Bookkeeping Services

[sibo12]

Hi,

I have recently joined the forum. I am looking to start freelance bookkeeping services hoping to work around family. I have 8 years experience working in accounting administration environment. I would appreciate any advice given.

 

[faradaykeynes]

Hi Sib, welcome to forum. You need to have PII in place, a good bookkeeping software which i am sure you have. A Website would be good and lot of networking using different platforms. Contact your local accountants for outsourcing work

 

[aimeecarmichael]

on starting your own business.
You should attend local networking events to get your name out there, you might not get direct business but referrals will come. Be friendly and helpful and business will follow.

that is my one tip of the day

 

[Scalloway]

If you are not a member of a professional body you must register with HMRC under Money Laundering Regulation.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/mlr/getstarted/register/how.htm

 

[spicetheice]

Hi,

I have recently joined the forum. I am looking to start freelance bookkeeping services hoping to work around family. I have 8 years experience working in accounting administration environment. I would appreciate any advice given.

You should definitely have a bookkeeping software. Have you registered yourself on freelance websites? I know for a reason that authentic freelancing sites work pretty well. Plus, you should also register yourself with government bodies, network using LinkedIn, Facebook and other social media sites (helps a lot!) and most importantly make sure that you highlight your accomplishment during your full-time career. Else, people won't know your credentials. Google helps you in building free websites, if you do not want to spend time and money on a new website.

 

[spicetheice]

If you are not a member of a professional body you must register with HMRC under Money Laundering Regulation.

This is good information. Thanks!

 

[ILilja]

I work at the online accounting company E-conomic, and we keep a list of UK-based accountants and bookkeepers who use the E-conomic system. So if you use/are planning to use/have customers who use - E-conomic for your accounting, you are more than welcome to register here and get your own administrator page.

You can fill in as much information as you like, describing your business (see this one for example: http://www.e-conomic.co.uk/accountingsystem/accountant-list/2843168).

I believe getting registered in lists like these would be a good way of starting your online marketing as well as engaging actively in forums like this one.

Good luck!

 

[jazzalbart]

If running your business is your passion and you don't have the patience to take care of your bookkeeping needs, outsourcing to an experienced firm may be the right solution for you.

 

[Matt G]

As Scalloway mentioned today you need to be member at least to one of the country professional budy. I think that ACCA, is the best and has the biggest reputance from all.

Also, be visible around web, with an website, and post the services you can do..and easy clients will come.!

Good Luck!

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

As Scalloway mentioned today you need to be member at least to one of the country professional budy. I think that ACCA, is the best and has the biggest reputance from all.

Also, be visible around web, with an website, and post the services you can do..and easy clients will come.!

Good Luck!

ACCA is a fantastic qualification but for the OP I cant see it being of any benefit.

 

[Matt G]

Well, it was a good option, since he mentioned that he practiced accounting for the last 8 years ( administration environment though ), but its a start..

Another professional board that he might go after are the international IFAC, FEE, IASB..but these are already a different level of approach.

So, ACCA, even though can be pretty difficult, and long term, it makes all the money and time..

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Well, it was a good option, since he mentioned that he practiced accounting for the last 8 years ( administration environment though ), but its a start..

So, ACCA, even though can be pretty difficult, and long term, it makes all the money and time..

Can I ask why?

The OP stated he/she is looking to do freelance bookkeeping.

Another professional board that he might go after are the international IFAC, FEE, IASB..but these are already a different level of approach.

I think, with respect that a UK qualification would be more appropriate.

 

[Matt G]

Well, being into a professional board, is for sure a proper way to be updated with all the info you need. Starting as freelance after you spent 8 years of work on a field, i think is a drop on someone qualifications...

And before starting online booking, you should be updated with sufficient knowledge ready to offer updates , reports to clients from different countries...

So to sum up, i think doing accountancy, even at a low level requires skills, knowledge..and ACCA, is just a good startup for enybody !


Regards,
Matt

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Well, being into a professional board, is for sure a proper way to be updated with all the info you need. Starting as freelance after you spent 8 years of work on a field, i think is a drop on someone qualifications...

And before starting online booking, you should be updated with sufficient knowledge ready to offer updates , reports to clients from different countries...

