How to Find a Good Bookkeeper: What to Look For

Finding someone who can process transactions is relatively easy. Knowing how to find a good bookkeeper who is suitable for your business takes more careful checking.

Bookkeepers can differ in their experience, registration, service scope, software knowledge and way of working. Price and location may influence your decision, but they do not tell you who will complete the work, how your records will be protected or what happens if the engagement ends.

Before giving anyone access to your accounting software or financial information, confirm what they will do, how fees are calculated and who remains responsible for approvals. This guide explains what to look for in a bookkeeper, including registration, experience, communication, security, software access and handover arrangements.

How Do You Find a Good Bookkeeper?

Learning how to choose a bookkeeper starts with defining the work you need before comparing providers. Check BAS-agent or tax-agent registration where the proposed services require it, assess relevant experience, confirm the scope and fees in writing, review security and software access, and agree on communication, responsibilities and handover arrangements.

A practical selection process is:

1. Define the work required. Identify recurring tasks, deadlines and one-off work.
2. Create a shortlist. Use referrals, professional networks, online search and provider directories.
3. Check registration where relevant. A person or entity providing BAS services for a fee or reward generally must be registered with the Tax Practitioners Board unless an exemption applies.
4. Compare experience and scope. Look for relevant capability and a clear written explanation of what is included.
5. Review fees, communication and security. Confirm how charges work, who can access your records and how questions will be handled.
6. Document the engagement. Record responsibilities, approvals, software access and what happens when the arrangement ends.

Start With the Bookkeeping Work You Need Done

Before comparing providers, define the work you expect them to complete. A business needing weekly payroll, BAS support and accounts receivable management will require different capabilities from one seeking a short-term clean-up of overdue records.

List the recurring tasks, reporting deadlines and one-off work involved. This may include transaction processing, bank reconciliations, payroll support, accounts payable, accounts receivable, software assistance or preparing information used for BAS reporting. Also confirm how often the work must be completed and which source documents your business will provide.

Understanding what a bookkeeper does can help you identify where support may be useful. A separate guide to what bookkeeping services include can help you prepare a clearer shortlist of required tasks.

Separate essential work from optional support before requesting proposals. This makes it easier to compare equivalent service scopes and identify whether a provider has the experience or registration needed for the agreed work.

Where to Look for a Bookkeeper

There is no single best place to find a bookkeeper. A strong shortlist may come from accountant referrals, recommendations from trusted business contacts, professional networks, online search or industry directories.

Search results and referrals are useful starting points, but they should not replace your own checks. Online visibility does not confirm experience, registration or service quality, and a personal recommendation may come from a business with different needs.

Local Gold Coast or Tweed Heads bookkeepers may suit businesses that value face-to-face meetings or nearby support. Remote and cloud-based bookkeepers can also work effectively where communication, document handling, system access and response expectations are clearly managed.

Review each provider’s website, service information and public feedback for consistency, then apply the same registration, experience, scope, fee and security checks to every shortlisted option.

Check BAS-Agent or Tax-Agent Registration Where Relevant

A bookkeeper does not need BAS-agent registration for every administrative task. Registration generally becomes relevant when they provide paid BAS services that your business relies on to meet its reporting obligations or claim an entitlement.

This may include helping determine GST treatment, preparing BAS figures or lodging a BAS on your behalf. Tax-agent services are different and require separate tax-agent registration.

Before engaging a provider, explain the work you need and ask whether any part requires BAS-agent or tax-agent registration. Do not rely only on a logo, qualification claim or testimonial. Check the individual practitioner or business directly on the TPB Public Register.

Registration confirms that the provider is authorised to perform relevant services, subject to any conditions shown on the register. It does not confirm that they have the experience, systems, capacity or communication style your business needs.

How to Check the TPB Public Register

Search the provider’s individual or business name, then:

• Confirm whether they are registered as a BAS agent, tax agent or both.
• Check that the registration is current.
• Review any conditions or other public information shown.
• Confirm that the registered practitioner or entity matches the provider named in your proposed engagement.

