Breaking News & Updates

Should You Become a Certified Bookkeeper?

WHEN EZYLEARN FIRST BEGAN offering software training in MYOB accounting software, the bookkeeping industry was not regulated. This meant that any person could learn to use an accounting software program and declare themselves a bookkeeper. This is even true today BUT there is an extra layer of compliance if you want to become a bookkeeper who lodges Business Activity Statements (BAS’s) on behalf of your clients.

There has always been tension between the professional accounting industry and bookkeepers about who should be regulated and what type of work can be done by bookkeepers or accountants. When the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) started the Registered BAS Agents Program it set clear boundaries about the circumstances by which a bookkeeper needs to be regulated.

Anyone responsible for submitting end of period (monthly, quarterly or annual) financial information to the ATO now needs to be regulated by the TPB. However, bookkeepers don’t need to lodge BAS’s — they can work with a BAS agent or accountant who then lodges the financial information.

 

You can be a bookkeeper or registered BAS agent without being certified or registered

EzyLearn was one of the first companies to offer online MYOB training courses (we even offered face-to-face seminars and courses way back when MYOB was called Data Tech!) and we believe that regulations are important to keep an industry professional.

123 Group is a Registered BAS Agent company which through the Bookkeeping Academy (BA) helps individuals learn the skills to evolve from a junior accounts person to a confident bookkeeper who understands the importance of good communication, continuing professional development and qualifications and is committed to manage their time efficiently and effectively to become a productive resource either in the company where they work, for the Registered BAS Agent or Accountant they work with or for their clients as independent contractors.

EzyLearn is the Training Partner for 123 Group Pty Ltd and as a result our students receive significant discounts to join and be a part of the Certified Bookkeeper Program (BACB). Membership with other accounting industry organisations like ICB, ABN, AAT and others is optional for bookkeepers and BAS agents but they are all designed to help junior bookkeepers gain and understanding of, and perform to Tax Practitioner Board standards.

 

Starting your own business

If you have at least 3 years experience or higher qualifications (like an accounting degree or significant and extensive bookkeeping experience) and you want to explore ways of running your own bookkeeping business, what you’ll spend most of your time doing will be figuring out:

• how to charge for your services
• what type of clients you want,
• what type of work you want to do

Following this, you need to expand your client base, perform work at the highest quality, manage your time, invoice accurately and ensure credit management procedures are followed.

Rather than re-inventing the wheel solo, if you want to explore the opportunities to run your own business as an independent bookkeeping contractor check out National Bookkeeping.

Read more about accreditation and industry associations;

Read more about the rigorous requirements for becoming a Registered BAS Agent

Become a Certified Bookkeeper

***

I found the EzyLearn Xero course great — a comprehensive step-by-step learning tool to add to my resume and a new tool to use in my Bookkeeping Practice.”

— Patricia Darby
Registered BAS Agent and Bookkeeper, High Quality Bookkeeping

 

BAS agents and accountants are the highest qualified individuals operating in the accounting and bookkeeping space. If they believe the content of our courses is genuinely of high quality and relevant to the bookkeeping world, then this is the accreditation that should give our students peace of mind.

---