Role Specification
Full-Charge Bookkeeper
One person who owns the whole ledger, not a slice of it.
What this role covers
A full-charge bookkeeper owns the books end to end: payables and receivables, payroll entries, bank and credit card reconciliations, sales tax, and the monthly close through draft financials. It is the role small and mid-size clients actually need - one accountable person who keeps every account current instead of a queue of disconnected tasks. For your firm, that means client files that arrive at review already reconciled and tied out, and reviewers who spend their time reviewing instead of chasing missing pieces.
The monthly workflow
Core responsibilities
- Full accounts payable cycle: bill entry, approvals, and payment runs to your policy
- Full accounts receivable cycle: invoicing, application of payments, and aging follow-up lists
- Payroll journal entries and reconciliation of payroll registers to the general ledger
- Bank, credit card, and loan reconciliations, each tied to its statement monthly
- Sales tax preparation workpapers and filing support under your review
- Monthly close through draft financial statements with supporting schedules
A day in the life
- Clear the bill queue and route approvals for two clients
- Reconcile a bank account and a credit card, each tied to its statement
- Post the weekly payroll entry and tie it to the register
- Work the AR aging and send the follow-up list to the client contact
- Prepare sales tax workpapers for the monthly filers
- Update close checklists so the month-end runs on rails
The software, in detail
Full-charge candidates work across QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Xero, Gusto, Bill.com, and the usual receipt tools. We test the whole cycle, not a slice: a candidate reconciles a bank account, posts a payroll entry, and closes a month in a live exercise before they reach a shortlist.
A sample week
| Monday | AP payment runs and approval routing; deposit posting |
| Tuesday | Bank and credit card reconciliations for the week's clients |
| Wednesday | Payroll entries and register tie-outs; AR aging follow-up |
| Thursday | Sales tax workpapers; loan reconciliations; schedule updates |
| Friday | Close checklist progress; draft financials for month-end clients |
What this role does not cover
Clarity up front saves everyone time. This role does not include:
- ✕Signed tax returns or tax advice - your firm keeps the tax function
- ✕Attest work: audits, reviews, and compilations
- ✕Final approval of financial statements - review stays with your firm
- ✕Running payroll as the employer of record or signing payroll filings
- ✕Cash handling or authority to release payments without your approval workflow
Why Philippines-based talent excels here
Philippine accounting graduates routinely run full sets of books for US small businesses in BPO and shared-service teams, so the full-charge scope is their normal, not a stretch. US GAAP, QuickBooks fluency, and written English are table stakes; we screen for the judgment to own a whole file without hand-holding.
The first 90 days
Days 1-30
- →Learns your chart templates, approval policies, and close checklists
- →Takes over reconciliations and the AP/AR cycle for pilot clients
- →Flags process gaps with proposed fixes, not just questions
Days 31-60
- →Owns the full cycle for assigned clients end to end
- →Delivers draft financials your reviewer edits, not rebuilds
- →Keeps payroll and sales tax workpapers current without prompting
Days 61-90
- →Runs the full client load with exception-only escalation
- →Documents recurring judgment calls for continuity
- →Becomes the person your clients' books quietly depend on
Client niches this role serves
Frequently asked questions
Ready to add a full-charge bookkeeper to your team?
Book a free consultation and we'll send you a shortlist of vetted candidates for this role.