Bookkeeping VA: Skills, Tools and Jobs
Bookkeeping VAs keep a small business's numbers clean and up to date. It's a specialist lane: the bar is higher, and so is the demand for people who are careful and consistent.
What the work is
A bookkeeping VA records and organizes a business's money: categorizing transactions, reconciling bank accounts, entering bills and invoices, chasing receipts and preparing reports for the owner or the accountant.
It suits people with an accounting background or a very careful eye. Clients trust you with sensitive data, so accuracy and discretion matter more than speed.
Typical tasks
- Categorize bank and card transactions
- Reconcile bank and credit card accounts monthly
- Enter bills (accounts payable) and send invoices (accounts receivable)
- Collect and match receipts
- Prepare simple monthly reports for the owner
- Help the accountant with year-end documents
Tools you'll use:
How to learn it
Learn the basics of double-entry bookkeeping: debits, credits, the chart of accounts.
Use QuickBooks' and Xero's own training and certification programs for bookkeepers.
Practice a full month for an invented business: transactions, reconciliation, a profit and loss report.
Get fast and accurate in spreadsheets (lookups, pivot tables, clean formatting).
How to show you can do it
Clients hire proof, not promises. Two or three of these in your applications will set you apart:
- A practice company file with a reconciled month
- A sample monthly report with a short plain-English summary
- Any bookkeeping certification you've earned
Put your best sample first and keep it short. A client deciding between twenty applicants will look at one thing for thirty seconds. Make it count.
Open roles that ask for it
These are open roles at VA MASTERS. VA Career Hub is published by Outsourcing Insider, a VA MASTERS company. List as of October 25, 2026; every role links to its page on vamasters.com, where you apply.
Accountant VA
Part Time · 48 hours a month · posted Oct 21
Detail-oriented Accountant with strong QuickBooks skills managing day-to-day accounting, payroll, reconciliations, and financial reporting for accurate and reliable financial records.
HR Admin and Appointment Setter
Part Time · 40 hours a month · posted Oct 21
Warm, confident HR Admin and Appointment Setter skilled in lead research, outreach calls, scheduling, CRM management, and client support for small businesses and nonprofits.
Bookkeeper and Payroll Specialist
Part Time · 40 hours a month · posted Oct 20
Experienced Executive Assistant with hands-on Gusto payroll, QuickBooks and Xero bookkeeping, client payroll onboarding, and HR coordination, known for accuracy and attention to detail.
Mortgage Loan Processing Specialist
Part Time · 80 hours a month · posted Sep 17
Detail-oriented Mortgage Loan Processing Specialist managing client files from handover to loan submission, including lender research, servicing calculations, document collection, and clear loan recommendations.
E-commerce Operations VA (Website Management)
Part Time · 80 hours a month · posted Sep 10
E-commerce Operations VA managing order processing, product listings, website updates, and customer support for a jewelry brand’s online store and marketplaces.
QuickBooks Expert
Project Based · 120 hours a month · posted Sep 10
QuickBooks Expert responsible for managing and reconciling financial records, maintaining accurate bookkeeping in QuickBooks Online, and supporting accounting operations.
Operations and Finance Support Virtual Assistant
Part Time · 80 hours a month · posted Feb 12
Detail-oriented Operations and Finance Support Virtual Assistant managing client records, invoicing, and internal workflows to ensure accurate, smooth daily operations.
Other skill guides
Questions people ask
Do I need an accounting degree to be a bookkeeping VA?
Not always, but you need solid bookkeeping knowledge. Many roles ask for experience with QuickBooks or Xero; a certification from one of them is a good way to show it.
QuickBooks or Xero: which should I learn?
QuickBooks is the most common in US small businesses; Xero is common in Australia, the UK and New Zealand. Learn the one used by the clients you're aiming for, then the other is easier.