Practice management software is an invaluable resource for accountants, allowing them to streamline countless tasks and processes into a single system. This means that an accountant can easily track all data and tasks for each client in a single software solution and easily share it for easier collaboration.
The software automates a variety of accounting tasks, such as VAT return and yearend accounts, helping free up time and resources for accountants to do other important work for their clients. As a result, practice management software not only increases productivity but can also increase your bottom line!
Choosing a new software solution can be daunting prospect, so here are some tips for choosing a suitable practice management software solution:
What Do You Need from the Software?
Practice management software is a diverse solution that comes with many features and functions. As a result, it can be quite confusing to understand which are most useful for your accountancy practice.
To help find a suitable software solution, try to establish what core features you need from the software. For instance, practice management software is all about integrating various resources into a single solution – does the software integrate the systems you need and use?
There is a lot of information that you probably want to store onto the software, so always ensure that the solution is capable of holding necessary details such as page one details, contact info, client folders and documents, appointments, tasks etc.
Is it User Friendly?
One of the biggest benefits of practice management software is that it streamlines traditionally time-consuming processes by integrating all data into a single solution. This is great in theory but may not be in practice in you don’t understand how to use the software – you won’t save much time if you have no clue how to use the practice management software.
So, always think about the usability of the software before you choose it. For instance, how easy is the software to install? Does it provide any assistance such as demonstrations or user guides? Is technical support offered if things go array?
These are all things you should look in the software, otherwise it may not be as beneficial as you hoped.
Are Updates Included?
Always look for practice management software that includes updates, as this ensures the systems remain up to date and error-free. Given the importance of the software and the investment it requires, you should expect free software updates that are easily downloaded onto the system.
A good cloud-bases solution is a good idea for this reason, allowing the software to be automatically updated as they become available, ensuring the system remains functional throughout the year.
