Starling Bank launched Accounting Essentials in March, a free bookkeeping and MTD submission tool for sole traders and landlords built on its acquisition of Ember. Indi walks through Lucy Cohen's analysis, which found 18% of entries in a fully reconciled ledger had no corresponding bank entry for the same period. That raises serious questions about what happens when AI-categorised bank data is the primary input for MTD submissions. Ryan notes that Starling had built a strong accountant partner channel and the "job done" framing has damaged those relationships. Neither host disputes the product's convenience. Both dispute that convenience is the same thing as accuracy.

Xero has announced XeroForce, a no-code agent builder that lets practices describe repeatable processes in plain English and run them as automated workflows across clients and connected apps. The ambition is to shift Xero from the ledger layer to the workflow layer, with audit trails and sign-off controls across an entire client base. Indi is sceptical about how it performs against messy real-world data and edge-case tax rules. Ryan raises whether XeroCon might be where Xero fills in the technical detail.

Intuit has cut around 3,000 roles, 17% of its global workforce, across QuickBooks, TurboTax, Credit Karma and Mailchimp, announcing the cuts on the same day it raised its full-year revenue guidance. Indi frames it as AI shifting from feature roadmap to operating model, and notes that Intuit has a history of testing "you don't need an accountant" messaging in other markets before the UK.

Also covered: Starling adds Tap to Pay via Adyen; Bokio exits the UK on 30 June with six weeks notice to users; Sage Copilot now included in Sage Business Cloud Accounting at no extra charge; Ignition launches beta integrations with Vinyl and FYI; a correction on Xero Workpapers access when clients disconnect; and Xero practitioner awards are not running in the UK this year.

00:00 Welcome to the Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast

03:55 Starling says 'job done' on Making Tax Digital. Accountants have thoughts.

11:17 Starling adds Tap to Pay via Adyen, extending its accounting suite to contactless payments

13:10 XeroForce: Xero launches a no-code AI agent builder for financial workflows

19:18 Bokio exits the UK on 30 June, giving users six weeks to save their data

22:12 Intuit cuts 3,000 jobs and signs deals with Anthropic and OpenAI

25:42 Sage Copilot now available to all Sage Business Cloud Accounting users at no additional charge

27:40 Ignition launches Vinyl and FYI integrations

31:00 Xero Workpapers Correction

32:40 Xero practitioner awards skip the UK in 2026, with the programme running in other regions

36:33 Rate, Subscribe and Nominate for the Digital Disruptor Awards

The Xero conversation is substantial, and not entirely kind. Alastair, who built his firm on Xero, gives a candid view of a product he thinks is well-intentioned but slow and lacking cohesion. The team work through a refreshed app navigation, Xero Coaches launching in the US, the new benchmarking tool built on Sift Analytics data, and the replacement of Xero HQ with Partner Hub from 15 June. Ryan's concern about Coaches is pointed: he does not want Xero going the way of QuickBooks Live, where Intuit's move into the advisory space caused serious conflict with the accountant community in the US.

Alastair covers Socket's new feature, which ingests a call transcript from any note-taker and produces a first-draft client proposal with a confidence rating on each point. Indi is broadly positive but flags that AI note-takers still miss commercial nuance, so the 20% that matters most still needs human judgment.

Ryan runs through the Intuit Enterprise Suite spring 2026 update: inter-company eliminations, enhanced board reporting, Workforce Elite for HCM and deeper WIP reporting for construction. The team read it as Intuit pushing hard into mid-market territory.

Indi takes both Sage stories. On the expanded MTD IT agent she argues the tool's complexity partly reflects Sage's own fragmented product estate. On Steve Hare's AI trust comments, she goes further than the auditability argument: the real test will come when firms understand the margin implications of AI-native versus AI-infused pricing.

Alastair closes with Hg Capital, explaining why HG Trust's share price fell even as its portfolio companies improved, and introduces Damon Anderson's a2z AI Accounting report: 300-plus apps mapped, with the argument that accountants' defensible position is liability absorption, future value sits in the orchestration layer between tools, and 80% of point solutions are barnacles on the whale.

Also covered: Xero Ultra, launching in Australia in late June targeting the 20 to 200 employee segment.

00:00 Reflections on Accountex 2026

01:14 The FD Show, fractional CFOs and where the market is heading

12:14 Xero refreshes its app navigation

16:53 Xero is hiring coaches to onboard small businesses in the US

19:45 Xero launches industry benchmarking inside Analytics

24:16 Xero is replacing Xero HQ with Partner Hub from 15 June

25:43 Socket can now turn a meeting transcript into a client proposal

30:23 Intuit Enterprise Suite spring 2026: inter-company, board reporting and HCM

35:10 Sage expands its MTD IT agent with automatic client matching

41:40 Hg marks down its software fund by 9% as valuations hit a 20-year low

47:01 Sage CEO: accountants won't trust AI they can't inspect

52:41 Damon Anderson's a2z AI Accounting report

56:45 Outro

Duane Jackson's Sodium has moved to general availability. It is API-first, built around a single client record and designed with AI integrated from the start rather than bolted on later. Leigh frames the real challenge not as product quality but as firm inertia: practice management is the Lego wall nobody wants to dismantle, and a golden brick is only useful if someone is prepared to pull the old ones out. Lara and Robbie both know from experience how painful that process is, and the conversation turns quickly to whether AI-assisted migration might eventually lower the barrier.

Apron's William AI is now generally available, having launched in beta in March. Lara walks through what it actually does: connecting to client email inboxes, extracting and categorising documents, publishing to Xero or QuickBooks, and flagging anything it is not confident about. The auto-publish toggle defaults off and needs firm-specific guidance rules to reach its potential. The beta hit 50% autonomous publish rate; the GA pitch is 90% for firms that put the configuration work in.

Robbie leads on the Xero and Claude integration, which went live globally on 12 May. Early practitioner testing found it read-only, limited to account-level data and prone to missing transactions. Leigh and Lara discuss what it means that the major general ledgers are simultaneously embedding AI inside their own products and surfacing their data inside the large language models.

Intuit's intelligence layer across QuickBooks covers AI-powered chat, portfolio benchmarking and a capability that appears pointed directly at end clients. Lara raises the concern that clients with incomplete books could get confident-sounding answers to questions they should be asking their accountant instead.

Lara covers the QuickBooks AI-powered MTD checker, which flags duplicates, missing transactions and non-trading income sources before submission. QuickBooks claims the highest cumulative MTD pilot sign-ups during HMRC's testing period. Robbie welcomes it as a live use case rather than a theoretical one.

Robbie covers Combinely, the browser-based AI co-worker backed by YC and OpenAI. Early UK adopters include Burgess Hodgson, where it handled 2,600+ tasks across December and January with a reported 75% reduction in income and expenditure creation time. Leigh raises the structural tension: a tool that sits on the periphery of a workflow is easy to adopt and equally easy to quietly drop.

Lara covers FreeAgent's integration with Equali, pulling e-commerce data from Shopify into FreeAgent for reconciliation and categorisation, and notes FreeAgent's incoming Apron partnership as part of a broader push beyond its freelancer roots.

The episode closes on the Accountex panel from ICAEW, ACCA and IFAC. The fat middle concern runs through the final section: AI handling transactional work, hollowing out the junior pipeline and, with it, the intuition that comes from years of doing the basics. Robbie's view is that AI will eventually learn the human stuff too. The question is what accountants do with the time that creates.

Chapter list

00:00 Introduction and Overview of Topics

04:00 The Launch of Sodium: A New Practice Management Tool

08:25 Apron's William AI: Enhancing Document Management

12:44 General Ledgers and AI Strategies

23:31 QuickBooks AI-Powered MTD Checker Flags Errors Before Submission, Not After

27:18 Combinely's AI Co-Worker Handles 2,600+ Tasks in a Month for Early UK Firm Adopters

30:45 FreeAgent's E-Commerce Expansion

36:09 The Future of Accountancy: AI and Brand Perception

Anthropic has launched ten ready-to-run agents aimed at finance operations, covering general ledger reconciliation, statement review, journal preparation and KYC screening. The hosts debate whether these genuinely displace specialist close management tools or simply make existing model capabilities more accessible, and where the line between "human in the loop" and "human who gets sued" actually sits.

Campfire has officially opened its first London office, adding VAT support and UK-specific functionality as it builds out boots on the ground ahead of the conference season. John covers the story and explains why a US ERP with existing UK clients making this move matters for the market.

HMRC is rolling out 28,000 Microsoft Copilot licences with a target of 50,000, positioning itself as the world's most AI-enabled tax authority. Kendrick contrasts the approach with a far more cautious IRS, while Indi makes the point that a faster, sharper HMRC changes the maths for accountants who rely on year-end reconciliation as a safety net.

Sage had a substantial week. Indi covers the expansion of its developer platform across Intacct, X3 and Sage Active, including the launch of Sage Agent Builder, an AI gateway and usage-based revenue sharing for partners. John follows with Sage's acquisition of Doyen AI, a data migration tool founded in 2024 that Sage moved quickly to bring in-house.

NetSuite has released SuiteCloud Agent Skills, knowledge packages that help AI coding assistants build and customise inside NetSuite without breaking things. Kendrick, coming from the ERP world, gives his take on why guardrails in AI-assisted development matter more than the speed gains.

Digits has launched an MCP server connecting its agentic general ledger to tools including Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor on a read-only basis. John and Kendrick discuss what the read-only decision signals about where Digits thinks the value of its product still sits.

The episode closes with a story that cuts against the week's optimism: Google's AI overviews are serving UK users outdated government information pulled from unmaintained gov.uk pages. One example, the cost of registering a charity, returned answers ranging from free to over £183, against an actual fee of £100 online. Indi makes the case that before anyone hands autonomous agents the keys, it's worth checking whether they're working from data that should have been retired years ago.

This episode is sponsored by Advancetrack, the outsourced accounting and tax service trusted by UK practices for over 20 years. 

00:00 Introduction to DigiTools and Fishbowl

03:27 Claude Coming for Accountants?

10:30 Campfire opens in London

12:43 HMRC rolls out 28,000 Copilot licences

17:43 Sage expands developer platform for AI tools

26:21 Sage acquires Doyen for data transfers

28:30 NetSuite brings AI speed for SuiteCloud developers

32:11 Digits MCP expands AI utilisation

36:16 AI giving wrong Gov data to UK users

38:00 Nominate your candidates for a Digital Disruptor award!

iplicit's May 2026 release introduces AI Detect, real-time fraud and anomaly detection built into the core of the platform rather than bolted on. It flags unusual transactions, out-of-hours activity and VAT mismatches before they become problems. The same release adds 4-4-5 period support and extends AP automation with improved supplier matching and automatic VAT status flagging for non-registered legal entities.

Intuit had a busy week. Eriona covers the May Accountant Suite feature drop, including proactive bank feed alerts, plain-English AI querying of live client data and a confirmed sunset date for QuickBooks Online Accountant in December. Ian picks up the Anthropic partnership, framing it less as an AI story and more as a distribution one: Intuit products are now available directly inside Claude. The panel debates whether that is a smart channel play or a quiet concession that the AI interface is winning.

Eriona also covers Intuit for Education's UK launch, which kicked off with a financial literacy forum at the London Stadium with West Ham United Foundation. Only 26% of young adults in the UK say they received financial education at school. Ian covers Fivetran's Open Data Infrastructure benchmark, which names Workday, Rippling and Slack among the worst performers for data portability, and the panel debates whether regulation will eventually force openness the way open banking did.

Also covered: Xero extends AI document extraction to bills with line-item capture and automatic reconciliation matching. A real-world example of Claude rebuilding a Sage invoice as a working Xero template in minutes. The NCSC's push for passkeys over passwords, and the operational headaches that creates. Ryan rounds off with Xero Small Business Insights showing sales holding firm across all five tracked markets despite the fuel crisis, with Australia leading at just under 11% growth.

Sponsored by Employment Hero. AI-powered HR, payroll and recruitment that integrates with your accounting software. employmenthero.com

00:00 Introduction & Accountex Preview

06:46 Employment Hero (Sponsor)

07:25 iplicit's new AI Detect brings real-time fraud spotting to mid-market finance

13:26 Intuit pushes a wave of new Accountant Suite features as Accelerate launch looms

18:57 Intuit and Anthropic partner to bring QuickBooks data and AI agents directly inside Claude

22:00 Intuit for Education brings financial literacy programme to UK schools via West Ham partnership

27:56 Workday, Rippling and Slack named as the worst platforms for data access

30:04 Xero's AI document extraction now covers bills, with duplicate detection and auto-reconciliation

33:31 How one firm used Claude to rebuild a Sage invoice template for Xero in minutes

37:33 NCSC says passwords are done — passkeys are the way forward, but the practicalities are messier than they sound

40:01 Xero small business data: UK sales held firm in March despite the fuel crisis

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QuickBooks has restructured its payroll offering into three tiers: Core for simple automated salary runs, Premium adding time tracking and self-serve tools, and Elite bringing in geo-fencing and project profitability. Indi covers Intuit Intelligence, a conversational AI built into QuickBooks that lets business owners ask questions about their own data. She makes the point that QuickBooks has always been more direct about going after the business owner than Xero — this is the latest iteration of that strategy. John adds the arrival of auto-save in invoices and estimates, though he and Ryan disagree on whether it genuinely qualifies.

Tax Systems has launched an AI assistant for cross-border tax via its Loctax acquisition, covering 220 jurisdictions and drawing on verified content from the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation. Indi's take: the biggest problem with AI in tax is not speed, it's trust. John raises the billing question — if research time drops significantly, hourly-rate firms face a difficult conversation.

John covers a LinkedIn video from Daryl Aw demonstrating the use of Claude to produce financial statements. Pretty much any accountant can do this. The harder question is whether you can do it reliably at scale.

Digits has moved to outcome-based pricing. Firms pay only when 95% of transactions are fully automated with no human edits. Ryan thinks they're either very confident or making a desperate growth bet. John says he'd put all his most complex clients on it and never pay a penny.

Also covered: WorkGuru's Easter release with new Sales and Operations Hubs, Certinia's Veda AI engine for professional services firms, and the Digital Disruptors Awards returning at Accountex North in Manchester.

Advancetrack provides outsourcing and offshoring services for accounting firms, covering bookkeeping, accounts preparation, payroll, VAT and self-assessment. www.advancetrack.com

00:00 Introduction and Nostalgia

03:54 QBO launches new payroll stack

07:04 QBO launches Intuit Intelligence

12:02 QuickBooks adds auto-save to invoices and estimates

13:26 WorkGuru releases major Easter update

16:31 Ryan's AI reluctance

18:01 Active Workpapers drops April UK release

21:25 Nostalgia Trip

22:52 Tax Systems targets cross-border tax with verified AI

28:37 Wrap-Up and Community Engagement

29:37 Daryl Aw demonstrates building financial statements with Claude

33:30 Certinia launches Veda, an AI operations engine for professional services firms

36:54 Digits bets its revenue on whether its AI actually works

41:54 Register for the Digital Disruptor Awards

Indi opens with news of Advancetrack's upcoming GBX conference on 12th May at the National Gallery, where the 2026 Accounting Talent Index launches. Early data suggests 70% of firms say workloads are increasing pressure on senior staff, cutting against the narrative that AI is the profession's most urgent problem right now. Kevin adds context with Employment Hero's March Jobs Report, drawn from roughly 120,000 UK employees. Headline employment growth is positive at just over 5.3% month on month, but wage growth at 8.8% remains high and SME hiring confidence is wobbling again as April's employer legislation updates and the Fair Work Agency's growing focus create fresh uncertainty.

Billie recalls a live demo she recorded: Perplexity's new Computer tool filling out a US tax return end to end, pulling documents, error-checking and asking clarifying questions. It doesn't file, but it does everything up to that point. US-only for now, but a clear direction of travel. Kevin links it to a bolder claim from Tom Blomfield, ex-CEO of Monzo, who argued income tax collection could be restructured within five years, cutting out advisers and individual returns. The hosts are sceptical, but take the underlying question about accountant value seriously.

Mayday gets a positive segment covering a strong Q1: centralised control of contacts, chart of accounts and tracking categories across multiple Xero entities, plus the acquisition of Easy Month End. Indi raises the question of whether a Xero acquisition is on the cards.

