QuickBooks Virtual Assistant

A bookkeeper at $70/hour in Australia does the exact same work as a QuickBooks VA in the Philippines earning $12/hour. Same software, same results, one-sixth the cost. That's why we've placed 500+ QuickBooks assistants since 2019.

What is a QuickBooks Virtual Assistant?

Someone who manages your books remotely using QuickBooks software. They do data entry, run reports, reconcile accounts, chase invoices, categorise expenses. The usual bookkeeping work. The only difference: they're not in your office, and they're cheaper.

Why It Matters

Most SMEs are doing their own books or paying an accountant $5,000+ a month. A competent QuickBooks VA costs $400–600/month full-time and actually knows what they're doing. Here's what you get:

• Your time back: Stop entering receipts into spreadsheets. That's not a core business task.
• Fewer mistakes: Trained bookkeepers catch errors before they become ATO nightmares. That alone's worth the cost.
• Clear picture of your money: Monthly reports tell you what's actually happening. Cash flow in real time, not six months later.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Data Entry: Transactions, invoices, receipts into QuickBooks. Done right, not rushed.
• Reports: P&L, balance sheet, cash flow—whatever you need to understand your business.
• Bank Reconciliation: Matching your bank feeds to your records. Catches discrepancies, doesn't just rubber-stamp everything.
• Invoices and AR: Creating invoices, sending them, chasing late payers, tracking what's outstanding.
• Expense Categorization: Organizing costs so you see where money's going. Helps at tax time, helps with budgeting.
• Tax Prep: Gathering documents and organizing data so your accountant isn't charging $200/hour to sort your mess.

How to Hire a QuickBooks Virtual Assistant

• Know what you need: How many transactions per week? Tax prep help? Full-time or part-time? Be specific.
• Check credentials: Look for QuickBooks certification or equivalent. Ask for references from actual businesses, not just a LinkedIn profile.
• Talk to them: Call, don't email. You need to know if they understand your business and if communication works. Timezone matters.
• Use ShoreAgents or similar: Don't hire random freelancers. Use a proper BPO that handles NBI clearance, contracts, equipment, and continuity.
• Try before you commit: Most good companies offer a trial month. Use it. If it doesn't work, say so.

Cost Considerations

In the Philippines, you're looking at $12–18/hour for a solid QuickBooks VA with experience. Full-time, that's roughly $2,000–3,000/month depending on hours and complexity.

Compare that to Australia: a bookkeeper costs $70–90/hour, plus 11.5% superannuation, plus equipment, plus payroll tax. A full-time bookkeeper runs $7,500–10,000/month. And you can't easily scale down if work fluctuates.

Cost factors:

• Experience: Someone with 5 years' experience costs more than someone with 1 year. Worth it if you have complex books.
• Volume: If you're only 20 hours a week, hire part-time. Don't pay for full-time if you don't need it.
• Specialization: If you need multi-currency handling or specific industry knowledge, expect to pay premium rates.

Why the Philippines and ShoreAgents?

I've been hiring offshore since 2012. I started at REMAX. The Philippines works because:

• Talent pool: Serious accountancy training. Bachelors in Accounting are the norm, not the exception. People take bookkeeping seriously.
• Clark Freeport Zone: Stable, professional, low turnover. Not Manila chaos. NBI clearance required, contracts enforced, proper employment law.
• English: Actually speaks English. Not "English-adjacent." Can explain a problem over Zoom, understand nuance, ask clarifying questions.
• Cost without compromising quality: Lower cost of living means you pay less, but you're not getting inexperienced kids. You're getting professionals who chose this work.
• Timezone advantage: Philippines is close to Australian time. You can have someone working your hours with overlap for problem-solving.

ShoreAgents handles the recruiting, contracts, and continuity. You get someone ready to work, not a hiring project.

Tools and Platforms Used

• QuickBooks Online: Cloud-based, everyone can access it. No software licensing headaches.
• Slack: For quick questions and updates. No email ping-pong.
• Zoom: For serious conversations about problems or processes. Text doesn't always cut it.
• Trello or Asana: If you have multiple tasks running. Keeps everyone clear on what's due when.

Conclusion

Bookkeeping isn't glamorous, but it's critical. Your books have to be right, or you're flying blind. Hiring someone competent to own this frees you to actually run your business. That's the whole point.

Ready to stop doing your own books? Talk to us about finding the right bookkeeping VA.