So to sum up, i think doing accountancy, even at a low level requires skills, knowledge..and ACCA, is just a good startup for enybody !


Regards,
Matt

Hi Matt

Sorry but I dont quite understand all of your post and I disagree - the ACCA qualification is not a good start for someone who wants to work as a bookkeeper. It is a great qualification but would be totally irrelevant to someone working as, and wanting to work solely as a bookkeeper.

 

[Matt G]

Well, what i wanted to point out is that without qualification you cant provide quality services. If you state for self/auto education means you are not being part of any professional cort yourself, and this is probably not too good.

A reason why anyone should, is that, once being there, you take part to different projects, and lessons, that you can learn individual.

From my side, each freelance or professional service provider should have its own way of getting this done. I prefer by the right way.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Well, what i wanted to point out is that without qualification you cant provide quality services. .....

I disagree strongly with you (as one who has several professional qualifications) - you will find many extremely good bookkeepers who have no professional qualifications whatsoever but have gained years of invaluable experience and are very good at what they do.

 

[Matt G]

I am not saying you are not right, but nowdays, companies, are "hunting" big people with at least several qualifications.! Selflearning probably is good for companies, that have few papers that need to take action over..

I disagree strongly with you (as one who has several professional qualifications) - you will find many extremely good bookkeepers who have no professional qualifications whatsoever but have gained years of invaluable experience and are very good at what they do.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

I am not saying you are not right, but nowdays, companies, are "hunting" big people with at least several qualifications.! Selflearning probably is good for companies, that have few papers that need to take action over..

Matt to get some prospective here the post is about someone who is looking at providing bookkeeping services to fit around family commitments so that's not really relevant is it?

 

[Matt G]

Yes, true.

My post was in fact an advice for him. At a certain age probably the revenue from freelance jobs are not the ones some expect.

Pointing him out, an opportunity i don't think its a bad thing.

Matt to get some prospective here the post is about someone who is looking at providing bookkeeping services to fit around family commitments so that's not really relevant is it?

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Yes, true.

My post was in fact an advice for him. At a certain age probably the revenue from freelance jobs are not the ones some expect.

Pointing him out, an opportunity i don't think its a bad thing.

Do you have experience of working as a bookkeeper in the UK?

 

[David Griffiths]

Yes, true.

My post was in fact an advice for him. At a certain age probably the revenue from freelance jobs are not the ones some expect.

Pointing him out, an opportunity i don't think its a bad thing.

Saying you "Need" to do something was not correct. In fact, for the kind of work that the OP has in mind, even consdering ACCA would be wildly excessive.

And to mention organisations like IASB was about as over the top it gets.

Advice needs to be relevant to the OP's circumstances

 

[Matt G]

As you probably noticed my knowledge about UK financial system is not updated, so no i didn't worked in uk as accountant. I have worked as accountant for the last 7 years, using the Anglo-Saxons accounting as everybody from most parts of Europe, but in France and Romania last part of the work.

 

[Matt G]

I have to point out that i did mentioned, about those professional bodies being just examples, of how far can he go. !

Saying you "Need" to do something was not correct. In fact, for the kind of work that the OP has in mind, even consdering ACCA would be wildly excessive.

And to mention organisations like IASB was about as over the top it gets.

Advice needs to be relevant to the OP's circumstances

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

As you probably noticed my knowledge about UK financial system is not updated....
[/I][/I]

Yes I did thanks Matt.

 

[jazzalbart]

Bookkeeping services are quite beneficial for small businesses. By Using the latest technology, some firms develop policies and procedures to streamline your accounting process. This will increase the overall efficiency of your business operations.

 

[E Storey]

Oh dear,

This thread is a prime example of how non-uk (and non-business) users (aka spammers) can totally derail a thread and devalue the site. No wonder we've scared the OP off.

 

[Scalloway]

You do not need to be a member of a professional body to run a bookkeeping agency, you only need to register with HMRC for money laundering.

 

[sibo12]

Hi,

Thank you for all your responses. The thread did went out of sink a bit but I was not scared off. I did got some valuable information and I am nearly completing my registration with HMRC. I am also a student member of ACCA but can not get a licence through them that's why I went direct to HMRC.