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. First, Scribe, a simple Chrome extension for creating clear and concise instructions. Second, Uncat, a tool for notifying clients about unclear transactions and automating categorization. Lastly, Keeper, a powerful dashboard that integrates accounting tasks with project management, offering a comprehensive view of an accounting practice in one place.

Takeaways

  • 📝 Scribe is a simple Chrome extension that records and simplifies steps for tasks, making it easy to create explainers for accountants and their clients.
  • 🚀 Create reusable explainers for common tasks and share them with colleagues or other firms to build a library of helpful guides.
  • 📊 Uncat is a tool that notifies clients when a transaction is uncategorized, prompting them to provide more information and improving communication.
  • 🤖 Set up bank rules in Uncat to automatically categorize transactions and notify clients about unclear transactions, streamlining the accounting process.
  • 🛠️ Use outsourced IT services like Tech Guru for accounting firms to handle technical issues and keep the focus on accounting work.
  • 🗂️ Keeper is a powerful tool that connects to accounting files and provides detailed project management features alongside accounting ledger information.
  • 📊 In Keeper, access a consolidated view of financial data from multiple QuickBooks files, including profit and loss and balance sheets, without leaving the platform.
  • 🔥 A centralized dashboard in Keeper displays the status of various tasks and open questions for all connected QuickBooks files, enhancing practice management.
  • 💡 The combination of Scribe, Uncat, and Keeper offers accountants a suite of tools to improve efficiency, client communication, and task management.
  • 📈 Utilize these software tools to delegate and automate routine tasks, allowing accountants to focus on more complex and value-added work.
  • 🌟 Subscribe to newsletters and resources that share big brain opportunities and tips to continuously improve and innovate in the accounting profession.

Q & A

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

    -The main purpose of the Scribe Chrome extension is to simplify the process of creating step-by-step instructions and explainers for various tasks. It allows users to record their actions, remove unwanted steps, and add personalized information, making it easier for others to follow the instructions without making mistakes.

  • How can the Scribe extension be utilized by accountants to improve client communication?

    -Accountants can use the Scribe extension to create clear and concise visual guides for tasks that clients frequently ask about, such as logging into portals, changing direct deposit information, or paying estimates online. By sharing these guides, accountants can reduce repetitive queries and improve the client's understanding of the processes involved.

  • What is the 'big brain opportunity' associated with the Scribe extension?

    -The 'big brain opportunity' with Scribe is the potential for accountants to create reusable explainers for common tasks and share them with colleagues or even other firms. This can lead to the development of a comprehensive library of helpful guides that can be accessed by many, increasing efficiency and reducing the need for individual explanations.

  • How does Uncat help with client transactions and what is its main feature?

    -Uncat is a tool that notifies clients when a transaction is uncategorized, prompting them to provide more information. Its main feature is the ability to set up bank rules that automatically categorize unclear transactions and send notifications to clients, encouraging them to provide the necessary details and keeping them engaged in the accounting process.

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

    -Auto-categorizing bank rules with Uncat streamline the process of handling unclear transactions by automatically directing them to the uncategorized category and notifying clients immediately. This reduces the manual effort required from the accounting team and ensures that clients are promptly informed about transactions that require their attention.

  • How does Keeper differ from traditional project management systems and accounting ledgers?

    -Keeper integrates the detailed information from the accounting ledger with the project management system, providing a comprehensive view of tasks, transactions, and client questions in one place. It offers features like payee entity review, client-facing questions, and even a profit and loss view grouped by payee, all within the context of the accounting file, making it a powerful tool for bookkeepers and reviewers.

  • What does the dashboard view in Keeper offer for accounting practices?

    -The dashboard view in Keeper consolidates information from multiple QuickBooks files, displaying non-closing and pre-closing tasks, bank recs, transaction reviews, payee entity reviews, and client questions. This provides a centralized overview of the entire accounting practice, allowing bookkeepers and team leads to easily monitor the status and progress of various tasks and clients.

  • What is the 'omega brain opportunity' with Keeper mentioned in the transcript?

    -The 'omega brain opportunity' with Keeper refers to the potential of using the dashboard view to manage an entire accounting practice from one central location. This includes monitoring the status of multiple clients, tasks, and transactions, which can significantly improve efficiency and organization within the practice.

  • How does outsourcing IT to Tech Guru benefit an accounting firm?

    -Outsourcing IT to Tech Guru provides accounting firms with specialized IT support tailored to the needs of accounting practices. This eliminates the need for in-house IT staff and ensures that any technical issues are handled promptly and effectively by experts in the field, allowing the accounting team to focus on their core tasks without disruptions.

  • What is the speaker's opinion on using software to enhance the accounting profession?

    -The speaker is highly enthusiastic about using software to enhance the accounting profession. They believe that leveraging the right tools can lead to significant improvements in efficiency, communication, and overall practice management, as evidenced by their discussion of Scribe, Uncat, Keeper, and Tech Guru.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Introducing Scribe and Time-Saving Accountant Tricks

The paragraph introduces Scribe, a simple Chrome extension that streamlines the process of creating step-by-step instructions for accountants. It highlights the ability to remove unwanted steps, such as 2FA codes, and customize the content to fit specific needs like inviting an accountant or explaining how to share a link. The speaker also emphasizes the potential of creating reusable explainers for common queries, and the ultimate opportunity of sharing these libraries with other firms to build a collective resource for various accounting software and tasks.

