How do I become a bookkeeper?

"To make a career of it you might like to think about getting a qualification from The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). Then look at software. A bookkeeping course has traditionally used Sage. This does not, however, mean that Sage is the best. Quickbooks is very well worth looking at as most small businesses find it much ore productive than Sage. Many companies have invested in Sage and then find that it too difficult for them to use and are therefore looking for a bookeeper to do it for them. That is why you might need to be conversant with Sage. The toughest combination is Apple and Sage as Sage does not run on an Apple but people buy the combination because they think it is the best. So you also need experience in running windows on a Mac. On-line versions of Quickbooks are now becoming a viable alternative for many businesses. You can have a free trial I believe." - 18-06-2014 08:29

"I have just completed an ICB Affiliate (AfICB) bookkeeping qualification with Academy for Distance Learning http://adlonlinecourses.com/business-management-and-accounting/bookkeeping-and-accounting/icb-bookkeeping-courses. This L2 course is the first step to becoming a qualified bookkeeper. ADL courses are really good and my tutor was very patient giving lots of extra resources." - 18-06-2014 11:59

"If you just want to study bookkeeping then you should register with the ICB (http://bookkeepers.org.uk) They have a list of course providers.
However, if you want to go further and study accounts then I would start by enroling on an HNC/HND in accounts in your nearest participating college or uni. From there you can go on to study the finals for ACCA or CIMA and become a Chartered Accountant or Certified Management Accountant.

If you wish to study bookkeeping on a distance learning program I would suggest doing this through Kaplan Financial or NCC homelearning." - 20-06-2014 12:41