Jump to content

French book-keeping


Inquisitive
 Share

Recommended Posts

Just wondered if anyone had any recommendations for any literature regarding the french book keeping system - have worked as an accountant in England for years and am interested in learning the french system so as to possibly offer this as a service, prior to the accounts being finalised by a proper french accountant. Would this be practical?

Many thanks   Claire

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Practical? Well it would depend on how much you are charging and how much of a reduction someone would get from a french accountant by handing in books that were all ready and  made up properly.

I can't see anyone wanting to end up paying more than they would have to to just an accountant.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With so many Brits around why don't you try approaching French accountants asking if they would let you work for them as book-keeper  + client liaison as necessary.

I 'think' that there is a scheme whereby you could be self employed working as a sub-contractor - but  don't believe just me.

Good luck

Joh

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Joh

Very good idea (how nice to get positive feedback) - and worth pursuing - for some reason I still think they operate a different accounting system, which is really what I'm after finding out about.  It wasn't actually a form of competition that I was suggesting, merely doing the donkey work (sorting the shoeboxes of reciepts, etc) and preparing basic accounts to then be processed by bonafide french accountants for tax returns.

If anyone does know more about the french system I would be really grateful to hear from them.   Claire

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Owens88 suggestions sounds like a good idea. From what I can gather the accountants here already do the donkey work. I have seen the 'accounts' my friend gives to her accountant without a thought, she says that they get paid enough, let them sort it all out. And frankly she would only take someone on to sort it all out if it was going to save her money.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Inquisitive"]

Just wondered if anyone had any recommendations for any literature regarding the french book keeping system - have worked as an accountant in England for years and am interested in learning the french system so as to possibly offer this as a service, prior to the accounts being finalised by a proper french accountant. Would this be practical?

Many thanks   Claire

[/quote]

 

First get hold of a 'Plan comptable' They are available in most bookshops (about 5Euros at the most) and updated fairly frequently as and when some major piece of legislation comes in. If not available from local 'libraire' go on www.fnac.fr, navigate yourself through the 'livres' section, until you reach 'comptabilité/gestion'

You will need this Plan comptable as Accounts in France are set up to a rigid uniform pattern. i.e. in my bookeeping system (in UK)  Fixed Assets (say Vehicles) are coded to A/C 111561 but next door's business for all I know could be in A/C 15611. In France everyone has same A/C affiliated for that.

Also there are a few things that are not accounted quite the same way as in UK. So you will need to forget the best part of your UK accounting experience and learn again. I am sorry if I have deflated your hopesslightly ...

Ask your local 'college/lycée technique' if they do basic book-keeping course up to the level of CAP. More or less equivalent to an AAT foundation/intermediate. Just to get you on the right track...

Only thing still the same as in UK is the trebble entry : Debit, Credit, Shred it !! [:D]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe the fixed chart of accounts as above has survived the 35 years since my knowledge was current but

 

Accelerated depreciation for tax purposes, AKA writing down allowances, has to included in the statutory accounts which lead to some interesting entries on consolidation,

 

All entries had to be put through the journal, which explains some of the joys of SAP

 

All corrections to estimates used for the accounts  no matter how small had to be put through ‘Profits and Cost of previous years’

 

It took me ten minutes using a mixture of French, Dutch, German, and Kswahili to discover that Payroll was ‘Liste de Paye’

 

If you need to shred it don't record it except for Ma Malade

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back in the bad old days when I was an FCCA we had nightmares over the accounts of our French subsidiary. One "Plan Comptable" set for the tax man and another for consolidation plus the nightmares of reconciling 2 different profit figures. But I have no idea as to the size/type of business when "plan c" kicks in.

Why not have a chat with your friendly bank manager, he will be able to point you towards local accountants to approach - they can only say non.

John

not

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...