05:02

🌟 Leveraging Uncat and Keeper for Enhanced Client Communication and Bookkeeping

This paragraph discusses two tools, Uncat and Keeper, and their roles in improving client communication and bookkeeping processes. Uncat is a tool that notifies clients when more information is needed for uncategorized transactions, allowing accountants to set up automated reminders. It also facilitates receipt uploads and class identification. Keeper, on the other hand, integrates with accounting files to provide detailed ledger insights, client-facing questions, and the ability to view financial statements without leaving the platform. The speaker also mentions the 'omega brain' opportunity of using Keeper's dashboard to manage an entire accounting practice, offering a centralized view of tasks, reviews, and client inquiries.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Scribe

Scribe is a simple Chrome extension mentioned in the video that helps in creating step-by-step explainers for various tasks. It is used to record actions and remove unnecessary steps, such as typing 2FA codes, and can be customized with specific information like a user's name and email. This tool is related to the main theme of the video, which is about software tricks for accountants, and is exemplified by the speaker's idea of using it to invite an accountant in a clear and error-proof manner.

💡QuickBooks

QuickBooks is a widely used accounting software package designed to manage financial transactions, invoices, and other financial documents for small and medium-sized businesses. In the context of the video, QuickBooks is one of the software tools that accountants interact with frequently, and the speaker talks about creating reusable explainers for common tasks within the software, which can save time and reduce repetitive queries from clients.

💡Uncat

Uncat is a tool that helps in managing and categorizing transactions, especially those that are uncategorized. It notifies clients when more information is needed for certain transactions, and can be set up on a schedule. This tool is related to the theme of the video as it offers a solution for accountants to streamline their work and keep clients engaged in the process of transaction categorization.

💡Tech Guru

Tech Guru is an outsourced IT group that specializes in working with accounting firms. The speaker mentions using Tech Guru for their firm's IT needs, highlighting the benefits of outsourcing IT services. This concept is relevant to the video's theme of improving efficiency and productivity in accounting practices by leveraging external expertise to handle technical issues.

💡Keeper

Keeper is a software application that connects to accounting files and streamlines various accounting tasks such as closing tasks, bank reconciliations, and transaction reviews. It integrates with QuickBooks and provides a comprehensive view of financial data, making it easier for bookkeepers and reviewers to manage their work. In the video, Keeper is presented as a tool that can centralize the accounting process and potentially replace the need for a project management system.

💡Accounting Software

Accounting software refers to the category of programs designed for managing financial records, such as accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and tax compliance. In the video, the speaker discusses several software tools, including QuickBooks and Keeper, which are examples of accounting software. These tools are integral to the theme of the video as they offer solutions to automate and streamline accounting tasks, thereby improving efficiency and reducing the workload for accountants.

💡Accounting Profession

The accounting profession involves the study and practice of financial and economic information interpretation, preparation, analysis, decision-making, and auditing. In the video, the speaker addresses accountants and shares tips on how to use software tools to enhance their work, which is central to the theme of improving efficiency and client communication within the accounting profession.

💡Big Brain Opportunities

The term 'Big Brain Opportunities' is used in the video to describe innovative and smart ways to leverage software tools to improve efficiency, save time, and enhance client communication in the accounting profession. It refers to the strategic use of technology to solve common problems faced by accountants and to create systems that can be shared across firms, leading to greater productivity and better service.

💡Efficiency

Efficiency in the context of the video refers to the ability of accountants to perform their tasks in the least amount of time with the least amount of effort, using software tools and strategies. The video's theme revolves around improving efficiency in the accounting profession by implementing smart software solutions and streamlining processes.

💡Client Communication

Client communication is the process by which accountants interact with their clients to provide information, answer questions, and address concerns. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of clear and effective communication with clients, particularly in explaining how to use accounting software and keeping them informed about their financial transactions.

Highlights

Introducing three favorite mind-blowing software tricks for accountants.

Scribe, a simple Chrome extension that streamlines the process of creating how-to videos by capturing steps and allowing customization.

Using Scribe to create an explainer video for inviting an accountant, showcasing its potential for simplifying common accounting tasks.

The potential for accountants to create reusable explainers for frequently asked questions, improving efficiency and client communication.

The idea of sharing these explainer libraries with other firms, creating a collective resource for the accounting profession.

Uncat, a tool that notifies clients when a transaction is uncategorized, prompting them to provide more information.

Setting up bank rules in Uncat to auto-categorize transactions and notify clients, streamlining the accounting process and engaging clients.

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

The benefits of using an outsourced IT group like Tech Guru for accounting firms, reducing the stress of handling technical issues in-house.

Keeper, a software that connects to accounting files and offers a comprehensive overview of tasks, reviews, and client questions.

Keeper's unique ability to display detailed ledger information and financial statements without needing to open the accounting software.

The potential for bookkeepers and accounting teams to centralize their work in Keeper, improving productivity and collaboration.

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

The newsletter that shares big brain opportunities with over 2,000 accountants, aiming to expand their knowledge and improve their practices.

The humorous anecdote about the presenter's personal experience with a software trial, adding a touch of levity to the discussion.