Free accounting assistant job description templates: general, bookkeeping, clerk, AP, AR, and small business. With FLSA, software, and BLS pay guidance. Download DOCX.
6 free templates including bookkeeping assistant, accounting clerk, AP, AR, and a small-business version, with the FLSA non-exempt, software, and BLS pay guidance the generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
The accounting assistant is one of the most common hires a small business makes, and one of the most useful: the detail-focused person who keeps the books current, the bills paid, and the invoices going out. Almost every small business eventually needs one, yet most job description templates for the role are thin, generic one-pagers that skip the three things that actually matter when you hire: the right software, the correct overtime classification, and an honest pay range.
At FirstHR, we build templates for the businesses that handle hiring themselves, which is exactly the owner or office manager writing their first accounting hire. The six templates below cover the role family: general accounting assistant, bookkeeping assistant, accounting clerk, AP assistant, AR assistant, and a small-business version. Each names software, states the FLSA classification, and is ready to post. Fill in the brackets, and the guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
Six accounting assistant job description templates: General, Bookkeeping Assistant, Accounting Clerk, AP Assistant, AR Assistant, and Small Business. The three things generic templates skip: name your software (QuickBooks, Xero, Sage), classify the role non-exempt and hourly (it is owed overtime), and post an honest pay band. The federal median is $23.66 an hour, about $49,210 a year. Download as DOCX.
What Does an Accounting Assistant Do?
An accounting assistant supports day-to-day accounting with hands-on, routine work: entering transactions, helping with accounts payable and receivable, reconciling accounts, preparing invoices, and keeping financial records organized. At a small business the role often stretches to cover payroll prep and general office tasks as well.
In federal data, the role falls under bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, who produce financial records, check them for accuracy, and record transactions. That same occupation covers accounting assistants, clerks, and bookkeepers, which is why the titles overlap so much. If your need is a fuller-charge role that owns the books and produces statements, the bookkeeper job description templates may fit better.
Accounting Assistant Duties and Responsibilities
Accounting assistant duties cluster into data entry and records, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and reconciliation and support. A strong posting picks the specific tasks from each area that match the role, rather than listing every possible accounting task. These are the duties grouped the way the templates use them.
Data entry and records
Enter and code financial transactions
Maintain organized financial records
Keep receipts, invoices, and files in order
Accounts payable
Verify, code, and process vendor invoices
Prepare and run payments
Reconcile vendor statements
Accounts receivable
Create and send customer invoices
Post payments and apply them correctly
Follow up on overdue accounts
Reconciliation and support
Reconcile bank and account balances
Support the monthly close and reports
Assist with payroll prep and office tasks
The mix shifts by version: an AP assistant lives in the payable column, an AR assistant in the receivable one, and the small-business version touches all four plus office work. For a structured way to scope the role before posting, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Assistant, Clerk, Bookkeeper, AP, AR
The titles in this family overlap heavily, and the right one depends on the scope and focus you need. Choosing it well means your posting attracts candidates with the right experience. This table maps the common roles.
Title
Focus and scope
Accounting assistant
Broad day-to-day support across AP, AR, and records
Accounting clerk
The most routine tasks: data entry, processing, filing
Bookkeeping assistant
Recording transactions and reconciliations, books-focused
AP assistant
Vendor invoices, payments, and payable reconciliation
AR assistant
Customer invoicing, payments, and collections
Bookkeeper
A step up: owns the books and produces statements
For a small team, one accounting assistant often covers what would be several specialized seats at a larger company. If you need someone to own the books fully rather than support them, that is a full-charge bookkeeper, and a dedicated payables hire is an accounts payable clerk.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by the focus you need. The support core runs through all six, but each emphasizes a different slice of the work, and the matched version saves you editing and reads more credibly to candidates. Use this guide to choose.
Accounting Assistant (General)
All-around support
The universal baseline: data entry, AP and AR, reconciliations, and recordkeeping in support of the accounting function. Start here for a broad accounting support hire.
Bookkeeping Assistant
Books-focused
For supporting a bookkeeper or accountant: recording transactions, reconciliations, and keeping the ledger and records clean. The books-leaning version of the role.
Accounting Clerk
Routine clerical
For the routine clerical side: data entry, processing invoices and payments, matching documents, and filing. Detail-focused support for the accounting team.
AP Assistant
Money you owe
For accounts payable: verifying and coding vendor invoices, running payments, and reconciling vendor statements. The bills-and-vendors version.
