---
title: "Bookkeeping: Meaning for Small Business Owners | Peachtree VA"
description: "Bookkeeping is the process of recording and categorizing a business's financial transactions so its books are accurate and up to date."
url: https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/glossary/bookkeeping
publisher: Peachtree VA
book: https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/contact
---

Bookkeeping

# Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping is the process of recording and categorizing a business's financial transactions so its books are accurate and up to date.

Bookkeeping is the daily and monthly record keeping behind your finances. A bookkeeper enters sales, expenses, payments and deposits, then sorts them into categories from your [chart of accounts](https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/glossary/chart-of-accounts). They match records to bank statements in a [bank reconciliation](https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/glossary/bank-reconciliation).

Good books show you where money comes from and goes. They support pricing, tax filing, loans and planning. Bad books hide problems until a deadline. Most small businesses use software such as [QuickBooks Online](https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/glossary/quickbooks-online) to keep the records.

Peachtree VA's bookkeepers work alongside your CPA and aim to close the prior month's books and provide financial statements by the fifth business day of the new month. Learn more about our [bookkeeping services](https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/bookkeeping). Keeping the books current each month is much easier than rebuilding a full year at tax time.

[Peachtree VA can helpOutsourced bookkeeping for small business](https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/bookkeeping)

## Related terms

-   [Bookkeeper vs accountant](https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/glossary/bookkeeper-vs-accountant)
-   [Bank reconciliation](https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/glossary/bank-reconciliation)
-   [Chart of accounts](https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/glossary/chart-of-accounts)
-   [Month-end close](https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/glossary/month-end-close)

## Get your week back.

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[Book a free strategy call](https://peachtreeva.multisites.ai/contact)[or email info@peachtreeva.com](mailto:info@peachtreeva.com)

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