A postcard style update from the host of the Cloud Stories podcast Heather Smith, sharing with you the ACCA initiative, The Practice Room that can be found here: https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/employer/employer-help-and-guidance/practice-connect/the-practice-room.html Peer to peer support for those in practice. Plus updates about Chester the 10-month-old Border Collie pup.

Find peer-to-peer support in ACCA Practice Room

*THE* podcast for accounting technology enthusiasts. Dive into the world of Accounting Apps with Heather Smith, a Chartered Accountant with a flair for storytelling and the engaging host of the Accounting Apps Podcast. Heather is obsessed with how effective automation and integration can produce timely clean data, to surface information for brave, fast data-informed decision making. Better data, better decisions, better business. She explores this topic with her guests, uncovering insights that offer you a competitive edge. Delve deeper into the Accounting Apps landscape and enhance your understanding. Hit that subscribe button now!

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Brilliant guests include entrepreneurs, founders, business consultants, accountants, bookkeepers, small business owners, cloud advisors, developers, cloud integrators and solution providers.

Each month guests share how they built their business and how your business or clients can use technology to be more effective and efficient. This may include exploring:

*How you can implement and integrate business tools with your online accounting software to automate processes, improve productivity, and profitability;
*How to build a business developing business apps; or
*How to build a tech stack that meets your business needs or introduce your clients to them.

If you have app overwhelm - this is an enjoyable podcast to listen to. Take it a step further and subscribe to the Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM

Contact details:
Heather Smith
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/

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- Heather Smith moderates a debate between accounting software pioneer Michael Wood and tech strategist John Toon on the pros and cons of Excel vs Software - Michael argues that while Excel excels for individual tasks, software is better suited for collaboration and building efficient workflows for businesses - John counters that users, not the tools, are often to blame for Excel's downfalls, and that Excel can effectively replace basic accounting tasks for some clients  - The debate weighs the impact of tools on practice efficiency, profitability, and eventual sale value, with both sides acknowledging Excel's enduring relevance alongside advancing software - Listeners are polled on the winning side to much debate, highlighting the complexities of choosing the right tools for each accounting need Michael Wood https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwood/  https://www.translucent.io/    John Toon https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntoon/  Podcast https://digitoolsinaccrual.world/  Community https://www.digital-disruptors.com/  Beever and Struthers https://www.beeverstruthers.co.uk/  Contact details: Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU   

Today I’m debating Samuel Green, UK Partnership Account Executive of Employment Hero on AI vs the human touch in accounting at the Festival of Accountants and Bookkeepers - Smith argues the human touch is crucial for customer service and empathy while Greene emphasises AI's potential for efficiency and insights   - Both agree AI can streamline repetitive tasks but human oversight is still needed - Attendees question how AI will evolve and what to consider when choosing software - Smith encourages evaluating long-term roadmaps and support while Greene discusses AI use cases at Employment Hero - They find consensus that selective AI use can enhance but not replace the human experience in client relationships Write up from the debate AI and the case for the human touch  https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/accounting-software/ai-and-the-case-for-the-human-touch    Samuel Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelgreen14/ https://employmenthero.com/ Contact details: Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU 

Today I’m speaking with Adam Riches, CEO & Co-Founder of Netgain In this episode, we talk about . . . - Adam Riches discusses the new lease accounting standards IFRS 16 and ASC 842, and how Netgain helps clients navigate the complexities - Riches shares how Netgain automates lease data extraction from contracts using AI to save accountants time - The challenges of managing cash flow visibility and bank reconciliations for businesses are highlighted - How Netgain's tools like its close module help speed up the month-end close process and improve data quality - The history of accounting software development is examined, from mainframes to Excel, and how Netgain aims to continue innovating - Potential applications of AI in accounting are explored, such as automating bookkeeping tasks and catching previously overlooked errors Contact details:   Adam Riches linkedin.com/in/adam-riches-cpa Netgain: https://www.netgain.tech/  Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU   

Heather Smith shares interviews from the Festival of Accountants and Bookkeepers in Birmingham, including conversations about launching a UK version of XBert, the funding journey of a founder, updates on Sage products, and Richard Sergeant's advice for vendors. Insights cover compliance, automation, growth and more. - Interview with Will Rush  - GM(UK) for XBert discussing launching their platform in the UK - Conversation with Lucy Cohen - Co-founder and CEO of Mazuma, about starting her business and her recent funding journey (Featuring Alex Falcon Huerta) - Updates on BrightPay payroll from Donal Carr - Senior Account Executive Bright Software - Overview of Sage's offerings for accountants from Chris Downing - Director of Product Marketing | Accountants and Bookkeepers Sage - Richard Sergeant - Managing Director Principle Point shares tips for vendors working with accountants - Mark Lee Facilitator BookMarkLee.co.uk  Contact details: Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU   

Today I’m sharing with you a webinar I hosted on behalf of Projectworks and WorkGuru that provides an overview of alternatives to WorkflowMax by Xero as it reaches end of life 26 June 2024. The panellists who joined me were:  Heidi Seal Ops Consultant at Business Sense (NZ) Matthew Peng Founder at Business Continuum Matt Hayter Co-Founder at Projectworks Tony Harcourt Co-Founder at WorkGuru  The panellists discussed the triggers for change, comparing features of the two solutions. They explored how each platform caters to different industries. The expert implementers shared case studies of successful migrations, highlighting challenges and opportunities clients faced. The presentation covered developing a migration strategy, including exporting data, mapping business processes, and change management. Attendees learned about assessing potential solutions by considering key questions, desired outcomes, and post go-live improvements. The session emphasised preparing early by testing new platforms and leveraging experienced partners for a smooth transition. Overall, the webinar helped attendees understand options for transitioning away from WorkflowMax by Xero to Projectworks or WorkGuru.   The Flow of the webinar  Understanding the Transition  Trigger for Change Market Reaction   Comparative Overview of Solutions  Common Features Target Industries Points of Difference   Deep Dive into Migration  Migration Strategy Case Studies Assessing Solutions   Preparation for Transition   Relevant links  Heidi Seal Ops Consultant at Business Sense (NZ) L: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidiseal/   E: Heidi@BusinessSense.co.nz B: https://businesssenseconsulting.co.nz/   Heidi Seal Resources  The WorkflowMax Changeover Workshop :  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P7arD82_9YSyW26ekE6ryY6bSR4Z1EQf/view   The 7-step process for implementation success :  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q_nif1fqgCcXfu8o90JhtXscvBhG5CQl/view Matthew Peng Founder at Business Continuum L: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-peng/  E : Matthew@BusinessContinuum.com.au  B: https://businesscontinuum.com.au/    Matt Hayter Co-Founder at Projectworks L: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-hayter-9180037/  B: https://projectworks.io/    Tony Harcourt Co-Founder at WorkGuru L: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-harcourt/  B: https://workguru.io/    Tony Harcourt Resources  Migrating from WoFM to WorkGuru Overview : https://support.workguru.io/support/solutions/articles/43000698451-migrating-from-workflowmax-to-workguru-overview    WFM to WorkGuru One-Click Migration Tool : https://support.workguru.io/support/solutions/articles/43000699631-wfm-to-workguru-one-click-migration-tool  Support Solutions Hub : https://support.workguru.io/support/home Contact details: Accounting Apps newsletter: http://HeatherSmithAU.COM Accounting Apps Mastermind: https://www.facebook.com/groups/XeroMasterMind  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/HeatherSmithAU/  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ANISEConsulting  X: https://twitter.com/HeatherSmithAU   

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