Is a book keeper the same as an auditor?

[SorenLorensen]

And can a book keeper audit something, or can only an auditor audit? And is it book keeper or book-keeper?

Yes, I'm doing minutes again Basically, someone has found the Parents' Commitee a new person to do the audit - an auditor - the last person was a book keeper, and I was wondering if they are one and the same or if an auditor would be insulted to be called a book keeper or, indeed, vice versa?

Nodded off yet? Zzzzzzzzzz....

No, they are not the same, or at least not necessarily the same. I think you could be a book-keeper without being qualified to be an auditor, but not vice versa.

As an auditor, an auditor would be likely to be able to book keep, but a book keeper would not neccessarily be able to audit.

An auditor would also be likely to have different qualifications from a bookkeeper. If someone described me as a bookkeeper I probably would be a little bit insulted .

That's vaguely what I thought - auditor somehow sounds more imposing than book-keeper. Thanks, dino.

Thanks, PC - I'll put auditor.

It would be very unusual for an auditor not to be able to book keep, but they may have become a bit rusty depending on the area they are specialising in.

It also would be unlikely for a small organisation to have an audit, whereas all organisations should have the accounts kept (ie the book keeping part).

Think an auditor would have financial training beyond book keeping.

PC - so it being called an annual audit may be kind of aggrandizement on someone's part? It's more likely just to be an annual review of accounts? Not that it really matters - I'm just interested. It's definitely been referred to as an audit at all the meetings I've been to.

some useful info \link{http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/publications/cc61.asp\here} re auditing accounts - is the PTA a registered charity?

I'm asked to "audit" teh accounts of our social club at work. Consists of looking at about 10 pieces of paper usually. So, yes, aggrandisement.

Auditors are qualified after years of exams and experience.
Although there are recognised qualifications for book keepers, anyone could call themselves a bookkeeper.
Not the same thing at all.
I suspect that an auditor may be severely offended.

but one thing is for sure.... we're all geeks.

Dunno but they both sound expensive to me

Useful link, iota, thanks. You will all be glad to know I've revised the minutes and it now says "blah blah has found a new auditor for next year" instead of book-keeper. Don't want to offend her before she even starts!

The PTA is a registered charity and, as far as I understand it, the 'audit' is part of the annual report to the Charities Commission which we need to maintain our charitable status.

Whether it's a proper audit or not I don't know. I'm only the Secretary And I don't do maths.

Thanks everyone though - most enlightening.

SL our PTA is a reg charity too, so we have our accounts audited as per the Charity commission rules - but like you I'm only the Secretary, so all I do is file the report