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How large does a company need to be to hire a controller?
Large as in terms of revenue, etc
A very small company will need a staff bookkeeper who may wear other hats, like role of manager.

When the bookkeeper wants a title upgrade. It's just a title to me.

IDunnoItDepends wrote:When the bookkeeper wants a title upgrade. It's just a title to me.

A controller should not be burdened with the menial everyday tasks best left to a bookkeeper.

IDunnoItDepends wrote:When the bookkeeper wants a title upgrade. It's just a title to me.

Nonsense and that isn't the role of a controller. Most bookkeepers do not have the first clue about anything a controller does other than being the "accounting boss." A bookkeeper may also be called an accounting clerk--they do the daily, monotonous transaction-based work.

I do outsourced controllership for various companies. Current and prior have all been mid-6 to 8 figure companies, so no magic number.

juro wrote:

IDunnoItDepends wrote:When the bookkeeper wants a title upgrade. It's just a title to me.

A controller should not be burdened with the menial everyday tasks best left to a bookkeeper.

Some bookkeepers would be offended that you called their tasks menial. We've seen good and bad bookkeepers, and the good ones are skilled. It's all titles.

fair enough, but there needs to be a person who can talk direct to mgmt, & see forest for the trees.

IDunnoItDepends wrote:It's all titles.

A controller is the "top dog" accountant--they set the policies and controls, oversee all accounting functions, analytics, should have a decent understanding of taxation to properly manage tax compliance, be forward thinking, etc. Yes, some bookkeepers have these skills but they're few and far between and that is why most controllers are CPAs, but they certainly at minimum have at least one accounting degree.

Given most bookkeepers I encounter can barely reconcile a bank account, it is not just titles. I did, somehow, get quite lucky in the bookkeepers I hired but they also have many years experience. Still, they could suddenly become controllers.

If the client expects 3rd party financing, investors or has multiple owners, then a bookkeeper wont cut it when the shoe inevitably drops.

deniz wrote:If the client expects 3rd party financing, investors or has multiple owners, then a bookkeeper wont cut it when the shoe inevitably drops.

why not?

indeed??

juro wrote:

deniz wrote:If the client expects 3rd party financing, investors or has multiple owners, then a bookkeeper wont cut it when the shoe inevitably drops.

why not?

Because someone is going to want to see a credential behind the name. It is one of the reasons I decided to become a CPA despite never wanting to be one!

When you hit the asset threshold where you move from SBSE to LB&I IRS jurisdiction: :$10M in assets. You might move sooner but definitely not later.