Bookkeeping is one of the best “upgrade niches” for a Filipino virtual assistant. It is steady, process-driven, pays better than general admin for many clients, and it is sticky. Once a client trusts you with their books, they rarely want to start over with someone else.
But “bookkeeping VA” can mean different things depending on the client. Some want simple data entry and categorization inside QuickBooks or Xero. Others want you to manage accounts receivable, run weekly reconciliations, and prep clean reports for their accountant.
This guide teaches you how to become the kind of bookkeeping VA clients keep for years.
What is a Bookkeeping Virtual Assistant?
A bookkeeping virtual assistant (bookkeeping VA) provides remote support for day-to-day bookkeeping tasks. Typical work includes:
- Categorizing transactions
- Bank and credit card reconciliations
- Accounts payable and accounts receivable support
- Invoicing and payment follow-ups
- Basic reporting and monthly close support
- Cleaning up messy books before tax season
Many service providers describe the role in similar terms: transaction categorization, reconciliation, AP and AR, and routine reports, usually inside tools like QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks.
Bookkeeping VA vs Bookkeeper vs Accountant
This is important for your positioning and risk management.
Bookkeeping VA: executes bookkeeping tasks and maintains records under the client’s process.
Bookkeeper: same core work, often with more ownership of monthly close and reporting.
Accountant/CPA: handles higher-level accounting judgments, tax filings, compliance, advisory.
In practice, many clients use “virtual bookkeeper” and “bookkeeping VA” interchangeably. Top guides for virtual bookkeeping consistently list basics like recording transactions, invoicing, bill payments, and monthly statements as the foundation.
Rule of thumb: If it sounds like tax advice, audit opinions, or complex accounting judgments, it belongs to a licensed accountant. Your job is to keep records clean, consistent, and ready.
Step 1: Choose your lane (so you do not get overwhelmed)
There are three common lanes for bookkeeping VAs. Pick one to start.
Lane A: Admin + Light Books (best for beginners)
You support an entrepreneur or small team with admin work plus basic bookkeeping.
Tasks you can confidently offer early:
- Invoice creation based on client templates
- Filing receipts and organizing documents
- Updating spreadsheets
- Matching transactions to receipts
- Simple categorization with clear rules
Lane B: Dedicated Bookkeeping VA (most common target)
You focus mostly on bookkeeping operations inside QuickBooks/Xero.
Core deliverables:
- Weekly bank feeds review
- Categorization
- Reconciliation
- AR follow-ups
- Monthly reports
QuickBooks and Xero are repeatedly referenced as standard tools for this kind of VA work.
Lane C: Specialist (higher pay, narrower scope)
You niche down further:
- Ecommerce bookkeeping VA (Shopify, Amazon settlements, inventory)
- Real estate bookkeeping VA (trust accounts, rent roll tracking)
- Agency bookkeeping VA (project profitability, retainers)
- Payroll support VA (data prep, not tax filing)
If you are starting out, Lane B gives you the best balance of demand and clarity.
Step 2: Learn the bookkeeping foundations (the “language” of money)
You do not need a CPA license to become a bookkeeping VA. But you must understand the basics so you do not break the books.
The core concepts you must understand
- Chart of Accounts (COA): the structure of categories
- Income vs expense: what counts as revenue and what counts as cost
- Assets, liabilities, equity: the balance sheet buckets
- Accounts receivable (AR): money customers owe
- Accounts payable (AP): money the business owes
- Reconciliation: matching records to bank/credit card statements
- Accrual vs cash basis: when transactions are recognized
If you understand those, you can follow almost any bookkeeping process.
Practical way to learn fast
- Learn basics using free resources and beginner bookkeeping lessons.
- Watch walkthroughs of real workflows: categorization, reconciliation, monthly close.
- Practice using sample data sets inside a spreadsheet before touching accounting software.
A lot of “how to become a virtual bookkeeper” resources start with these exact basics: recording transactions, invoicing, bill payments, and monthly statements.
Step 3: Pick your software stack (and do not overbuy)
Clients usually care about two things:
- You know their accounting software.
- Your output is accurate and consistent.
Must-know platforms
- QuickBooks Online (QBO)
- Xero
These are the two most commonly requested tools across bookkeeping VA job listings and service pages.
Helpful add-ons (depending on clients)
- Excel / Google Sheets (non-negotiable)
- Dext / Hubdoc (receipt capture)
- Bill.com (AP workflows)
- Stripe / PayPal reporting
- Gusto / ADP (payroll coordination, not filings)
A strong bookkeeping VA is also “tech-stable,” meaning you can work with tools beyond accounting software: spreadsheets, email, cloud storage, project management, time tracking.
Step 4: Get proof of skills (without waiting years)
Clients hiring remotely need signals. You can build credibility in a few weeks if you do it intentionally.