The TPB also explains what may count as BAS services if you are unsure whether the proposed work requires registration.

Ask About Relevant Experience and Capability

Relevant experience is more useful than a broad claim about years in business. Ask whether the bookkeeper has worked with businesses of a similar size, transaction volume and level of complexity.

The right experience depends on the work you need completed. A business with employees may need payroll capability, while a growing business may require regular reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable and structured reporting. Experience with your accounting software also matters because weak system knowledge can slow routine work and create avoidable errors.

Industry experience can help where your business uses specialised systems, terminology or reporting processes, but it is not essential for every engagement. The most useful qualities of a good bookkeeper are clear communication, appropriate capability, reliable processes and accountability for the agreed work.

For substantial or complex work, you may ask for a reference from a business with broadly comparable needs. References can support your assessment, but they should not replace registration checks, a written scope or your own review of the provider’s capability.

Confirm the Service Scope and Deliverables in Writing

A clear written scope helps prevent different assumptions about the work. Before the engagement starts, confirm which tasks are included, how often they will be completed and what information your business must provide.

The document should identify recurring responsibilities, exclusions and the process for approving additional work. It should also confirm who supplies source documents, reviews reports, approves payments and authorises lodgements, along with how accountant queries, missing information and year-end handover will be managed.

Record fees, deadlines and access arrangements in the same document or supporting terms. The Tax Practitioners Board provides guidance on written engagement arrangements where registered tax or BAS services are involved.

Review the scope when transaction volume, staffing, software or reporting needs change. An arrangement that suited the business a year ago may no longer reflect the work required.

What Should a Bookkeeping Engagement Document Cover?

A practical bookkeeping engagement document should cover:

• services included and excluded
• timing and delivery expectations
• responsibilities of each party
• fees and additional charges
• software and record access
• confidentiality
• payment and lodgement approvals
• review arrangements
• notice and termination terms
• record handover and removal of access

The document does not need to be complicated, but it should be specific enough for both parties to understand what will happen and who is responsible.

Understand Who Will Actually Do the Work

The person who explains the service may not be the person completing the day-to-day bookkeeping. Confirm who will handle the work, who will review it and who you should contact when questions arise.

This is particularly important when working with a larger firm or a provider that uses employees or contractors. Ask whether the same person will manage your account, how staff changes will be communicated and what happens when your usual contact is unavailable.

You should also understand who can access your financial records. If other team members, external contractors or offshore staff may be involved, ask how access is approved, supervised and removed when it is no longer required.

Confirm the day-to-day contact, review process and escalation point before the engagement begins rather than waiting until a problem occurs.

Compare Fees Only After Comparing Scope

Bookkeeping fees may be hourly, fixed for a project or charged as a recurring monthly amount. None of these models is automatically better. The right comparison depends on what each provider includes.

Check the assumed transaction volume, payroll frequency, reporting requirements and BAS-related work. Confirm whether software charges, meetings, catch-up bookkeeping, setup work and accountant queries are included or billed separately.

For example, a monthly fee may include reconciliations, payroll and regular reporting, while an hourly quote may cover only transaction processing. Comparing headline figures without comparing scope can lead to the wrong conclusion.

Ask what attracts an additional charge, whether minimum commitments apply and how changes in workload affect the fee. Clear pricing should help you understand the likely cost of the agreed work, not promise that one billing model will always be cheaper.

Confirm Who Controls the Accounting Software and Records

Before granting access, clarify who owns the accounting software subscription and who holds the highest level of administrator control. These arrangements can affect billing, user permissions, integrations and access to records if the engagement ends.

Your business should retain appropriate access to its financial information. Confirm whether you can add or remove users, export records and manage bank feeds without relying entirely on the bookkeeper. Each person should have their own user account rather than sharing login details.

Ask what happens if you change bookkeepers. The handover may involve transferring the subscription, changing the primary administrator, removing user access and confirming who remains responsible for software support.

