An accounting clerk and accountant sound like the same thing, and many people cannot differentiate between the two roles. So what is the difference between an accountant and an accounting clerk?<\/p>\n
The roles and responsibilities of an accounting clerk may vary from one firm to another, but the primary job requirements and tasks always remain.<\/p>\n
Accounting clerks create, update, review, and maintain accounting records. Read on to learn how they differ from accountants.<\/p>\n
An accounting clerk is a professional equipped with knowledge of accounts payables and receivables, enabling them to work with vendors and customers in an office environment.<\/p>\n
They organize documents and apply debits and credits to accounts. In addition, these professionals verify codes for accuracy.<\/p>\n
An accounting clerk job description also includes the responsibility of balancing financial entries and correcting errors. In fact, this is one of their primary roles when working in any company.<\/p>\n
The following are accounting clerk duties the roles and responsibilities of an accounting clerk in a company:<\/p>\n
Remember, the primary responsibility of an accounting clerk is to balance entries and make corrections where necessary. Therefore, they work with different financial documents, post credits and debits to accounts, and sort various documents.<\/p>\n
Accounting clerks can work in a wide range of industries. These include:<\/p>\n
Sometimes, you\u2019ll find an accounting clerk specializing in payroll services, tax preparation, or bookkeeping.<\/p>\n
While in most cases an accounting clerk will complete their tasks individually, it\u2019s normal to find them working with managers and accountants from other departments. They perform most of the tasks in the office, although accounting clerks will occasionally visit clients at their places of work.<\/p>\n
While the role of an accounting clerk in a company may determine the skills the employer is looking for, there are several general requirements that every company will expect accounting clerk job seekers to meet. These include:<\/p>\n
An accounting clerk is responsible for the following:<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the responsibility of an accounting clerk to analyze and review financial records.<\/p>\n
If the clerk identifies an issue, they should document it, find a solution, and make the necessary corrections or adjustments. These professionals must also come up with methods to prevent such issues from happening again.<\/p>\n
Since accounting clerks work with different financial documents, it\u2019s their responsibility to sort them regularly. This ensures everything is in order, and that way, their clients and company can follow their financial plans easily.<\/p>\n
One of the skills accounting clerks must possess is attention to detail. It helps them when reviewing financial statements to verify their accuracy.<\/p>\n
All the necessary elements, data, information, and figures must be present, accurate, and adhere to laws and regulations.<\/p>\n
Of course, accounting clerks perform most of their duties using computers. That\u2019s why it\u2019s crucial to be computer-literate.<\/p>\n
In this line of work, they use different software. Some of the software accounting clerks use in their line of work includes:<\/p>\n
With the help of various software, accounting clerks can perform financial analyses. It also enables them to do enterprise resource planning.<\/p>\n
Of course, accounting follows certain laws and regulations. It\u2019s the responsibility of these professionals to ensure that their clients and companies adhere to them. That means they must be familiar with all laws affecting their employers and verify compliance all the time.<\/p>\n
Accounting clerks use accounting tools to make calculations and produce documents. Examples of such tools are 10-key calculators, typewriters, and copy machines.<\/p>\n
Accountants and clerks have many similarities. At the same time, the two professions differ in the following ways:<\/p>\n
A high school diploma is sufficient to qualify as an accounting clerk, although some firms may require higher qualifications before they can employ you.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, an accountant typically has a higher level of education\u2014a Bachelor\u2019s degree, at the minimum.<\/p>\n
A professional accounting clerk is only limited to bookkeeping, among other administrative tasks.<\/p>\n
However, an accountant has several options to choose from. From the wide range of sub-fields in the accounting field, an accountant can opt to specialize in any of them. These advanced fields include audit, management accounting, and taxation.<\/p>\n
For you to become a successful accounting clerk, you must possess certain characteristics:<\/p>\n