Running an accounting firm is no easy feat.
Between managing clients, meeting deadlines, and keeping on top of regulatory changes, it’s easy for things to fall through the cracks if you’re not properly organised.
But being organised is more than just keeping things tidy – it’s about creating systems that ensure consistency, efficiency, and, most importantly, keep your clients happy.
Here are five tried-and-tested organisational hacks that can help you run your accounting firm more smoothly.
1. Improving team communication
If communication within your firm is sluggish, you can expect to see mistakes, delays, and missed opportunities.
Poor communication is a productivity killer.
You can’t afford to have your team drowning in endless email chains or chasing down updates.
You need real-time, efficient communication channels that allow for instant collaboration and feedback.
As you’ll find out later in this article, there are technology solutions out there – designed specifically for accountants – that can help with this.
2. Standardising work produced
Inconsistency is one of the most common issues plaguing firms today.
When each team member produces work differently, you risk confusion, delays, and a dip in your firm’s reputation.
Standardisation isn’t just about making things easier for your team – it also ensures that clients know exactly what to expect from your firm every single time.
You’ll want to standardise templates, workflows, and processes so that everyone is on the same page.
This includes everything from client reports to tax filings.
You shouldn’t be reinventing the wheel with every new task and if you don’t have a standard operating procedure for the routine work in your firm, you’re already behind.
3. Creating a centralised document system
If your documents are scattered across emails, local drives, and various cloud platforms, you’re not running an organised firm.
A centralised document management system (DMS) is non-negotiable for any modern accounting firm.
The days of rifling through folders for the latest client file should be long gone.
Cloud-based systems like Google Drive or Dropbox are fine for small-scale operations, but for serious firms, a DMS tailored to accountants works much better.
This helps you with compliance, security, and ensuring that your team can access the latest documents with ease, from any location.
4. Having visibility of staff workflow
You can’t manage what you can’t see.
If you’re guessing who’s overloaded and who’s twiddling their thumbs, you’re likely missing deadlines and overburdening your top talent.
Using digital tools gives you clear insight into who’s doing what, what’s been done, and what’s falling behind.
When you have a clear view of the workflow, you can shift resources, prevent bottlenecks, and ensure that no task slips through the cracks.
5. Minimising bottlenecks
During peak periods, like tax season, one bottleneck can set off a domino effect that throws your entire operation into disarray.
Identifying and tackling bottlenecks before they spiral out of control is, therefore, crucial.
In most cases, bottlenecks form around key personnel or processes that require too many approvals.
Automate repetitive tasks, delegate more effectively, and ensure that there are streamlined processes for document approvals.
Don’t let your firm grind to a halt because one person is too busy, or a single task is held up.
Technology can do all this for you
Gathering client information is one of the most time-consuming aspects of running an accounting firm.
Whether it’s chasing clients for financial data, clarifying details, or organising supporting documentation, these tasks can eat up valuable time.
Investing in information-gathering technology, therefore, is the most logical step to achieving all the hacks we outlined above.
Rather than relying on back-and-forth emails or manually chasing down documents, invest in tools that automate this process.
With the right technology in place, you can request, collect, and organise client information seamlessly – saving your firm hours of administrative work each week.
By automating the collection and organisation of client data, you eliminate bottlenecks and ensure that your team has access to the information they need, when they need it.
This results in a more efficient, responsive firm that can handle a higher volume of work without sacrificing quality.
By using technology (like Glasscubes) to gather and manage information, you’ll set your firm up for success in an increasingly competitive and fast-paced market.
Take the leap, embrace the tech, try Glasscubes today.