For example, a bookkeeper may create the software account and remain the only administrator. If the relationship ends, the business may need to recover access and transfer billing before a new provider can begin. Agreeing on ownership, administrator rights and handover arrangements at the start can reduce this risk.

There is no single arrangement that suits every business or software platform. The important point is to understand who controls the account and ensure your business can access its own records when needed.

Review Data Security, Access and Confidentiality

A bookkeeper may need access to accounting software, payroll records, invoices and other sensitive business information. Before granting access, ask how the provider protects accounts, documents and client data.

Each person should generally use their own login. This makes it easier to control permissions, identify who completed an action and remove access when a staff member, contractor or provider leaves.

Use the minimum level of access needed for the agreed work. Ask how access is approved, reviewed and removed when responsibilities change.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre describes multi-factor authentication as one of the most effective ways to protect accounts from unauthorised access. Where the software supports it, ask whether MFA is enabled for everyone accessing your financial systems.

Also confirm how documents are shared and stored, who can access them, whether external contractors are involved and what backup arrangements apply. No single security measure removes every risk, but clear access controls and documented processes can reduce avoidable exposure.

Security Questions to Ask a Bookkeeper

Before the engagement begins, ask:

• Will each person have a separate login?
• Is multi-factor authentication used?
• Who can access our accounting records and documents?
• How are files shared and stored?
• How often are user permissions reviewed?
• What happens when a team member leaves?
• How will access be removed when the engagement ends?
• What process applies if an account or document may have been compromised?

Agree on Communication, Responsibilities and Response Times

Clear communication matters more than promises of instant replies. Confirm who your main contact will be, which channels they use and how routine questions, urgent issues and missing information will be handled.

Set realistic expectations for response times and recurring meetings. A provider may not answer every message immediately, but they should explain when you can expect a response and how urgent matters are escalated.

Your business also has responsibilities. Confirm when source documents must be supplied, who approves payments or lodgements and who reviews reports. Delays can occur when information or approvals are missing, so both parties should understand how these situations will be managed.

The arrangement should also explain how changes in workload, staff or deadlines will be communicated. Predictable processes and clear accountability are more useful than vague promises about constant availability.

Ask How the Bookkeeper Will Work With Your Accountant

Your bookkeeper and accountant may handle different parts of your financial work, so their responsibilities should be clear from the start. Ask how the bookkeeper will communicate with your accountant and what information they will provide during the year.

The arrangement may cover reconciliations, supporting records, accountant queries, year-end adjustments and access to reports. Clear processes can reduce duplicated work and help each professional understand who is responsible for each task.

A good bookkeeper should recognise when a question falls outside their role. Tax advice, financial statement preparation and more complex accounting matters may need to be handled by an appropriately qualified accountant or registered tax agent.

Understanding the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant can help you decide who should handle each part of your business finances. Confirm how the provider will manage handovers, respond to accountant queries and resolve gaps in the records.

Individual Bookkeeper or Bookkeeping Firm?

An individual bookkeeper may offer direct communication and a consistent working relationship. A bookkeeping or accounting firm may provide broader team support, stronger leave coverage and access to additional expertise.

Neither option is automatically better. The right choice depends on the complexity of your bookkeeping, the level of continuity you need and how you prefer to communicate.

Consideration	Individual Bookkeeper	Bookkeeping or Accounting Firm
Day-to-day relationship	Often direct and consistent	May involve several team members
Continuity	May depend on one person’s availability	May provide broader leave and workload coverage
Specialist support	May rely on external referrals	May offer broader internal support
Communication	Often one main contact	Contact and escalation processes should be confirmed
Service consistency	Depends on the individual’s systems and capacity	Depends on internal processes and staff allocation
Flexibility	May adapt quickly to changing needs	May use more formal service structures
Accountability	Usually rests directly with the individual	May include team leaders or review layers

An individual provider may suit a business that values one regular contact and has relatively straightforward requirements. A firm may be more suitable where the workload is complex, deadlines are frequent or backup coverage is important.

