Guide

A full-charge bookkeeper takes the books all the way from daily entries to a closed month.

“Full-charge” means one person, or one team, is in charge of the whole bookkeeping cycle: recording transactions, paying bills, collecting from customers, reconciling every account, and closing the month with financial statements your CPA can use.

Book a free 30-minute call The meaning

The meaning

What “Full-Charge” Means

A basic bookkeeper records transactions. A full-charge bookkeeper owns the whole process up to the financial statements, without needing someone else to finish the month.

The term is common in US job listings. It usually describes the only finance person in a small business, who reports to the owner and works with an outside CPA for tax returns and year-end work.

The duties

What a Full-Charge Bookkeeper Does

Daily and weekly entries. Categorize bank and card transactions, and record sales and expenses with support attached.
Accounts payable. Enter vendor bills, schedule payments, and keep vendor balances right.
Accounts receivable. Send invoices, apply customer payments, and follow up on overdue balances.
Payroll records. Run or record payroll and the related liabilities, and reconcile them to the payroll reports.
Reconciliations. Reconcile every bank, credit card, loan and clearing account each month.
Month-end close. Post accruals, prepaid and depreciation entries, review the balance sheet, and lock the period.
Financial statements. Produce a profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow report each month, and answer the owner’s questions about them.
Year-end support. Prepare the trial balance and schedules the CPA needs, and collect W-9s for 1099 reporting.

Our month-end close checklist lists the close steps in order.

The difference

Bookkeeper, Full-Charge Bookkeeper, Accountant

	Typical scope
Bookkeeper	Records transactions and may reconcile bank accounts. Someone else closes the month.
Full-charge bookkeeper	Owns the whole cycle through month-end close and monthly financial statements.
Accountant or CPA	Tax returns, tax planning, reviews or audits, and accounting judgment calls.
Controller	Manages the finance function, internal controls, budgets and reporting for a larger business.

For a longer comparison, see bookkeeper vs accountant vs controller.

What to look for

Skills That Matter

Solid accrual accounting, not only cash-basis entries.
Daily fluency in your software, usually QuickBooks Online or Xero.
A habit of reconciling every balance sheet account, not just the bank.
A fixed monthly close date, and the discipline to keep it.
Clear notes, so your CPA and anyone who follows can see why each entry was made.

Your options

Hire One, or Use a Firm

You can hire a full-charge bookkeeper as an employee, or use a bookkeeping firm that delivers the same scope as a monthly service. An employee sits in your office and knows your business closely. A firm brings a team, so the work does not stop when one person is sick, on leave or moves on, and it reviews its own work before the month is closed.

The cost comparison depends on salary, benefits, payroll taxes, software and management time. We walk through it in in-house bookkeeper vs outsourced firm, and our when to hire a bookkeeper guide covers the timing.

Where we fit

Full-Charge Bookkeeping as a Monthly Service

Our monthly packages cover the full-charge scope in QuickBooks Online and Xero: transactions, bills, invoices, reconciliations, month-end close and monthly financial statements, delivered on a set day each month. We run payroll only in QuickBooks Workforce and Gusto. Your CPA keeps tax returns and tax advice.

Book a free 30-minute call Bookkeeping packages

Questions

Common Questions

What is a full-charge bookkeeper?

A bookkeeper who handles the whole bookkeeping cycle, from recording daily transactions through accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations and month-end close, to monthly financial statements.

What is the difference between a bookkeeper and a full-charge bookkeeper?

A bookkeeper usually records transactions and someone else closes the month. A full-charge bookkeeper owns the process all the way to a closed month and financial statements.

Is a full-charge bookkeeper the same as an accountant?

No. A full-charge bookkeeper keeps the books and produces monthly statements. An accountant or CPA prepares tax returns, gives tax advice and makes accounting judgment calls.

Does a full-charge bookkeeper do payroll?

Often, yes. They run or record payroll and reconcile the payroll liabilities. We run payroll only in QuickBooks Workforce and Gusto.

Can a bookkeeping firm act as a full-charge bookkeeper?

Yes. A firm can deliver the same scope as a monthly service, with a team behind it, so the work continues when one person is away.

Xero Gold Partner Earned through certified advisors and a proven client base.

QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Elite A team certified in QuickBooks Online, Intuit Enterprise Suite and Workforce.

Xero Asia Partner of the Year Recognised by Xero for delivery, not for sales volume.

13+ years in practice Across accounting outsourcing, ERP and accounting software work.

Where to Go Next

Service Bookkeeping Packages What is included, and what it costs. Guide What Does a Bookkeeper Do? The work, week by week. Guide Bookkeeper vs Accountant vs Controller Who does what, and when you need each. Cost guide In-House vs Outsourced Bookkeeping The full cost of each option. Guide Month-End Close Checklist The close steps, in order. Cost guide What Bookkeeping Services Cost Typical pricing models and ranges.

Need the full bookkeeping cycle covered?

Tell us which software you use and where the books stand. We will tell you what a monthly full-charge service would look like.

Book a free 30-minute call See our packages

Services

Xero

QuickBooks

Who we serve

Insights

Company