How to Hire a Virtual Bookkeeper (And What It Actually Costs)
A virtual bookkeeper handles your business's day-to-day financial records entirely online, using cloud accounting software rather than working from your premises. This article covers what a virtual bookkeeper actually does, how "virtual" differs from "remote" and "offshore," what it costs, how to get their software access set up properly, and options like BOS Resources worth considering if you want dedicated, vetted support rather than searching independently.
Key Takeaways
"Virtual," "remote" and "offshore" aren't the same thing. Virtual describes the online delivery method. Remote means working away from your premises, local or overseas. Offshore specifically means based in another country. A virtual bookkeeper is almost always remote too, but may or may not be offshore.
The task list doesn't change with delivery method. Reconciliations, accounts payable and receivable, payroll processing, BAS support and reporting are the same core responsibilities whether your bookkeeper works in-office or entirely online.
Software access is straightforward, and doesn't require a platform change. Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks are all built for role-based remote access, so bringing on a virtual bookkeeper typically means setting up scoped permissions, not switching systems.
Cost varies by structure and location. Local hourly rates and fixed monthly packages give one benchmark; dedicated offshore arrangements, like BOS Resources' virtual bookkeeping starting from $2,000 a month, often sit well below the equivalent cost of a local hire once wages alone are compared.
What Is a Virtual Bookkeeper?
A virtual bookkeeper manages your bank reconciliations, accounts payable and receivable, payroll processing and financial reporting entirely through cloud accounting software, without ever needing to be in the same location as your business.
The term emphasises the delivery method, everything happening online through platforms like Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks, rather than describing a distinct service from remote or offshore bookkeeping.
That's worth being precise about upfront, because "virtual," "remote" and "offshore" get used almost interchangeably in search, but they answer slightly different questions:
Virtual bookkeeper: emphasises the online, cloud-based nature of the work. Says nothing about location.
Remote bookkeeper: emphasises that they work away from your premises. Could be local or overseas.
Offshore bookkeeper: specifically means based in another country.
In practice, a virtual bookkeeper is almost always also a remote bookkeeper, and may or may not be offshore. The term you use matters less than knowing which one you're actually asking for when you start looking.
What Does a Virtual Bookkeeper Actually Do?
A virtual bookkeeper handles the same core scope of work as an in-office bookkeeper, delivered entirely through your accounting software rather than in person. That typically includes:
Bank and credit card reconciliations, matching transactions against your accounting platform on a regular cycle
Accounts payable and receivable, entering supplier bills, scheduling payments, issuing and tracking client invoices
Payroll processing, calculating pay runs, superannuation and STP reporting, generally with a review step before finalisation
BAS preparation support, compiling and reconciling the data your BAS agent needs to lodge
Monthly or periodic financial reporting, preparing draft profit and loss statements and balance sheets
General ledger maintenance, keeping your chart of accounts clean and transactions correctly coded
The task list is identical to what you'd expect from someone sitting in your office. What changes is entirely about delivery, communication happens through email, chat and video calls, and all the work happens inside cloud software rather than on a desktop in your building.
What Software Does a Virtual Bookkeeper Need Access To?
A virtual bookkeeper needs role-based access to whatever accounting platform your business already runs on, most commonly Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks, plus any connected tools like payroll software or document-sharing systems.
This is the part of "going virtual" that trips people up least, since modern accounting software was built specifically for this kind of access.
Setup generally involves:
Your core accounting platform, with access scoped to a Standard or equivalent role rather than full admin rights
Two-factor authentication, enabled on every login regardless of who's using it
A unique login per person, never a shared account, both for accountability and accurate activity tracking
Connected apps, such as receipt-scanning tools or payroll add-ons, if your bookkeeping workflow relies on them
Is a Virtual Bookkeeper Right for a Small Business?
Yes, for most small businesses that have outgrown DIY bookkeeping but aren't yet ready for a full-time in-house hire, a virtual bookkeeper is a genuinely sensible fit. Rather than a general yes or no, run through these signals:
You're likely ready if:
You're spending more than a few hours a week on reconciliations, invoicing or data entry
Your records are falling behind rather than staying current
You already use cloud accounting software, or you're open to adopting it
You don't have enough transaction volume to justify a full-time, in-office hire
It might not be the right fit yet if:
Your transaction volume is genuinely minimal and manageable with software alone
You need someone physically present for in-office tasks unrelated to bookkeeping
Your business has specific data handling requirements that mandate on-site, in-person work
A concrete signal, reconciliations piling up, or hours spent on bookkeeping creeping upward each month, is far more reliable than a general sense of being busy.