Xero OS generates the most debate. Billie breaks down Jax shifting from assistant framing to something closer to an AI CFO. Indi's reading is more structural: the move from ecosystem to operating system signals Xero closing the dome around its data, compressing the opportunity for apps sitting on top of it.

Kevin covers Oracle's Fusion Finance agentic applications, where agents chase payments and manage collections without waiting for human input, and notes AI is collapsing roadmap timelines from twelve months to weeks.

Also covered: Dext Payments moving into payroll payments; Briefcase One adding live bank feeds with automated categorisation and ledger posting; FreeAgent's MTD bulk workflow release; and GoCardless cutting 90 jobs while targeting EBITDA positive in 2026.

FreeAgent is the proud sponsor of this episode. FreeAgent is an HMRC-recognised MTD solution for sole traders, landlords and CIS clients. Find out more at freeagent.com.

00:00 Introduction to the Digital Disruptors Podcast

04:25 The state of accounting employment and talent

08:51 Perplexity AI going after accounting?

11:29 Income tax redundant in 5 years?

17:22 Huge Q1 for Mayday

22:10 Xero's new AI operating system

30:00 Oracle announces Fusion Finance

31:23 Dext Payments: automation in payroll and accounting

34:46 Briefcase One now has bank feeds

38:10 MTD-focused releases from FreeAgent

41:24 GoCardless axes 90 jobs

49:09 Close

Xero has launched a new accounts production workflow in partnership with BGL, bringing year-end workpapers directly into the platform. Heather reports from Australia, where the feature has been live for some time, and flags a data access issue that UK firms need to know about before they rely on it.

Xero has also announced a multi-year partnership with Anthropic, the company behind Claude. The announcement has generated significant discussion in the profession, not least because Xero previously stated that JAX would not provide financial advice. The new partnership appears to suggest otherwise. Ryan, Heather and Leigh examine what that means for accountants, who carries the liability, and whether AI becoming the default interface puts the underlying ledger at risk of becoming irrelevant.

US accounting platform Aiwyn has embedded its tax product inside Claude, allowing users to generate a 1040 tax return through the AI interface via an MCP-style connection. The hosts debate whether building core workflows on top of an LLM is a sound strategy right now, and whether the product will still be differentiated in two years once the base models catch up.

NetSuite used its Suite Connect London event to shift the conversation from co-pilot to autopilot, outlining plans for autonomous period close through its NetSuite Next platform. Leigh invokes Jurassic Park. Ryan pushes back with a transactions-first argument. Neither of them is entirely wrong.

Also covered: TaxNav launches Navi, a green furry MTD mascot of questionable necessity; TaxCalc Engager announces a collaboration with Virtual Cabinet and Workiro to embed document management into tax and accounts workflows; and Xero's credit note bank rec update gets more credit than the headlines suggest.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

02:22 Xero Accounts Production

06:09 Xero Credit Note Bank Rec

09:47 Xero and Anthropic

18:33 Aiwyn Tax inside Claude

23:31 NetSuite Autopilot

30:39 Navi launched to simplify MTD conversations

34:33 TaxCalc integrates with Workiro and Virtual Cabinet

35:58 Functional Updates from Xero

The conversation moves into the world of AI reporting with a look at Bots For That and their conversational approach to client insights. The hosts debate the risks of relying on AI summaries that may lack the broader context of operational data and off-balance sheet information. You will also hear a breakdown of Zoho’s latest launches, including corporation tax filing, micro-entity accounts production, and their freemium model for MTD for income tax.

Finally, the group explores the concept of the fully AI run accounting firm, discussing a recent experiment involving 11 AI agents. Alastair provides a unique look at the "double subsidy" of technology and the potential future reckoning regarding the true cost of AI token usage in the profession.

00:00 Introduction of New Co-Host

03:54 Dext time spent insight

05:58 Client insight launched by Bots For That

13:51 Briefcase Ledger

19:12 Zoho Accounts & Tax + Premium Model

23:11 The fully AI accounting practice

32:55 Journey's April Fool's Prank

34:57 Close

From AI agents that hunt through your inbox to the battle over mid-market marketing, the latest episode of the #DigiToolsinAccrualWorld podcast is packed with the insights you need to navigate the noise.

Here's what we’re breaking down this next week:

The Main Stories

FreeAgent’s Bank-Led CIS: We explore how FreeAgent is tackling the MTD for Income Tax headache by allowing CIS transactions directly from bank coding. 

As Lara Manton C.MICB puts it, most subcontractors don’t care about complex domestic reverse charges - they just care about the money in. This could be a massive win for reducing the admin burden.

Fathom’s New AI Commentary: 🎙️ Ryan Pearcy looks at Fathom’s new tool that moves beyond "boring jargon". Instead of just restating the obvious, it uses "context engineering" to explain the why behind the numbers.

Firmcheck’s AML Evolution: Ian Gregory highlights how Firmcheck is shifting the conversation from simple "onboarding" to "ongoing compliance". In an era of "Companies House blunders," having a single AML control centre is becoming defensible and critical.

The Bits You Can't Miss:

🤖 "I’ve now got AI reading my emails, but I certainly wouldn’t let it send any without my permission." - Ian Gregory on the security of Apron’s new AI agent, William.

😬 "If you're not going to be fair to others in this space... you're not going to damage them. You're going to damage yourself." - Ryan Pearcy on the recent "angst" between iplicit and Sage over marketing comparison tables.

🧐 "Is it SaaS or is it 'Software as an Intelligent Service'?" - The team debates Xero’s new "Accountable Intelligence" branding and whether we really need another acronym for AI.

Indi Tatla and John Toon are joined by Robbie from Forvis Mazars to discuss the rapid shift in the UK software landscape as MTD for ITSA approaches.

The team breaks down the recent QuickBooks update for sole traders and the strategic move by Sage and Barclays to provide an integrated banking and accounting experience. We also look at the rise of AI assistants within banking apps like Starling and how Dext is using AI to codify firm-level judgment for better automation.

A major highlight of this episode is the news from Briefcase regarding their AI-native MTD platform, Briefcase One, which aims to handle complex areas like fixed assets and depreciation. We also discuss Revolut finally securing its UK banking license and what their expansion means for the SME market. Finally, we look at recent data regarding AI adoption in accounting firms and whether security concerns are still acting as a blocker for core workflows.

00:00 Introduction to Digi-Tools in Accrual World 03:02 QuickBooks and the New Sole Trader Experience 05:46 Barclays and Sage announce strategic partnership 07:09 Starling launches integrated accounting and MTD tool 09:42 Dext launches AI Assist tool to enhance supplier rule automation 13:27 Briefcase's Disruptive Innovations in Pre-Accounting 21:25 Revolut's Banking License and Market Expansion 26:15 Digits expands payroll connectivity 27:14 AI in Accounting: Current State and Future Prospects 31:11 Outro

This episode is sponsored by Advancetrack.

Advancetrack provides modern accounting and tax outsourcing solutions, helping practices access top-tier talent and robust security measures to scale their business and focus on client relationships.

Visit their website: https://www.advancetrack.com/

The conversation covers the recent Intuit Get Connected event, where the global platform announced a massive shift toward AI-driven compliance. We examine what the partnership with Anthropic means for the rollout of custom AI agents and how the new business tax beta aims to proactively identify tax savings. The panel also reviews the latest product roadmap from FreeAgent and how they are positioning themselves to compete with larger players through rapid development and MTD readiness.

Beyond the software updates, we look at the broader economic landscape affecting the profession. Drawing on the latest data from Xero and Employment Hero, we discuss the 8.8 per cent rise in SME wages, persistent late payment challenges, and why the era of the Frankenstack—disjointed software collections—is rapidly coming to an end in favour of unified systems.

We also highlight new innovations in compliance and portfolio management, including the MTD Command Centre from Bots for That, the integration between FYI and AMLCC, and Starling Bank's expansion into integrated tax software.

• 00:00 Intro and Welcome

• 02:40 Employment Hero

• 03:21 Intuit scales up AI capabilities as MTD deadline approaches

• 07:38 Intuit partners with Anthropic to bring custom AI agents

• 11:33 Intuit launches business tax AI beta to simplify filings

• 14:06 FreeAgent product spotlight 2026

• 18:37 Latest Xero data reveals small businesses are still facing persistent late payment challenges

• 21:18 Latest Xero data reveals small businesses are still facing persistent late payment challenges

• 23:33 UK SME wages rise by 8.8 per cent sparking concerns over potential price increases

• 27:28 Innovations in Fintech and Compliance Tools

• 27:37 Bots for That unveils a new MTD control centre for centralised client portfolio management

• 29:51 FYI and AMLCC integrate to automate anti-money laundering compliance for accountancy firms

• 31:09 Starling Bank expands business features with integrated HMRC-recognised software for digital tax

• 33:08 Xenon Connect releases a process tool to replace manual checklists for compliance reviews

• 35:19 Outro

This episode is sponsored by Employment Hero. Visit their website: https://employmenthero.co.uk

The show kicks off with Allica Bank's $155 million Series D raise, which pushes the UK-focused business bank to a $1.2 billion valuation and into unicorn territory. The hosts unpack what the funding means for expansion into Northern Europe and whether an IPO or acquisition is the more likely exit.

From there, the team covers Stacks, which has raised $23 million to push further into financial close automation and has launched an AI Flux Analysis tool to identify transaction variances, before moving on to Basis, an AI agent platform that has hit a $1.15 billion valuation after raising $100 million to build long-horizon agentic workflows across tax, audit and advisory functions inside accounting firms.

On the more practical side, John runs through a substantial update from Active Workpapers, including the launch of Group Overview for managing portfolios of connected clients and a new integration with FreeAgent. Billie covers Xama AML's new client portal, which simplifies ID verification and multi-director onboarding, reducing the back-and-forth that has long made AML compliance a drag on practice time.

John also looks at Briefcase's new accruals automation tool, which detects recurring expenses and suggests journal postings at month-end before automatically reversing them when the invoice arrives. The hosts discuss how Briefcase's iterative, practice-led approach to development has helped them release features that genuinely land.

The episode also touches on the Crezco and iplicit partnership, which brings embedded payment functionality into iplicit's mid-market platform under the name iplicit Pay, and on Dytto, a new AI startup promising to free accountants from manual tasks, which receives a sceptical reception from all three hosts.

The episode closes with a proper debate on the Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman's claim that accountants could be fully automated within two years. Billie, John and Indi push back on the timeline, drawing on adoption curves from cloud accounting and e-commerce, and make the case that professional judgment, regulatory accountability and client trust will slow the transition considerably.

This episode is brought to you by Xledger, the mid-market accounting platform.

Find out more at: https://www.xledger.com

The conversation covers significant AI advancements from industry giants. Sage Intacct has introduced new AI agents designed to streamline financial close and enhance cash intelligence, while NetSuite recently announced a suite of AI tools at its New York conference. The hosts also discuss the implications of Sage Intacct opening up data access via Snowflake, offering firms more flexibility for advanced reporting and business intelligence.

Additionally, the episode highlights a substantial $22 million funding round for audit and bank confirmation platform Circit, the launch of Ask Vinyl for automated meeting insights, and Fishbowl’s entry into the UK market with AI-driven manufacturing tools. The show concludes with a look at Zoho’s unified ERP strategy and a significant, though unconfirmed, rumour regarding the future of Sage 50 Professional in the cloud.

This episode is essential listening for digitally savvy accountants wanting to stay informed on the latest accounting tech news and fintech news.

Take your finances into the future and run your business or not-for-profit more effectively with iplicit, the mid-tier ERP solution. Website: https://www.iplicit.com

• 00:00 Intro

• 02:35 Intuit Enterprise Suite

• 06:14 Sage Intacct AI Agents and Data Cloud

• 11:15 Circit $22m Investment

• 15:35 Vinyl's New AI Capabilities

• 20:02 Briefcase: General Availability

• 21:18 Hammock: Joint Property Owners

• 22:54 Fishbowl: AI Manufacturing

• 27:19 Zoho ERP

• 31:13 NetSuite AI Updates

• 33:55 Rumour Mill: Sage 50 Cloud

• 36:32 Outro

The conversation also covers significant shifts in the wider market, exploring the so-called "SaaS Apocalypse" and how generative AI is forcing a re-evaluation of traditional software subscription models. From strategic acquisitions like Mayday taking over Easy Month End to the latest consolidation in the UK payroll market with MoorePay acquiring Buddy, this episode provides a comprehensive look at the tools and trends shaping the future for digitally savvy accountants.

00:00 - Introduction and welcome to new co-host Heather Smith 04:08 - Xero integrates AI-powered data capture into core accounting platform 05:50 - A new side-panel Quick View feature simplifies the bill management process in Xero 08:58 - Xero updates global inbox storage to improve document organisation and file management 13:58 - Xero launches new tools to help small businesses manage cash flow and tax 20:00 - Xero integrates Melio for streamlined online bill payments for US small businesses 23:43 - Mayday acquires Easy Month End to streamline the financial close process 28:41 - Digital payroll platform Buddy has been acquired by MoorePay to bolster payroll technology 32:00 - New WorkflowMax Q1 updates focus on saving time for project administration tasks 33:48 - The SaaS apocalypse: Why AI is disrupting traditional software stocks 42:35 - Closing remarks and Digital Disruptor Awards 2026 announcement

Episode Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by FreeAgent. https://www.freeagent.com

Join John, Leigh, and Ryan as they discuss why this event has become a staple for the UK's top 200–300 firms.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Strategic Edge: Why the "Chatham House Rules" environment makes this different from your average trade show.

• Navigating the Content: From the Samoan Circle to the X-Factor format, what you shouldn't miss.

• Peer-to-Peer Insights: How to use the breakout sessions to solve your firm's specific AI and talent challenges.

• Practical Tips: Why you should stay late on Tuesday, how to vet vendor onboarding, and even where to find the best golf and morning running groups.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 – Introduction to the Alternative Accountancy event

• 1:15 – Why it’s the most strategic event of the year

• 2:45 – Tips for Managing Partners and Digital Leads

• 4:10 – The importance of the Tuesday evening social

• 5:30 – Wednesday morning run and recovery

• 7:00 – Getting the most out of vendor partnerships

• 8:45 – Final tips: Breakout rooms and AI insights

The conversation highlights a divide in the market: while some bookkeeping automation tools struggle, Field Guide has raised $75 million to target complex audit and advisory workflows for major firms. The panel also weighs in on the "AI disruption anxiety" felt across the sector after Anthropic released new legal AI tools, affecting the share prices of incumbents like Sage and Thomson Reuters.

Further topics include:

• Pilot’s unveiling of an "autonomous AI accountant" and the validity of its ten-year data claims.
• Simpro Group’s acquisition of Delight to bolster its trade-focused operating platform.
• The departure of Buddy’s CEO and the future of standalone payroll software.
• A landmark Upper Tribunal ruling involving HMRC that suggests baldness could be considered a disability for VAT purposes.

Episode Sponsor This episode is proudly sponsored by Advancetrack, the market leader in delivering high-quality offshore outsourcing solutions combined with cutting-edge technology for accountancy practices.

Sponsor Link: https://www.advancetrack.com/

0:00 Intro - welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World

07:54 AI agent Jenesys seeks new ownership

12:36 Botkeeper announces the closure of its platform to its community of users

16:18 Goldman Sachs backs Fieldguide with significant funding

21:28 Anthropic legal tool impacts data service providers

27:35 Pilot launches AI accountant to automate the entire bookkeeping process

34:12 Simpro Group expands its field service reach with the acquisition of Delight

36:36 Founder David Seisun announces his departure as CEO of Buddy after seven years

41:02 Expend introduces automatic document matching and updates reimbursement fees for 2026

42:44 Court rules that hair loss treatments can be zero-rated for VAT purposes

Today, Indi Tatla, John Toon, and our new regular guest Eriona Bajrakurtaj discuss the strategic shifts happening across the major platforms. We explore how Xero is doubling down on everyday productivity with 55 new feature updates and its continued push into the US market via the Melio acquisition.

We also examine the departure of Nick Williams from Intuit after 12 years and the legacy he leaves behind in the UK QuickBooks ecosystem.