AR Assistant
Money owed to you
For accounts receivable: invoicing customers, posting payments, and following up on overdue accounts. The billing-and-collections version.
Small Business / Owner-Led
Wear-many-hats
The hero version: a go-to person who handles all the day-to-day money tasks and some office work, reporting to the owner. For a small team that needs one flexible hire.
Match the Template to the Need
Broad day-to-day accounting support: General. Supporting a bookkeeper with the books: Bookkeeping Assistant. Routine data entry and processing: Accounting Clerk. Vendor bills and payments: AP Assistant. Customer invoicing and collections: AR Assistant. One flexible person for a small team: Small Business. Every version is classified non-exempt and hourly, with space to name your software.
6 Accounting Assistant Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company overview, job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, compensation, and how to apply. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
General, bookkeeping assistant, accounting clerk, AP, AR, and small business. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Accounting Assistant (General)
The universal baseline: data entry, AP and AR, reconciliations, and recordkeeping in support of the accounting function. Start here for a broad accounting support hire.
[Two or three sentences about your company and the accounting or
office team this person will support.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring an Accounting Assistant to support our
day-to-day accounting. You will help with data entry, accounts payable
and receivable, reconciliations, and recordkeeping, keeping our
financials accurate and organized. This is a hands-on support role for
a detail-oriented person.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Enter and code financial transactions accurately
•Help process accounts payable and receivable
•Reconcile accounts and resolve discrepancies
•Prepare invoices, deposits, and expense reports
•Maintain organized financial records and files
•Support the monthly close and reporting
•Assist with payroll prep and general office tasks
•Use [accounting software: ____________] daily
REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma; accounting coursework a plus
•[1 or more] years in an accounting or bookkeeping role
•Comfortable with [QuickBooks / your accounting software]
•Strong attention to detail and accuracy
•Good with numbers, spreadsheets, and organization
•Trustworthy with confidential financial information
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
Benefits: [health, PTO: __]
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: Bookkeeping Assistant
For supporting a bookkeeper or accountant: recording transactions, reconciliations, and keeping the ledger and records clean. The books-leaning version of the role.
For the routine clerical side: data entry, processing invoices and payments, matching documents, and filing. Detail-focused support for the accounting team.
[Company Name] is hiring an Accounts Receivable Assistant to manage
the money owed to us: invoicing customers, posting payments, and
following up on what is due. You will keep AR accurate and current and
help keep our cash flow healthy.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Create and send customer invoices accurately
•Post incoming payments and apply them correctly
•Follow up on overdue accounts professionally
•Reconcile customer accounts and resolve disputes
•Maintain accurate AR records and aging reports
•Coordinate with sales and customers on billing
•Support month-end AR close and reporting
REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
•Accounts receivable or billing experience
•Comfortable with [accounting software / billing tools]
•Detail-oriented and accurate with numbers
•Professional and clear in customer communication
•Organized and reliable with deadlines
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
Benefits: [health, PTO: __]
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 6: Accounting Assistant (Small Business / Owner-Led)
The hero version: a go-to person who handles all the day-to-day money tasks and some office work, reporting to the owner. For a small team that needs one flexible hire.
We are a small business and you will be our go-to person for the
day-to-day money tasks. You will handle bookkeeping, AP and AR,
invoicing, and recordkeeping, and pitch in on general office work,
reporting straight to the owner. If you like variety and owning the
accounting basics for a small team, this is a great fit.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
•Keep the books current in [QuickBooks / your software]
•Handle AP and AR: invoices, bills, and payments
•Reconcile accounts and organize records
•Prepare simple reports for the owner
•Help with payroll prep and basic HR paperwork
•Support general office and admin tasks
•Work with our outside accountant or CPA at tax time
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
•Bookkeeping or accounting support experience
•Comfortable wearing several hats at a small company
•Strong with [QuickBooks / Xero / spreadsheets]
•Organized, accurate, and self-directed
•Trustworthy with confidential financial information
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
Benefits: [what you offer: __]
To apply, [send your resume to ].
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
FLSA, Pay, and Software
This is what the generic templates skip, and it is exactly what makes the difference between a posting that attracts the right people and one that does not: the correct overtime classification, an honest pay band, and the named software. Get these right and the rest of the posting works.
An accounting assistant is non-exempt and owed overtime
This is the part most templates leave out, and it has a real cost. An accounting assistant, bookkeeping assistant, or accounting clerk does routine, recurring accounting work, which does not meet the test for a white-collar exemption. Federal regulations say so directly: accounting clerks, bookkeepers, and other employees who normally perform a great deal of routine work generally will not qualify as exempt professionals. So the role is non-exempt and hourly, and you must pay overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a week. Budget for that from the start, track hours accurately, and classify the role non-exempt rather than paying a flat salary and skipping overtime. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm classification for your specific role.
