The Better Bookkeeper Show

AI is already changing bookkeeping and I don't think bookkeepers can afford to ignore it.In this episode of The Better Bookkeeper Show, I break down what AI for bookkeepers actually looks like right now, which bookkeeping tasks are becoming automated, how AI is already showing up inside QuickBooks Online, and what I believe bookkeepers should do to stay relevant as the industry evolves.The question isn't whether AI is coming to bookkeeping. It's already here.Bank rules, receipt capture, transaction coding, report summaries, automated reconciliations, Intuit Assist, and other AI powered accounting tools are already changing the way bookkeeping work gets done.But does that mean AI will replace bookkeepers? Not entirely.AI is becoming very good at repetitive work. Basic transaction coding, data importing, receipt processing, reconciliation support, and standard financial reports are increasingly being automated.That means I need to think carefully about the value I provide beyond data entry.One of the biggest mindset shifts I want bookkeepers to make is this: AI is not just my replacement.I can think of AI as a very fast new employee that still needs supervision, training, judgment, and direction.AI can process information quickly, but it doesn't automatically understand a client's history, recognize when something simply doesn't feel right, build trust over years, or have the kind of financial conversation that helps a stressed business owner understand what's actually happening.That's where the human bookkeeper still matters.If my bookkeeping services are based almost entirely on data entry and repetitive transaction work, then I need to start thinking about how those services will evolve.But if I'm interpreting information, communicating with clients, solving problems, applying professional judgment, and building trusted relationships, I still have an important role to play.The bookkeepers who stay ahead won't be the ones who pretend AI isn't happening. They'll be the ones who learn how to use it.My goal is to understand the tools, strengthen my bookkeeping skills, stay current with QuickBooks AI and other accounting technology, and use automation to take repetitive work off my plate while I focus on the work that still needs a human.AI is changing bookkeeping. My job isn't disappearing but it is evolving. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI is changing bookkeeping but I don't believe that means bookkeepers are becoming obsolete.I believe it means we have an opportunity to move beyond basic data entry and become better advisors.In this episode of The Better Bookkeeper Show, I sit down with Trudi Bruce, founder of Maven Systems and host of the Bookkeeping Business Mentor podcast, to talk about how bookkeepers can use systems, SOPs, and systems-based advisory to create more value for their clients.One of the biggest ideas in this conversation is simple: You may already be thinking like an advisor without realizing it.If you've created a checklist, documented a month-end process, built a repeatable workflow, noticed where a client's business process is breaking down, or helped someone improve the way work gets done, you're already using many of the skills that advisory requires.Trudi and I talk about:• How to move from bookkeeper to advisor• Why AI is changing basic bookkeeping work• How bookkeepers can use AI without panicking about it• What systems-based advisory looks like• Why advisory doesn't have to mean becoming a fractional CFO• How to create bookkeeping systems and SOPs• Why repeatable processes create consistency and reduce errors• How to get systems out of your head and into documented workflows• How expectations, boundaries, timing, escalation, and responsibility strengthen an SOP• How bookkeepers can help clients improve business systems• How AI can free up time for advisory work• How bookkeepers can bridge the gap between business owners and CPAs• Why strong systems can create better CPA relationships and referral opportunities• How systems thinking can become an additional service inside a bookkeeping businessWe also walk through Trudi's “Candy Factory” framework for building repeatable systems.The idea is to look at every process through a series of checkpoints role, expectations, intake, timing, boundaries, escalation, responsibility, collaboration, scale, and sustainability so the work can be repeated consistently and with fewer errors.For solo bookkeepers especially, many systems live entirely in our heads. We know what needs to happen on the 5th, the 10th, or at month-end but that doesn't mean we've built a process someone else could follow.That's where SOPs become valuable. And as AI takes over more repetitive bookkeeping tasks, documented systems and advisory skills become even more important.I don't need to become a fractional CFO to become more valuable to my clients.I can start by observing what's not working, understanding how it affects the numbers, and helping my clients build better systems around it.AI is a tool. Used well, it can free up more of my time for the work clients still need from me: judgment, communication, problem-solving, and advisory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scope creep can quietly turn a profitable bookkeeping client into an unprofitable one.In this episode of The Better Bookkeeper Show, Lynn shares how scope creep cost her bookkeeping firm thousands of dollars and how she finally got it under control.It often starts with good intentions. You want to be helpful. A client calls with an extra question, adds another bank account, hires more employees, changes payroll, or needs additional support. You tell yourself the extra hour will balance out next month.But as the client's business grows, the bookkeeping workload grows with it and if your pricing stays the same, your profit can disappear.Lynn walks through how she reviewed every client's revenue, time, labor cost, and effective hourly rate to identify which accounts were actually profitable and which ones were being hurt by scope creep.You'll learn how to:• Recognize scope creep in your bookkeeping business• Identify underpriced and unprofitable bookkeeping clients• Use time tracking and job costing to understand client profitability• Benchmark clients against your most profitable accounts• Raise bookkeeping rates when the client's business becomes more complex• Communicate price increases without blaming the client• Define exactly what's included in a monthly bookkeeping package• Use contracts to create clear client boundaries• Adjust pricing when clients add