Key topics include:

* The merger of Data Switcher and Move My Books for AI data migration. * Dext’s new AI agent, Dext Assist, and integrated payment workflows. * Briefcase’s approach to natural language context in document uploads. * A deep look at Xero’s quarterly product updates and global strategy. * The market implications of the cancelled Xeinadin sale.

0:00 - Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World App News: 7:00 - Merger of Dataswitcher and Movemybooks 13:10 - Dext Updates 19:37 - Briefcase Natural Language 23:43 - Xero's Updates and AI/US Strategy 35:21 - Nick Williams leaving Intuit 39:52 - Xeinadin Sale Collapse

This episode is made possible by Adsum. Adsum allows you to connect directly to HMRC for a single dashboard view of client taxes, including payroll, VAT, and corporation tax.

Episode Sponsor: Adsum: https://www.adsum-works.com/

We break down Sage's impressive Q1 financial results and their aggressive move into "agentic" AI workflows with the new Sage Copilot for Operations.

We also discuss the "feature-parity" battle as QuickBooks Online rolls out advanced inventory management to entice Desktop users to the cloud. Plus, we look at the sobering reality of AI ROI for CEOs and why high-quality data remains the biggest hurdle for "touchless" tax compliance.

00:00 Introduction and Exciting Changes Ahead 03:22 Sage leads blue-chip leaderboard after strong quarterly growth 06:54 Sage announces new suite of AI-powered capabilities within its Operations and Inventory modules 11:52 Sage partners with Augusta Labs to build out a new AI Centre of Excellence 16:09 Intuit introduces significant inventory management upgrades for QuickBooks Online users 20:42 Xledger integrates with Tessitura 24:10 Majority of CEOs yet to see financial payoff from AI 29:10 Thomson Reuters AI Updates 32:04 Finfluencer Deep Fakes 34:08 Close Out

In this episode of the Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast, Ryan Pearcy and John Toon dive into the latest shifts in the accounting technology landscape, following John’s return from his annual ski trip. The duo explores significant new software integrations and the evolving role of AI in professional workflows.

Key topics covered include:

Platform Integrations: The hosts discuss Fathom's new official integration with FreeAgent, enhancing reporting capabilities for small business users.

Xero Updates: A deep dive into Xero’s full rollout of Syft for advanced analytics and visual reporting. They also discuss the UI alignment of credit notes with invoices and speculate on a strategic "new user segment" hinted at in recent high-level job postings.

Regulatory Alerts: Ryan flags a critical gap in major payroll software (including BrightPay, Sage, and Xero) regarding the automatic calculation of maternity pension contributions, which currently requires manual intervention to maintain compliance.

Embedded Accounting: A look at Sage’s strategic partnership to embed its technology directly into HSBC UK’s business banking platform, a move aimed at sole traders and MTD readiness.

The Rise of MCPs: John explains the significance of Scoro launching a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, allowing users to interact with their business data through natural language via LLMs like ChatGPT or Claude.

Enterprise AI: An overview of Acumatica’s heavy investment in AI-driven workflows, anomaly detection for "real-time audits," and voice-interface assistants.

Industry Reflections: The episode concludes with insights from the "Finance Takes the Peace" trip, reflecting on the diversity of opinions regarding offshoring, the "firm of the future," and the professional responsibility of using AI-generated advice.

Chapters

00:00 Ski Trip Adventures and Industry Connections 01:59 Fathom launches FreeAgent integration 03:33 Payroll Software Challenges 08:08 Xero's New Features and Enhancements 12:25 Xero's Credit Notes Upgrade 14:39 Speculation on Xero's future 18:52 Sage and HSBC partner to deliver MTD tools to Sole Traders 24:48 Scoro's MCP Server and Natural Language Integration 30:06 AI Integration in Acumatica 35:38 Accountero utilises AI agents to help firms 41:02 Regulatory Challenges in Fintech: The Airwallex Investigation 45:11 Insights from Finance Takes the Piste: The Future of Accounting

00:00 - Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World 6.03 - Sponsored by Scoro

04:23 - A2X Innovations and E-commerce Solutions

08:12 - iplicit's Growth and Focus on Education

11:17 - Acumatica's New Leadership and Market Positioning

14:36 - Crezco's Pay by Card Feature

17:29 - Briefcase's New Sales Processing Feature

21:52 - Briefcase adds Line Item Categorisation

25:16 - FYI's Adds Forms Feature

31:14 - Digital Disruptors Updates

Scoro - www.scoro.com

Reuben’s Website post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/reuben-steenkamp_over-christmas-i-spent-2-weeks-782-million-activity-7417541719820238848-PsSE

The conversation headlines with Xero’s major platform shift, moving to usage-based pricing and restricting API data for AI training. Is this a move for security or a strategy to build a "walled garden"? The hosts also explore the rising "slop" in accounting books caused by generalist AI chatbots, with new data from Dext highlighting the cost of these errors for firms.

Plus, we cover the latest updates from Scoro (retainer watchdogs), FloQast’s push for deterministic AI, and WorkflowMax’s focus on capacity forecasting. Finally, we look at how niche firms are using tech stacks to target the construction boom.

In this episode, we cover:

Xero’s Platform Shift: The end of the 15% revenue share and new data usage costs. 

Data Ownership: The debate over who owns client data - the platform, the accountant, or the business. 

Scoro Updates: New "Watchdog" alerts for retainer metrics and resource booking improvements. 

FloQast & AI: Why "deterministic" AI might be the future for reliable accounting workflows. 

AI Hallucinations: Dext reveals how much money clients are losing due to chatbot errors. 

WorkflowMax: Using AI for staff capacity forecasting and handling subcontractor approvals. 

This episode is sponsored by Xledger, the mid-tier accounting system perfect for those moving to the cloud. www.xledger.com

00:00 – Intro & Welcome

00:03:41 – Xero’s Data Ownership & Pricing Shake-up

00:10:45 – Scoro Releases: Watchdog Alerts for Retainers

00:14:07 – FloQast’s Deterministic AI Strategy

00:20:36 – The Cost of AI Errors: Dext Data on Chatbot "Slop"

00:25:12 – WorkflowMax Updates: Capacity Planning & Fraud Detection

00:31:12 – Solving the Subcontractor Approval Headache

00:34:15 – Niche Focus: Tech Stacks for Construction

00:37:41 – Awards, Academy & Closing

Join John Toon, Ryan Pearcy, and Indi Tatla as they look at the latest launches, from the world's first "AI CFO" to major platform updates from the industry giants. Plus, the team breaks down bold predictions for the profession - is the manual month-end close dead?

In this episode, we cover:

• Nume Launch: We analyse the release of Nume, the "first AI CFO". Is this $99/mo tool a threat or an opportunity for accountants?

• Intuit Accountants Suite: A look at Intuit’s massive redesign, including the new "close books at scale" feature and AI-powered client insights.

• Fintech & Capital: Updates on the QuickBooks Capital Marketplace, featuring new integrations with Adsum for instant VAT refunds and YouLend for working capital.

• Iris Elements Summary: A review of Iris’s 2025 updates, including new large-firm features, IFRS support, and the long-awaited tax anomaly detection.

• 2026 Predictions: We debate Digits CEO Jeff Seibert's claim that the month-end close will be fully automated by the end of this year.

• Future Trends: Insights from Wallester on why real-time finance and spend management are becoming the new advisory standard.

• Solver's New AI: A look at Solver’s new AI-driven supply chain management solution for manufacturing and logistics clients.

Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by iplicit, the award-winning mid-tier accounting software.

Subscribe for more insights into the digital evolution of accounting!

In this episode, the team gathers in the studio to wrap up a massive year in accounting tech news.

We break down the most controversial and exciting stories of 2025, from Xero and QuickBooks Online introducing strict usage caps to the explosion of fintech news surrounding AI agents and automated ledgers. We also cover major acquisitions, including the TaxCalc and Engager merger, and discuss the latest feature drops from Dext and FreeAgent.

Finally, we gaze into the crystal ball to share our predictions for 2026. Will AI replace compliance? Is e-invoicing about to change everything? Tune in to find out.

In this episode, we cover:

00:00:00: Welcome to the Christmas Special 00:02:41: Xero and QBO Fair Use Policies & Usage Caps 00:05:48: MTD for Income Tax Product Releases 00:07:22: FreeAgent Files MTD from Space 00:09:28: The Launch of Vinyl & AI Advisory 00:12:13: Digits Releases AI-Powered Ledger 00:14:23: Major Dext Feature Updates 00:17:25: TaxCalc Acquires Engager & Pricing Controversy 00:20:36: Intuit Platform & New AI Agents 00:23:58: CIS Features for QBO and FreeAgent 00:24:56: iplicit and Cin7 Integration 00:25:51: The Impact of API Charges 00:28:43: Digital Disruptor Awards Recap 00:30:50: Predictions for 2026

Subscribe for more insights into the world of accounting technology!

The Big Xero Shift: The team reacts to the continued fallout from Xero’s new API pricing model and the news that Alex von Schirmeister is stepping down to join Nomentia. We discuss whether Xero is moving away from "inclusivity" as it pivots toward profitability.

The AI Reality Check: Despite the hype, recent data shows a decline in active generative AI usage in the workplace. We explore why Microsoft Copilot is struggling to gain traction and why "Ask Digits" represents the future of AI as a primary software interface.

Acquisitions & Payments: We look at the strategic implications of Mollie acquiring GoCardless for £1.1bn and how Intuit is tightening its grip on the UK market with the official launch of QuickBooks Payments.

Strategic Pricing: Finally, we analyse Unleashed Software’s move to "unbundle" its pricing. Is functionality-driven pricing the new standard for SaaS?

00:00 Welcome To Digi-Tools in Accrual World

App News

03:08 Ecosystem Friction: Developers React to Xero's API Pricing Model

10:42 Leadership Change: Alex von Schirmeister Steps Down at Xero

17:56 Xero Update: MTD Support for Multiple Businesses

19:02 M&A Alert: GoCardless Acquired by Payments Giant Mollie

23:33 Why Microsoft is Struggling with AI Agent Traction

32:33 The AI Dip: Workplace Surveys Show Usage Decline

35:58 App Spotlight: Digits Unveils "Ask Digits" AI Interface

38:06 QuickBooks Payments Officially Launches in the UK

40:06 Intuit's "Agentic" Capabilities for QuickBooks & MailChimp

43:52 Briefcase Platform: Absorbing Complex Tax Codes via AI

46:07 SaaS Strategy: Unleashed Unbundles Pricing & Inventory Features

49:53 Like, Subscribe and Join Us!

Keywords / Hashtags: #AccountingTech #Xero #Intuit #QuickBooks #GoCardless #Mollie #SaaSStrategy #AI #GenerativeAI #FinTech #Unleashed #SaaSActivation #ChannelStrategy

We cover Thomson Reuters' major move to integrate their PPC methodology with AI audit partners like Trullion and Fieldguide. We also break down Xero's two biggest announcements: the "JAX" powered automated bank reconciliation that learns from your history, and a complete overhaul of the dashboard into a "financial command center".

Plus, we discuss the confirmation of a "soft landing" for MTD for Income Tax penalties and the UK Budget’s surprise announcement mandating B2B e-invoicing by 2029.

0:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World!

App News 02:49 Thomson Reuters Integrates PPC Methodology with AI Audit Partners 06:50 Xero Rolling Out JAX-Powered Bank Reconciliation 11:00 New Xero Homepage Dashboard Launched 16:03 Xero Celebrates Ecosystem Innovation with November Updates 17:34 MTD Penalty Soft Landing Confirmed 21:43 Budget 2025 Mandates E-Invoicing by 2029

22:50 Like and Subscribe!

We discuss whether this is a strategic defensive play or a barrier to innovation. Plus, we cover MIMO's new AI Associate for month-end automation, TaxCalc’s unique hybrid cloud announcement, and FreeAgent’s latest MTD controls.

Chapter Markers 00:00 - Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World 02:41 - App News 02:46 - Partners celebrated in 2025 Global App Awards 05:21 - Developers face new tiered pricing model for Xero APIs 14:35 - Reporting updates include percentage rows and better Excel formatting retention 16:26 - November update adds purchase order revisions and pause timers for billing 18:37 - New controls from FreeAgent launched for MTD for Income Tax 21:21 - Live two-way integration with Engager removes data re-keying requirements 23:09 - TaxCalc confirms hybrid future with browser-based option for compliance suite 29:04 - Mimo releases AI Associate to automate month-end journals and anomalies 34:04 - Rate and Subscribe

This week's accounting tech news:

Fintech Exits: Lloyds Banking Group acquires Curve for £120m—less than half of what the fintech raised—marking a sobering reality for valuations. Meanwhile, US spend management platform Ramp hits a massive $32bn valuation.

AI Agents: Expensify releases a "hybrid contextual AI expense agent" that works across the platform .

Compliance & Audit: TaxCalc launches biometric ID checks for Companies House verification , and Caseware brings group audit functionality to the cloud .

New Tools: TaxNav launches a simple bridging tool for landlords, Solver integrates with Microsoft Fabric, and BrightPay Cloud introduces a new app for employees.

Finally, John Toon speaks with Peter Hucker from Xledger about the friction in the audit process . They discuss how giving auditors read-only access and using automation for month-end accruals can solve the annual audit pain for mid-market finance teams.

Timestamp 00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World!

App News 02:47 Taxfiler founders return with TaxPad 08:16 TaxCalc launches biometric ID checks 11:02 Expensify releases hybrid AI expense agent 14:14 Caseware brings group audit functionality to the cloud 15:51 Lloyds Banking Group acquires fintech Curve for £120m 20:01 Solver announces new data integration with Microsoft Fabric 21:47 TaxNav launches simple MTD bridging tool for landlords 22:49 Ramp hits $32bn valuation in latest funding round 27:00 BrightPay Cloud introduces new manager and employee app

28:46 The Problem With Audit... 38:57 Rate and Subscribe!

The hosts discuss whether automation will replace juniors or simply change the nature of the work.

Also - this week in accounting tech news:

Intuit and OpenAI: Intuit announces a strategic partnership with OpenAI to power new AI agents across Credit Karma and TurboTax.

Digits' Bold Claim: The platform says it can automate the monthly close and bank reconciliations to save significant time on manual work.

New Entrants: Record OS launches to fix the data collection bottleneck for self-assessments, whilst Vinyl releases a mobile app to capture client meeting data.

Integration News: Karbon connects with Active Workpapers and Socket, whilst FreeAgent integrates with Pleo via Shift API.

Plus, good news for the industry as Mazuma founder Lucy Cohen is appointed President of the AAT.

Finally, Ryan speaks with Anoop Rehal from BKL for the Xledger spotlight. They discuss why mid-market firms are turning to outsourcing to solve talent gaps and how moving away from complex app stacks to modern ERPs helps drive efficiency.

➡️ Timestamps 00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast! 03:32 PwC bets big on AI audits 10:37 Intuit deploys AI agents across Credit Karma and TurboTax 14:50 Karbon connects with Active and Socket 16:22 FreeAgent connects with Pleo 19:47 Digits claims to fully automate the monthly close using AI bank reconciliation 21:36 New entrant Record OS launches to fix the self-assessment bottleneck 23:52 Vinyl launches a mobile app to help accountants manage meetings on the go 27:30 Dext releases November product updates 28:43 AAT appoints Mazuma founder Lucy Cohen as its new president

32:34 Mid-Market Outsourcing: Solving Talent Gaps and Tech Stacks with BKL - Xledger

44:16 Rate, like and subscribe

This week's fintech news covers Adfin's new "Autopilot" AI credit controller that writes and sends chasers, Bill.com's "touchless" AI agents, and Thomson Reuters' move into agentic AI for tax and audit.

Plus, Dwayne Jackson is back. The founder of Kashflow and Staffology has launched Sodium, a new practice management platform - another future IRIS acquisition?

Also in this episode: * Ben Carter from Access joins to give tangible examples of Evo's AI, from solving "mystery margin" to an "autopilot world". * Laura Brophy from Xledger explains their "Pick and Mix" approach to digital training, based on adult learning theory * Updates from NetSuite, Digits, and Fathom.



