It’s not clear whether Ebenezer Scrooge and the bullied and bemused Bob Cratchit were accountants in the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol.
But they conjure up a certain image of frock-coated middle-aged men, poring over dusty ledgers in a gloomy office while entering figures with a quill pen.
Well, that was then, and this is now. The accountancy profession has embraced the digital age with a vengeance and that image is as outdated as the abacus.
While calculators have come and gone to be replaced with computer screens with spreadsheets and digital documents, these, in turn, have been replaced with the very latest in cloud technology.
How can cloud-based apps help?
Accountancy apps are sophisticated and time-saving, allowing accountants to concentrate on other matters like developing the business and attracting new clients and allowing work to be outsourced to lighten the load.
Many ‘traditional’ work methods no longer exist due to the introduction of enhanced tools and techniques.
Work from the high street or the beachfront
While screens are still vital, the laptop and the cloud now mean the office can be anywhere you want it to be. All you need is an internet link and the appropriate app and you can run your business as easily from a beachfront as from a high street office.
There is more security for data and apps can be leased rather than splashing out large amounts on software that might not suit your needs. Your laptop is your virtual ledger, filing cabinet and client list all in one small location.
Collaboration in real time
Cloud computing allows for remote teamwork collaboration, working in real-time means data can be viewed by several colleagues to work on at the same time.
All of this can be supported and enhanced by a partner like GI. We work with all major accountancy software suppliers, including Xero, Quickbooks, Freeagent, Sage, Dext, Autoentry, Hubdoc, Iris, Digita, Taxcalc and VT.
We are independent experts and can support you in choosing the right app for your business and integrating older legacy systems with new software, for the most efficient solution.
Contact our UK-based team of account managers today to find out how we can help your firm.
