Digi-Tools In Accrual World

Episode 16 - The Comma Spotlight

Hello, and welcome to the Digi-Tools podcast.

We have our first feature episode this week and doing a deep dive into specific issues that businesses and payroll bureau's encounter when making payments. Learn how to use Comma to help solve these problems - bulk payments, payroll integrations and the bank rollout. We get the inside track from Comma's Tom Beckenham, CEO & Co-Founder, and Becky Danks, Head of Product.

A quick 40 minute listen with chapters to help you navigate to the bits that are most relevant to you!

Episode 15 - App News

We're trying out weekly pod releases - bear with us! In this episode you'll catch up with the latest app news, including:

1. FTC sues Intuit for deceptive free TurboTax - FTC sues Intuit, claims 'free' TurboTax can be deceptive • The Register
2. Intuit responds to lawsuit to vigorously challenge - Intuit Inc. - Intuit Responds to Complaint from U.S. Federal Trade Commission
3. Lightyear partners with Sage Business Cloud and Intaact - Lightyear announces new strategic partnership with Sage and new Lightyear releases – enhanced approval process (including single click approval), enhancements to purchase orders
4. Bright Group buy Accountancy Manager - AM Blog | AM joins Bright Software Group - AccountancyManager
5. GoProposal release tools for active engagements - GoProposal gears up for ‘active’ practice management with new releases | AccountingWEB
6. Funding Options launches accountant channel - Funding Options launches accountant platform 
7. Xero release new reporting features – accountant management report pack tweaks (with client facing soon to come), flexible executive summary, report annotations, The new reporting features that have just landed (and a sneak peek at what’s coming soon) | Xero Blog
8. Workflowmax release invoice information tab - New release: A brand new look for the invoice information tab (workflowmax.com)
9. Tripcatcher – partner dashboard enhanced & updated user management
10. QBO revise left navigation panel for grouping 
11. UK tax debt now at £39bn - HMRC must do more to recover taxes HMRC must do more to recover taxes unpaid due to pandemic, say MPs - BBC News (ampproject.org)
12. MTD ITSA to drive 68% of accounts to offer new services - Research suggests 2 out of 3 accountants expect to offer new services due to MTD for ITSA (accountancyage.com)
13. Companies House reform proposals - Companies House Reform proposals. | AccountingWEB
14. ISSB publish draft for global sustainability disclosures – ISSB publishes draft proposals for global sustainability disclosures (accountancyage.com)

Episode 14 - QBO Spotlight with Johann Goree

Take a walk on the white and green side with Johann Goree, one of six QBO Strategic Partners in the UK. Join Ryan as he delves into whether QBO is outpacing the competition and what else is coming from across the pond.

This week in app news: 

• QBO announces launch of tax filing software and MTD ITSA at QBO connect, working papers product and overhaul of payroll - https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/accounting-software/quickbooks-announces-tax-prep-and-filing-intentions
• Xero dashboard getting a new look https://www.xero.com/blog/2022/03/new-look-xero-dashboard/
• Xero comments on reliability of bank feeds - https://www.xero.com/blog/2022/03/uk-bank-feeds-reliability/
• Xero and Meta create financial wellness program in Asia Pacific. Financial wellness if overall financial health of the business. https://www.thedrum.com/news/2022/03/07/how-meta-and-xero-are-helping-smbs-improve-financial-wellness-through-technology
• Xero appstores purchases in AUS get Qantas points https://devblog.xero.com/earn-qantas-points-on-xero-app-store-purchases-f81298c1d64f
• Xero announces stance on Russia – halted Russian operations https://www.xero.com/blog/2022/03/our-position-on-ukraine-and-russia/
• G-Accon integration with Freshbooks https://blog.accon.services/2022/03/11/new-product-released-g-accon-for-freshbooks/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io
• A2X announces partnership with Rewind https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?zx=7wjrtkk9g0zw#inbox/FMfcgzGmvLQhqRqRXztCVXJlLVnplwXs
• Keypay integrates with SAGE https://support.yourpayroll.com.au/hc/en-gb/articles/4416419313039?sea=support@yourpayroll.co.uk
• IRIS and Revolut announce payroll partnership via staffology https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/tech-pulse/iris-and-revolut-hail-payroll-partnership-benefits
• Open banking - Natwest testing Variable recurring payments in Payit app in 2022 with commercial product 2023. Working with FreeAgent and will work with NatWest Rapid Cash https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/39805/natwest-preps-for-live-roll-out-of-variable-recurring-payments
• Payroll processing salaries to rise 15% https://www.accountancydaily.co/payroll-salaries-rise-15-hybrid-working-expands
• Tax Giant Ryan buts R&D specialist Catax in UK expanding into UK https://www.accountancydaily.co/us-tax-giant-ryan-acquires-rd-specialist-catax
• Atlantic money launches in London with funding round to take on Wise and Paypal https://www.cityam.com/exclusive-money-transfer-fintech-launches-in-london-to-take-on-wise-and-paypal/
• Lloyds invest £5m in Satago for 20% stake. Will roll out for single invoice finance and whole of book invoice factoring. Satago to get recurring fee per deal. Values Satago at £20m https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/39827/lloyds-bank-invests-5-million-in-working-capital-platform-satago
• Visa acquries Tink, an open banking platform https://usa.visa.com/about-visa/newsroom/press-releases.releaseId.18881.html
• Steadypay secures £3.8m series A https://www.uktechnews.info/2022/03/08/steadypay-secures-3-8-million-series-a-investment-led-by-digital-horizon/

Episode 13 - Bringing Audit Into The 21st Century

Bringing audit kicking and screaming into the 21st century with Mark Edmonson from Inflo. Does audit analytics really improve audit quality? Or is it just the new buzz word  for the marketplace? John and Mark take a deep dive into the transformative nature of audit analytics software and what a data-driven audit methodology really looks like. 