Learn how to harness EVO in Unleashed pre-client meetings. Join our Partner Product Webinar on the 17th November at 9pm GMT - https://hubs.la/Q03Q2dcL0 Find out more about Unleashed - https://hubs.la/Q03Q2cWv0

00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World 03:48 Unleashed: Using AI to Solve "Mystery Margin" & Create an "Autopilot World"

App News 12:23 Firms Plan Major AI Spend as Agentic AI Arrives 16:49 BILL Launches AI Agents for ‘Touchless’ SMB Finance 19:26 Thomson Reuters Unveils Agentic AI for Tax and Audit 22:45 Adfin unveils ‘Autopilot’ AI 25:22 NetSuite launches ‘NetSuite Next,’ 28:04 Sodium practice software expands features 33:08 Digits announces new ‘Connect API’ 36:32 Fathom introduces ‘Forecast Snapshots’

40:25 Xledger: The "Pick and Mix" Approach to Digital Training

We dive deep into the new AI in Accounting arms race, with Intuit launching its new AI Agents and even HMRC rolling out Copilot.

Meanwhile, the giants are making moves. We explore the launch of Sage's next-gen X3 platform and ask the question: Is Sage50 really cloud-based now?

But it's not all about the platforms. For SaaS leaders focused on SaaS Activation and partnerships, we put two key ecosystem players under the microscope:

Unleashed: In our App Spotlight, we analyze Unleashed's strategic role within the wider Access Group ecosystem and cover its latest production feature enhancements.

Xledger: In our "Channel Focus" segment, we get a partner's-eye view of the Xledger program—a must-listen for anyone building a partner-led growth motion.

Join us for a packed episode of market intelligence to keep your Digital Transformation strategy one step ahead.

Learn how to harness EVO in Unleashed pre client meetings. Join our Partner Product Webinar on the 17th November at 9pm GTM - https://hubs.la/Q03Q2dcL0

Find out more about Unleashed - https://hubs.la/Q03Q2cWv0

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World 06:21 App Spotlight: Unleashed's Role in the Access Ecosystem 15:17 App News 15:32 Sage50 now cloud based? 19:04 Sage X3 next gen launch 25:37 New Intuit Accountant Suite and its AI Agents 28:57 New Kids on the Block: Xero’s October App Store Additions 32:47 HMRC rolls out Copilot 36:25 Unleashed Software Enhances its Production & Inventory Features 40:40 Channel Focus: Xledger from a Partner's Perspective

50:52 Outro

This week, Ryan Pearcy and John Toon discuss the strategies shaking up the software world and the latest app updates you need to know about.

First, Ryan speaks with Ben Carter, Product Director for the Small Business Division at Access. Ben shares the vision behind integrating products like Unleashed, MintSoft, and Tradify. He explains their mission to deliver "value in seven minutes" and how they're using AI to revolutionise data onboarding for new trial users.

Then, it's a packed App News segment:

Sumday (Xero): An AI bot has been added to the carbon tracking platform to help analyse data and build sustainability business cases.

AI-Native Payments: Ryan questions if AI-driven automatic payment runs are a genuine innovation or just a buzzword.

Adfin Autopilot: The platform has launched an AI agent to intelligently and automatically chase customer debts.

Karbon & Spotlight: A new integration allows firms to automate the scheduling and generation of Spotlight reports directly from Karbon tasks.

Katana: The inventory tool for manufacturers has introduced a free plan, limited to 30 SKUs and 3 locations.

WorkGuru: The project management tool adds project document templates and an OCR integration with Easy Bills.

Employment Hero: The system now automates the complex calculation of leave entitlement for offboarding employees.

Cyber Attacks: John covers startling research from FreeAgent showing 6 in 10 UK small businesses were hit by a cyber attack last year.Finally, Kevin Fitzgerald, MD of UK for Employment Hero, returns. He explains the strategic decision to pause and relaunch their bureau program , moving away from a "race to the bottom" on price to a new model focused on integrating HR and payroll services for accounting firms.

This episode is sponsored by Unleashed and Employment Hero. 

Learn how to harness EVO in Unleashed pre client meetings. Join our Partner Product Webinar on the 17th November at 9pm GTM - https://hubs.la/Q03Q2dcL0 Find out more about Unleashed - https://hubs.la/Q03Q2cWv0

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World

03:44 Unleashing Success: Inside the Small Business Division at Access

14:18 App News

14:22 Xero adds Sumday AI sustainability analysis

17:06 AI-native payments promise faster cashflow for firms

20:58 Adfin launches Autopilot automation

23:40 Karbon integrates with Spotlight for automated reporting

25:52 Katana introduces free plan for small manufacturers

27:52 WorkGuru adds templates and purchase orders

30:36 Employment Hero automates leave entitlement on offboarding

32:10 FreeAgent: Three in five small businesses hit by a cyber attack

38:00 Transforming Bureaus: Employment Hero's Approach to Payroll and HR

Subscribe to our newsletter for more news, and reach out if you're interested in attending the Digital Disruption Awards next year!

We kick off with insights on the recent Digital Disruptor Awards and plans for next year’s event. 

App News segment covers big names like Iris Software, Telleroo, Xero, and Monzo, with notable updates on faster payments, MTD tools, and AI-driven solutions. 

We explore evolving payroll systems, the impact of AI on product development, and integrating multi-functional solutions to streamline business processes and data security. 

Don’t miss our discussion on recent AWS outages and their impact on firms, plus the ongoing debate between Xero and QuickBooks users over bank reconciliation. Stay ahead in the world of accounting tech with this comprehensive and engaging episode.

Learn how to harness EVO in Unleashed pre client meetings. Join our Partner Product Webinar on the 17th November at 9pm GTM - https://hubs.la/Q03Q2dcL0

Find out more about Unleashed - https://hubs.la/Q03Q2cWv0

00:00 Introduction

04:44 AI's Role in Rapid Evolution: A Discussion with Ben Carter / Unleashed

App News 15:03 AWS outage slows down multiple SaaS platforms 16:48 Debate: Cloud Dependency and Resilience 20:50 Xero vs QBO: accountants debate the best bank rec tool 27:11 Sage powers Monzo’s new Making Tax Digital tool 28:44 IRIS partners with Telleroo for faster payments 30:31 Modulr's Confirmation of Payee for Batch Payments 32:14 Pleo launches embedded finance solution for SMEs 35:05 Apron's Accounts Receivable Tool 38:06 Appventory’s New Onboarding Methods 41:25 Joiin's Live Data Integration with Excel 45:27 From Fragmentation to Integration: The Evolution of Employment Tools - Employment Hero

55:06 Like and Subscribe!

Next, we explore a critical topic for accountants: Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. Stu from FreeAgent joins us to explain their unique approach of segregating landlord and sole trader income, and how creating separate ledgers can simplify bookkeeping and boost automation for your clients.

Finally, we reveal the hidden impacts of payroll errors. With a staggering 84% of SMEs having experienced a payroll mistake, we discuss how these errors can erode employee trust and create significant compliance headaches.

Plus, don't miss our roundup of the biggest stories in the accounting tech space:

ICAEW has launched the biggest overhaul of the ACA qualification in 30 years.

TRIVER secures £114m to expand its SME invoice finance platform.

Caseware unveils 'Validate', an AI tool for last-mile audit review tasks.

Thomson Reuters acquires AI startup Additive to boost tax automation.

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to the  Digi-Tools in Accrual World Podcast! 04:06 Segregating Landlord and Sole Trader Income for MTD - FreeAgent

13:49 App News 13:55 ICAEW launches future proofed qualification 17:20 Majority of taxpayers now using AI for tax returns 20:24 TRIVER secures £114m to expand SME lending platform 23:30 Caseware unveils AI audit tool for ‘last-mile’ review tasks 24:41 Light raises $30m to grow AI-powered finance platform 27:01 Thomson Reuters acquires Additive, boosting AI tax automation

28:32 The hidden impacts of payroll errors - Employment Hero 36:57 Come and join us on the pod!

The AI revolution is here! We break down Microsoft's game-changing "Agent Mode" for Excel, which promises to automate complex data analysis and reporting tasks. In other huge app news, Karbon has acquired the AI platform Aider to supercharge its practice management capabilities, and Sage is getting ahead of the curve by launching a new AI agent designed to tackle the administrative burden of MTD for ITSA.

Join us as we cover all the essential updates you need to know, including:

• Karbon's AI Future: An in-depth look at the Aider acquisition and what it means for practice management.

• Microsoft's "Agent Mode": How AI is about to turbocharge Excel and Word for accountants.

• Sage's MTD Agent: A new tool to automate client onboarding and quarterly submissions.

• App News Round-up: Dext introduces a WhatsApp integration for easy receipt capture, QuickBooks unveils a major UI overhaul, Acting Office integrates with FreeAgent, and Brieff connects with Karbon for smarter meeting workflows.

• MTD Client Transition: We catch up with Dave from FreeAgent to discuss strategies for moving clients to MTD.

• Payroll Pitfalls: Kevin Fitzgerald from Employment Hero joins us to explain why running payroll on spreadsheets is a recipe for disaster.

This episode is packed with critical insights into the tools and trends shaping the future of accounting. Don't miss out on the latest fintech news! Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World

App News 16:02 Karbon Acquires Aider to Boost AI Capabilities 18:18 Brieff Announces Integration with Karbon 21:16 Dext Introduces WhatsApp Integration 22:26 QuickBooks Unveils New User Interface 24:20 Acting Office Integrates with FreeAgent 28:50 Microsoft Introduces "Agent Mode" for Excel 32:01 Xero Launches New Partner Hub 34:22 Sage Announces AI Agent for MTD

37:58 Why Running Payroll on Spreadsheets is a recipe for disaster - Employment Hero

44:24 Accountants and Bookkeepers - Come and join us on the pod!

This week's accounting tech news is dominated by the rapid rise of Accounting AI agents! We take a first look at the US-based “Digits” platform and its AI-powered general ledger, which claims to auto-categorise up to 97% of transactions. We also explore Adsum's new 'Agent Mode' for data interrogation and automated reminders , and discuss how the profession is moving towards a future defined by these specialised AI agents.

Dave Norwell from FreeAgent joins us to tackle the very real challenge of client resistance to MTD for ITSA, sharing common patterns of denial and stressing the need for practices to create a proactive plan. We also round up the latest fintech news, including FYI's new team productivity and interim invoicing tools , a major integration between Active Workpapers and Alphatax for corporation tax , and Xero's new beneficial ownership compliance tool.

Finally, James Rose of Content Snare offers his perspective on the accounting tech scenes in Australia and the UK, comparing tech adoption rates and concluding that the UK is much further ahead than many believe.

00:00 Introduction and Event Highlights

04:17 Client Resistance to MTD - FreeAgent

App News 09:38 FYI Releases Team Productivity and Invoicing Tools 12:29 Gather Nexus Announces Integration with QuickBooks Online 17:09 Adsum Releases OpenTax Agent Mode in Beta 19:25 Active and Alphatax Announce Integration for Corporation Tax 22:45 Strategic Partnerships and Ecosystem Development 23:01 Roveel Partners with Tradebox for Enhanced E-commerce Reporting 24:40 Xero Releases New Beneficial Ownership Compliance Tool 29:33 A First Look at the New “Digits” Accounting Platform 35:37 How Agentic AI is Redefining the Future of Accounting

44:29 AU vs UK - Tech and Compliance Readiness - Content Snare 54:33 Outro

Then, in a special takeover episode, we hand the mic to FreeAgent for an exclusive review into their product roadmap and award-winning strategy. Staff Product Manager Stu McEwan joins us to pull back the curtain on:

Strategic Integrations: Why FreeAgent is moving away from a vast ecosystem to focus on selective, "best-in-class" partners in key verticals like practice management and accounts payable.

Award-Winning CIS Module: How listening to accountants shaped a flexible and easy-to-correct CIS solution for both contractors and subcontractors.

Practice Efficiency: A look at new tools like "Find and Fix" for bulk reclassifying transactions and enhanced dashboard controls for managing client tax information and permissions.

Serving Larger Clients: How features like enhanced Management Reports, budgeting, and upcoming Tracking Groups are expanding FreeAgent's capabilities beyond the micro-entity market.

A Pragmatic Approach to AI: Why FreeAgent is deliberately focusing on embedded machine learning rather than jumping on the generative AI hype, prioritising solutions that solve real customer problems.

Finally, James Rose from Content Snare joins us to discuss his realist take on AI in document collection, arguing why protecting the client experience must come before full automation.

Whether you're looking for the latest accounting tech news, insights from the Digital Disruptor Awards, or a strategic look into FreeAgent's future, this episode is unmissable.

TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Welcome to the Digitals and the Cruel World Podcast 09:46 Digital Disruptor Award Win - FreeAgent Reaction ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 14:43 App News - FreeAgent Takeover 15:30 Introducing Stu McEwan 16:36 Approach to Integrations 21:04 FreeAgent Card?! 22:09 Practice Management 24:03 Why CIS? 26:35 Voice of the customer 30:00 Find and Fix 35:09 Management Reports 39:16 FreeAgent's Customer Focus 42:18 Tracking Groups 44:30 Release of the Year 46:30 Hot Topics: Payments and AI ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

54:26 Beyond the Hype: A Pragmatic Approach to AI - Content Snare 01:05:49 Enjoyed the pod? Leave a rating!

The big story this week is the emergence of Artifact AI, an "agentic AI accountant" backed by a $4 million seed round from Andreessen Horowitz. Is this the beginning of the end for traditional ledgers? Ryan, who has been advising the company, shares his inside take on how these AI-native platforms are built from the ground up to automate workflows and disrupt the market.

The news roundup also covers AccountsIQ's move into non-financial metrics, major compliance updates from Bright and Inform Direct, and Zoho Books' competitive free plan for MTD ITSA.

We're also joined by Paul Sparkes from iplicit to discuss the power of integration, and why moving from a closed legacy system to a connected ecosystem is critical for the mid-market. Then, James Rose from Content Snare dives deep into security, exploring how to balance robust protection with a simple client experience that finally moves accountants away from insecure email exchanges.

00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World 07:00 From Closed Systems to Connected Solutions - iplicit

17:58 App News 18:03 Artifact AI Launches New Accounting Platform with $4M Seed Funding 22:21 AccountsIQ Unveils New Non-Financial Metrics Tracking Tool 25:31 Unleashed Enhances Platform with AI and Workflow Updates 27:44 Bright Continues Expansion with Acquisition of The Payroll Centre 30:18 Inform Direct Adds Identity Verification for ECCTA Compliance 31:58 Zoho Books Offers Free Software for MTD ITSA 33:52  Paradigm Launches Innovative Spreadsheet with AI in Every Cell

36:14 Beyond Email: How Content Snare is Revolutionising Secure Document Exchange 46:58 Enjoyed the episode? Leave us a rating!

Tickets to the Digital Disruptor Awards are now available: https://digitaldisruptorawards2025.eventbrite.co.uk

In this episdoe, sponsored by Tugger, Xero has unveiled its new AI "Financial Superagent," an evolution of JAX. But is it a game-changer or a disappointment? The hosts dive deep into the announcement, discussing the agent's capabilities for providing insights rather than processing transactions, the staggered global rollout which initially excludes the UK, and other key updates from Xerocon, including a new homepage, payment features, and payroll enhancements.

The app news doesn't stop there. The duo also covers Dext's impressive new AI-powered line item extraction and the latest innovations from QuickBooks, including a 'Pay by Bank' feature, enhanced CIS functionality, and a direct PayPal integration. 

We round off the news with Socket's new Zapier integration, unlocking more automation for your practice

00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World 03:05 Solving the Month-End Bottleneck - iplicit ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ App News 13:25 Xero Reveals "Financial Superagent" 15:38 Other Xerocon Announcements and more on JAX 2.0 23:56 Xero Payroll Updates 25:58 Dext Adds AI Line Item Extraction via Unleashed 29:59 QuickBooks Launches New AI-Powered Innovations 34:52 Socket Announces New Zapier Integration ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 36:28 Making it 'Stupid Easy' for clients to provide MTD info - Content Snare 47:18 Enjoyed the pod? Leave us a rating!

This episode's sponsors:

iplicit: https://www.iplicit.com Content Snare: https://contentsnare.com/ Tugger: https://tuggerapp.com

This episode (sponsored by Scoro), we dive deep into two critical areas: AI-driven forecasting and cost-effective client reporting.

