Book keeper/finance office - how to start out!

[MissySG30]

vening all,

I'm looking for some advice. I have a first class degree in accounting and finance as well as being full AAT qualified and qualified in Sage, Quick books. I'm currently employed full time as a Finance Officer (where I use SAP finance) and whilst I enjoy my job I've always wanted to eventually work from home. I guess I have no idea where I would even begin to think about that.

I have a dedicated office at home and my partner works from home at least 1 day a week but at times for 3+ weeks at a time so it's not a new concept to me.

Is anyone able to provide me with hints and tips? Have you maybe got practical experience you could share with me? Any advice would be greatly appreciated whilst I weigh up my options.

Many thanks

Its all about connections and contacts :
if you have never juggled clients for yourself its a heck of a shock
have you got your practicing cert from the AAT
where will you get your clients - advertising will get you the ones nobody wants

see if any local accounting practices need a part timer to clock up skills on lots of software

Have you got much experience in dealing with small business book-keeping, VAT, CIS and payroll? Most small businesses will want more than someone just to write up the ledgers, they want a "full package" which will usually include VAT returns, payroll and CIS returns, and basic advice regarding their accounting matters.

The actual "market" for book-keepers is ever-changing. Desktop Sage and QB have lost their popularity especially with small businesses and new start-ups and are rapidly being replaced by the online/cloud packages such as Xero, Kashflow, Clearbooks, Freeagent, etc., which are aimed at the business owner, so more and more small businesses are doing their own these days.

It seems to be CIS traders and online retailers these days who want book-keepers is both businesses have particular complexities. For CIS you have to understand the deduction and submission rules and for online you need to know which packages link to Amazon/Ebay/Paypal and how to integrate it all. Book-keepers who know about online accounting are in great demand.

You may actually struggle to find firms who want someone just to do the data entry for a bog standard business on Sage and QB.