It’s a common misunderstanding that apps for accountants make us procrastinate and waste time. Let’s bust that myth and reveal the best apps for accountants the internet has to offer!
Technology can help you be more efficient, never miss any deadlines and easily handle communication. You can be the accountant of your client’s dreams. Apps also come in handy after work. They provide a break and help you to unwind and relax.
We have combined the ultimate tech stack with apps for accountants that you, as an accountant, can use to make work easier. Each category has particular examples of apps Uku’s clients and employees swear by.
Communication apps for accountants
Communication is key – I am sure we’ve all heard that before. Face to face is the best way to share information with a colleague. But we can’t all be available at all times. Sometimes you or your coworkers work remotely or must share a link with many people simultaneously. This is where communication apps come in handy.
Slack and Teams
Slack and Teams are two of the most popular apps that can help facilitate real-time communication, file sharing, and collaboration among team members.
In addition to practical information sharing, connecting with coworkers helps people feel and work better. A study by BetterUp found that those who cultivated friendships in the workplace had more positive relationships,
36% greater life satisfaction, and 27% more job satisfaction. They also had a 34% improvement in reaching their goals.
Accounting apps for accountants
Similarly to file management, accounting has also moved online. And best of all – there’s software for accounting — no need to figure out complicated Excel formulas to get work done.
Xero
Xero is one of the most popular accounting software in the world. It helps small businesses, accountants and bookkeepers with automating many day-to-day tasks. You can collaborate, automate manual tasks, and access client records easily. Xero also integrates with 1000+ apps, including the CRM Pipedrive and time-tracking Toggl, to streamline business processes.
E-conomic
E-conomic is the most popular accounting software in Scandinavia. With e-conomic, you can automate several time-consuming tasks you or your colleagues are dealing with. The software lets you do invoicing, VAT reporting, upload receipts, and automate workflows. Similarly to Xero, e-conomic integrates with many partner apps to make work easier.
AML
Anti-Money Laundering (AML) is an accountant’s compulsory task in many countries nowadays. Failing to comply with AML regulations can result in fines and damage to a firm’s reputation. Luckily, technology has made AML processes much more accessible and efficient, so accountants can spend their valuable time doing more complicated tasks.
Ondato
Ondato is a pioneering KYC compliance platform incorporating all the necessary know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) tools and services for safe client onboarding, AML screening, and lifecycle management. Reduce non-compliance risk and ensure your client’s financial activities are legitimate and transparent. By incorporating AML compliance apps into workflows, accountants can provide better service and value to their clients while maintaining high levels of regulatory compliance.
Your work management software might help you with AML processes as well. For example, Uku, the work management software for accountants, has a simplified AML process management. New fields will be added to your client’s data, and the system will remind you to update them.
CRM apps for accountants
CRM (customer relationship management) is essential for managing your client base and company’s interactions, providing insight into sales processes, and making it a valued partner to the sales department.
Accounting firms can improve their efficiency and provide better customer service by tracking customer information, managing communication, and monitoring sales processes. We have a more detailed article about how accountants can make CRM work for them. Read the article here.
Pipedrive
Pipedrive allows you to manage all aspects of client interactions, from initial contact to closing the deal. You can track leads and deals, assign tasks to team members, and automate client communication. Integrate Pipedrive with other software like Google Drive, Slack or Xero to reduce manual tasks and make work even more efficient.
Time tracking apps for accountants
Efficient work is the key to success. One of the ways to guarantee effectiveness is to know the time you spend on work tasks to ensure accurate billing. Time-tracking apps also provide valuable insights into work habits to identify areas for improvement and increase productivity. Tracking time manually is quite ineffective because we humans tend to get distracted by tasks or deadlines.
Toggl
Toggl is a popular time-tracking app amongst accountants. You can start and stop the timer with just one click, and the app will automatically track the time spent. Toggl also offers detailed reports that provide valuable insights into time spent on specific projects or clients.
Work management apps for accountants
Accounting is complex and requires high organisation and attention to detail. Accountants must keep track of time spent on specific tasks, clients, and projects to ensure they are billing accurately and efficiently. Invoicing can be time-consuming, especially when regularly creating and sending invoices for multiple clients.
Instead of using several different apps for CRM, time tracking, and other work management-related actions – use work management software. It does all of these and even more!
Uku
Uku is a work management app designed for accountants. It has advanced work management features such as time tracking, task plans and templates, recurring tasks, and detailed reports. With Uku, accountants can easily keep track of their tasks, have a thorough overview of working hours and monitor client agreements.
In addition to work management, Uku offers billing features that can automatically generate and send invoices based on the data entered by you. Uku can also automate email communication with clients, allowing accountants to stay in touch without manual intervention.
A convenient client base covers the need for a separate CRM app. All of your clients, documents, accesses, and notes are available in one place and accessible to anyone who needs them. In addition, you can communicate with your clients, send and receive documents, and assign tasks to your clients in Uku’s Client Portal.
Like other apps, Uku integrates seamlessly with accounting software, like Xero and e-conomic, allowing smooth data exchange with clients and invoices.
Sharing and managing files apps for accountants
For decades, companies have handled their files on paper, which they combined into binders and stacked on bookshelves. Although the colourful display is fun, managing files online is much easier.
Google Drive
Google Drive is a popular cloud-based storage app allowing users to store or share files and documents easily. This can be especially useful for accounting offices that need to collaborate on documents or access files from different locations. You can share the files or folders of files with clients and hide the ones that need to be a secret.
Password management
Using different passwords is the best way to stay safe and avoid scammers. So to remember them, should you write them in a notebook? Absolutely not! We never know who might want to steal our data. This is why a password management app is another vital consideration for accounting offices.
Did you know that the most commonly used password in 2021 was “123456”?
1Password
1Password is a powerful app that can help manage passwords and secure sensitive information. Save your passwords to the app, and 1Password remembers them for you. No one has access to the saved passwords unless you unlock the app.
Music
Accounting work can be demanding and stressful sometimes, so the need to take breaks and unwind is not a surprise. Engaging in fun activities during breaks or after work can help reduce stress and prevent burnout, which is essential for maintaining good mental health.
Music is a powerful tool that can positively affect mood and reduce stress and anxiety. Whether you need to focus on a task or relax and unwind during a break, find the playlist suitable for your mood and go on.
Spotify
Spotify is the world’s most popular music streaming service. It offers various playlists and genres, including instrumental music designed to improve concentration, upbeat hits from numerous genres, calming classical music, and jazzy vibes.
Mental health apps for accountants
In a high-stress industry like accounting, taking care of your mental health and managing stress levels is important. Yoga, pilates or meditation classes are often expensive and require commuting to the location they are held. A much easier (and cheaper) solution is to use apps.
Many successful business leaders, including Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Arianna Huffington, credit meditation with helping them achieve success.
Headspace
Meditating apps like Headspace offer guided meditation and mindfulness exercises to help reduce stress and anxiety and improve focus. By taking a few minutes to meditate, you can improve your overall well-being and mental clarity, boost immunity and sleep quality, and reduce symptoms of depression.
Technology has become an integral part of the accounting industry, and many apps can help you stay organised and productive and help you relax after working hours.
By embracing technology and incorporating these apps into daily routines, you, as an accountant, can become more productive, efficient, and a well-rounded professional to be the accountant of your client’s dreams.