First, discover how to make budgeting smarter by removing human emotion and bias from your forecasts. We talk with Paul Sparkes about how iplicit's new AI tools are enhancing ERP systems to provide more accurate, data-driven financial projections.

Later in the show learn how to unlock better client reporting and simplify your Power BI sharing process with Craig Morrall from Tugger.

Plus, get caught up on the biggest headlines in the accounting tech space, including:

M&A Alert: Dutch payments giant Mollie in talks to acquire GoCardless.

Compliance Tech: How Firmcheck is preparing firms for new Companies House ID verification rules.

Feature Updates: Dext introduces live VAT number validation to fight fraud.

Industry Trends: Surprising research shows senior accountants are adopting AI faster than juniors.

ERP Evolution: Oracle launches a new AI connector for NetSuite to enhance data integration.

(00:00) Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World (03:47) Make Budgeting Smarter with AI Forecasting (14:59) App News Roundup (15:04) Mollie in Talks to Acquire GoCardless (17:15) Roveel Rolls Out Summer Platform Upgrades (19:01) Firmcheck Ready to Help Firms Meet New Companies House ID Rules (21:25) Dext Introduces Live VAT Checks (23:56) Accounting Seniors LEAD Juniors in AI Adoption (26:01) Clockwork.ai Partners with Thomson Reuters (29:45) Oracle Launches NetSuite AI Connector (33:22) Xero Urges Government for SME Digital Roadmap (36:59) Unlock Better Client Dashboards for Less (47:27) Leave a rating to help us grow the podcast!

This episode's sponsors

iplicit: https://www.iplicit.com Tugger: https://tuggerapp.com Scoro: https://www.scoro.com/

We cover:

The big fintech news as Starling acquire Ember — and what it means when a challenger bank strategically pulls the rug out from its high street competitors.

Xero's controversial decision to email your clients directly — and the debate on who should own the client relationship.

Xero's long-awaited navigation redesign and Syft-powered analytics — and whether this finally brings the user experience up to modern standards.

The launch of QuickBooks agentic AI experiences — and how they're leveraging the entire Intuit ecosystem to go beyond simple bookkeeping.

Plus: A deep dive into UI/UX with iplicit's CPO Paul Sparks, exploring why modern design and a mobile-first approach are just as critical as the AI hype.

We also hear from Tugger's Craig Morrall on why your P&L is only half the story, and how to get true business insight by combining financial and operational data.

00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World!

04:43 User Experience Matters: Modernising Accounting Platforms - with Paul Sparks from iplicit 05:07 Mobile App Development and User Experience 07:08 Platform Usage Analysis by Role 08:32 UI/UX Modernisation Plans 09:54 AI Assistant Integration

14:31 App News 15:18 Starling Bank Acquires Tax Software Ember 20:10 Xero will contact your clients on updates 23:57 Xero Analytics Gets an Upgrade with Syft 27:17 Xero is introducing a redesigned navigation 30:34 QuickBooks is launching new agentic AI experiences 35:00 Sage has announced the launch of Workforce Intelligence 39:05 Sage expands capabilities for Intacct 44:10 FreeAgent Adds Excel Export for Management Reports

44:40 Data-Driven Decisions: Combining Financial and Operational Reporting:  with Tugger 45:28 Combining Financial and Operational Data 48:04 Data Ownership and Reporting Structure 50:03 Business Drivers for Integrated Reporting..

53:27 Legacy Systems Integration 55:53 Closing Remarks

• Chaser’s new automated late fees and early payment discounts — and why it’s about more than just chasing debt

• Vinyl’s $2m raise to tackle meeting admin with AI — and whether its specialisation is enough to break through into the overcrowded AI notetaker market

• FreeAgent’s CIS update for contractors — and why it’s a smart move for a MTD-era market

• Xero’s long-overdue inventory upgrades and what it means for product-based businesses

• Dext’s long-awaited prepayments

• Plus: Tugger’s Power BI integration powered by LLMs, helping firms unlock data insights without a data analyst

We also touch on emerging trends in outsourcing, AI-powered forecasting, and much more!

00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World Podcast

02:49 What is pod sourcing? || Advancetrack

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

04:56 Market traction and adoption of pod sourcing

06:08 How pod sourcing aligns with AI adoption

08:23 Should firms focus on specialisation over breadth?

10:41 App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

10:56 Xero upgrades inventory tools

13:54 FreeAgent adds CIS contractor support

15:07 Vinyl raises $2m for meeting automation

19:30 Dext adds prepayments

23:44 Jenesys email cost centre coding

24:40 Briefcase one-click line items

28:22 Chaser launches automated late fees

32:39 Float adds VAT cashflow predictions

35:11 Next-Level Data Insights || Tugger

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

35:48 How AI and LLMs are enhancing data analysis capabilities

40:20 How AI will improve Power BI accessibility and reporting

42:25 Join us at the Digital Disruptor Awards!

We speak with Ian Gregory, CTO of Advancetrack, about the future of outsourcing in accounting, how AI reshapes compliance, and the critical role Advancetrack plays in supporting firms through systemic change. Advancetrack 

Later, Craig Morrall joins us to introduce Tugger, a cheekily named, no‑code solution for businesses that securely aggregates data from systems like Xero, HubSpot, Harvest—and delivers it straight into Power BI or Tableau. Tugger 

This episode is perfect for:

• Accounting firms navigating Making Tax Digital (MTD) and digital transformation

• Practice managers and technology leads monitoring Sage, BrightPay, Xero, and Webexpenses updates

• Firms seeking smarter outsourced workflows and reporting solutions

• SaaS partners, vendor teams, and tech consultants who support accountants on their advisory journey

0:00 Intro | 5.33 1:43 AI, Outsourcing & the Future of Accounting – Advancetrack

App News 11:23 Xero Small Business Index – June Decline 13:53 Avalara introduces AI tax-query bot 17:12 Sage acquires Fyle for expense automation 20:06 Sage explores automating the financial close 26:45 BrightPay adds new payroll tools 30:50 Xero App Store – July releases 34:05 Xero UK now supports SMS invoicing 35:48 Webexpenses launches digital payment cards 38:11 Introducing Tugger – smarter reporting 48:50 Subscribe to our newsletter

Timestamps:

00:00 Coming Up… 01:31 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World!

App News 04:14 HMRC scraps MTD for Corporation Tax 05:39 HMRC sets sights on ‘digital-first’ tax system 10:33 Mayday releases automation for prepayments and deferred revenue 13:30 QuickBooks launches ‘Launchpad’ for product updates 15:34 New QBO accounting agent deepdive 18:50 Alexion.AI launches to empower accountants with automation tools 22:58 Acting Office launches ACCAbot to automate bookkeeping 28:02 36-month SaaS contracts spark debate over pricing traps

33:37 AI Accounting Factories: Myth or reality? | Advancetrack interview 43:45 Thanks for joining us!

We dive deep into the tools, policies, and strategies that could redefine your firm’s future. Is AI the key to efficiency, or will over-automation strip away the personal value accountants bring?

Listen now for insights on:  • HMRC’s shifting Making Tax Digital strategy  • Fintech product launches that could change your workflow  • The reality behind “factory accounting” and what it means for your career or practice

Join us for the Digital Disruptor Awards in Manchester in September:

Nomination your heroes for an award: https://forms.gle/vEpPrSitc8k32FzM8 Join the waitlist for tickets https://forms.gle/Vjoff74RN1Njaubw6

00:00 Coming Up 00:56 Welcome to the Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast App News 09:53 Socket x Adfin integration enters beta testing 13:44 Fathom launches Sage 50 Accounts integration and dashboard saved views 15:33 Joiin integrates with Pennylane for faster multi-entity consolidation 18:39 Ignition and Karbon release unified billing and workflow integration 22:27 Landlord Studio partners with Habito to support UK landlords and MTD compliance 24:17 Clio to acquire vLex in a US $1 billion deal 25:57 Campfire raises £28 m illion to expand advisory AI platform 27:39 QuickBooks rolls out new Square Connector for sales and payout sync

30:31 Cybersecurity: Where is your firm's weakest link? || With Dr Ian Gregory - Advancetrack 39:14 Thanks for joining us - please rate the pod!

Join us for the Digital Disruptor Awards in Manchester in September:

Nomination your heroes for an award: https://forms.gle/vEpPrSitc8k32FzM8 Join the waitlist for tickets https://forms.gle/Vjoff74RN1Njaubw6

We discuss 'magpie syndrome,' the importance of focus and effective tech adoption, and the crucial role of vendor support and training. Tune in for honest conversations and insights on how to best navigate the evolving landscape of accounting technology - and a small sample of what's in store for the 2025 awards evening. Join the shortlist to attend:  https://forms.gle/bLoM8yrQFCLagEnf6

Submit your award nominations: https://forms.gle/izNaQddthqJv9Viy8

00:00 Coming Up 01:17 Welcome to the Digi-Tools in Accrual World Podcast!

02:40 Live Podcast: Have Vendors Got Too Good at Selling? 03:20 Accountants and Magpie Syndrome 05:29 The Need for Focus and Consolidation 06:24 The Importance of Training and Support 16:17 Should Accountants Help Clients Implement Tech? 21:40 Outsourcing and Delegation

26:35 Wrap Up - Leave a like!

Along with the regular news, including ‘practical-AI’ news along with more updates from your favourite accounting tech tools.

00:00 Coming Up… 00:37 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World

05:56 Accounting Tech App News

06:01 Dext enters the payments space 09:38 Companies House rules softened for smaller firms 10:52 Monzo fined for fake Downing Street accounts 15:12 UK firms struggling to turn AI hype into impact  19:27 Build AI-powered booking with Replit & Xero 23:36 Expend adds automated mileage tracking 25:55 Adfin promises faster payouts – settlement speeds improved 28:27 WorkflowMax reflects on a year of change

33:37 Rate the pod!

Still at full strength again this week’s episode - Sponsored by FreeAgent - the Digital Disruptors crew (Ryan, Indi & John) cover a packed episode of Digi-Tools in Accrual World – and there’s no shortage of opinion.

Headlines this week: - The Big Four slash graduate intake – has AI killed the accounting career ladder? - RSM US pledges $1 billion to agentic AI – bold move or headline fodder? - Karbon’s latest roadmap: task automation, upgraded portals, and smarter inboxes - FYI and BGL link up for automated cosec workflows - Joiin launches an Excel add-in and AI insights for finance teams - Socket drops a slick new leads module – CRMs beware - Visma eyes up a London IPO (yes, London – not New York) - Digits rolls out AI agents that are 8,500x faster than your average bookkeeper (literally)

Expect rants. Expect heat. Expect the kind of fintech and accounting tech commentary you don’t get anywhere else.

Whether you’re watching the big AI plays, checking in on SaaS product updates, or just here for the banter – it’s all in this week’s pod.

00:00 Coming up on this episode:? 00:47 Welcome to the Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast

Accounting Tech App news 06:23 Big four slash graduate jobs for AI 12:15 Karbon product roadmap 14:22 Visma picks London to IPO 17:01 Socket Leads module released in beta 19:03 FYI BGL integration 21:03 New Joiin features 23:09 RSM US to invest $1b in agentic AI 27:09 Digits adds AI agents

30:37 Liked the pod? Let us know!

This week - sponsored by iplicit - we’re riffing on Xero’s $2.5 billion acquisition of Melio, their biggest US push to date. But is this bold play a strategic masterstroke or just another vanity signing? Spoiler: The markets aren't convinced.

From dashboard redesigns to Syft-powered analytics and Xero’s growing interest in verticals like healthcare, we break down everything you need to know about their evolving roadmap – and where it might be heading next.

Also in this episode:  • iplicit partners with Cin7 to streamline stock-heavy businesses  • Sage releases a mammoth list of (mostly incremental) updates  • QuickBooks tries to catch up with new budgeting features and AI migration tools  • And we ask: when is it time for your clients to graduate to a PSA?

Whether you’re following the latest Xero acquisition news, watching how fintech is reshaping accounting tech, or just here for the banter – this one’s worth tuning in for.

This is your backstage pass to the best in fintech news and accounting tech commentary.

We cover: • Xero acquires Melio for $2.5bn – what it means and why the market’s lukewarm • Why Xero’s Syft integration matters for analytics (and what UK users can expect) • Fresh UI, smarter dashboards: Xero’s facelift – a genuine revamp or just lip gloss? • iplicit and Cin7 join forces to supercharge wholesale and distribution • Sage’s latest product push: nice ideas, bland delivery • QuickBooks updates its balance sheet budgeting and plays catch-up on automation • Scoro’s take on when clients need to upgrade their systems and grow up

Timestamps:

00:00 Coming Up 01:21 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World Podcast!

05:38 App News 05:42 Xero to acquire Melio in $2.5 billion deal 11:17 Xero targets healthcare with new systems push 13:26 Xero Analytics gets smarter with Syft integration 15:59 Xero dashboard gets fresh redesign for better user experience 20:02 Xero highlights June apps on its App Store for new integrations 22:37 iplicit and Cin7 strike partnership to boost wholesale distribution automation 25:49 Sage Accounting introduces quick-approval quotes, GoCardless payments, budgeting tools and invoice improvements 29:28 QuickBooks Online rolls out updates to balance sheet reporting and budgeting

40:41 Scoro: How to know if your client needs a PSA 53:29 Thanks for tuning in – please leave a rating and subscribe to future shows!

#Xero #XeroAcquisition #XeroAcquireMelio #AccountingTechNews #FintechNews #DigiToolsinAccrualWorld #AppNews

Whether you’re watching accounting tech news unfold or actively planning your firm’s next move, this episode has plenty to get your teeth into.

We cover:

• CCH iFirm’s new MTD for Income Tax solution - and why John Toon’s surprisingly impressed • Access launches “Evolve” - an ERP-style suite bundling Fathom, Lightyear and more • Employment Hero’s free payroll software for micro-businesses • Dext drops GPS mileage tracking, auto-descriptions and bulk approval tools • Mimo adds planned payment dates for smarter forecasting • Active Workpapers integrates with CloudCapcha to bring timesheet automation into its workpapers suite • Sleek raises $23m to expand its hybrid tech-accounting platform • HMRC loses £47m to fraudulent PAYE claims • UK government departments owe £1.65m in unpaid invoices - some dating back 18 years

Plus – we’re joined by Harv from Scoro, digging into the shift from accountant to FinOps advisor, and how PSA platforms like Scoro are helping firms evolve their client service, pricing models and digital strategy.

If you’re trying to keep pace with accounting tech innovation and want to stay ahead of changes in digital transformation - this one’s worth a listen.

00:00 Coming Up 01:02 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World Podcast

04:39 App News 04:58 CCH iFirm launches MTD for Income Tax solution 08:06 Access launches ‘Evolve’ to tackle mid-market system sprawl 11:35 Employment Hero offers free payroll 14:37 Dext adds GPS mileage tracking and auto-descriptions 18:21 Mimo introduces Planned Payment Dates for better forecasting 19:17 Active Workpapers integrates with Cloudcapcha for timesheet automation 22:28 Sleek raises $23m to expand digital accounting and compliance tools 24:42 HMRC loses £47m to fraudulent tax repayments 27:02 Government hits £17m in unpaid supplier invoices

30:31 Scoro: Becoming a FinOps Advisor 41:07 Enjoyed the pod? Drop us a like or a review to let us know :)

#DigiToolsinAccrualWorld #AppNews #accountingtechnews #fintechnews #techstackforaccountants #accountingtechconsolidation #accountingtechinnovation

This week on Digi-Tools in Accrual World, we’re looking at what might be the most significant tech shift the accounting profession has ever faced. AI agents are no longer just theory.

Sage, QuickBooks, Karbon and others are now rolling out tools that automate accounting and bookkeeping workflows - with everything from categorisation and reconciliation to forecasting and client emails.

If you're trying to stay up to date with digital transformation in accounting, or want to learn about using AI in finance - this episode is for you!