Option 1: Build a mini-portfolio (fastest)
Create 3 to 5 portfolio pieces, even if they are mock projects:
- Categorization rules sample
Show how you categorize 30 common transactions (software, meals, ads, bank fees). - Reconciliation sample
Demonstrate how you reconcile a month of transactions to a bank statement. - Monthly close checklist
A one-page checklist of your month-end process. - AR tracker and follow-up script
Spreadsheet + email template for payment reminders. - Clean-up plan
A step-by-step “books cleanup” proposal for messy records.
Option 2: Certifications (nice, not mandatory)
Some freelancers highlight QuickBooks and Xero certifications in their profiles and client pitches.
Option 3: TESDA Bookkeeping NC III (PH-friendly credibility)
If you want a Philippine-based credential, TESDA’s Bookkeeping NC III exists and outlines competencies like journalizing, posting, trial balance, preparing financial reports, and reviewing internal controls.
It is not required for online clients, but it can help you:
- learn systematically
- prove baseline competence
- feel more confident in interviews
Step 5: Define your services (clients buy clarity)
Most beginners lose clients because they sell “bookkeeping help” which is vague. Define your offer with clear deliverables.
Starter service packages you can offer
Package 1: Weekly Books Maintenance
- Categorize new transactions
- Review bank feeds
- Flag uncategorized items and questions
- Weekly summary of issues
Package 2: Monthly Reconciliation + Reports
- Reconcile bank and credit card accounts
- Clean up miscategorized items
- Produce month-end reports for accountant review
Package 3: AR and Invoicing Support
- Prepare invoices (client-approved)
- Send invoices and reminders
- Update AR tracker
- Weekly outstanding report
Package 4: Cleanup and Catch-up (higher value)
- Bring books up to date (3, 6, or 12 months)
- Fix categories, duplicates, uncategorized items
- Reconcile all accounts
- Create a “rules and notes” document for the future
Service providers commonly emphasize reconciliation, AP/AR support, and regular reporting as the “core” of bookkeeping VA work.
Step 6: Set boundaries (so you do not do accountant work for VA pay)
Write a simple scope statement you can paste into proposals:
Included:
- Categorization and reconciliation
- Data entry and documentation
- Invoice and bill processing support
- Reports generation from the accounting software
- Coordination with the client’s accountant
Not included:
- Filing taxes
- Representing the client to tax authorities
- Audit opinions
- Complex accounting judgments
- Legal advice
This keeps you safe and prevents scope creep.
Step 7: Build a simple workflow system (so quality stays high)
Clients trust bookkeeping VAs who have process. Here is a workflow you can use immediately.
Weekly workflow (60 to 90 minutes for small clients)
- Check bank feeds and import new transactions
- Categorize using rules
- Match receipts if provided
- Flag unclear items in a “Questions” sheet
- Update AR tracker (if applicable)
- Send a short weekly update
Month-end workflow (2 to 5 hours depending on volume)
- Reconcile all bank and credit card accounts
- Review uncategorized and “Ask My Accountant” items
- Review duplicates and vendor naming consistency
- Confirm income accounts and top expense categories
- Generate reports and send to client/accountant
This style mirrors what many “virtual bookkeeping” guides describe: strong basics, consistent monthly statements, and clean summaries.
Step 8: Find clients as a Filipino bookkeeping VA
You have two main paths:
- Freelance platforms
- Direct outreach and referrals
Where to look
Freelance platforms
- Upwork has dedicated pages for hiring bookkeeping VAs, and you will see repeated tool requirements like QuickBooks and Xero.
Job boards
Many employers also post “virtual assistant bookkeeper” roles on job sites and aggregators. The key is filtering for remote, part-time, or contract roles that match your lane or visit Virtual Assistant Philippines.
Agencies and staffing companies
Some companies specialize in placing Filipino remote bookkeepers and bookkeeping VAs. This can be good early on if you want steady work and training.
What clients want to see in your profile
- Your tools: QuickBooks, Xero, Excel, Google Sheets
- Your process: weekly maintenance, monthly reconciliation
- Your accuracy habits: checklists, documentation, audit trail awareness
- Your confidentiality mindset
- Your communication: clear updates, clean questions, no drama
One strong pattern in hiring pages is “confidentiality and accuracy” as part of the value proposition.
Step 9: Create a high-converting proposal (copy this structure)
Most proposals fail because they talk about the VA, not the result.
Use this:
1) Acknowledge the situation
“Sounds like your books are behind and you want them clean and reconciled monthly so your accountant can file without back-and-forth.”
2) Clarify scope in plain English
“I can handle categorization, reconciliation, and monthly reporting inside QuickBooks Online. I will also keep a questions log so you approve unclear items quickly.”
3) Show your process
- Week 1: review COA, set rules, clean vendors, reconcile last month
- Ongoing: weekly maintenance + month-end close checklist
4) Ask 3 smart questions (signals competence)
- Are your books cash basis or accrual basis?
