Although other segments of the business world have mostly embraced automation, accountants have been slow to do the same. Those who bill by the hour hesitate because they fear that automating some tasks will result in fewer billable hours. At the same time, they have concerns about the higher expenses involved with purchasing automation software.

However, automation can benefit most accountants if they think of it in terms of freeing up their time and their mind to provide clients with clearer guidance and professional analysis. Below are brief descriptions of how accounting firms can benefit when choosing to automate accounting tasks.

 

Invoicing

Receiving payment for their services is the whole reason accountants went into business in the first place. Unfortunately, preparing invoices by hand is time-consuming and not always accurate. Numerous invoicing software programs exist to make this task much easier for accountants and small business owners in all fields. With a program to check the numbers and send invoices automatically by email or postal mail, online invoicing programs couldn’t be easier to use even for beginners.

 

Expense Tracking

Holding onto every receipt isn’t always practical, even when accountants can find space in their office to store them. Electronic scanning and storage offer a much more efficient solution because it helps to automate accounting tasks. Many types of expense tracking software automatically link with major accounting software for even greater ease of use. This type of automation can be especially useful at tax time since it can find expenses accountants might have forgotten to include or itemize.

 

Data Entry

Data entry is a tedious, time-consuming task prone to human error. It would be a better use of an accountant’s time to use character recognition software to scan documents instead. The software automatically converts and stores the documents after scanning them. Should any accuracy concerns arise, accountants just need to compare the actual document to the images on the computer screen and make corrections if necessary.

 

Automated Phone Calls

Sometimes situations come up that require an accountant to notify dozens of clients at the same time. For those who prefer to call clients rather than sending an email, recording a single message and sending it to the affected clients in an automated phone call can save considerable time. The automated phone call system recognizes voicemail prompts and will leave a message for any clients who don’t answer the call.

 

Join the Professional Accounting Small Business Administration to Learn More Tips

PABSA is a membership organization that connects people in the accounting field from across the United States. You benefit from the experience of your fellow members as well as seminars, PABSA resources, and more. Please contact us to learn more about the benefits of joining PABSA or request to become a member today.