The scope of a bookkeeper's duties depends on the size of the company and the number and complexity of its transactions. Most bookkeepers work for smaller companies that don't have an accountant on staff. Large organizations may employ bookkeepers to work under the direction of accountants. Unlike accountants, bookkeepers don't usually need an accounting or other business degree to gain employment.

The Bookkeeper is responsible for processing a company's business transactions. Bookkeepers are expected to be accurate, efficient, and knowledgeable about debits and credits as well as understand their role in their daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual processing of all financial transactions. A bookkeeper plays a vital role in a business by recording and maintaining its financial records.

It is critical for bookkeepers to have a strong understanding of tasks and timelines to ensure their organization's records are properly maintained. This course provides an in-depth outline of responsibilities that include all aspects of daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual tasks. Included in these responsibilities are: accounts payable, payroll, accounts receivable, inventory, paying bills, collecting cash and much more.

This course provides a view of responsibilities that should be examined during each period.

NOTE: This course is one of a series of courses developed for the Professional Bookkeeping Certification program on Illumeo. The full curriculum of courses will provide you with the ultimate foundation to a career as a bookkeeper. 

Note: Information within this course comes from readily available public domain documents and is utilized by the trainer as a supplement for relaying the course content.

Learning Objectives
  • Explore duties the bookkeeper should be involved with on a daily basis including:
    • Cash reporting
    • Maintaining documents
  • Explore duties the bookkeeper should be involved with on a weekly basis including:
    • Record transactions
    • Document and file receipts
    • Review unpaid bills
    • Prepare and send invoices
    • Pay vendors
    • Review projected cash flow
  • Explore duties the bookkeeper should be involved with on a monthly basis including:
    • Balance bank account
    • Review past due receivables
    • Analyze inventory
    • Process payroll
    • Review actual profit and loss vs. budget
    • Review month end balance sheet vs. prior period
  • Explore duties the bookkeeper should be involved with on a quarterly basis including:
    • File estimated quarterly tax
    • Review sales tax and make payments
    • Review quarterly payroll reports
    • Prepare annual profit and loss estimate
  • Explore duties the bookkeeper should be involved with on an annual basis including:
    • Review past due receivables
    • Review inventory
    • Complete IRS forms
    • Prepare year-end financial reports and tax returns

 

 

Last updated/reviewed: March 23, 2024

Included In Certifications

This course is included in the following Certification Programs:

14 CoursesProfessional Bookkeeping Certification

  1. Bookkeeping: Terminology and Process Execution
  2. Bookkeeping: Debits And Credits
  3. Bookkeeping: Cash vs. Accrual
  4. Bookkeeping: Payroll And Expenses
  5. Bookkeeping: Legal Entity And Chart Of Accounts
  6. Bookkeeping: Journals, Subsidiary Ledgers and General Ledger
  7. Bookkeeping: Responsibilities
  8. Bookkeeping: Fixed assets and inventory
  9. Bookkeeping: Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable And Receipts
  10. Management Internal Control Essentials
  11. GAAP Principles, Assumptions and Considerations
  12. GAAP Presentation of Financial Statements
  13. Bookkeeping Basics – Case Study Scenario
  14. Useful Bookkeeping Tools
66 Reviews (236 ratings)

Reviews

5
Member's Profile
I learned from this course about a bookkeeper's responsibilities, including daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual routines. The important tusks involve preparing daily cash position report, recording transactions, maintaining source documents, checking and paying vendors' bills, issuing invoices to customers and depositing payment checks to bank, and bank reconciliations, etc.

3
Anonymous Author
I've taken several of Lynn's courses on Illumeo. The content is good. However, the tests exhibit a pattern of unnecessary examination. For example, almost every 1 hour CPE course on Illumeo has 5 questions. This one has 10. Her questions are often wordy and contain multiple, multiple choice answers. It's more of an annoyance at the end of a usually informative session.

5
Anonymous Author
This course provides very good information to help ensure the bookkeeping duties are performed in a timely manner. I really appreciate the lists for each of the time frames (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually). The points to consider when selecting accounting software is valuable information.

