• Accounting assistants must have at least a high school diploma to work.Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images
  
  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the field of bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks is expected to increase 10 percent from 2008 to 2018. The expectant growth is due to an increase of financial transactions. Accounting assistants, or accounting clerks, are employed in accounting departments of businesses. To perform duties, accounting assistants need clerical and computer skills. Also, they must have an understanding of tax law, basic business and bookkeeping principles and accounting knowledge.
  
  

Accounting Duties

• Accounting assistants follow accounting procedures and perform repetitive and routine bookkeeping and clerical accounting duties. In other words, accounting assistants are responsible for entry-level accounting work such as posting detailed transactions. For instance, the assistants may keep track of business loans to make sure they are accurate and up to date. Before completing any transactions, the accounting assistants verify items such as bank statements to make sure they are accurate. If there are any mistakes, the accounting assistants make the necessary corrections and balance the accounts. Also, they prepare invoices such as checks, documents and requisitions. Before the invoices are sent out, the accounting assistants may have to obtain approval from their supervisor or supervising accountant. They also maintain and make adjustments to company's records. These records include time reports, payroll, property records and journals.
  
  

Accounting Clerical Duties

• Accounting assistants typically perform clerical duties such as opening and sorting incoming mail for documents such as bills or checks. For instance, assistants compile checks, credit and debt transactions that are later entered into the appropriate accounts. The assistants are responsible for typing documents. Another duty for accounting assistants is filing away documents like invoices or checks. They also enter information such as money amounts into their employers' databases.
  
  

Administrative Duties

• Besides accounting duties, accounting assistants perform administrative tasks. For instance, assistants answer telephone calls concerning their work being performed, according to the Job Explorer. Accounting assistants refer more complicated accounting work to their supervisors. They record all the accounting transactions coming into the departments. For example, they post all debits and credits to different business accounts and ensure the accounts are balanced. Also, accounting assistants are responsible for creating and preparing financial reports such as department financial summaries for their supervisors or accountants. Accounting assistants working with payroll checks are responsible for sorting payroll checks to go to various departments.