Tech Trends Update with Heather and Liz

Aug 28, 2024 | Episodes

We took our show on the road to Xerocon and we had a blast! In this episode, we talked about all the things we learned while we were there!

Xerocon

This was our first time at Xerocon and it was amazing! Every single detail was amazing, even down to the lighting! Xero is an accounting platform that Heather had looked at years ago and was disappointed that there was no bank reconciliation. But, what they announced is that those are going to be released soon! They also support over 700 banks for their bank feeds. They also acquired “Locate Inventory” and have now built it into Xero, along with enhanced sales tax powered by Avalara. We are also super excited to talk about JAX (Just Ask Xero), your new AI business companion! Different than the other AI technology Jax can executive on functions. Now, for example you can ask what are the 5 oldest invoices in my account, but now you can also ask JAX to send an email to remind them to play their invoice.

Apps to be looking at

Aider AI, the creator of JAX, is a financial advisory platform designed to support month-end closing, provide financial reporting analytics, and guide you in advising clients on their key focus areas. JAX consolidates relevant data onto a dashboard, offering insights into each client’s performance and highlighting areas that require attention. The platform is customizable, allowing you to tailor the information to match your specific needs and priorities.

Botkeeper has evolved from a bookkeeping bot to an outsourced solution, now focusing on delivering technology directly to firms. Their new platform includes features like auto-close, built-in client collaboration, team management, and extensive automation, supported by AI that learns from your actions and categorizations. This helps streamline the month-end close process, freeing up time to enhance client relationships and focus on human interactions.

Clockwork AI focuses on CFO-level tasks, offering a financial dashboard that grades your client’s performance and explains the results. It provides cash flow forecasting, annual and weekly reviews, and allows for custom event projections, like when to hire a new employee. The tool includes custom metrics and scenario planning to test various financial situations and their impact, making it easy to use for strategic decision-making.

G-Accon is a Google Sheets integration tool for QuickBooks, Xero, and other applications, now featured on Appy Hour. It syncs financial data directly to Google Sheets, allowing you to access, modify, and run accounting reports easily. You can pull specific tables from your accounting software, edit templates, and update them directly within the sheet. G-Accon also offers pre-built templates and formatted reports for streamlined data management.

Xerocon was an incredible experience, highlighting exciting technology trends transforming the accounting industry. We’re inspired by the innovations we discovered and can’t wait to see how these tools will enhance efficiency, streamline workflows, and bring new opportunities for growth. Stay tuned as we continue to explore and share more insights from the forefront of accounting technology!

If you’re interested in learning more about these apps, be sure to check out their websites, or you can watch the episode by visiting our website or on YouTube!