Plan for the real, fully loaded cost of the hire
An accounting assistant is an hourly role, but it is still a deliberate, recurring cost for a small business. With the federal median around $23.66 an hour, or roughly $49,210 a year, plus payroll taxes and any benefits, the fully loaded cost commonly lands well above the base wage. Add overtime in busy stretches like month-end close or tax season, and the number rises further. Post a pay range that reflects your local market and the specific role, since an AP-heavy or bilingual role may command more, and a part-time arrangement is a common way smaller businesses bring this support on without a full-time commitment. Budget the all-in cost, not just the hourly rate. This is general information, not legal advice.
Name the accounting software you actually use
The single most useful line in this job description is the software requirement, because accounting assistants live in one system all day and a candidate trained on the wrong one ramps slowly. Name yours specifically, whether that is QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, FreshBooks, or Wave, rather than writing accounting software generically. If a particular certification matters to you, such as a QuickBooks proficiency credential or a bookkeeping certification, list it as preferred. Being concrete about the system filters for candidates who can be productive in week one and signals that the role is a real accounting position, not vague office help. It is the fastest way to improve the quality of applicants you attract.
This role touches sensitive money, so build in confidentiality
An accounting assistant sees bank accounts, payroll figures, vendor terms, and customer data, which means trust and confidentiality are part of the job, not an afterthought. Say so in the posting, and build it into onboarding with a confidentiality or financial-data acknowledgment the new hire signs, alongside the usual paperwork. For a small business where one person may handle much of the money flow, basic separation of duties and clear records also matter, so think about who reviews reconciliations and approves payments. Setting these expectations up front protects the business and tells serious candidates you run the function professionally. This is general information, not legal advice.
Routine Accounting Work Is Non-Exempt
Federal regulations state plainly that accounting clerks and bookkeepers who perform a great deal of routine work generally do not qualify as exempt professionals. So an accounting assistant is non-exempt and hourly, owed overtime over 40 hours a week. That is different from a degreed accountant or CPA, who may be exempt. Classify this role non-exempt and budget for overtime in busy periods like month-end and tax season.
Accounting assistant requirements should stay realistic for an entry-level-friendly, hourly role, leading with software fluency and accuracy rather than formal credentials, since this is an accessible hire that does not usually require a four-year degree.
Weak requirement
Strong requirement
Knows accounting software
Proficient in [QuickBooks / Xero / your specific system]
Detail-oriented
Accurate with data entry and reconciliations at volume
Some experience
[1+] years in bookkeeping, AP, AR, or accounting support
Good with computers
Comfortable with spreadsheets and accounting tools
Trustworthy
Discreet and reliable with confidential financial data
Keep every line job-related and the posting neutral, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on protected characteristics, and the SHRM job description tools describe a good job description as a plain-language summary of a position's tasks, duties, and responsibilities.
Accounting Assistant Pay
An accounting assistant is an hourly role, and setting a fair, competitive range starts with the federal baseline and adjusts for your market and the scope of the work.
Median $23.66 an Hour (BLS, May 2024)
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, the occupation that includes accounting assistants, had a median wage of $23.66 an hour, or $49,210 a year, in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under $34,600 and the highest 10 percent over $72,660. The occupation held about 1.6 million jobs, with around 170,000 openings projected each year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Aggregators that track the specific accounting assistant title often land a little lower, around $22 an hour, since they capture more entry-level postings. Pay rises with experience and with AP-heavy, bilingual, or specialized roles. National compensation surveys can help you set a range for your area. Remember to budget the fully loaded cost, since payroll taxes and any overtime push the all-in number above the base wage, and a part-time arrangement is a common way to bring this support on at a smaller scale.
Hiring an Accounting Assistant for a Small Business
For a small business, the accounting assistant is often the entire back office, and the owner or office manager usually writes the posting and runs the hire. The reality at that scale is broader than a corporate version of the role, and the posting should reflect it. Here is how to write it for a small-business reality. The broader steps are covered in the small business hiring guide.
