Stay ahead with the latest accounting tech news and fintech news on Digi-Tools in Accrual World.

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/

This week’s episode (sponsored by FreeAgent ) dives into the latest accounting tech news and fintech news, with sharp takes on major acquisitions and the future of user experience.

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

This week’s episode (sponsored by Employment Hero) dives into the latest accounting tech news, with sharp takes and practical insights from the team. We cover:

• 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

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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

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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

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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!

In this episode of Digi‑Tools in Accrual World (sponsored by Xledger) we dive into the latest accounting tech news, covering everything from MTD developments to Sage’s newest moves, plus updates on tooling that matters to modern practices.

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

In this week’s episode of Digi-Tools in Accrual World, we cover the latest accounting tech news, fintech news, and explore whether the profession is heading towards factory accounting in the age of AI. From HMRC policy shifts to new automation tools, we unpack the changes shaping compliance, advisory, and the future talent pipeline in accountancy.

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

In this week’s Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast, we dive into the biggest stories in accounting tech news and talk cybersecurity with Dr Ian Gregory from Advancetrack. From AI-driven hacks to practical steps for protecting your data, this episode is packed with insights every accountant and finance professional needs to hear.

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

Join us as we flash back to the 2024 Digital Disruptor Awards with guests Aaron Patrick, Zoe Whitman, and Jo Wood, discussing whether vendors have become too good at selling their products.

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!

In this episode of ‘Digi-Tools in Accrual World’ - sponsored by Advancetrack Outsourcing - hosts Indi and Ryan bring you the latest news from the accounting tech space, with a big slant on fintech news this week, with Dext’s step into the fintech world with their Airwallex partnership, a major KYC misstep from Monzo, and Adfin shake a leg with DD payouts.

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!