Difference Between Bookkeeping vs Accounting
Both Bookkeeping vs Accounting are related and constitute a primary part of a particular Business. Maintaining and storing transaction details related to business in a chronological manner is known as the act of BookKeeping. Whereas accounting involves interpreting, analyzing, classifying, and reporting financial data related to business transactions so as to interpret business conditions in a proper manner. The primary part of Accounting deals with Bookkeeping or recorded financial transactions, and the later part includes analyzing and reporting those financial data.
On a very surface level, it’s not easy to discriminate between Bookkeeping vs Accounting, but the experts can really know the difference between Bookkeeping vs Accounting. Professionals who are engaged in maintaining Accounts know that the treatment is not the same. For example- If a Business Sells goods worth INR 100000 to X Ltd at credit and receives 60% after 30 days, then the Bookkeeping part would only constitute recording the Sales number and recording the Cash received in the figure. On the other hand, in Accounting the Sales number will be posted in the Income Statement under Revenue, and the Accounts Receivable will be increased by INR 100000 within the next thirty days till a part of the Sales is received as cash. While after receiving INR 60000 or 60% of the total Sales, Cash would increase by INR 60000, and Accounts Receivable would decrease by INR 60000.
Head to Head Comparison Between Bookkeeping vs Accounting (Infographics)
Below is the top 8 differences between Bookkeeping vs Accounting.
Key Differences between Bookkeeping vs Accounting
Both Bookkeeping vs Accounting are popular choices in the market; let us discuss some of the major Differences Between Bookkeeping vs Accounting:
- Bookkeeping is the art of recording transactions of business as per the Date. On the other hand, Accounting consists of classifying, segregating, analyzing, and reporting of transactions recorded by a bookkeeper. Basically, Bookkeeping can be termed as maintaining of raw data and it’s being processed through the subject of Accountancy.
- A business cannot be judged by the data accumulated through bookkeeping until and unless it is being processed through Accounting. In other words, Accounting acts as a bridge between Bookkeeping and Management decisions.
- A bookkeeper may or may not require the knowledge of Accounting; he/ she can follow a certain mechanical process to maintain the task of Bookkeeping. Whereas analyzing, classifying, interpreting, and segregating accounting data need knowledge of Accounting and Finance. The functional part includes studying and classifications of Accounting heads/ groups.
- The process of Bookkeeping is followed by Accounting. On the other hand, Accounting is followed by Management accounting, where they get to know about different types of financial ratios; based upon these ratios, the management can make strategic changes and modifications to the business, which are both long-term and short-term in nature.
- Bookkeeping includes the Supplier’s Ledger, customer’s ledger, and general ledger, whereas Accounting involves the preparation of Financial Statements like Income statements, Balance sheets, and Cash flows. The finalization of accounting needs to be done by an accountant, and it should be verified through the Auditing process.
- Bookkeeping is generally checked by the Accountants before they are prepared for the Financials statements.
Comparison Table of Bookkeeping vs Accounting
Below is the topmost comparison between Bookkeeping vs Accounting
| Basis of Comparison | Bookkeeping | Accounting |
| Meaning | Related to identifying, measuring, and recording financial transactions in a business. | Related to the process of summarizing, interpreting, analyzing, and communicating through Ledger and journal. |
| Objectives | The primary objectives of Bookkeeping involve storing financial transactions in a chronological manner. | Segregating and Posting Financial data under proper heads and interpreting business from the ongoing financial transactions. |
| Management Decision | Not possible to take business decisions from the data available from Book-Keeping because most of them are scattered data. | As the primary function involves classifying and grouping data, it is very easy for the management to know the health of the Business and to take unbiased strategies for improvement. |
| Financial Statement Preparation | Financial Statements are not prepared through the bookkeeping process. | Financial statements like Income statements, Balance-sheet; Cash flows are made from the Accounting process. |
| Qualifications and Skills | Bookkeeping does not require any additional skill set; an undergraduate can do the process. | Accounting knowledge is required due to the complexity of the process. A person with sound accounting and Finance knowledge is suitable to perform the job. |
| Analysis and interpreting | Bookkeeping involves the only recording of financial transactions in a chronological and systemic manner. | After the classifications of the journal and ledger, proper analysis and classifications are required, which are again forwarded for reporting to different functional segments of an organization. |
| Types | Bookkeeping can further be divided into two different types, namely Single entry, and Double-entry bookkeeping. | Types of accounting can broadly be classified as Corporate accounting and Management accounting. |
| Difference between Book Keepers and Accountants | Bookkeepers are basically professionals who deal with Book-keeping. They have been accurate, need knowledge about day-to-day accounting transactions, should follow the chronology, etc. Their jobs are generally approved by an Accountant. | Accountants should have knowledge of Accounting, Finance, and Commerce as a whole. Should require holding at least a bachelor’s degree in Commerce or a diploma in Accountancy. They are overseen by a Chartered Accountant. |
Conclusion
For maintaining the day-to-day transactions in every business or non-profit entity, a reliable procedure is required which can store data in a chronological manner that could support the principles of financial accounting. Thus this system of recording transactions is called bookkeeping. Bookkeeping can further be divided into a double-entry and single-entry system. The single-entry system consists of only Cash-book, whereas the Double entry system has a financial accounting system where every single entry has different on two different nominal ledgers. Accounting, on the other hand, deals with a bigger picture where they bridge the gap with Book-keeping and Management Accounting which helps the management teams to take decisions on the basis of different ratios, different financial reports, and corporate accounting data. Both Bookkeeping vs Accounting go side by side and constitute an integral part of any organization, be it a profitable or non-profitable organization.
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This is a guide to Bookkeeping vs Accounting. Here we also discuss the Bookkeeping vs Accounting key differences with infographics and comparison tables. You may also have a look at the following articles –
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