Explanation of table headings[edit]

Country
The country the bookkeeping association represents. Where a bookkeeping association is
represented in more than one country, there should be a separate entry for each country it
represents.
Body
The full registered name of the bookkeeping association
By Unsupervised Exam
An exam where no independent verification is made that the exam was taken without help.
By Supervised Exam
An exam is taken and supervised by independent personnel
By Experience
The qualification is issued based on the experience of the person and no exam is taken. That
person has provided the required evidence of their experience.
By Licence
The person buys the right to use a title identifying them as a bookkeeper but no evidence of
experience or examinations is requested or required.

Bookkeeping associations are founded to provide support and standards for

the bookkeeping industry. This is achieved by creating common standards for the industry that
bookkeepers can work towards and that allow the users of bookkeepers to know what level of
knowledge a bookkeeper they hire has.
The definition of a bookkeeper is broad and wide and open to interpretation. Each country can have
its own standards and anyone can call themselves a bookkeeper while not having any qualifications
or knowledge of the industry. The method of obtaining a bookkeeping qualification vary. A person
can to pay a fee and not have to sit exams, obtain a qualification based on your experience, sit
examinations without supervision, or sit examinations fully supervised in an exam hall or in a
computer environment training exam centre. In many countries there are competing bookkeeper
associations, but their qualifications are achieved in different ways and their knowledge levels can
be different.
Bookkeeping associations can provide help on bookkeeping issues, tax issues, legal issues and
professional development for their members. They can also lobby on behalf of their members to help
promote their interests. They can as a body promote the standards of bookkeeping and market the
benefits of using a qualified bookkeeper.