5
Anonymous Author
Another great course from Lynn. Her objectives are clear, she always explains everything in a few different ways, and she doesn't present the information as if everyone taking the course already has a background in bookkeeping. Her slides are always helpful. Highly recommend this course.

5
Member's Profile
This course goes through all the components of the bookkeeping responsibilities very well. Lynn outlines all the steps in a very organized manner. I appreciate the breakdown into daily, weekly, monthly and annual tasks. It really gives a good overall picture of what is expected.

5
Anonymous Author
Great job, thank you so much, great information!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5
Anonymous Author
This was a great course. I work as a contractor and I wish I had seen this training before I took over for a bookkeeper while she was on maternity leave. I was surprised by some of her responsibilities, but they were laid out in this video very well.

4
Anonymous Author
Good course. Excepted cash flow report example, like with AR aging, it was well described but having visual would help tie it all together. Sales Tax section was very detailed, would be great to hear about nonprofit organizations there as well.

4
Member's Profile
Very thorough review. Would strongly recommend this course to any bookkeeping professional whether just starting out or with years of experience. Particularly appreciated review of quarterly responsibilities.

4
Anonymous Author
This course is a good overview of the types of tasks that should be completed by a bookkeeper on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis. It gives you an idea of what a bookkeeper should do.

5
Anonymous Author
I really enjoyed this course, it was the perfect length. It gave me all of the necessary information I needed to take amazing notes in order to pass the exam. I really understood the concepts quickly.

5
Member's Profile
Considering this was only an hour long course, it did a great job of giving an overview of a bookkeeper. I enjoyed how it was laid out by daily/weekly/monthly/quarterly/yearly functions.

5
Member's Profile
Lynn, Another successful course of yours that I have taken. You are so easy to listen to and the examples you provide, the case studies, so applicable in content. Thank again. Larry

5
Anonymous Author
Lynn's courses are very well prepared and presented with actual examples and scenarios to help apply concepts to every day work. She is one of my favorite presenters.

5
Anonymous Author
The information provided was very good, I understand the basic tasks that I may be responsible for as a bookkeeper. Easy to understand, the charts are always helpful.

5
Anonymous Author
Very comprehensive. The presentation was well organized and well presented. It would be good to know, besides tasks, what else is expected of bookkeepers.

5
Member's Profile
This course highlighted the Bookkeeper's roles from daily up to their annual functions. I learned about the basic types of tax and Use tax preparations.

4
Anonymous Author
I enjoyed the coverage of a bookkeeper's responsibilities over different financial statement areas, and the frequency of when tasks should be complete.

5
Member's Profile
This course provided a lot information on the most common triggers for sales tax. The course is beneficial for entry level and experienced bookkeepers.

5
Anonymous Author
Overall a very easy course that also contained a lot of basic and informative information for a payable specialist. I would recommend this course.

5
Anonymous Author
Covers the topic of essential responsibilities of the bookkeeper well, a function which operates close to the heart of all of our businesses!

5
Member's Profile
Excellent instructor and a great course for beginning accountants and bookkeepers. This course should be an overview for ALL bookkeepers!

4
Anonymous Author
I learned important information about essentials for bookkeeping. I also now know what specific information will help me with my job.

5
Anonymous Author
Great information overall. The course is organized in a clear way, explanations are simple and the list of the tasks is a great tool.

5
Member's Profile
Really great lesson and review on the responsibilities of a Bookkeeper. It is nice to know that a Bookkeeper is a versatile role.

5
Anonymous Author
I like that the course was sorted in sections with Daily tasks thru Annual tasks. I like that the instructor gave examples.

5
Member's Profile
Good overview of duties. The instructor was very helpful in detailing each task. Explanation of Nexus was very good.

4
Anonymous Author
A good course for someone who has a little bit of foundational knowledge. This will build it up to a nice base.

5
Anonymous Author
A lot more responsibilities than I otherwise thought, some real opportunities to add value to an organization.

5
Member's Profile
This is a great course on bookkeeping. Very practical. Love the way it is broken down (and the checklists)!

5
Member's Profile
Very simple and straightforward class, but with good insight into the daily tasks and duties of a bookkeeper.