- Do you have separate accounts for business and personal transactions?
- Who handles taxes and final financial statements?
5) Close with next step
“If you share accountant access and the last 2 months of statements, I can start with a cleanup assessment.”
Step 10: Pricing your bookkeeping VA services (without guessing)
I will not throw random rate numbers at you because rates swing wildly by:
- software experience
- volume of transactions
- niche complexity (ecommerce is harder)
- expectations (weekly close vs monthly only)
- client country and industry
Instead, price by scope.
A clean way to price
Estimate time for:
- weekly maintenance
- monthly reconciliation
- cleanup projects
Then offer:
- monthly retainer (best for stability)
- one-time cleanup fee (best for value)
If you are new, start with smaller scopes, prove reliability, then increase.
Step 11: Protect yourself (privacy, access, and controls)
Bookkeeping work involves sensitive financial data. Treat it like a professional.
Access rules
- Use accountant access roles in QuickBooks or Xero when possible.
- Avoid sharing logins through chat.
- Use password managers and client-approved access methods.
Basic internal controls mindset
- Always keep receipts and notes attached where possible.
- Log decisions on ambiguous items.
- Reconcile before producing reports.
- Never “force” reconciliation by making random adjustments without approval.
TESDA’s Bookkeeping NC III training standard includes reviewing internal control systems as part of the competency framework, which is a good reminder that controls matter even for small businesses.
Step 12: Philippines compliance basics (for your own freelance business)
This section is for your operations as a Filipino freelancer. I am not your lawyer or accountant, but here are the key references to keep you pointed the right way.
Business name registration (optional, but useful if you want a brand)
DTI’s Business Name Registration System (BNRS) is the official portal for registering a business name in the Philippines.
If you operate under your personal name as a professional, you may not need a DTI business name, but many freelancers choose to register for branding.
BIR registration (important if you want to be fully compliant)
BIR provides official checklists of documentary requirements for self-employed individuals. These checklists change, so always verify the latest version.
Invoicing and receipts changes after the Ease of Paying Taxes Act
The PH invoicing framework has been changing, including the move where invoices become primary supporting documents in many cases. Revenue Regulations and clarifications were issued around 2024 onward. For the specifics, refer to:
- BIR RR 11-2024
- PwC’s discussion of EoPT invoicing regulations and clarifications
If you work with foreign clients, you will still want to issue compliant documents based on your registration and tax type.
A realistic 30-day roadmap to become a bookkeeping VA
Week 1: Build your foundation
- Learn bookkeeping basics: COA, AR, AP, reconciliation
- Practice with spreadsheet transactions
- Create a “questions log” template
Week 2: Tools and workflow
- Learn QuickBooks Online or Xero basics
- Practice categorization rules
- Create a monthly close checklist
Week 3: Portfolio + positioning
- Publish 3 portfolio samples (Google Drive or Notion)
- Write service packages and scope boundaries
- Create proposal template and interview answers
Week 4: Client acquisition
- Apply to 10 to 20 targeted roles
- Send 10 direct outreach messages
- Offer a small paid trial: one month reconciliation + clean report
Interview questions you must be ready for (with strong answers)
“What bookkeeping tools have you used?”
Answer with specifics:
- QuickBooks Online and Excel/Google Sheets
- Mention any exposure to Xero, FreshBooks
- Mention supporting tools like cloud storage and project management as needed
“How do you handle unclear transactions?”
Explain your questions log:
- You categorize what is obvious
- You flag what is unclear
- You do not guess when it affects reports
“What does your month-end process look like?”
List your checklist and reconciliation approach.
Common mistakes Filipino bookkeeping VAs make (avoid these)
- Guessing categories instead of asking
- Not reconciling but still sending reports
- Mixing personal and business expenses without documenting it
- Not maintaining an audit trail in notes and attachments
- Agreeing to tax filing without credentials
What to write in your “Bookkeeping VA” bio (template)
Use this structure:
Line 1: Bookkeeping Virtual Assistant | QuickBooks Online | Reconciliation + Monthly Close
Proof: “I help small businesses keep books accurate and up to date through weekly maintenance, monthly reconciliations, and clean reports for accountants.”
Services: Categorization, reconciliation, AR follow-ups, invoicing support
Process: Weekly updates + questions log + month-end checklist
Tools: QBO, Xero (if applicable), Excel/Sheets, cloud tools
Trust: Confidentiality-first, consistent documentation
This matches what hiring pages emphasize: bookkeeping VAs handle routine financial tasks and use standard accounting tools.
Final checklist: You are ready to apply when you can do these confidently
- Explain the difference between bookkeeping and accounting
- Categorize common transactions with a consistent rule set
- Reconcile a bank account using a statement
- Prepare a basic monthly report pack from accounting software
- Communicate issues in a “questions log” clearly
- Keep documentation organized and secure
- Stay inside your scope and coordinate with the client’s accountant