How Much Does a Virtual Bookkeeper Cost?
According to SEEK, some of local bookkeeper salary sits around $65,000 a year, which works out to roughly $32.90 an hour on a standard full-time basis (38 hours a week, 52 weeks a year), before superannuation and other on-costs are added.
By comparison, engaging a dedicated offshore bookkeeper through a provider like BOS Resources starts from around $24,000 a year, working out to roughly $12.15 an hour on the same basis, positioning it well below what an equivalent local hire typically costs once wages alone are compared, before on-costs are even factored in.
Is a Virtual Bookkeeper Safe for Sensitive Financial Data?
Yes, provided the arrangement uses role-based access, two-factor authentication and clear data handling practices, all standard features in modern cloud accounting platforms rather than exceptions you need to specifically request.
Safety with a virtual bookkeeper comes down to the same fundamentals that apply to any bookkeeper, in-office or not: appropriately scoped access, secure login practices, and a genuine review process for anything that matters.
Worth confirming with any virtual bookkeeper before granting access:
Access is scoped to a role-based permission level, not full admin rights
Two-factor authentication is enabled on their login
They have their own unique login, not a shared account
There's a clear process for reviewing their work, particularly in the first few months
How Do You Find and Vet a Reliable Virtual Bookkeeper?
Look for verifiable software experience, clear communication practices, and a structured onboarding process, rather than hiring on a resume alone. A few specific things worth checking:
Platform experience: confirm they've worked directly in the accounting software you use, not just bookkeeping generally
Communication expectations: agree upfront on response times, preferred channels, and working hour overlap
Access setup: make sure they're set up with appropriately scoped access from day one, not broad admin rights by default
A trial or initial period: most arrangements, hired directly or through a provider, support a shorter initial period before committing long-term
Backup during leave: ask what happens if your bookkeeper is unavailable, particularly if hiring through a provider
You can search independently, which gives more control over selection but puts the screening and backup planning on you, or go through an established provider, which shifts that weight onto them. For a first-time hire, a provider is usually the lower-risk path.
Virtual Bookkeeping and Offshore Support
If you're specifically looking at virtual bookkeeping as a way to manage cost alongside quality, it's worth knowing that offshore-based virtual bookkeeping, provided through a structured, dedicated arrangement rather than an unmanaged freelance platform, often gives businesses the strongest combination of both.
BOS Resources, for example, provides dedicated virtual bookkeepers based in Jakarta with a minimum of one year's direct experience working with Australian businesses, working Australian business hours and from a secured, monitored office environment, addressing the platform-access, communication and data security considerations covered throughout this article in one arrangement.
Conclusion
A virtual bookkeeper suits most small businesses that have outgrown DIY bookkeeping but aren't yet at the point of a full-time in-office hire, provided the setup includes properly scoped software access, clear communication expectations and a genuine review process early on.
The term itself just describes how the work gets delivered, entirely online. What actually matters is choosing someone with genuine platform experience, setting their access up properly, and being clear about whether you specifically want local or offshore support underneath that virtual arrangement.
Ready to Bring On a Virtual Bookkeeper?
If you're weighing up virtual bookkeeping support, including dedicated offshore options, it's worth talking through what that could look like for your specific business.
Get in touch with BOS Resources today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to change my accounting software to use a virtual bookkeeper?
No, virtual bookkeepers work directly inside whatever platform you already use, most commonly Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks. Setting one up is a matter of granting the right role-based access within your existing file, not migrating to a new system.
Can I hire a virtual bookkeeper part-time or on an as-needed basis?
Yes, part-time and flexible-hours arrangements are common, since virtual bookkeeping scales more easily with actual transaction volume than a fixed in-office role would. Many businesses start with a smaller number of hours and adjust as their needs grow.
How do I communicate with a virtual bookkeeper day to day?
Most arrangements run on a mix of email, chat tools like Slack or Teams, and scheduled check-ins, with working hours that overlap your business day for real-time questions. It's worth agreeing on communication expectations upfront, response times, preferred channels, and how urgent issues get flagged, rather than assuming this sorts itself out.
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