Outsourced bookkeeping that hands your accountant clean books every month

Hand the books to one trained assistant who keeps them current every week. We recruit, employ and manage them, from around $8.80 an hour.

Bills, invoices and the bank, done every week

Your Sunday nights stop going on receipts. Your assistant records the transactions, matches the bank feed, sends the invoices and chases the late ones. At month-end the reports are waiting for you.

  • Bills entered and payments queued for your approval
  • Invoices sent and overdue ones chased
  • Bank and card accounts reconciled every week

Your accountant gets clean records, not a shoebox of receipts

Your assistant isn't your accountant and doesn't replace one. They keep the day-to-day records, so your accountant can file the GST, BAS, VAT or tax return without a catch-up bill.

A firm bills by the hour. Your assistant keeps the books every week.

Doing the books yourself costs your evenings. A bookkeeping firm bills by the hour and fits you into its queue. A dedicated assistant works in your software every week from around $8.80 an hour, up to 70% below a local hire.

Behind on your books? The catch-up comes first.

If the bank hasn't been reconciled in months, your assistant starts there: receipts gathered, transactions coded, accounts matched. Then the weekly routine takes over.

One assistant who learns your suppliers and how you code things

The same assistant works on your books every week and learns your suppliers, your customers and how you code things. If they're away, a trained backup steps in. If the fit isn't right, we rematch you.

What your bookkeeping assistant handles

  • Bills entered and payments queued for your approval
  • Invoices sent and overdue ones chased
  • Bank and card accounts reconciled
  • Receipts matched to transactions
  • Expenses coded to the right accounts
  • GST, BAS, VAT or sales tax transactions tagged for your accountant
  • Payroll data prepared for your approval
  • Monthly profit and loss, balance sheet and aged receivables
  • Catch-up on months of unreconciled transactions

By the numbers

  • $8.80/hr — Starting rate on a monthly plan
  • 1 — Dedicated assistant on your books
  • 2 weeks — Most clients are onboarded within two weeks
  • 3,000+ — Businesses served in Singapore, Australia, the UK and the US

Frequently Asked Questions

What is outsourced bookkeeping?

Outsourced bookkeeping means someone outside your payroll keeps your day-to-day financial records: bills, invoices, bank reconciliations and monthly reports. With us that's one dedicated bookkeeping assistant who works in your accounting software, and we recruit, employ and manage them.

How does outsourced bookkeeping work with Catalyst?

You give your assistant a user login to your accounting software and a way to send receipts. Each week they record transactions, reconcile the bank and chase invoices. Each month you get the reports, and your accountant gets clean records.

How much does outsourced bookkeeping cost?

From around $8.80 an hour on a monthly plan, part-time or full-time. A bookkeeping firm usually bills by the hour or by transaction volume; with us you pay for your assistant's hours, not per transaction.

Is a bookkeeping assistant the same as an accountant?

No. Your assistant keeps the records; your accountant files the tax returns, signs off the accounts and gives the advice. You keep your accountant, and they spend less time on catch-up.

Can a virtual assistant really do my bookkeeping?

For the day-to-day records, yes: data entry, reconciliation, invoicing and reports in Xero or QuickBooks. Tax filing and advice stay with your accountant, who reviews the books your assistant keeps.

Which accounting software do your bookkeeping assistants use?

The one you use: Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, FreshBooks, Wave, Zoho Books, Sage or NetSuite. Tell us on the call and we'll match an assistant who knows it.

My books are months behind. Can you still help?

Yes. Your assistant starts with the catch-up: gathering receipts, coding transactions and reconciling the accounts. Once the books are current, the weekly routine takes over.

How do I give my bookkeeper access safely?

Through your accounting software's user roles. Give your bookkeeper a role without the right to send payments, so every payment still needs your approval. You can remove access whenever you like.

What if my bookkeeper is away or isn't the right fit?

If your assistant is away, a trained backup steps in so the books don't fall behind. If the fit isn't right, we rematch you.

Helpful guides

Hire a virtual assistant by location

Bookkeeping by industry