3 Apps for Accountants That BLEW MY MIND

Jason_CPA
28 Aug 202208:50

TLDRThe video script introduces three innovative software tricks for accountants to enhance their workflow. Scribe, a Chrome extension, simplifies the process of creating how-to videos for clients. Uncat automates client notifications for unclear transactions, promoting better communication and engagement. Keeper offers a comprehensive dashboard for managing accounting tasks and reviews, integrating detailed ledger information for improved efficiency. These tools aim to streamline accounting processes, allowing professionals to save time and provide better client service.

Takeaways

  • 📝 Scribe is a simple Chrome extension that records and simplifies steps for tasks, making it easy to create explainers for accountants.
  • 🚀 Use Scribe to create reusable explainers for common tasks, reducing repetitive explanations and increasing efficiency.
  • 🤝 Collaborate with other firms to build a shared library of Scribe explainers for common accounting software like QuickBooks and IRS processes.
  • 📊 Uncat is a tool that notifies clients when a transaction is uncategorized, prompting them to provide more information.
  • 📆 Set up Uncat to notify clients on a schedule for recurring tasks like categorizing expenses and uploading receipts.
  • 🏦 Utilize Uncat's bank rules feature to auto-categorize transactions and direct unclear transactions to uncategorized for client notifications.
  • 👥 For clients with multiple credit card users, use Uncat to assign transactions from specific cards to specific users, simplifying expense tracking.
  • 🔧 Keeper connects to accounting files and provides a detailed overview of tasks, reviews, and financial statements in one place.
  • 📊 In Keeper, access a consolidated view of financial data from multiple QuickBooks files, without needing to open each file individually.
  • 🔄 Keeper's dashboard offers a comprehensive view of an accounting practice's status, including open tasks and client questions.
  • 📰 Subscribe to a weekly newsletter for accountants to discover more big brain opportunities and stay updated on industry insights.

Q & A

  • What is the main purpose of the Scribe Chrome extension mentioned in the script?

    -The main purpose of the Scribe Chrome extension is to simplify the process of creating step-by-step instructions and tutorials by recording and editing the steps taken on a website or application.

  • How does Scribe help in customizing the instructions for an accountant?

    -Scribe allows the user to remove unwanted steps, such as 2FA codes, and add personalized information like the user's name and email. This customization makes the instructions more relevant and easier to follow for the accountant.

  • What is the big brain opportunity associated with Scribe?

    -The big brain opportunity is creating reusable explainers for common tasks and questions that accountants face. These can be shared within the firm or even with other firms to build a comprehensive library of helpful guides.

  • How does Uncat help in managing client transactions?

    -Uncat notifies the client when a transaction is uncategorized, prompting them to provide more information. It can also be set up on a schedule and can watch any account in the ledger, automating the process and keeping clients engaged.

  • What is the advantage of using auto-categorizing bank rules with Uncat?

    -Auto-categorizing bank rules with Uncat automatically sends unclear transactions straight to the uncategorized category and notifies the client, making the process more efficient and reducing the workload for the accounting team.

  • Why does the speaker prefer outsourcing IT to Tech Guru for their firm?

    -The speaker prefers outsourcing IT to Tech Guru because they are an outsourced IT group that specializes in working with accounting firms, providing knowledgeable and efficient support without getting in the way of the firm's core operations.

  • What are the key features of Keeper as described in the script?

    -Keeper connects to the accounting file, manages closing tasks, reviews bank reconciliations, and checks for uncategorized items. It also provides a detailed ledger view and integrates with QuickBooks files, offering a comprehensive dashboard for managing bookkeeping tasks.

  • How does Keeper's dashboard view benefit bookkeepers and accounting professionals?

    -Keeper's dashboard view consolidates all the essential information from multiple QuickBooks files into one place, making it easier to manage and monitor the status of various tasks, open questions, and the overall health of the accounting practice.

  • What is the speaker's strategy for staying updated on big brain opportunities?

    -The speaker subscribes to a weekly newsletter that aims to uncover big brain opportunities and provide insights to help accountants improve their workflows and processes.

  • How does the speaker humorously describe the effectiveness of the software tools discussed?

    -The speaker uses exaggerated, humorous expressions like 'sweet mother loving peanut butter' to emphasize the effectiveness and positive impact of the software tools on their accounting practice.

  • What is the main takeaway from the script for accountants looking to improve their workflow?

    -The main takeaway is that utilizing tools like Scribe, Uncat, and Keeper can significantly streamline and enhance the accounting workflow by automating tasks, improving client communication, and providing a centralized dashboard for managing the accounting practice.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Introducing Scribe and Time-Saving Accountant Tricks

The paragraph introduces three mind-blowing software tricks tailored for accountants, starting with Scribe, a simple Chrome extension that streamlines the process of creating step-by-step instructions for clients. It eliminates unnecessary steps, such as 2FA codes, and allows accountants to personalize the instructions by adding fields for the client's name and email. The speaker then discusses the potential of creating reusable explainers for frequently asked questions, which can be shared with colleagues and even other firms, to build a comprehensive library of helpful guides for various accounting software like QuickBooks and the IRS. The paragraph emphasizes the efficiency and time-saving benefits of using Scribe for accountants.

