Reasons Why Automation Is the Next Big Thing in Accounting

Technological advancements follow as we push ahead – inducing new inventions and methods to set a new normal. Accordingly, the adoption of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) related tools across industries are rising. This backs the ascend of automation in various industries, incluiding finance, driving more growth prospects than ever.
As a result, the industrial world is going all digital and automated, improving in-house efficiencies and clients’ outlooks. According to a report, over 93% of commercial enterprise professionals favor automated workflows in firms for a seamless operative user experience.
Similarly, automation in accounting is the next big thing you need to be aware of. Along with less human interactive frameworks, it leads to streamlined processes within accounting firms. In addition, automated workflows within industries drive a reduced cost of accounting services for business owners and investors alike.
What is Automation in Accounting?
You need cutting-edge tools to fast-track and streamline the manual aspects of an organization’s workflow. Automation tools are helpful in this situation since they not only automate tasks but also introduce more productive, agile, and easy-to-use designs. However, for accounting automation or automation in accounting, OCR software and tools are consumed to streamline accounting tasks.
Case in point: OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software converts texts and images into digital files to enhance invoicing processes with negligible manual effort. This consolidates data into a more stable environment in which AI bots further sustain an automated ledger. Meanwhile, accounting automation covers the following processes, including but not limited to:
- Data Entry
- Transferring Digital Payments
- Matching Prices
- Managing Purchase Orders
- Faster Turnaround Time
According to research, 73% of finance directors feel automation enhances functional efficiency and gives people more time to focus on higher-value jobs. Given this, many organizations tend to install the best automation tools for faster and more efficient work processes.
Read more: 5 Top Accounting Software for SMBs in 2023
So, whether automation will impact the accounting industry is already beside the point; what matters is how automation will affect accounting. This post aims to uncover why automation is gaining more traction across accounting industries.
Top 5 Reasons Why Automation in Accounting Is the Next Big Thing
Automated tools are key to maintaining a fast-paced and fully-fledged working atmosphere, making them ideal tools for accounting firms. However, many sectors will likely initiate / implement automated transformations in the coming days, including finance, design, software development companies, and others.
Here is why the accounting sector needs automation:
Increased Productivity
It’s important to enforce a fast-paced setup inside an accounting organization. On the other hand, this is only possible when the workforce is highly productive. To that end, automation tools for accountants help build a seamless work environment that requires minimal inputs to do multiple tasks concurrently.
While this automation module is completely synchronized with the organization’s workflow, maximum tasks are accomplished within a nominal time span. This may also reduce the billable hours for the employees. As a result, the bookkeeping firms would incur lesser costs.
Data Reliability
Humans tend to make mistakes. Machines, however, don’t. We built machines to eliminate that constant yet unprecedented instinct. They tend to carry out given tasks without any slips-ups. That makes them perfect for our organizational and non-organizational needs.
The point here is that accounting tools draw out 100% accurate results. Not only that, but their ability to rapid entries within seconds with no data inaccuracy risks is what makes us embrace them without a second thought. Back then, accountants took hours to create a single, fine ledger. But fast forward to today, via accounting tools, it’s done in a matter of milliseconds.
Time Convenient
We know that accounting without automation tools can be a time-consuming and highly arduous task. Clearly, having extra time in an organization is crucial to make strategies and creative approaches for the betterment. In addition, accounting teams tend to have more time to steer the firm towards success when they utilize automation tools wisely.
Since accounting automation tools aid tasks come to conclusions in a much lesser time, leaving more time in place, you can build, grow, or earn. Either way, this would enhance all the in-house processing features.
Easy and Fast
Automation tools are useful to transform the pen-and-paper processes outright digital and automated. These tools give accurate and reliable data insights by offering your accounting experts seamless experience and a reduced amount of repetitive work. As a result, accounting teams get a better and faster flow to their processes.
With these AI tools in place, you can get a fast and credible data retrieval framework. From documents to easy categorizing and itemizing ledgers, accounting automation is designed to make tasks seamless for the accounting industry.
Seamless and Secure File Storing
The paper storing process is long gone. Companies store digital copies into secure databases instead of paper documents, whether it’s an accountancy firm or not. What is even better is that the AI or Automation tools we’re talking about here allow you to integrate, manage, and analyze data via cloud storage services.
Regardless of your location, every file stored is accessible to you. Due to this, data accessibility is now a seamless process. These AI based automation tools are easily integrated with the cloud infrastructure, which makes your data filter and addition super easy. And as for its security, you need not worry because data access is only for those who are authorized.
Though vast benefits of automation in accounting have been disclosed, there are also a few drawbacks to this phenomenon.
Shortcomings of Automation in Accounting
While it drives more velocity, accuracy and ensures desirable results in a firm alongside minimalistic risks, it certainly comes into the picture with lots of fluctuations for traditional norms, which were previously conceded. Automation lays out a few risks for many manual professions, including accounting itself.
In addition, many accounting professionals consider the rise of this trend a potential threat to their careers in the coming days. However, the accounting industry stakeholders seem to say otherwise – a cost-effective approach.
As a recent Deloitte analysis revealed, technological innovations have traditionally displaced some occupations while creating others. According to Deloitte, there’s no reason to expect that this tendency will stop.
“We cannot anticipate the jobs of the future, but we believe that employment will continue to be created, upgraded, and eliminated much as they have in the previous 150 years,” says Deloitte.
Even though technology replaces human tasks, it’s highly unlikely that it’ll substitute the role of accountants. An accountant must ensure all the tasks go through an automated pipeline in the workplace. But then again, it may reduce the number of cost accountants.
Bottom Line
The chance of human mistakes declines as automation in accounting continues to grow. At this point, it’s easy to understand that accounting automation is key to developing faster workflows with minimal risks. Having things at your fingertips, saving lots of time and money, and keeping everything synchronized and in one place are what accounting firms need these days. Moreover, as far as the benefits of accounting in automation are concerned, they’re plentiful, and we’ve only scratched the surface to give you a general idea about their benefits.
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Blog Author

Husnain Kazmi
Husnain is the Chief Operating Officer at SMB Services, and he has an impressive career in Financial Accounting and Reporting that spans over 20 years. He has gained valuable experience working with well-known accounting firms like EY. With his strong technical skills and professional expertise, Husnain's advice is essential for small and medium-sized businesses looking to succeed in their operations.