5
Member's Profile
Very thorough in information. Easily understandable and presented in a useful format for further reference.

5
Anonymous Author
excellent course, provides valuable information. This is a must is you like to learn more about bookkeeping

5
Anonymous Author
This course was very helpful in terms of learning the different tasks per time period throughout the year.

5
Anonymous Author
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4
Member's Profile
Good overview on basic accounting functions. Good break out between weekly, monthly and quarterly tasks.

3
Anonymous Author
Good and basic overview of a bookkeepers responsibilities. Instructor was organized, clear, and concise.

5
Anonymous Author
This course is good to go over each responsibility of bookkeepers. Does not go into how to do each task.

4
Anonymous Author
Good overview of activities classified by time period - daily/weekly, monthly, quarterly & annually.

5
Member's Profile
This was an informative class and would be very helpful for those staring in the bookkeeping area.

4
Member's Profile
Simple and very usefulThe simplicity was surprising yet we overlook most of the tasks involved here

5
Member's Profile
This course was throughout and detailed. I will use the PDF of the presentations as a reference.

5
Member's Profile
A good course on bookkeeping responsibilities. A good refresher with a lot of insights.

5
Anonymous Author
As always very informative. the processes are simply spelled out for good guidance

4
Anonymous Author
Very clear and concise information on when bookkeeper responsibilities are often due/

5
Anonymous Author
Very informative course and very easy to follow throughout. would highly reccomend.

4
Anonymous Author
Another great course, the time break down helps remind you when everything is due.

5
Anonymous Author
nice review of basic bookkeeping topics. much appreciated from this CPE taker.

5
Anonymous Author
Even it is basic class, payment is carecul and cautious process of the company

4
Anonymous Author
This class addresses a lot of the ongoing responsibilities of the bookkeeper.

4
Anonymous Author
Solid overview of bookkeeping/accountant areas! Thank you for the overview

4
Member's Profile
Nice explanation of the bookkeeper duties Along with practical examples

5
Anonymous Author
Good overview. I appreciate the recommendations for additional learning.

4
Anonymous Author
This is a good course on the overview of bookkeeping responsibilities.

4
Member's Profile
Good overview of the subject material. Covered all the major points.

5
Anonymous Author
It was easy to understand and listen to and comprehensible to learn.

5
Member's Profile
Nice breakdown of duties and schedules. As always very informative.

3
Member's Profile
The "Monthly" and "Quartly" segments were missing from the course.

4
Anonymous Author
Very helpful information and timing of tasks. Highly recommended.

5
Member's Profile
As the precedent course very informative and effective learning..

4
Anonymous Author
Good overview of regular responsibilities of the bookkeeper

5
Member's Profile
This course will be helpful for me in organizing my year.

5
Member's Profile
Nice explanations and examples. Loved the summary table.

5
Anonymous Author
Too many slides. Could make it more simple for a basics.

5
Anonymous Author
A couple of curve balls but overall a good class.

5
Anonymous Author
Good review.

Prerequisites
Course Complexity: Foundational

No Advanced Preparation or Prerequisites are needed for this course. However, it is recommended to take the other courses in the series prior to completing this one.

Education Provider Information
Company: Illumeo, Inc., 75 East Santa Clara St., Suite 1215, San Jose, CA 95113
Contact: For more information regarding this course, including complaint and cancellation policies, please contact our offices at (408) 400- 3993 or send an e-mail to .
Instructor for this course
Course Syllabus
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
  Introduction to The Essential Responsibilities of the Bookkeeper 9:20
  Daily Tasks9:16
  Weekly Tasks13:51
  Monthly7:41
  Quarterly11:49
  Annual and Conclusion5:07
CONTINUOUS PLAY
  Bookkeeping Basics – The Essential Responsibilities of the Bookkeeper on a Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Annual Basis57:04
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
  Slides: The Essential Responsibilities of the BookkeeperPDF
  The Essential Responsibilities of the Bookkeeper Glossary/IndexPDF
REVIEW AND TEST
  REVIEW QUESTIONSquiz
 FINAL EXAMexam