I’m currently looking to do a home study book-keeping course. I’ve looked at the AAT website, and although it seems quite expensive and time consuming to do, I’m keen to get started so I’ll probably bite the bullet and pay up. Are there any other accounting courses similar to the AAT? Also what do IAB and ICB stand for? Thanks in advance
IAB stands for the International Association of Book-keepers. The ICB stands for the Institute of Certified Book-keepers.The IAB and ICB offer professional book-keeping qualifications, whereas as the AAT offers junior level accounting qualifications. You may also want to look at the Certified Accounting Technician Qualification (CAT) which is offered by the ACCA, and is similar to the AAT.
First post on the forum, certainly wont be the last I'm sure! It is the only one I have found that concentrates on bookkeeping and am impressed with it.
I have just finished the ICB Level I Basic Bookkeeping course and sent off my application for the final assignment today..so hopefully, in a few weeks I would like to think I'll be getting news that I have passed the exam and be on the road to being a qualified bookkeeper!
I do not work as a bookkeeper but my aim is to set up as a bookkeeper working from home. The ICB course has taught me a lot but have gained no practical experience. I am at present getting the money together to buy the Bookcert Business Kit; self study courses dont tell you how to setup and run a business either unfortunately.
I would like to know if anyone has used the Bookcert kit and how useful they found it.
Hi Robbie, I was in your position last year. I wanted to start a business I could run from home. I choose bookkeeping because there seemed to be a lot of demand for it. I signed up with the IAB (similar to ICB) and although it taught me the basics of accounting, I didn't have a clue how to run a bookkeeping business when I finished.
I found the Bookcert website and it seemed to be what I was looking for. I sent off for the Bookcert Business Kit and found it to be exactly what it said on the tin. It got me up and running quickly and I obtained my first client within the first week using it's '6 target group marketing strategy'. It also included all the forms and management tools I needed i.e timesheets, CPD etc. I also found the support from the mentoring team helpful with any queries I had.
Hope this helps. It will be hard work building a business, but believe me it will be worth it.
Hi Danny, thanks for letting me know about Bookcert. It is encouraging to know that the Bookcert kit will help me start up on my own. I certainly dont mind working hard to achieve my goal..when you think of all the years that you slog your guts out for others, it'd be nice change to get the rewards for your endeavours.
I shall carry on with the ICB qualifications because a lot of small business people I've spoken to would rather use the services of someone who has a recognised qualification.
Thanks again for replying to my post and much success with your business.
I'll let people know how I'm getting on with the kit.
I'm a newbie to this forum and in the same situation and had the same thought you had 3 months ago, so I'd be interested to know how you're progressing.
Thanks for asking how things are going. I sent off a cheque last week for my Business Kit and am just waiting for it to arrive. Unfortunately, I hadn't got the spare cash to buy the Business kit when I first posted so have had to wait until now to get it. Sorry to say I cant give you any info on it at the moment!
I am plodding along doing the ICB Bookkeeping course at the moment and I hope my studies combined with the kit will give me the confidence, skills etc to start up on my own.
I will let people know how it's going if they are interested.
I received the Bookcert kit a couple of weeks ago but have only had chance to start it a few days ago.
I've done my fair share of home study courses over the years and I think for the money, Bookcert is very good value. The quality of the materials is excellent, as are the course contents. If you have no bookkeeping experience I think the contents of the kit, combined with the software will do as advertised..help you setup your own business. Having already completed a level I bookkeeping course, I've found the kit better in some respects at teaching you certain aspects of bookkeeping than the course I studied.
If you are determined to start up your own bookkeeping business, have no idea how to set one up, the kit in my opinion is worth buying for that purpose.
I have had plenty of experience in basic bookkeeping (degree & CIMA training) so was not such much interested in the study part. Is the kit worth buying / value for money for just the help in setting up a business? Also have you done anything yet regarding the website offer they offer?
That's a difficult question for me to answer. My bookkeeping knowledge is basic so the Bookcert kit is helping to reinforce what I've learnt and has increased my confidence in regard to setting up on my own. Half the course deals with the bookkeeping aspect, which you are sorted with, the other half relates to setting up your business. Apart from giving that half of the kit a quick scan, I wouldn't like to say whether or not you'd get full VFM from buying it just for the business set-up part. I'm sure there must be other people who have good bookkeeping qualifications who have bought the kit just for that reason. Hopefully, someone who has done so will post a message which will be more helpful.
As for the website they offer, I will set it up as soon as I am ready to start trading, but I have just opened an account at Dataflame.co.uk and am in the process of creating my website.
