Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

• Nature of the Work

  Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks are an organization's financial recordkeepers. They compute, classify, record, and verify numerical data in order to develop and maintain financial records.

  In smaller establishments, bookkeeping clerks handle all aspects of financial transactions. They record debits and credits, compare current and past balance sheets, summarize details of separate ledgers, and prepare reports for supervisors and managers. They may also prepare bank deposits by compiling data from cashiers, verifying and balancing receipts, and sending the cash, checks, or other forms of payment to the bank.

  In larger offices and accounting departments, accounting clerks are more specialized. Their title may reflect the type of accounting they do, such as accounts payable clerk or accounts receivable clerk. Entry-level accounting clerks post details of transactions, total accounts, and compute interest charges. They may also monitor loans and accounts payable and receivable to ensure that payments are up to date. More advanced clerks may total, balance, and reconcile billing vouchers; ensure completeness and accuracy of data on accounts; and code documents according to company procedures. They post transactions in journals and on computer files, and update these files when needed. They also review computer printouts against manually maintained journals, and make necessary corrections. Senior workers review invoices and statements to make sure all information is accurate and complete, and may reconcile computer reports with operating reports.

  Auditing clerks verify records of transactions posted by other workers. They check figures, postings, and documents for correct entry, mathematical accuracy, and proper codes. They also correct or note errors for accountants or other workers to adjust.

  As organizations computerize their financial records, more bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks are using specialized accounting software on personal computers. They increasingly post charges to accounts on computer spreadsheets and data bases; manual posting to general ledgers is becoming a thing of the past. Information is entered into the computer from receipts or bills and then is stored either electronically or as computer printouts, or both.

• Employment

  Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks held nearly 2.2 million jobs in 1994. About 1 of every 4 was in wholesale and retail trade. About one-third were in organizations providing business, health, educational, and social services. Approximately 1 in 4 bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks works part time.

• Job Outlook

  Virtually all job openings for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks through the year 2005 will stem from replacement needs. Each year, several hundred thousand jobs will become available as these clerks transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. Turnover is lower than among other record clerks, but the large size of the occupation ensures a large number of openings and plentiful job opportunities for jobseekers. Many opportunities for temporary and part-time work should be available.

  Employment of bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks is expected to decline through 2005. A growing economy should result in more financial transactions and other activities and, therefore, more demand for accounting services. However, automation of office functions is expected to continue, with resulting productivity increases. Virtually all new jobs will be created in small, rapidly growing organizations. Large organizations are likely to continue the consolidation of departments to eliminate duplicate functions and reduce the demand for these clerks.

  (See introductory part of this section for information on working conditions, training requirements, and earnings, as well as sources of additional information.)

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