05:02

🤖 Leveraging Uncat and Keeper for Enhanced Client Communication and Bookkeeping

This paragraph delves into the power of Uncat, a tool that notifies clients when more information is needed for uncategorized expenses, allowing accountants to set up reminders at various intervals. It also highlights the ability of Uncat to auto-categorize unclear transactions and direct them to the uncategorized folder, where clients are immediately notified. The speaker then introduces Keeper, a software that connects to accounting files and provides detailed ledger insights, project management features, and client-facing questions. Keeper's dashboard view, which consolidates information from multiple QuickBooks files, is touted as a game-changer for bookkeepers and accounting professionals, offering a centralized location to manage tasks, reviews, and client inquiries, thus improving efficiency and reducing the need to switch between different systems.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Scribe

Scribe is a simple Chrome extension mentioned in the video that helps in creating step-by-step instructions or explainers. It captures actions performed on a webpage and allows users to edit and refine the steps to create a clear guide. In the context of the video, Scribe is used to demonstrate how to invite an accountant, making complex processes easier to understand and follow for the recipient.

💡Accounting Profession

The accounting profession involves the measurement, disclosure, and interpretation of financial information to assist decision-making by managers, investors, tax authorities, and others who use financial information to make economic decisions. In the video, the speaker highlights the repetitive nature of certain tasks within the accounting profession, such as explaining how to log into a portal or change direct deposit information, and suggests using software to automate these explanations.

💡Reusable Explainers

Reusable explainers refer to guides or tutorials that can be used multiple times for the same or similar tasks. They are valuable in the context of the video as they can save time and effort by providing a standard method for completing repetitive tasks. The speaker suggests creating reusable explainers for common accounting tasks to improve efficiency and ensure consistency.

💡UNCAT

UNCAT is a software tool that helps in managing and categorizing transactions, particularly those that are uncategorized. It notifies clients when more information is needed for certain transactions, and can be set up on a schedule. UNCAT streamlines the process of dealing with unclear transactions and receipt uploads, making it easier for both accountants and clients to stay on top of financial details.

💡Automation

Automation refers to the process of creating systems or tools that perform tasks with minimal human intervention. In the context of the video, automation is highlighted as a means to improve efficiency in the accounting profession by reducing the need for manual explanations and repetitive tasks. It allows accountants to focus on more complex and value-added activities.

💡Tech Guru

Tech Guru is an outsourced IT group mentioned in the video that specializes in providing IT services to accounting firms. Outsourcing IT support to such groups can help accounting firms focus on their core competencies while relying on experts to handle technical issues, ensuring smooth operation of software and hardware.

💡Keeper

Keeper is a software tool that connects to accounting files and provides a range of features, including task management, transaction reviews, and financial reporting. It integrates with accounting software like QuickBooks and presents data in a user-friendly manner, allowing for more efficient management of accounting tasks and client communications.

💡Dashboard

A dashboard, in the context of software and applications, is a centralized location or interface that consolidates data and provides an overview of key metrics or tasks. In the video, the dashboard in Keeper is highlighted as a powerful tool that allows accountants to manage multiple QuickBooks files and tasks from one place, improving visibility and efficiency.

💡Bookkeeping Production Team

A bookkeeping production team refers to a group of individuals responsible for managing the recording and organization of financial transactions for a business. This team typically handles tasks like recording expenses, tracking income, and ensuring financial records are accurate and up-to-date. In the video, the speaker suggests that software like Keeper can streamline the work of such a team by providing a centralized platform for managing these tasks.

💡Big Brain Opportunities

The term 'Big Brain Opportunities' is used in the video to describe innovative and smart ways to improve efficiency, solve problems, or add value in the accounting profession. It refers to the use of technology and creative thinking to automate repetitive tasks, streamline processes, and enhance client communication.

Highlights

Introducing three favorite software tricks for accountants that can greatly improve efficiency and client communication.

Scribe, a simple Chrome extension, can capture steps and create explanatory videos, simplifying communication and reducing errors.

Customizing Scribe videos by removing unwanted steps, such as 2FA codes, and adding personalization like name and email fields.

The potential for accountants to create reusable explainers for common client questions, streamlining the client onboarding process.

The opportunity to collaborate with other firms to build extensive libraries of helpful explainers for various accounting software and processes.

Uncat, a tool for notifying clients when more information is needed for transactions categorized as 'uncategorized expenses'.

Setting up bank rules in Uncat to automatically direct unclear transactions to the 'uncategorized' category and notify clients on a schedule.

Uncat's additional features, such as receipt uploads, class identification, and sending transactions to specific client users.

The concept of 'big brain opportunities' in accounting software, referring to innovative ways to optimize and automate tasks.

The use of Tech Guru as an outsourced IT solution for accounting firms, reducing the hassle of handling technical issues in-house.

Keeper, a software that connects to accounting files and offers a comprehensive dashboard with various features for bookkeeping and client management.

Keeper's ability to display detailed ledger information and transaction reviews, offering a unique blend of project management and accounting.

The integration of profit and loss statements in Keeper, grouped by payee, offering a different perspective from traditional accounting software.

A centralized dashboard in Keeper that consolidates information from multiple QuickBooks files, providing a holistic view of an accounting practice.

The potential for bookkeepers and technical reviewers to operate entirely within Keeper, reducing the need to use QuickBooks directly.

The importance of staying updated with innovative software and methodologies in the accounting profession, and the existence of a weekly newsletter for this purpose.