We cover:  • The beginning of the end for month-end  • AI agents that clean your books, chase debtors and forecast cashflow  • Sage Copilot and X3 updates  • Thomson Reuters launching AI tax review tools  • Karbon’s integrated tax workflows and pricing intelligence  • UK influencers facing FCA action over financial misinfo  • The Accounting Excellence Awards 2025 shortlist  • Scoro on why PSA tools matter more than ever for growing firms

0:00 Coming Up 01:17 Welcome to the Digi-Tools in Accrual World Podcast 04:46 App News:  

05:01 AI is bringing about the end of month-end 09:38 Sage unveils AI-powered task automation with agents 12:24 Intuit reveals AI agents coming to QuickBooks 18:08 Sage previews Copilot capabilities for X3 platform 19:34 Thomson Reuters launches Agentic AI for tax and accounting 21:16 Karbon launches end-to-end tax workflows, AI tools, and practice intelligence 27:22 UK influencers arrested in multi-million pound tax fraud case 29:10 Accounting Excellence Awards 2025 finalists announced

32:22 Scoro: The Role of PSA in Modernising Operations and Finance   43:56 Thanks for listening - remember to rate and subscribe to the podcast!

...Well so far anyway.

How are accountants and bookkeepers actually using these tools to make their work and lives better?

From smarter tax tools to automated audit prep, the answer might surprise you.

Tune in for real-world examples of AI adoption in UK accountancy, plus the latest accountant news:  • How accounting firms are using AI (email triage, Excel coding, audit docs, tax memos)  • Countingup’s SmartTax AI trained on £10bn of data  • IRIS buys Instead – US-based AI tax prep platform  • Ravical raises €7.3m to challenge Silverfin with AI-native tooling  • Caseware acquires LeaseJava to boost lease accounting automation  • Airwallex lands £300m Series F for global expansion  • Builder.ai collapses after revelations it’s not really AI…

We also introduce Scoro’s PSA platform (think.. operating system for your business)  and what it offers scaling firms trying to ditch disconnected spreadsheets.

If you’re an accountant wondering how to approach AI adoption or curious what AI for accountants actually looks like, this one’s for you.

00:00 Coming Up… 01:03 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast

App news 05:32 Real-life examples of AI in accountancy 14:07 Airwallex raises £300m to build global banking future 16:43 Caseware acquires LeaseJava to boost lease accounting 19:41 IRIS invests in AI-powered tax management platform Instead 23:15 Puzzle and Joiin team up for multi-entity consolidation 24:52 Ravical tipped to challenge Silverfin in practice tech 28:22 Ravical secures €7.3m to develop AI-native firm tooling 35:23 Countingup unveils Smart Tax AI assistant

37:36 Introducing Scoro

49:22 Outro

#AIAdoption #AIAccountants #AccountantNews #AccountingTech #FintechNews #SmartTax #PracticeManagement #Scoro #Airwallex #IRIS #Caseware #BuilderAI #Ravical #DigiTools #AccrualWorld

We also cover:  • Cloud adoption stats: 81% of UK firms now using cloud accounting  • The FRC shake-up for digital filing under the Economic Crime & Transparency Act  • New Xero App Store additions including Karbon  • Zoho Books earns ICB accreditation  • Adsum expands with Self Assessment data integration

📈 If you’re watching for insights on Sage FY25 results, Xero FY25 results, cloud accounting adoption, or UK fintech trends, this is one to watch.

👉 Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest in UK accounting and SaaS.

00:00 Coming Up 01:29 Hello and Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World

App News: 05:27 Sage reports FY25 profit jump amid global uncertainty 08:34 Xero FY25 delivers 23% revenue growth 12:07 Xero launches ‘Pay by Bank’ to expand payment options 17:12 New apps arrive in the Xero App Store – May roundup 18:23 Zoho Books earns ICB accreditation 21:39 OpenTax adds Self Assessment tracking 23:27 Major shake-up planned for digital accounts filing 26:20 Cloud accounting adoption in the UK – latest insights

33:27 Outro - Rate and Subscribe!

#AccountingTechNews #FintechNews #SageFY25 #XeroFY25 #CloudAccounting #UKAccounting #DigitalTransformation #XeroPayByBank #MTD #Karbon #ZohoBooks #Accountex #HMRC

🔍 Top stories:

• Sage Intacct launches powerful AI-driven period close tools for mid-market firms

• QuickBooks rolls out MTD ITSA tools powered by automation — are they the new frontrunner?

• TrueLayer processes £10bn in one month — open banking is now mainstream

• iplicit + GoCardless = in-app Direct Debit and smoother mid-market workflows

• Brieff expands its AI notetaker to in-person meetings

• Briefcase now extracts data from Word and Excel files — not just PDFs

• Allica Bank nearly doubles profit, hits £3bn lending milestone

• IRIS Elements now FRS 102 compliant

• Rippling vs Deel legal drama heats up amid a $450M raise

• FreeAgent, Capium, and Bright continue pushing forward with niche tools

Whether you’re advising SMEs, scaling an accountancy firm, or just keen to stay ahead in fintech and software, this episode brings everything together — with commentary, context, and a bit of clarity.

Chapters:

00:00 Coming Up

02:00 Intro & Man Flu Drama

03:18 App News ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

04:50 Brieff launches in-person AI notetaker

08:15 QuickBooks unveils AI-driven MTD tools

12:45 Sage Intacct adds AI-powered close tools

17:30 TrueLayer hits £10bn in monthly payments

21:00 Briefcase adds Word & Excel support

23:45 Allica Bank financial results

27:50 iplicit expands GoCardless integration

30:50 IRIS Elements now FRS 102 compliant

33:00 Wrap-up & what’s next

Headlines:

•TaxCalc acquires Engager in a bold play to power up its practice management suite.

•Bright snaps up TimeKeeper to bolster its payroll game — targeting summer 2025 for full integration.

•Capium 365 launches to support MTD ITSA, offering a simplified, client-facing bookkeeping tool.

•FreeAgent drops multiple updates, including Find & Fix, Management Reporting, and AI-powered invoice capture via Jenesys.

•Dwayne Jackson returns with a free CIS compliance app — smart move or Trojan horse? Or both?

•QuickBooks introduces usage caps across plans — time to check your limits.

•Rippling raises $450m, but the Deel lawsuit adds drama to their $16.8B valuation.

•Xero launches Tap-to-Pay via Stripe — now your phone is your card reader.

We also recap our own Accountex circus antics, explore community feedback on our upcoming Digital Transformation Certification, and tease what’s next for accountants looking to modernise.

Perfect for accountants, CFOs, and tech-curious bookkeepers looking to stay ahead of the curve.

00:00 Coming Up

01:05 Intro

09:27 App News

09:31 TaxCalc acquires Engager to boost practice management offering

14:10 Bright acquires TimeKeeper to enhance payroll offering

15:50 Capium launches Capium 365 to tackle MTD complexity

18:28 FreeAgent and Powdr partner on financial modelling for startups

18:57 FreeAgent integrates with Jenesys for AI-powered insights

19:16 FreeAgent unveils new features and AI partnership at Accountex 2025

21:04 KashFlow founder launches CIS compliance app

25:07 QuickBooks introduces usage limits across plans

26:39 Rippling raises $450m at $16.8bn valuation

29:34 Xero launches Tap to Pay for UK businesses   

32:23 Close

Join us as we explore new research from Credence Research, the market valuation of the small business accounting software market, and the latest updates from leading providers like Canopy and WorkflowMax. Additionally, we have an insightful interview with Monica Odysseos from Grant Thornton Cyprus, who shares her journey in AI and its transformative effects on the accounting field. 

Don't miss out on the essential tech news and expert advice to stay ahead in the industry!

00:00 Coming Up 00:55 Welcome!

03:38 App news 03:43 Small business accounting software market forecast to 2032  08:35 Xero releases 2025 accounting industry report 15:55 HMRC seeks new CRM to replace Salesforce    20:00 MTD proving more expensive for businesses than expected 23:07 Canopy raises $70m to scale AI-powered accounting platform  26:21 Xero and BGL announce Workpapers integration partnership 29:08 QuickBooks enhances sole trader features for accountants 31:57 WorkflowMax delivers March 2025 product updates

34:37 AI in Accounting: Regulation, Implementation and Ethics - Monica Odysseos

Updates and innovations from FreeAgent, XLedger, and Dext are highlighted, alongside an engaging interview with Dom Gibbs from S&W and Laura from Xledger, covering strategic outsourcing and technology's role in transforming finance functions. 

PLUS previews of what we’re up to at Accountex this year!

Accountaxe: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/accountaxe-2025-london-tickets-1235998257059 How to effectively partner with vendors: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/digital-transformation-training-tickets-1338884693159

00:00 Coming Up 01:04 Intro 02:25 Accountex Previews 

05:46 App News 05:51 The Accountant 2 07:46 Agentic AI edges closer to mainstream accounting adoption 16:25 FreeAgent expands integrations with Stripe and more 18:32 Dext launches Vault for AI-powered document storage 21:24 Dext rolls out supplier statement matching features 24:04 BILL expands into procurement and cashflow management 26:30 BILL powers Xero’s US online bill payments 28:41 Xero highlights April’s newest app integrations

31:15 Process Outsourcing at scale 48:28 Outro

We kick off with OpenTax’s new feature for tracking corporation tax deadlines — a smart move for firms managing multiple client obligations. Then it’s over to Wolters Kluwer’s long-awaited cloud tools rollout, where existing customers face dual-platform fees and usage-based pricing as they migrate.

Mid-market ERP is booming. We speak with Xledger and Moore Insight about the tier-two ERP explosion and what makes this segment increasingly attractive for growing businesses and charities. 

Plus, there’s a full preview of AccountAxe 2025 — now hosted at Fairgame London with support from Karbon, FreeAgent, Employment Hero, Advancetrack,  iPlicit, Xledger and Scoro

Book your tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/accountaxe-2025-london-tickets-1235998257059

Also in the mix: • Airwallex is pursuing banking licences in the UK and US — signalling a major shake-up for cross-border payments, lending, and SME banking. • Xero’s online bill payments go global, now supporting 25+ currencies through Crezco. • Intuit acquires HR platform GoCo, deepening QuickBooks’ suite for SMBs with payroll and human capital management. • Caseware launches Validate, its new financial check automation tool.

We wrap up with ERP consultancy insights and why scalable, cloud-based systems are making Tier 1 look bloated. A must-listen for anyone tracking the future of accounting tech.

00:00 Coming Up 00:35 Intro

05:16 App News 05:20 OpenTax launches first stage of Corporation Tax tracking 07:38 Airwallex to pursue UK and US banking licences 12:52 UK online bill payments from Xero go global 15:01 Wolters Kluwer rolls out cloud tax and accounts production tools 18:44 Caseware launches Validate to automate financial checks 20:11 Intuit to acquire HR platform GoCo

23:30 Moving on up from Tier 3: Xledger

In this episode of the Digi-Tools in Accrual World Podcast by Digital Disruptors, we discuss the nuanced landscape of CEO salaries, with a special focus on gender biases and the contrast between different markets. 

We take a closer look at MHA's IPO, exploring their growth strategies and valuation concerns. Regulatory issues are also a key topic, with Revolut facing a significant fine for anti-money laundering violations. 

Additionally, we delve into the evolving role of technology, sector specialisation in accountancy, and the impact of AI on the profession. 

Our episode is sponsored by Advancetrack, and we’re excited to share insights on how MTD public beta testing, voluntary ID checks for directors by Companies House, and news from XLedger are shaping the future of accounting.

0:00 Coming Up 1:10 Intro

03:05 App News ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 03:10 MTD public beta goes live, Excel (not) dead, One Login security woes 05:51 Companies House rolls out identity verification 10:35 Xero’s $25m CEO pay package under scrutiny 16:07 MHA confirms float date and £269m valuation 22:51 UK tech start-up vows to ‘do to Sage what Netflix did to Blockbuster’ 26:22 Revolut fined €3.5M over money laundering failings

30:02 Showcase your sector expertise with the right finance tech: Xledger

37:17 Don't forget to leave a like or rating!

Join our newsletter: https://digitoolsinaccrualworld.substack.com

This episode is sponsored by FYI, the new practice management challenger, John and Ryan bravely soldier on without Indi to keep them in line.

They dive deep into Xero's new API-like MCPs, discuss the eye-watering $2.2 billion valuation of Penny Lane, and share updates from a huge week of product releases - from FreeAgent, Intuit TaxCalc Joiin, Workflow Max and Countingup.

00:00 Intro

02:49 App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

02:52 Xero adds MCP server for smarter integrations

08:34 Pennylane doubles valuation to $2.2bn

11:27  FreeAgent rolls out CIS features for contractors

13:49   Intuit adds project tools to enterprise suite

16:39 TaxCalc bridges the MTD spreadsheet gap

25:32 Xero and Sumday partner on free carbon accounting tools

28:20  Countingup introduces new product features

30:55 WorkflowMax shares latest product updates

33:39 Joiin unveils new features in ‘Joiin Unwrapped’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

37:11 From Outsourced Finance Provider to Partner: Winning Against the In-House Trend: Xledger

47:29 Outro

Plus, we'll dive into some juicy app news on Xero and discuss the intriguing launch of Vinyl’s private beta and iplicit’s client manager.

Hold on tight as we geek out over Jack 3.0’s cool features and crack up at the idea of being AI's guinea pigs. Don’t miss our convo with FreeAgent’s Tony Stevenson on their latest integrations!

00:00 Intro

02:37 App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

02:41 FreeAgent takes MTD to new heights—literally

05:26 Vinyl launches private beta and lands Google backing

08:22 iplicit unveils BPO-focused client manager tool

10:50 Jenesys introduces AI tools to boost trust and transparency

15:19 Adsum announces OpenTax partner programme.

18:13 MTD for ITSA threshold to drop to £20K in 2028

21:54 Xero highlights new apps in March App Store roundup

24:04 Xero unifies global app partner awards into one programme

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

26:00 The FreeAgent Universe is Expanding

Plus, discover how MTD can now be done from SPACE and why accountants everywhere should be keeping a close eye on Apron's new expense card.

Join Ryan, Indi and John for a wild journey through the ever-accelerating world of accounting technology.

00:00 Coming Up

00:48 Intro

02:46 App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

02:51 🟡 Rippling / Deel legal handbags

07:39 🟡 What's new in Xero

08:32 🟡 Xero + Syft enhancements (vs Fathom)

11:14 🟡 JAX expands

12:24 🟡 Access buy Geo

14:21 🟡 BrightPay to discontinue desktop

15:41 🟡 AIQ launches new workflow approvals

17:04 🟡 Apron launches expense card

24:36 FreeAgent's Journey from 'Contractor Tool' to 'Full Practice Solution' to... space?

36:58 Outro

A perfect companion for your train / plane / drive to Battersea!

00:00 Coming Up

01:02 Welcome back!

App News

04:17   📍 Digits debuts AI accounting tool

07:50   📍 iplicit Gocardless partnership

09:06   📍 Mimo raise $8.5m

11:18   📍 Oaknorth to be parent of CUB

14:16   📍 Services as software

17:40   📍 Tugger releases partner program

18:26   📍 Transplants not deemed exempt

20:36 FreeAgent: Integrations Progress

25:09 Dan Cockerton: DAS and beyond

36:29 See you at DAS!

Love it or loathe it - MTD is coming.

Outside of the fascinating world of MTD, we have the usual updates in App News, including Indi’s analysis on embedded finance.

00:00 Coming Up…

01:00  Intro

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

04:01 Adfin lands $8m

07:36  Allica launches buy to let mortgages

12:21 Allica rebrand

13:58 Gocardless partners with Pipe

18:12 FreeAgent integrate with Mimo

18:56  Translucent launches prepayments and deferred revenue

22:04 CAS360 launches in the UK

23:29 iplicit (once again) fastest growing firm

26:04  Expensify opens travel management tool

30:25 MTD - Not Going Away (FreeAgent)

40:08 Absolutely FABulous

01:00:59 Like and subscribe!

Ever thought implementing controls would slow your biz down? 

Think again!

00:00 Coming Up 01:28 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ App News 09:33  2025 Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Index Annual Report 16:33 Jenesys launch Jackpod 19:09  Xero launches Xero Simple 22:55  Xero launches Reconcile period 24:32 Xero offers commission for referrals 26:35 Xero  February apps of the month 28:28  Dext SSO 30:06 US DOGE fires free tax-filing team in US ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

30:59 Boring but Sexy: Controls and Procedures  - Stuart Hurst 45:10 Rate the pod!

Indi shares her view on the one-person, AI-powered Unicorn and Alex Kesselman talks about how ApprovalMax has evolved from it’s core ‘approvals’ fortress in response to customers developing needs.