At a small business, the accounting assistant is often the whole back office
At a large company an accounting assistant is one specialized seat in a big department, handling a narrow slice like AP. At a small business, the same title often covers the entire money operation: bookkeeping, AP and AR, invoicing, payroll prep, and a stack of general office tasks, all in one person reporting to the owner. Write the job description for that reality. A posting copied from a corporate accounting department describes a narrow role that will not match the variety your hire actually handles, and the candidate may be surprised by the scope. The small-business version of the template here is written for the wear-many-hats reality, so you attract someone who wants the variety rather than someone expecting a single lane.
Get the classification and the software right before you post
Two decisions make or break this hire. First, classify it correctly: an accounting assistant doing routine work is non-exempt and hourly, owed overtime, so do not put it on a flat salary and skip the overtime. Second, name your accounting software. These roles live inside one system, so a posting that says QuickBooks or Xero by name attracts candidates who can be productive immediately, while a generic accounting software line attracts a vaguer pool. Add the specific industry context too, since a dental office, a construction company, and a nonprofit each have accounting quirks worth naming. These small specifics, classification, software, and context, are exactly what the generic one-size templates skip and what makes your posting pull the right people.
Once you hire, onboarding a money role has a trust-and-access layer
Bringing on an accounting assistant means giving someone access to your financial systems and sensitive data quickly, so the onboarding is ordinary people operations plus a confidentiality layer: a signed offer, Form I-9 and tax forms, a confidentiality or financial-data acknowledgment, software access, and a structured first week on your accounting system and processes. FirstHR fits that people side for a small business: e-signature for the offer letter and the confidentiality acknowledgment, document management for signed forms and any certification copies, task workflows for the onboarding checklist, and training modules for software and policy. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not an accounting or bookkeeping system, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Because this role gets access to your financial systems and sensitive data quickly, the onboarding is ordinary people operations plus a trust layer: send the offer letter with the hourly rate and non-exempt status confirmed, collect the signed offer, complete Form I-9 within the first days along with the rest of the new hire paperwork, gather tax forms, and add a confidentiality acknowledgment.
Send the offer with pay and classification
Confirm the hourly rate, schedule, and non-exempt status in writing, since overtime and time tracking follow from the FLSA classification.
Collect paperwork and a confidentiality sign-off
Signed offer, Form I-9 and tax forms, and a confidentiality or financial-data acknowledgment, given the sensitive access this role has.
Set up software access and training
Access to your accounting system and a quick training path, so the new hire is productive in the tool from week one.
Run a structured first week
Walk through AP and AR processes, the close calendar, and who reviews and approves, with a clear onboarding checklist.
Then get them productive in the tools: access to your accounting software, a walk through your AP and AR processes and close calendar, and clarity on who reviews and approves, the kind of structured start an onboarding template can anchor. Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step. FirstHR connects the offer with e-signature, the confidentiality acknowledgment, document management for signed forms and certification copies, training modules for software and policy, and the onboarding task workflow in one place, so a small business can take a new accounting hire from accepted offer to productive. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not an accounting or bookkeeping tool, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
Match the template to the focus: general, bookkeeping assistant, clerk, AP, AR, or the small-business version, since the support core holds while the emphasis shifts.
Name your accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, FreshBooks, Wave) in the posting; it is the fastest way to attract candidates who are productive in week one.
An accounting assistant is non-exempt and hourly, owed overtime; routine accounting work does not qualify for a white-collar exemption.
Use BLS as a baseline: the role's median is $23.66 an hour, about $49,210 a year, with a range of roughly $34,600 to $72,660.
At a small business the role is often the whole back office, so write the small-business version for the wear-many-hats reality.
The role touches sensitive money, so build confidentiality into the posting and a signed acknowledgment into onboarding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an accounting assistant do?
An accounting assistant supports a company's day-to-day accounting with routine, hands-on tasks. The core work includes entering and coding financial transactions, helping process accounts payable and receivable, reconciling accounts, preparing invoices and deposits, maintaining organized financial records, and supporting the monthly close. At a small business, the role often expands to cover payroll prep and general office tasks too. The exact mix varies by setting: a bookkeeping assistant leans toward recording and reconciliations, an accounting clerk handles routine data entry and document processing, an AP assistant focuses on vendor invoices and payments, and an AR assistant handles customer invoicing and collections. Across all of them, it is a detail-focused, hourly support role that keeps the financial records accurate. This page offers a template for each version so you can match the posting to the work you actually need done.