Before deciding, confirm who will complete the work, who will review it and who remains accountable. The provider’s structure matters less than whether they can deliver the agreed work reliably, communicate clearly and maintain continuity.

Questions to Ask a Prospective Bookkeeper

Ask each shortlisted provider the same core questions, then assess how clearly they explain their process, responsibilities and limitations.

1. Which tasks will you complete, and what is excluded?
2. Will any work require BAS-agent or tax-agent registration, and under which practitioner or entity is it registered?
3. Have you worked with businesses of a similar size, volume or complexity?
4. Who will complete and review the day-to-day work, and what happens when that person is unavailable?
5. How are fees calculated, and what attracts an additional charge?
6. What information must our business provide, and by when?
7. Who controls the accounting-software subscription and administrator access?
8. How do you protect login credentials, documents and client data?
9. How will you communicate with us and our accountant?
10. What reports or completed work will we receive, and how often?
11. What happens when the engagement ends, including record transfer and access removal?

Pay attention to the quality of the answers, not just whether the provider gives the response you expected. A suitable bookkeeper should explain the arrangement clearly, acknowledge limits to their role and be willing to document the agreed terms.

Warning Signs When Choosing a Bookkeeper

A warning sign does not always mean a provider is unsuitable, but it should prompt further questions before you proceed.

• Vague registration answers: The provider cannot explain whether proposed BAS or tax work requires registration or who holds it.
• No written scope: The provider is unwilling to document the work, deadlines, responsibilities or fees.
• Unclear approval responsibilities: No one can explain who approves payments, lodgements or changes to financial records.
• Weak access controls: The provider relies on shared passwords or cannot explain who may view records and how access is removed.
• Unclear software control: The provider cannot explain subscription ownership, administrator access or billing.
• No continuity plan: The provider has no clear process for leave, staff changes or unexpected absences.
• Unclear extra charges: The proposal does not explain what work attracts additional fees.
• Poor accountant collaboration: The provider is unwilling to coordinate with your accountant where required.
• Guaranteed outcomes: The provider promises automatic savings, compliance, cash-flow improvements or business growth.
• Pressure to proceed quickly: You are asked to grant access or accept terms before reviewing the arrangement.
• No handover process: The provider cannot explain how records, subscriptions and user access will be transferred when the engagement ends.

Look for patterns rather than judging one issue in isolation. A suitable provider should answer reasonable questions clearly and document the arrangement before work begins.

Before You Engage a Bookkeeper

Before giving a provider access to your accounting software or financial records, confirm the key terms of the arrangement in writing.

Use this final checklist:

• the required services and any registration needed
• who will complete, review and remain accountable for the work
• the agreed scope, exclusions, fees and additional charges
• communication channels, response expectations and approvals
• software ownership, administrator access and user permissions
• data security and document-sharing arrangements
• coordination with your accountant
• review, termination, record transfer and access-removal arrangements

The checklist should reflect the actual engagement rather than a generic proposal. Resolve unclear responsibilities before work begins, particularly where payments, lodgements, administrator access or confidential records are involved.

Bookkeeper Selection FAQs

Choose a Bookkeeper With Clear Responsibilities and Controls

A good bookkeeper should give you more than a competitive quote or a familiar software badge. The right provider should understand the work, hold appropriate registration where required and explain how they will manage responsibilities, access and communication.

Before you proceed, confirm the service scope, fees, responsible personnel, software controls, security arrangements and handover process. These checks help you compare providers on the same basis and reduce the risk of unclear expectations later.

Knowing how to find a good bookkeeper means looking at the full working arrangement, not one qualification or sales claim in isolation. The best fit will depend on your business, the complexity of the work and the level of continuity and support you need.

If you are choosing a new provider or reviewing your current arrangements, talk to Grow Advisory Group about the bookkeeping support your business needs.