Bookkeeping associations are founded to provide support and standards for the bookkeeping industry. This is achieved by creating common standards for the industry that bookkeepers can work towards and that allow the users of bookkeepers to know what level of knowledge a bookkeeper they hire has.
The definition of a bookkeeper is broad and wide and open to interpretation. Each country can have its own standards and anyone can call themselves a bookkeeper while not having any qualifications or knowledge of the industry. The method of obtaining a bookkeeping qualification vary. A person can to pay a fee and not have to sit exams, obtain a qualification based on your experience, sit examinations without supervision, or sit examinations fully supervised in an exam hall or in a computer environment training exam centre. In many countries there are competing bookkeeper associations, but their qualifications are achieved in different ways and their knowledge levels can be different.
Bookkeeping associations can provide help on bookkeeping issues, tax issues, legal issues and professional development for their members. They can also lobby on behalf of their members to help promote their interests. They can as a body promote the standards of bookkeeping and market the benefits of using a qualified bookkeeper.
List of bookkeeping associations from around the world
Country Body By Unsupervised Exam By Supervised Exam By Experience By Licence Australia Association of Accounting Technicians (Australia)Association of Accounting Technicians Yes Yes Yes No Australia Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (Australia)Institute of Certified Bookkeepers Yes Yes Yes No Canada Canadian Bookkeepers AssociationThe Canadian Bookkeepers Association No Yes Yes No Canada Institute of Professional Bookkeepers of CanadaInstitute of Professional Bookkeepers of Canada No Yes Yes No Denmark Foreningen Freelance BogholdereForeningen Freelance Bogholdere No No Yes No India Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (India)Institute of Certified Bookkeepers No Yes Yes No Ireland Institute of Certified BookkeepersInstitute of Certified Bookkeepers Yes Yes Yes No Ireland Irish Bookkeepers AssociationIrish Bookkeepers Association No Yes Yes No Israel Israel Bookkeepers AssociationIsrael Bookkeepers Association No Yes Yes NoNew ZealandNZ Qualified Bookkeepers AssociationYesNoYesNoNew ZealandNZ Bookkeepers Association IncYesNoNoNo Nigeria Association of Bookkeepers NigeriaAssociation of Bookkeepers Nigeria No Yes Yes Yes Norway Norwegian Association of Authorised Accountants No Yes No No South Africa Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (South Africa)Institute of Certified Bookkeepers UK Association of Accounting TechniciansAssociation of Accounting TechniciansNo Yes Yes No UK International Association of Book-keepersInternational Associations of Book-keepersNo Yes Yes No UK Institute of Certified BookkeepersInstitute of Certified Bookkeepers Yes Yes Yes No USA Institute of Certified BookkeepersInstitute of Certified Bookkeepers Yes Yes Yes No USA American Institute of Professional BookkeepersThe American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers No Yes Yes No
Explanation of table headings Country The country the bookkeeping association represents. Where a bookkeeping association is represented in more than one country, there should be a separate entry for each country it represents. Body The full registered name of the bookkeeping association By Unsupervised Exam An exam where no independent verification is made that the exam was taken without help. By Supervised Exam An exam is taken and supervised by independent personnel By Experience The qualification is issued based on the experience of the person and no exam is taken. That person has provided the required evidence of their experience. By Licence The person buys the right to use a title identifying them as a bookkeeper but no evidence of experience or examinations is requested or required.
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