employees, accounts, payroll, merchant services, or other work• Protect your profit without sacrificing strong client relationshipsLynn also shares what happened when she finally raised prices across dozens of client accounts. She expected some clients to leave but during that first round, not one did.If you've been absorbing extra work because you don't want to “rock the boat,” this episode will help you put numbers behind the problem, communicate more confidently, and build a healthier bookkeeping business.Stop letting scope creep steal your profit. Define the work, price it correctly, and build a bookkeeping business that supports both your clients and you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is your bookkeeping firm actually worth?Most bookkeepers don't know and many don't think about business valuation until they're ready to sell.But understanding what makes your bookkeeping business valuable isn't only about preparing for an exit. The same things that can make your firm more attractive to a buyer can also make it more profitable, predictable, scalable, and easier to run today.In this episode of The Better Bookkeeper Show, Lynn Talbott draws from her experience building, scaling, and selling her own bookkeeping firm to explain how bookkeepers can start thinking differently about the businesses they're building.Instead of simply focusing on getting more clients and increasing top-line revenue, Lynn challenges bookkeepers to think of their firms as assets they're building over time.She begins with two simple ways to ballpark the value of a bookkeeping or accounting firm:1× annual revenue or 3× net profitThen, Lynn walks through 8 key value drivers that can strengthen a bookkeeping firm:• Clean, credible financials• Predictable revenue• Strong cash flow and accounts receivable• No single point of failure• A defined niche• Strong client retention• Room to grow• A firm that can operate without its ownerLynn also shares lessons from selling her own bookkeeping firm, including how recurring monthly clients, referral relationships, profitability, employees, onboarding processes, and standard operating procedures influenced the business she ultimately sold.You'll also learn why predictable recurring revenue can be so important, how strong client retention can demonstrate the health of your firm, and why having every process live inside the owner's head can make a business harder to transfer.In this episode, you'll learn:• How to estimate the value of a bookkeeping firm• Two simple bookkeeping business valuation calculations• The 8 value drivers Lynn recommends tracking• Why recurring monthly revenue matters• How profitability affects business value• Why client retention should be measured• How referral relationships can strengthen your firm• Why buyers value businesses that aren't dependent on the owner• How SOPs and documented processes make a firm more transferable• Why scalability and available capacity matter• Lessons Lynn learned from selling her own bookkeeping firm• How to start building a sellable bookkeeping business before you're ready to sellWhether you're planning to sell your bookkeeping firm in three years, ten years, transfer it to a family member, merge with another firm, or never sell at all, understanding what drives its value can help you build a stronger business today.Your bookkeeping firm isn't just a job. It's an asset you're building. And the decisions you make today can create more profitability, flexibility, and freedom tomorrow.Learn more about The Sellable Bookkeeping Firm, Lynn's 180-day resource designed to help bookkeeping business owners work through these value drivers step by step.And if you'd like support from other bookkeepers working to build stronger businesses, join Lynn inside the Bookkeepers Training Circle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does a typical day really look like for a work-from-home bookkeeper?In Part 2 of our Day in the Life of a Bookkeeper conversation, Lynn Talbott continues her interview with Ashley Lamar Morris of Purrrfect Bookkeeping to explore the routines, systems, and workflows behind running a solo bookkeeping business from home.Ashley walks us through her daily and monthly bookkeeping workflow, explaining how she manages approximately 20 clients while keeping her workload organized and manageable.From checking emails and reviewing her own books first thing in the morning to requesting client statements, reconciling accounts, managing uncategorized transactions, following up on missing information, delivering reports, and scheduling client meetings, Ashley breaks down how her bookkeeping workflow changes throughout the month.She also shares the simple color-coded Google Sheets system she uses to manage her bookkeeping clients and quickly identify which accounts need attention, which are waiting on client information, and which are completely closed for the month.Lynn and Ashley also tackle an important question for independent bookkeepers: When should you bill clients for emails and additional questions?They discuss the difference between answering a quick question and spending 10–15 minutes researching transactions, reviewing financial reports, and preparing a detailed response and how to make sure you're compensated for your time without making clients feel nickel-and-dimed.In this episode, you'll learn:• What a typical day looks like for a work-from-home bookkeeper• How to organize a monthly bookkeeping workflow• How to manage multiple bookkeeping clients• Email and task management strategies for solo bookkeepers• How to prepare for month-end bookkeeping• How to manage client statements and missing information• A simple Google Sheets system for bookkeeping client management• When bookkeepers should charge for emails and additional work• Hourly billing vs. monthly bookkeeping pricing• How to use downtime for bookkeeping training and professional development• Productivity strategies for working from home• Why multitasking can hurt your focus• How to build a bookkeeping business that fits your lifestyleWhether you're a new bookkeeper, virtual bookkeeper, solo bookkeeper, or already running a bookkeeping business from home, this episode offers practical strategies you can use to improve your workflow, manage your clients more efficiently, and create a business that works for you.Thank you to our guest Ashley. You can reach out to Ashley at purrrfectbookkeeping.comIf you're looking for a community of bookkeepers who understand what it's like to build and run a business, join us inside the Bookkeepers Training Circle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.