Bookkeeping

              

https://www.insidersabroad.com/france/regions/haute-normandie

The term bookkeeper is often used synonymously with the term accountant, but they are two separate vocations that have differences and similarities.  A bookkeeper records basic financial transactions and maintains the books of an entity such as a company.  In contrast to bookkeepers, accountants will take this basic information and then comprise things such as a financial statement.  Bookkeeping and accounting are both similar in that they both record financial transactions.    Overall, bookkeeping and accounting have similarities and differences, but they are two different jobs. 

                Bookkeeping is the process in which a bookkeeper cares for the books and records basic financial transactions.  Accounting is the process of using basic financial information such as transactions to make an income statement or other financial document. A similarity that accounting and bookkeeping have is that they both record financial transactions.  A difference that separates accounting and bookkeeping is that accounting typically deals with much more complex processes such as auditing.  In general, bookkeeping and accounting are ultimately separated by accounting being a more advanced field. 

                In the process of bookkeeping, a bookkeeper enters financial information into a physical or digital journal.  Accountants can work with bookkeepers by taking the results in these journals and turning them into reports such as a financial statement.  A hierarchy exists in the relationship between bookkeepers and accountants.  This hierarchy exists because bookkeepers usually perform more basic tasks than accountants.  Overall, bookkeepers and accountants hold different jobs, but they can work together.

                In general, bookkeeping and accounting are two separate professions that are commonly mistaken as being congruent.  Bookkeeping is the practice of recording basic transactions in a journal and maintaining the books of a company.  Accounting differs from bookkeeping in the aspect that accounting summarizes basic financial transactions and other financial information into an income statement or other document.  In addition, bookkeepers and accountants can work together due to the nature of their jobs.  Overall, bookkeeping and accounting are two separate vocations, but they have many similarities and differences.  

Thank you,
Austin Bechtel

Bibliography

Averkamp, Harold.  "Bookkeeping (Explanation)."  AccountingCoach,

                 https://www.accountingcoach.com/bookkeeping/explanation.  Accessed 11 November 

                 2017

Mohr, Angie.  "What's the Difference Between a Bookkeeper and an Accountant?"  

                 Intuit, https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/bookkeeping/whats-the-difference-between-a-                             bookkeeper-and-an-accountant/.  Accessed 11 November 2017.