mistakes in bookkeeper job descriptions
A staff accountant's job at a bookkeeper's pay
"Prepare financial statements, manage accruals, perform variance analysis and support the audit" describes accounting work. If that is the job, title it and pay it that way; if it is not, take it out. Mislevelled postings attract either underqualified applicants or accountants who leave when a better offer comes.
"Must know QuickBooks Desktop, Online, Xero, Sage and NetSuite"
Nobody needs all five. Name the system you use as the environment and ask for depth in one similar tool. Bookkeepers who have set up and cleaned up one system learn another quickly.
Hiding the cleanup
If the books are eight months behind, say so. Cleanup is a specific skill that some bookkeepers enjoy and others avoid, and a candidate who discovers it in week one is likely to leave.
Degree requirements
"Bachelor's in accounting required" for a transaction and reconciliation role screens out experienced bookkeepers who learned on the job. Ask for the work instead.
No word about controls
The bookkeeper often pays the bills and reconciles the bank. Saying who approves payments and who reviews reconciliations tells candidates the role is set up properly, and the vendor-change question above checks whether they would follow it.
Before you publish
- The scope (transaction, full-charge, client or cleanup), volume, basis and reviewer are in the summary.
- The accounting system is named as the environment, with one system's depth as the must-have.
- Certification sits in the nice-to-haves; a PTIN line appears only if the job prepares returns.
- Overtime status, busy periods and the length of any exercise are stated.
- An approved pay range, the EEO statement and an accommodation contact close the posting.
If you paste the finished posting into Interview Signal, the screen's question guide follows the must-haves, and the scorecard records what the candidate said about their last reconciliation in their own words.
Questions people ask
Should a bookkeeper job description require a certification?
Usually not. The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes bookkeeping certification as not usually required, and credentials such as AIPB's Certified Bookkeeper are voluntary. List a certification as a nice-to-have and screen for the work itself, such as reconciliations and month-end tasks completed without help.
Is a bookkeeper exempt from overtime?
Generally not on professional grounds. The federal regulation on the learned professional exemption says accounting clerks and bookkeepers who normally perform a great deal of routine work generally will not qualify. Post the role as hourly or nonexempt salaried unless counsel has reviewed the duties and salary against federal and state tests.
What is the difference between a bookkeeper and a staff accountant posting?
A bookkeeper records transactions, reconciles accounts and keeps the books ready for close or for an outside accountant. A staff accountant usually owns accruals, adjusting entries, account analysis and parts of the financial statements. If the job includes journal entries for accruals and variance explanations, it may be a staff accountant role.
Does a bookkeeper who prepares tax returns need anything extra?
Yes, if they prepare or help prepare federal tax returns for pay. The IRS says anyone who prepares or assists in preparing federal tax returns for compensation must have a valid PTIN. Most in-house bookkeepers do not prepare returns, so only add this line when the job includes that work.