It’s good to have standards, and your accounting firm’s tech stack is no exception. Standardizing the technology you use and HOW you use it can help you smooth out your workflow processes. 

As your firm grows and more people join the team, it can be difficult to make sure everyone is on the same page. Every person brings their own unique technology background and preferences to the team. But if you don’t have some form of standardization, this can result in a pretty confusing mess. Technology has its own language, and you and your team need to be able to communicate. 

By figuring out your tech needs, building a tech stack that works for your accounting business, and ensuring technological processes are standardized across your firm, you can avoid a nasty headache. Standardization can lead to some great outcomes! 

  • Less training: By reducing the amount of tech you use, you’ll save time training your staff in unnecessary software. 
  • Lower tech costs: Less tech means fewer tech price tags! 
  • Knowledge won’t leave with employees: If your staff is using different software and processes, they take their knowledge with them when they leave.

So, how do you do it? 

Define Your Needs

In order to simplify your processes and reduce technological waste, you need to define your tech needs clearly. We’ve already talked a lot about how you can build your tech stack, so we won’t go into too much detail here — what you need to remember, though, is that tech stacks are unique to every firm. The other key to a good stack is integration. Above all, you want to make sure that your apps work well together and allow for a smooth workday. 

Train Your Staff

Now that you’ve figured out what tech you’re going to be using in your day-to-day, it’s time to notify your staff and make sure everyone is trained properly. The goal is for everyone to be speaking the same tech language, so this might require some retraining for employees who have been at your firm much longer. Make sure to ease everyone into new systems. Learning new software can be stressful, and it helps to have a boss who is patient and kind when it comes to answering questions. 

Document Your Tech Procedures

Documentation is one of the most powerful standardization tools at your disposal. How do you expect someone to schedule meetings online? What are staff members supposed to do with certain paperwork when they get their hands on it? Making sure every process involving your software is on paper gives your team a reference point. If they aren’t sure about the next step, they can look at your well-documented procedures. 

Always Be Open to Change

Technology is constantly changing and improving, meaning you should be open to change and improvement when it comes to your technology. Keep an eye out for any problems or processes that seem too convoluted. A great way to make sure you’re on top of your game is to regularly ask your staff what they think could be improved.