As ever, we have all the updates form our space, including: AI-powered 24/7 support by FYI Docs, NetSuite’s massive platform migration, and Caseware’s shiny new acquisitions and AI assistants. Get ready to be amazed by Blake Oliver’s killer use case for AI in pricing decisions and catch an insightful chat.

00:00 Coming up…

00:50 Welcome!

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

03:37 IRIS confirms Taxfiler sunset

04:03 Netsuite migrates to Oracle Autonomous for AI

05:29 FYI launches 24/7 support

08:43 CaseWare acquires Extractly.ai

11:38 How to validate your pricing with AI

15:22 Evolving Product for Evolving Needs - ApprovalMax

22:58 Science Fiction becoming closer to reality?

26:49 Like and subscribe

This week, we're dissecting the latest tech updates in the accounting world.

FreeAgent introduces property ownership splitting for the MTD rollout, GoCardless partners with Form3 to enhance BACS payment connectivity, Link My Books joins the Visma family, and Ignition debuts auto-pricing tools to streamline revenue operations. We also delve into Modulr's integration with Nomi for seamless payroll payments and Ecologi's acquisition of Net Zero Now to help businesses achieve net-zero emissions.

Plus, an insightful interview with Matt Lowry from ApprovalMax on combatting fraud in the age of AI. Stay tech-savvy and fraud-free, folks!

00:00 Coming Up 00:50 Intro ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ App News 03:05 FreeAgent Update: Line by line property split  03:53 GoCardless to provide BACs payments 04:58 Linkmybooks joins Visma 07:34 Ignition introduces autopricing 09:44 Modulr Nomi integration 11:19  Ecologi acquires Net Zero Now ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 16:36 Combatting Fraud - ApprovalMax 23:44 Like and Subscribe

We've got updates from Xero, memorable moments from mid-market maestro Laura Jolly from Xledger, and a serious discussion on pushing the limits with tech and risk-taking in the accounting world. Tune in for the insights, stay for the laughs, and leave with some actionable takeaways to rock your accounting game!

00:00 Coming Up…

01:17 Intro

~~~~~~~~~~

App News

02:49 The UK government launches a consultation on E-invoicing

08:57 Sage Updates

13:02 Sage Copilot Data Breach

15:06 Updates From Xero

18:47 Xero's most popular apps of 2024

20:59  Xero API increase ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

22:55 Streamlining Bank Automation with Xledger

30:05 Accounting Skills Gap - Finance Takes The Piste Part 3

49:44 Outro

We hear from more of the though leaders at the Finance Takes the Piste event - including though from Alastair Barlow, Krissy Chapleo, Gavin Spencer, Sam Jennings and Antoaneta Pop.

We also have key updates and leadership changes in App News from leading accounting tech firms like Ignition, WorkflowMax, and Dext, and take a deeper look into the innovations in ESG reporting by Xledger.

00:00 Coming Up...

01:09 Welcome!

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

05:02 Ignition appoint new CEO & CFO

08:15 Workflow Max Releases

11:03 Aslan gets $5m seed investment

14:31 Companies House agent filing system launches

18:34 Intuit launches QBO & Mailchimp interface

21:32 Dext integrates with Zoho

22:29 Brieff launches AI notetaker

26:39 ESG Reporting - Xledger

34:16 John's Hazy Ski Trip Memories

35:13 Finance Takes the Piste - Pt 2 - The skills the profession needs next

43:26 Rate and subscribe!

• ChatGPT
• Deepseek
• Claude
• Perplexity

We’ve also got the latest App News and exclusive inside gossip and insights from the recent Finance Takes the Piste ski trip!

00:00 Coming Up

02:27 Hello!

05:18 Finance Takes The Piste Recap

06:47 Agent AI

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~

08:35 AI Models for Accounting Firms

12:44 Sage CoPilot Misfire

14:21 Vertice Raise $50m

17:24 AI Line Item Extraction From Briefcase

19:00 iplicit secure £25m

21:05 Xero App Store Updates

23:44 Hedgeflows secures expanded FCA approval

25:42 Accurise on Delivering Outsourced Finance for Mid-Tier Businesses

Piste Artists

~~~~~~~~~~~

33:36 Paul Barnes - The right EBIDTA… for your practice

34:43 Fraser Campbell - The right EBIDTA… for PE

36:24 Paul Barnes - Timesheets, yes or no?

37:28 Pete Everett - Skills of the 'firm of tomorrow'

41:57 Graeme Tennick - Finding the skills we already have

44:40 Jonathan Gaunt - Rockstars vs Superstars

47:24 Like and Subscribe!

Plus, hear about Capitalise's game-changing collaboration with Plaid, the new automation marvel 'With Otto,' and Pete Hucker from Xledger gives us insights into the difference between accounting in Norway and the UK.

And Indi’s health tips are back - but is it enough to save Ryan’s fragile frame?

00:00 Coming Up

01:49 Intro

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

App News

03:36  Bench Pressed Out of Business

10:14 FYI Launch  new integration with companies house

10:57 Thomoson  Reuters Acquire SafeSend

13:51  Number Ninja Launches  'With Otto'

16:01 Capitalise integrates with Plaid

19:06 OpenTax Adds Notifications

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

19:58 XLedger: UK vs Norway

25:49 Ryan's Aging Vessel

28:39 Like and rate the pod!

Still missing our third wheel, John Toon, Ryan and Indi bring you a shorter, but perfectly formed update from the world of accounting tech.

00:00 Coming Up

01:43 Intro

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

04:23 UK AI Growth Plans

08:39 Gov't announce 'new' MTD Sage deal

10:09 Xero Award Win

11:16 Silverfin Docusign Integration

12:57 Caseware Appoint new CEO

15:50 AccountsIQ acquire ExpenseIn

17:50 Rate and subscribe!

Also, find out about the cool new tools from Translucent, Active Workpapers, and Bright's shiny new accounts production tool.

00:00 Coming Up

01:44 Intro

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

06:17 Truewind Raise $13million

09:29 Translucent

11:14 Active Workpapers

15:45 Shopify Binning AvaTax

16:49 Bright Accounts Production

20:20 WorkflowMax ❤️ Airwallex

22:36 Leave us a review

While John is away globetrotting, Indi and Ryan look over the latest accounting tech news which broke over the turn of the year.

From new App Store releases to old pricing problems - this is the perfect way to kick off your accounting tech awareness for 2025.

00:00 Coming up….

01:48 Intro

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

03:58 Allica Milestone

06:56 Intuit and Amazon Partnership

09:19 QuickBooks Online Advanced New Features

10:53 QBO Tags on the way out

12:29 Adsum VAT refunds inside QBO

14:35 6 updates from Sage

15:56 Xero Pricing Backpedal

17:31 Xero Marketplace New Releases

20:38 Rate the pod!

Wondering if Access will keep us guessing with their acquisitions, or if Sage open their war chest again?

Curious about the AI renaissance, open banking's comeback, and the dawn of Cloud 3.0?

Plus, who else thinks a new finance ledger player (Hammer with a Z, anyone?) will drop this year? And the boldest call of all: could Xero go private?!

Tune in for laughs, crazy forecasts, and the inevitable man flu outbreak. Don't miss the first Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast of 2025!

00:00 Coming Up

01:19 Intro

2025 Predictions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

03:33 Acquisition Sprees

05:12 New OCR hitting its stride

08:15 Open Banking v2

10:51 AI Agents

15:19 Cloud 3.0

17:56 Digital Transformation Agencies

20:03 Wildcard predictions

24:12 Join us in 2025!

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! 

Welcome to the Christmas Day special of the Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast!

In this festive retrospective episode, our tech-focused trio dives into the biggest highlights of 2024, from AI advancements and major acquisitions to payroll innovations and practice management updates.

We also discuss the rise of AI (mostly meeting tools), touch on outsourcing trends with special guest Vipul from AdvanceTrack, and even launch the most coveted Digital Disruptor Awards. Plus, there's banter, branded Christmas hats, and John being a Scrooge.

Drop us a note if you're tuning in on Christmas Day, and let's dive into the tech world wrapped up in festive fun! 🎅🎄

00:00 Coming Up

01:24 Intro

2024 App News Retrospective

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

05:45 Oompa, Loompa, doompa-dee-do, I've got an AI Assistant for You

08:41 Hyper-Growth Players

10:31 Acquisition News

13:24 Xero's Ups and Downs

15:54 Intuit's 2024

18:09 Dext to IRIS

21:01 Payables, Payables, Payables

24:56 FreeAgent Making a Big Steps

26:21 Quiet Year for Practice Management?

28:36 The Big One

30:39 Podsourcing - AdvanceTrack

39:28 Give us your feedback so we can be even better in 2025!

Grace Hardy joins us to share her bold journey as a 21-year-old accounting entrepreneur making waves on TikTok and beyond, tackling sexism, and disrupting industry norms. 

We also discuss FreeAgent’s latest report - with concerning stats around discrimination - and talk with Vipul Sheth from AdvanceTrack about burnout in senior practitioners.

This episode really is a tour of the dark side of of accounting…

00:00 Coming Up... 01:54 Intro

App News ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 07:15 HG Eyeing Visma IPO? 08:57 Odoo Raise 10:48 ReceiptBot Adds Line Item Extraction 12:28 Billhop enables card payments for pay non-card suppliers 14:54 Translucent Releases 17:36 Metro Bank 21:27 FreeAgent Accounting Talent Research

33:05 AdvanceTrack - Challenges Attracting Grads into the Profession & Pressure on Practice Leaders  39:09 Grace Hardy - Accounting for TikTok

58:17 Rate and Subscribe!

We've got Joe Lines from Nook spilling the beans on Nook’s acquisition of Modulr.

Plus, we tackle the juicy topic of AI's impact on accounting and why 50% of firms are still twiddling their thumbs. Joined by our regular hosts Indi Tatla, John Toon and Ryan Pearcy (recovering from 'man flu,' of course), this episode is packed with insights, laughs, and a hint of tech-induced panic. Don't miss it!

00:00 Coming Up

02:14 Intro

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

07:47 Iris acquires Dext

13:17 Sage Results

17:28 Sage Releases and Updates

18:25 Datamolino Release

18:51 Fathom Bulk Update Facility

20:28 New Apps in the Xero App Store

22:48 AdvanceTrack - AI's role amid the talent shortage

30:07 Joe Lines - The next chapter for Nook (and the payments space)

46:43 Rate and subscribe!

In App News we look at Xero extending classic invoicing, Agicap's €45 million funding, and the fall in demand for freelance jobs due to AI.

Ruben from Briefcase shares exciting insights on making accounting great again!

Get the lowdown on talent shortages, TaxCalc's big investment, skyrocketing salaries, impressive partnerships, and a hint on future AI recruitment. Hit play, stay ahead!

AdvanceTrack's accounting Talent Index: https://www.advancetrack.com/talent/ Find out more about Briefcase at: Briefcase.so

00:00 Coming Up...

02:16 Intro

App News

05:23  Xero Classic Invoicing

11:16 Agicap Raise €45m

17:14 TaxCalc Receive Investment

21:35 Studies show AI's impact on labour markets

23:51 Roveel x Joiin

26:09 Moss x Airwallex

29:39 46% of firms struggling with client deliverables - AdvanceTrack

35:43 AI in Practice - Reuben Steenkamp

55:17 Leave a Review!

From Nook's acquisition by Modulr and FreeAgent's updated smart capture functionality to TrueLayer's big layoffs – we've got all the juicy details.

Lucy Cohen spills the beans on Mazuma's bold acquisition plans and the challenges both boomers and Gen Z are facing around exiting and entering practice ownership.

We're also featuring an insightful chat with Sophie Hossack from Alloca Bank with more on  mixing digital banking (at scale) with a human touch. And also - despite the controversy around Jag’s rebrand - is there a lesson there for accountants and bookkeepers?

00:00 Coming Up

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

03:17 Nook Acquired

07:17 Modulr Powering HMRC

08:35 FreeAgent Smart Capture Expanding

09:33 FreeAgent still officially friendly

10:42 ApprovalMax Raise £10m

11:38 Dext Payments Teaser and more

13:26 Truelayer lays off 25% of it's team

15:41 Allica - Relationships and Scale

23:57 What can accountants learn from the Jag rebrand?

30:36 Lucy Cohen - The generational shift in practice ownership

Don't miss our deep dive into the rise of Finfluencers and the FCA's crackdown, as well as tips on strengthening those accountant-bank relationships from special guest Sophie Hossak from Allica Bank.

00:00 Coming Up

01:26 Intro

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

02:42 Thompson Reuters acquire LLM company

04:44 Simpro Acquire Big Change

06:20 Bright Acquire Inform Direct

10:50 Access Group Acquire HireAra

12:23 Nexly Launch for Auditors

20:05 And in other news... Happy Birthday Excel

20:45 Allica Bank - Building Bridges between Accountants and Banks

31:27 Wuvvable Dogs

34:47 Florentina Sandu - Good Judges and Bad Influencers

39:40 Outro

The word on the street is banks may have lost their mojo with accountants, prompting a wild 47% to feel as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs when it comes to business banking.

We have app updates galore from MIMO, Pleo, ApprovalMax, and Xero, and the lowdown on the Xero Beautiful Business Fund 2024 winners who are redefining awesomeness in business.

Plus, discover why multi-banking is the new black for SMEs and a whole lot more!

Don't forget to like, share, follow, and send us your thoughts! ✉️

00:00 Coming Up…

01:32 Welcome!

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

09:19 MTD Thresholds Dropping

16:10 Xero Beautiful Business Fund 2024

19:20 Mimo Release

24:09 AML HQ Launches in the UK

26:31 Pleo Releases

27:40 Approval Max Pricing Updates

28:49 New in the Xero App Store

32:52 Allica - The growing chasm between accountants and bank relationship managers

42:53 Drew Moyes - Friendliness, Community and Simplicity for MTD

50:51 Outro

Join John, Ryan, and Indi as they review John’s creepy merch ideas, find out how SMEs are missing out on billions and share the latest app news, including updates from Adsum, Modulr, FreeAgent, and Firmcheck. Hear about Tide's strategic acquisition, Acumatica's new release, and more.

Plus, find out why Engager.app's Johann Goree is celebrating their big win at the Digital Disruptor Awards and what it takes to overcome major life hurdles to deliver an industry defining event.

And don't miss the banter, from bath time chat to ginger walrus facts, this episode has it all!

There's more info on the savings interest SMEs are missing out on and the Allica Bank report here: https://www.savingssqueeze.com/

00:00 Coming Up

02:04 Welcome

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

09:25 Adsum Upcoming Beta Test

11:31 Modulr Batch Management Release

12:33 FreeAgent Binning Paper Notices

13:36 MTD Updates

20:18 Acumatica

21:45 Tide Acquiring Again

27:04 Allica - £9bn in missing interest

42:31 Overcoming huge obstacles, to do what's never been done before - Dan Cockerton

46:39 Where are the next tech innovations coming from? Release of the Year winner Johann Goree

01:03:00 Rate the podcast!

We cover the latest in accounting tech, featuring Caseware's AiDA digital assistant, Summa Tech's snazzy onboarding upgrades, and Dext's new approval functions. Plus, hear from the unstoppable Eriona Bajrakurtaj at her Volt launch, promising to make digital transformation easier for many accounting and bookkeeping firms.

With quirky anecdotes, LEGO likenesses, and some 'instant banter', this episode is a rollercoaster of tech talk and humour. Don't miss out!

00:00 Coming up…

02:41 Welcome!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

App News

09:05 Caseware Digital Assistant 

11:47 Summa Tech Onboarding Enhancements

16:36 Dext Senior Hire

18:50 Dext Approvals

21:09 The Payroll Site closing its doors

24:43 Sage Research Insights

27:53 IRIS Practice in a Box

36:22 Banter Stimulant

38:46 Eriona Bajrakurtaj - Digitally Transforming a Profession

43:25 Leave a review!

Kayleigh also gives her take on the 'influencer' debate which has continued since the Digital Disruptor Awards in September.

We also bring you the latest app news — from Series A raises to HRMC and the EU making splashes in the fintech scene.

00:00 Coming Up...

03:01 Hello!

