We have a guest blog from Tammy Fisher, the owner of Balancing Act Small Business Services.
I’ve been a full service bookkeeper for more than 20 years. Recently, the question came up in one of my industry groups – will technology take our place in the workforce? Is our profession doomed to be taken over by software and apps like Quickbooks Online, Square and similar systems that are so familiar these days?
I’m not worried.
Technology is wonderful and it has made our jobs in accounting far better. We are able to automate tasks, set rules, and perform detailed transactions that would have been tedious and impractical before software and apps. Reports can be grouped and generated for analysis; payroll can be run in minutes with all deductions accounted for and expensed.
But, it isn’t perfect. Tech, after all, lacks the human element.
Accounting software promises things like easy integration, click to set up, and self automation, but the truth is far from that. Your accounting program doesn’t use deductive reasoning. It isn’t trained to spot errors or ask questions; it just plugs the numbers in the spaces. It looks correct on the surface, but it’s why, time and time again, we get called in to “clean up the books” - because income is overstated, transactions are duplicated, expenses are hidden and accounts cannot be reconciled. It can generate complex reports - but it can’t tell you what the totals mean or what to do with them. Tech can’t make strategic decisions, it can’t tell you when someone is cheating you, it can’t commiserate with you when you’ve suffered a financial loss, and it doesn’t celebrate with you when you land a big win.
Technology is awesome, but it is just a tool. A great bookkeeper or accountant doesn’t just crunch numbers - they are an advisor, a confidante, and a trusted partner in the health and growth of your business.
Want to talk with Tammy?