Challenges bookkeepers face Most people would say that the work of a bookkeeper is hard. In addition to having basic bookkeeping education, one should be familiar with laws. Frequent changes in the legislation further complicate this work.

Bookkeepers and accountants sometimes do the same work, but have a different skill set. In general, a bookkeeper's role is to record transactions and keep you financially organized, while accountants provide consultation, analysis, and are more qualified to advise on tax matters.

"A bookkeeper records the financial transactions of an organization and takes care of day-to-day functions such as recording sales and invoices, paying bills and processing payroll," Stephens said. "Accountants take the financial data and analyze it to help organizations make financial decisions."

What Is Virtual Bookkeeping & What Are Virtual Bookkeeping Services? Like traditional on-site bookkeepers, virtual bookkeepers manage day-to-day financial tasks like recording transactions, reconciling bank and credit card accounts, and processing payroll.