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

08:01 EU Action on AI Regulation

11:49 Adfin Eyes Payments Pain

15:55 NetSuite’s SuiteProjects Pro Offers AI Insights

17:42 Digital Transformation at HMRC

19:41 Ex-Revolut Team Raise Funds for New AI Startup

22:23 Sage Adds Refunds + Partial Payments to Sage Accounting and more...

23:52 CCH Unveils iFirm Validate Tool

27:50 Kayleigh Graham - Payments, DEI & Influencers

Welcome to another thrilling episode of Digi-Tools in Accrual World —the podcast where accounting meets tech trends, professional updates, and occasionally funny banter.

In this episode, we’re blending personal milestones, with global business expansions, Intuit's shiny new enterprise suite, and the lowdown on fresh Xero apps like Cone Practice Management and Viable. We also talk funding—$28 million for Numeric to be exact—and sprinkle in some awards, like the Deity Award for Richard Sergeant (yes, a literal deity… sort of).

We’re diving into AI, talking to industry rockstars like Matt Lewns from iplicit, and tackling everything from dashboards to... fashion critiques.

All this while trying to be funny, insightful, and definitely a bit ridiculous…

00:00 Coming Up… 02:00 Hello!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ App News 05:24 Intuit Enterprise 07:39 New to the Xero Marketplace 09:04 - Xero + Klarna 12:48 - Xero Dashboard Update 15:25 - Active Workpapers Updates 16:37 - Client Window Update 17:30 - Numeric Raise

31:41 AE Awards – Best Dressed

35:35 Digital Deity – Richard Sergeant 44:14 Digital Marketer of the Year – Jordan Vickery

59:39 Like and subscribe!

We talk with Heather Smith dishing about travel, ACCA elections and the rise of accounting influencers.

From modern ERP insights with Matt at iPlicit to John spilling the beans (or honey) on his anti-inflammatory concoction, we've got it all. Don't miss this whirlwind episode; it's got more flavour than Manuka honey and more buzz than a bee in a bonnet. Tune in, geek out, and learn how not to get shafted in the world of accounting tech!

00:00 Coming up...

02:32 Welcome!

App News

07:05 Xero Snaps up Syft

13:01 Classic Xero Invoice Clash

14:57 FCA Flying after Starling

19:10 Apron Security, feature updates and more cash!

22:45 Access Shopping Spree Continues

25:53 FreeAgent still full steam ahead on integrations

28:09 iplicit - Connectivity in modern ERP systems

34:39 John's Alternative Remedy

41:59 Shape the Future of the Profession - Heather Smith

01:03:44 Rate the pod!

Apron is now FCA authorised, Employment Hero has revamped its packages, and Karbon’s new marketplace is shaking things up!

Join John, Ryan, and the crew as they reveal the latest news, chat with the winners of the Digital Disruptor awards, and manage to keep keep Ryan’s accents under wraps.

00:00 Coming up…

01:24 Intro

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

04:03 Apron Banking License + Security Upgrades

08:41 Employment Hero Pricing Bundles

09:59 Roveel Reporting Enhancement

12:09 Modulr Partnerships Paying Off

13:37 Karbon 'Practice' Marketplace

16:20 - Check yo’ privilege

Digital Disruptor Award Winners

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

18:41  Jon Gaunt

23:35 Aaron Patrick

29:27 Outro

This episode of Digi-Tools in Accrual World Podcast has it all! From the aftermath of our mind-blowing awards night to the mysteries of magnesium on feet (yes, you read that right).

Indi experiments with deep sleep tactics, while Ryan clowns around about winning the 'BWAM of the Year.'

Plus, we’ve got hot takes on Intuit's AI enhancements, ApprovalMax's new features, and Cin7's latest updates and Allica’s next step on taking over the world.

Don't miss Chris Downing from Sage and Vipul from Advanced Track giving the first of the post-award reactions.

Vipul also gives a sneak preview of the future of outsourcing...

00:00 Keep it professional, John

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~

07:09 Intuit Doubling Down on AI

12:10 ApprovalMax Releases

15:11 Cin7 Releases

19:09 Allica: Bridging the gap between UK SMEs and funding

22:42 Mid-Tier Migration Migraine Mitigation - iplicit

Awards Interviews:

~~~~~~~~~~~

29:33 Double Downing

35:09 AdvanceTrack Announcement

41:58 Rate the pod!

This episode we debate whether accountants and bookkeepers are leading the charge with AI, laugh about John's beer subscription dilemma, and discuss the magic of Indi’s vegan pies.

Plus, we geek out over Xero's latest updates, Revolut's new banking license, and iPlicit's rise in the mid-tier market.

Feast your ears on some witty banter, insightful app news, and tales from the world of digital disruption.

00:00 Intro

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

02:34 Sage's AI Report

10:11 Futrli Consolidates

11:02 Xero Technical Best Practice for Apps

12:17 Xero Mentor Match

14:12 Xero New Invoicing

18:50 Revolut Banking License

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

21:39 iplicit - getting off entry level systems

28:09 Beer subscriptions

31:59 Rate the pod!

From the chilling tales of the North, magnesium foot rubs for better sleep, to rubbing vitamins into bald heads for that 'shiny and glossy' look, we’ve got it all.

Our guest this week is Phil Hobden who shares his fascinating career journey and insights into the Accounting Tech Forum - the ‘secret’ vendor slack group where accountants aren’t allowed. Sort of.

Ready for some accounting romance advice and the lowdown on vendor gossip? This episode’s got you covered. Enjoy the laughs and the insights!

00:00 Intro

App News

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04:30 Intuit Growth

06:01 Sage Intacct Enhancements

09:14 Xerocon Nashville Roundup

12:07 Xero Price Increase

14:36 New Apps in the Xero App Store

15:15 Dext Enhancements

17:50 Wig Wham Bam!

21:53 Night on the Toon

28:11 Interview: Phil Hobden - What do vendors talk about in their secret Slack Group?

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30:26 Phil's Industry Experience

39:16 AccountTech Forum

45:45 Blurred Lines and Xerocon Babies?

52:07 Event Fatigue

01:03:09  Outro

Ryan juggles the chaos of a newborn, while John reminisces about tent life and questionable camping experiences - in stark contrast to Indi's adventures with mostly-indoor Danish hospitality and colossal steaks.

All this, sprinkled with our usual tangents about mermaid statues, passionate embraces, and an egg-splitting science lesson.

Grab your ticket to the awards coming up in September! https://www.digital-disruptors.com/awards

00:00 Hello!

App News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

03:19 Bundle Blunder?

08:47 Intuit Making Trade Gecko Stick

12:40 XBert gets more expert

15:30 Dext Precision Customisation

19:22 Deputy Dawg

20:50 FreeAgent Timesaving update

21:56 Intercompany Turf War Brewing?

24:51 John's Tent Trip Debrief

33:10 Rate and subscribe!

As we navigate the holiday madness, new tech debuts, recruitment Tinder and a plethora of “plethoras” - we’re asking for your support in nominating the great and good of the UK accounting tech scene.

Nominations for the Digital Disruptor Awards close tomorrow evening - get your nominations in here: https://forms.gle/8L3JZ4KNq7D5NGS49

00:00 Intro

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

App News

05:16 Silverfin Spotted Hunting in Australia

07:48 Sage Wars: The AI Awakens

10:35 I Love Lucy

11:29 Gary Potter and The Prisoner of AI-zkoban

13:53 Return of the Jack

15:20 QBO HMRC CIS API! (wtf?)

16:11 Please, Xero - Can I Have Some More Apps?

19:36 The Tinder for Recruitment - Employment Hero

27:54 Get off My Land!

34:32 Interview - Silverfin & MYOB, Sitting in a Tree

51:32 Leave a review (and don’t forget to nominate!)

This time we’re talking compliance! And not your boring, garden variety compliance (although Indi probably has some of that on the grounds somewhere).

No, the kind that leaves the door open for some cockwomble in a server dungeon to steal tens of thousands of pounds if it’s not done properly.

Yeah - that’s sort of compliance.

Bad actors, or fintechs asleep at the wheel? Let’s find out…

Also - the question on everyone’s lips - what colour is Indi’s aura? All will be revealed in the pod!

0:00 Hello!

01:58 Foraging in Indi's back garden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

App News

04:05 Tech Layoffs - Intuit (and Dext?)

07:29 Dext Upcoming Releases

08:41 Allica way you move

10:24 New App: Briefcase

12:11  New App: Pinvo

13:44 Cone as you are

16:34 Free Market FreeAgent

17:41 45 mins of Xero Releases

20:50 BrightPay Cloud Enhancements

22:28 OpenTax from Adsum

26:01 New Advisory Service Opportunities - Employment Hero

31:32 I'm Auright, you're Auright

34:20 Fintech - Fast and Furious

40:22 Fintech - Fast and Furious- Alex Falcon

59:56 Rate the pod!

We also bring you a session from the Digital Digest - with a deep dive into practical AI tools for your accounting or bookkeeping practice.

Kevin Fitzgerald returns to chat about the huge opportunity in Outsourced Payroll and John’s aura remains a mystery.

00:00 It's not that big!

01:49 Intro

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App News

05:05 Bright Eyes My Workpapers

06:49 Yes, it's a Dextender!

09:36 AirWallex and QBO

11:20 Xero For Education

12:41 Netsuite for Healthcare

14:17 Xero App Marketplace Updates

16:22 Xeinadin: It's time for Sage and Onion... And I'm all Out of Onion.

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18:16 The HUGE Outsourced Payroll Opportunity - Employment Hero

25:33 John's Brown Aura

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28:55 AI in Practice Tools

30:28 Eliminate Email

32:33 Trash The Timesheets

33:47 Examples of a leading vendors in AI

35:52 Automated Audit?

39:56 Tackling Tax

42:14 Rumbles in America

44:24 Skynet for Accountants

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48:41 Rate the pod!

In this jam-packed episode, John Toon, Indi Tatla and Ryan Pearcy catch up on their latest misadventures at Engage in Vegas and Xerocon. 

From needing makeup (yes, really!) to debating podcast rivalries and innovations in the app world, strap in for another informative and hilarious ride!

Also, we dive into the future of AI in accounting (probably a different take to what you've already heard) from the eyes of successful tech founder. 

Don't miss out on app news, and updates you need to stay on top of your game! Join us, subscribe, and let's disrupt digital accounting together!

00:00 "Mr Pearcy to hair and makeup, please" 01:00 Welcome to Digi Tools in Accrual World!

05:22 App News ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 05:29 Xerocon Announcements 09:38 ...more Xero updates 10:52 Intuit keeps eyes on the road 12:19 MailChimp 👉 MailChamp? 14:12 Quickbooks - new invoice send method 15:20 Sage for Accountants: Lots of updates 16:46 FreeAgent Mobile Update 17:53 Syft AI Launched 19:07 Accounts IQ gassing up the tanks to keep the mid-market interesting 23:27 ApprovalMax taking it to the... Max 26:53 Dext Collects 27:58 Silverfin - FRS105 and CH sync 29:40 "There are only two ways to make money in business..."

33:57 Employment Hero - Comms SNAFU 41:05 US Podcast Beef

41:58 Celso Pinto - Part 2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 42:22 Raising Seed Money 44:57 Emerging Competitors 47:14 How could AI shock the profession 58:02 Exiting Pixie 01:00:06 Finding the right leaders at the right time

01:07:48 Leave a rating! 😃

John Toon navigates Eurovision vibes, European-style sunbathing and sky-high Starbucks prices at Engage conference.

Along with the latest App News and updates from FreeAgent, do not miss Pixie co-founder Celso Pinto's insights on starting, building and exiting from Pixie in the noisy, noisy marketplace of accounting tech.

00:00 Looney Toon's Vegas Adventure 03:47 Intro

App News ~~~~~~~~~~~ 07:26 Intuit's Impressive Quarterly Results 10:41 Xero's Strong Financial Year 15:00 Sage's Net Zero Targets and ESG Reporting 20:10 Sage Partnering with DonerPerfect 21:27 Sage Intact's New Features and Updates 25:28 Xero's Pricing Plan Changes 32:04 HG's Acquisition of AuditBoard

33:55 FreeAgent - Tony Stevenson: Why Digital Transformation is a Team Sport 39:38 What Happens in Vegas Better Stay in Vegas

Interview: Celso Pinto ~~~~~~~~~~~ 42:12 Celso's Origin Story 49:24 Starting Pixie 53:33 Making Tough Product Decisions

01:10:08 Like, subscribe and rate the pod! 😃

Join us as we throwback to Accountex, where Ryan decided to desert us for the peaceful woods. 

Indy lost her voice, John was knackered - but thankfully we had some stellar help from the Systems Advisory Network. 

As always, this episode covers the latest in app releases, raises and acquisitions

Plus, we see which of us can delay mastication the longest.

Special shoutouts to our Accountex saviours: Dayle, Julie, and Keaton. 

00:00 Intro

App News: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 02:09 Lightyear Acquired 03:19 Access Group's Acquisition Strategy and Ecosystem 05:00 Canopy + Practice Management AI Innovations 08:22 Layer's Ambitious Goal to Replace QuickBooks 10:21 FreeAgent's New Integrations and Updates 11:54 FYI Elite: A New Era in Practice Management? 13:03 Why iplicit are a great employer 14:06 Everyone’s favourite Xero update… 14:51 Quickbooks Ledger 15:18 Valid8me… validated 15:51 Sage's CoPilot and AI Developments 18:01 AirWallex Bill Pay Solution Integrated with Xero 19:36 Mercia and Inflo's Partnership 21:15 Ember and HSBC UK's Embedded Finance Partnership 22:35 TaxCalc Expands with Group Reporting ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

24:25 FreeAgent Tortoise or Hare?

29:42 Delayed Marshmallow Mastication

System Advisory Network: Accountex Retrospective ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 32:58 Introduction 33:32 Insights from Dayle and Julie 34:42 Keaton's Experience and Reflections 35:39 Diverse Queries and Solutions 36:54 The Digital Disruptors Network 37:35 Conversations and Networking at Accountex 43:16 Exploring New Technologies and Vendors 51:27 Outsourcers As Far As The Eye Can See! 55:39 Final Thoughts and Future Plans ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

01:02:56 Rate the pod!!

Wading through the post-conference blues (before the big blue conference) we’re back with another episode!

In App News:

0:04:28 Allica Bank's New Partnerships Team

0:05:50 Closure of Influential Women's Tech Network

0:07:40 Highlights from the Xero Awards

0:09:42 New Features and Updates from Xero

0:10:54 Xero Small Business Index

0:12:29 Planday AU

0:14:07 Payhawk + Amex

0:15:04 Soldo + Triver

0:15:45 WorkflowMax Data Transition Issues

0:17:06 Client Engager and Tax on Demand Partnership

0:17:51 NetSuite's Generative AI Features

0:20:00 Funding News: Tabs and Sumday

0:23:47 Acquisition of Inventoro by Cin7

0:25:10 Active Workpapers' New Features

This episode’s guest is (now former) Xero MVP Lauren Harvey from Full Stop Accounts. Lauren shares some incredible stories, from her unique career journey and significant industry shifts to promoting better human connections and tackling menopause challenges in a high performance environment - something everyone should know more about.

Less inspirational is Ryan’s funky spunky garden problem and bringing the ‘tone’ back up again is our friendliest sponsor - FreeAgent!

Be sure to rate, like and subscribe to the podcast and get in touch with us at www.digital-disruptors.com/

Also Jordan Vickery reveals the growth playbook for accounting techs looking to shore up adoption success post the host of accounting events. 

And in app news this week is a skinny:

• HMRC to replace government gateway - https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/tech-pulse/hmrc-to-roll-out-government-gateway-replacement
• Government fund for AI skills - https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/tech-pulse/government-fund-offers-accountants-ai-skills-upgrade
• Employment Hero acquires - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/employment-hero-wants-give-employers-time-back-so-we-company-ben-tlxkc/
• Mimo launched - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alexander-gernandt-segerby-31818a6b_extremely-proud-to[…]041588203521-Om8u?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
• Iplicit for housing associations - https://www.iplicit.com/blog/iplicit-helps-housing-associations-as-they-face-digital-transformation
• Iplicit updates partical vat calculations - https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/community/industry-insights/iplicit-unveils-more-time-saving-features-to-help-charities-tackle