Accounts Clerks monitor creditor and debtor accounts, undertake related routine documentation,  and calculate and investigate the cost of wages, materials, overheads and other operating costs.

Accounts clerks manage and maintain the financial accounts for a business or organisation. They perform accounting duties such as setting budgets, billing clients, expenditure management and payroll. Other tasks may include reconciling account statements, reviewing invoices, checking for any discrepancies and writing financial reports. They also manage relationships with clients, and address queries regarding payments and invoicing. Accounts clerks usually specialise in either accounts payable or accounts receivable, but will sometimes perform both roles.

ANZSCO ID & Description: 551111: Monitors creditor and debtor accounts, and undertakes related routine documentation. May work in a call centre.

Alternative names: Accounts payable, Receivable clerk, Accounting Clerk,

Specialisations: Audit Clerk, Investment Accounting Clerk

Knowledge, skills and attributes

An accounts clerk needs:

• record-keeping and data management skills
• analytical thinking and problem solving skills
• to be accurate and detailed in their work
• strong organisational skills
• good communication skills
• to be able to work as part of a team

(Source: AlmostAnything)

Duties and Tasks

• preparing and processing documentation related to accounts payable and receivable
• reconciling invoices and despatching payments
• calculating, analysing and investigating the costs of proposed expenditure, wages and standard costs
• preparing bank reconciliations
• allocating expenditure to specified budget accounts
• summarising expenditure and receipts
• preparing records of standard costs and values for items such as raw materials and packaging supplies
• recording cost variations and contract price movements
• compiling cost data for preparation of operating budgets, and profit and loss calculations
• investigating the costs of proposed expenditures, quotations and estimates
• preparing reports of total costs, inventory adjustments, selling prices and profits
• may work in a call centre
• assist in the preparation of budgets and financial plans
• deposit money into business accounts and perform other banking duties
• liaise with clients regarding outstanding invoices and payments
• manage weekly/monthly operating costs such as wages and petty cash
• monitor cash flow of the business
• payment of invoices and expenses
• prepare and distribute financial reports and documents to management and staff as required
• prepare management reports including Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable
• reconcile expenditure reports
  
  

 Working conditions

Accounts clerks may work for a variety of different businesses in a wide range of industries. In larger firms they will usually work as part of a team in a specific accounting branch of the institution.

They usually work in an office environment, and may need to work longer hours during peak financial periods such as the end of the financial year.

Tools and technologies

​Accounts clerks perform most of their tasks on a computer. They use specialist financial and business software to record, monitor and analyse the financial activities of the business. Spreadsheets and electronic databases are used on a daily basis for maintaining accounting records. Accounts clerks may spend considerable time on the phone or using email.

Education and training/entrance requirements

To become an accounts clerk, you usually need to complete a formal qualification in accounting, accounts administration, business administration or financial services.

A Certificate II or III, or at least 1 year of relevant experience, is usually needed. Around one in four workers have Year 12 as their highest education level. Even with a qualification, further experience or on-the-job training is sometimes required.

The Certificate III in Accounts Administration, Certificate III in Business Administration, Certificate III in Financial Services and Certificate IV in Accounting and Certificate IV in Bookkeeping are offered at TAFE colleges and other registered training organisations throughout Australia.

You can also complete a traineeship. The accounts clerk, payroll and accounts clerk, accounts payable, and accounting support officer traineeships usually take 12 months to complete. The accounts clerk and accounts payable traineeships are available as school-based traineeships.

 

Did You Know? Here are some people you need to know in any organisation... C-level jobs refer to high-ranking executive titles with the "C" standing for Chief. Executives in C-level positions are the most powerful and influential people in an organization. They make more important decisions, have a more demanding workload, and thus have high salaries. (Source: The Balance)

 

Accountant	Actuary	Auditor	Bank Officer
Bookkeeper	Call Centre Operator	Finance Manager	Financial Advisor
Financial Broker

Materials sourced from
Jobs & Skills WA [Accounts Clerk, ]
Open Universities [Accounts Clerk; ]
Your Career [Accounts Clerk; ]