Is an accounting assistant exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
An accounting assistant is non-exempt and paid hourly, which means the role is entitled to overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The work is routine, recurring accounting and clerical work, which does not meet the test for a white-collar exemption. Federal regulations are explicit on this point: accounting clerks, bookkeepers, and other employees who normally perform a great deal of routine work generally will not qualify as exempt professionals. That is different from a degreed accountant or a CPA, who may be exempt as a learned professional. So an accounting assistant, bookkeeping assistant, or accounting clerk should be classified non-exempt, paid hourly, and paid overtime, rather than put on a flat salary with no overtime. Classification always depends on the actual duties, so confirm for your specific role. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between an accounting assistant, an accounting clerk, and a bookkeeper?
The three overlap heavily and the lines are not rigid, but there are useful distinctions. An accounting clerk typically handles the most routine tasks, like data entry, processing invoices and payments, and filing, often in a single area. An accounting assistant is a slightly broader support role that may span AP, AR, reconciliations, and recordkeeping, and at a small business often covers all of them. A bookkeeper is generally a step up, owning the books more fully, recording all transactions, running reconciliations, and producing financial statements, with a full-charge bookkeeper handling the entire cycle independently. In federal data, accounting assistants, clerks, and bookkeepers all fall under the same occupation, bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, which reflects how much they overlap. Choose the title that matches the scope and seniority you need, and use the matching template here.
How much does an accounting assistant make?
An accounting assistant is an hourly role paid below the national wage median for all jobs. The closest federal occupation, bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, had a median wage of $23.66 an hour, or $49,210 a year, in May 2024 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the lowest 10 percent under $34,600 and the highest 10 percent over $72,660. Salary aggregators that track the specific accounting assistant title tend to land a bit lower, often around $22 an hour or in the mid-forties annually, since they capture more entry-level postings. Pay varies by region, industry, and the scope of the role, and an AP-heavy, bilingual, or more experienced role may command more. Set your range using the BLS figure as a baseline and adjust for your local market. Remember to budget for the fully loaded cost including payroll taxes and any overtime.
What software should an accounting assistant know?
The most important thing is to name the specific accounting software your business uses, since accounting assistants work inside one system all day and a candidate trained on a different one ramps more slowly. The most common small-business systems are QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, FreshBooks, and Wave, and QuickBooks in particular is near-universal among small US businesses. Beyond the core accounting platform, comfort with spreadsheets is essential, and familiarity with any payroll, expense, or document tools you use is a plus. If a certification matters to you, such as a QuickBooks proficiency credential or a bookkeeping certification, list it as preferred rather than required to keep your candidate pool wide. Naming your actual software in the job description is the single fastest way to attract candidates who can be productive in their first week rather than spending weeks learning your system.
Does a small business need an accounting assistant?
Many small businesses do, once the financial tasks grow past what the owner can comfortably handle alone. Almost every small business has accounts payable and receivable, invoicing, payroll support, and bookkeeping to manage, and an accounting assistant is a common, affordable way to keep those accurate without hiring a full accountant or controller. At a small company the role is often the entire back office: one person handling bookkeeping, AP and AR, invoicing, and some office work, reporting to the owner. A part-time arrangement is a common starting point for the smallest businesses, scaling to full-time as volume grows. The role is a practical first or second finance hire for a growing small business, and far more in budget than the manager or controller tier. Match the scope to your needs using the small-business template here. This is general information, not legal advice.
What qualifications does an accounting assistant need?
An accounting assistant role is typically open to candidates without a four-year degree, which makes it an accessible hire. Most employers look for a high school diploma, with accounting coursework or an associate degree as a plus rather than a requirement, along with some bookkeeping or accounting support experience. The practical must-haves are comfort with your accounting software, strong attention to detail and accuracy, good organization, basic spreadsheet skills, and trustworthiness with confidential financial information. For more specialized versions, an AP or AR assistant benefits from experience in that specific workflow, and a bookkeeping assistant from reconciliation experience. Certifications like a QuickBooks proficiency credential or a bookkeeping certification are nice to have but rarely required. Keep the requirements realistic for an entry-level-friendly, hourly role, and prioritize accuracy and software fluency over formal credentials. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should an accounting assistant job description include?
A strong accounting assistant job description starts by naming the specific version, whether general, bookkeeping, clerk, AP, or AR, then includes a short company summary, a job summary, and responsibilities grouped into data entry and records, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and reconciliation and support. It should name your accounting software specifically, state the required experience and skills realistically for an entry-level-friendly role, and note the non-exempt, hourly classification, which is the part most templates skip. Add a pay range based on your market and the BLS baseline, mention the confidentiality expected given the financial access, and include an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions. The most valuable specifics, the ones that improve applicant quality, are the named software, the realistic requirements, and an honest pay range. This is general information, not legal advice.
