What is a bookkeeper’s first task?
When a bookkeeper begins working with a new business—or starts a new monthly bookkeeping cycle—their very first task is always to gain visibility and control over the company’s financial data.
That starts with one fundamental step: reviewing and importing financial transactions.
In other words, the first job of a bookkeeper is to pull in, examine, and prepare all the financial data needed to maintain accurate records. This ensures everything that follows—like reconciliations, reporting, and compliance—is built on a solid foundation. Let’s break that down in more detail.
1. Connecting Accounts and Downloading Transactions
Before anything else, a bookkeeper must ensure that all bank, credit card, and financial accounts are connected to the accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, Xero). Once connected, they download all recent transactions to begin classifying and reconciling. If automated connections aren’t available, they may request CSV statements from the client.
2. Reviewing the Chart of Accounts
Once the data is in place, the next task is to check the chart of accounts. This is the structure that determines how income and expenses are categorized. If the chart of accounts is messy, inconsistent, or missing important categories, the bookkeeper will either clean it up or restructure it based on best practices or the business’s industry.
3. Cleaning and Categorizing Transactions
Once accounts are synced and categories are mapped, the bookkeeper begins categorizing income and expenses. This includes:
- Assigning correct categories (e.g., rent, advertising, inventory)
- Reclassifying miscategorized items
- Removing duplicates or manually correcting entries
This process helps ensure that the monthly books are accurate from day one.
4. Identifying Gaps and Missing Data
A good bookkeeper doesn’t just organize data—they also spot what’s missing. In the first few days, they’ll flag:
- Unreconciled transactions
- Missing vendor names or memos
- Duplicate entries or import errors
This usually results in a short request list sent to the business owner or finance manager.
5. Setting the Stage for Reconciliation
The bookkeeper’s first task ends when all transactions are clean, categorized, and ready for reconciliation. That means:
- Every transaction is coded correctly
- Account balances match imported statements
- The system is ready to produce reliable reports
FAQs
What’s the first thing a bookkeeper does after onboarding a new client?
They start by connecting financial accounts and importing transactions into the accounting software.
Why is this first step so important?
It ensures that all financial records start from accurate, up-to-date data. Everything else relies on this step being done correctly.
Is this task different for monthly vs. catch-up bookkeeping?
No—the first task is always data control and visibility. But catch-up bookkeeping may require importing older months and fixing prior errors.
Can a bookkeeper skip this step and jump into reports?
No. Without reviewing and cleaning transactions first, financial reports would be unreliable.
What tools are used for this first step?
QuickBooks, Xero, bank feeds, CSV imports, and in some cases, OCR tools to digitize paper statements.
Conclusion
The first task of a bookkeeper is not just about clicking a button—it’s about taking control of your financial records. Whether it’s the first month or the fiftieth, clean data is always step one. If your books aren’t in order, the first task may take longer—but it’s the foundation for everything that follows.
Remote Books Online offers full-service monthly bookkeeping. We start with data cleanup, categorization, and reconciliation—so your books are ready every month. Start a free month at: https://www.remotebooksonline.com/