And in this weeks app news:

• Software Pricing Transparency 
• Ignition update
• MazApp - new bookkeeping software app
• HMRC App updates
• Connect 4, Xero, FreeAgent and Bokio App updates

Episode 12 - Open Banking - Is It The Future?

A fad or the future?

We are huge evangelists for open banking, and if you haven't already heard John wax lyrical about why a good open banking app is essential to your tech stack - then this is the one to listen to. In this episode we take a deep dive with Ger Kelly of Use Comma on what the fuss is all about. Including why the banks alone aren't fit enough to solve the pinch points and how Comma are empowering accountants & their Clients. 

And on top of that we're delighted to announce Comma as a Digitools Cornerstone Sponsor - which gives us the freedom to help shine more of a light on this exciting new area of technology.

Also in this week's app news:

• Crezco, Comma, Telleroo and FreeAgent app updates
• Xero and Intuit initial results
• The first MTD ITSA bridging software
• Industry updates - what are the key dates for your calendar & other news of interest

Episode 11 - Monetisation with the Hurst

Ever wondered how to monetise social or accounting apps? Tune into this episode with Stuart Hurst of Accounts and Legal to get some insider knowledge on how to be more effective with your commercial value proposition.

Stuart shares his polarising approach to social, reminding us once again to take the opportunity to be kind.

In app news this week hear more about:

• SAP - 2021 results show growth after couple of difficult years. Revenue up 2%. Profit down 7.5% but cloud subscriptions up 6% and orders up 32%
• Shopify launches a digital bank system so money doesn’t need to be deposited anywhere. No bank charges or cash withdrawal charges. Partnered with Evolve Bank & Trust, Member FDIC & Celtic bank to provide the service
• Modulr and Ripple announce partnership. Ripple is leader if enterprise blockcian and crypto solutions
• HMRC updates on MTD ITSA, Help To Grow website and closure of in-house IT team
• Xero, Freshbooks & QBO updates and so much more.

Episode 10 - Flow with Dave Sellick

What do accounting and gaming have in common? And how can optimising your setup enable flow to reduce friction points?

Cue Dave Sellick. Resident DJ. Yoga instructor. Qualified Accountant with his own Practice. Hear how Dave saves thousands of hours in admin through successfully executing hundreds of workflows through his innovative Elgato streamdeck setup.

Also, in app news this week

• The next round of big acquisitions featuring Sage, Employment Hero, Xero and IRIS
• QBO, Inflo, Float, Unleashes and Crezco release updates 
• Latest hot Xero apps to keep an eye on - from golf retail to time tracking to AltFi

Download and don't forget to leave us a review!

Episode 9 - A Truly Data-Driven Practice With Alastair Barlow

If there's one thing you listen to this year make it this podcast episode. In this episode we speak to Alastair Barlow about what truly data-driven accounting means - sure you need to adopt tech but how do you ensure you're still the driver and not being driven?

App News Bumper episode featuring Dext exits, Oak North & Fluidly, Wise, a FreeAgent release summary, the new API metrics & Finextra dashboard, Coconut, Freshbooks, NextMinute and BrightPay.

Not suitable for kids - please wear headphones! This podcast is designed to give you deep accounting app insight, inspire your new year's practice resolutions AND deliver light-relief during your Self-Assessment season. 

Episode 8 - Why Sage is not and never will be a dinosaur with Chris Downing

It's big, green and an absolute beast of an accounting machine. We speak to Chris Downing of Sage to get the inside score on what the forward plan is post the spate of high profile acquisitions. What does it mean for the desktop versions? What's next on the shopping list? Where are Sage focusing their development attention?

John Toon, Ryan Pearcy and Indi Tatla leave no stone unturned in the 30 minute interview with Chris. 

Alongside app news on Sage for Accountants, Xero software updates, the latest Simpro raise and recent acquisitions, changes to open banking and the 90-day rule as well as updates on:
Connect 4, Crezco, Comma, Airwallex, Hammock, Gest Online, Libeo, Hubdoc, Bokio, ServiceM8, QBO, Unleashed and Pixie!

Episode 7 - Early Adopters with Yohan Trougouboff

So you're an app and you want to sell through Accountants. Or maybe you're an Accountant who loved to play with new tech but hate being a guinea pig. Either way, this episode is dynamite for an inside look into the Early Adopters Hub with Yohan Trougouboff.

A quicker listen than usual, 50 minutes on how apps can successfully launch into the accounting space.

Also John, Ryan and Indi put the spotlight on several apps and the top news - featuring updates from Xero, QuickBooks, A2X, Accountancy Manager, Open Banking and a new UK bitcoin payroll.