The bottom line:
Why information governance is essential for accountancy firms

by Antony Wells, Commercial Director, EMEA at LegalRM

Accountancy practice management software has come a long way. Today, features like automated billing and reconciliations are easily integrated into the day-to-day practice workflow of Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting UK customers.

Our employees work side by side with our customers to create and manage these solutions – driven by a deep understanding of their needs and addressing the rapid changes in their environment.

However, it’s often hard to look beyond improving performance in day-to-day operations. Amid Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and other disruptions, accountancy practices and their clients are dealing with an unpredictable economic landscape. Future business planning can appear daunting.

However, technology can support accountancy practices (and their clients) in making informed business decisions, and planning for the future. In the first part of our Accountancy Practice Management for Future-Fit Growth series, we’ll explore how they can use technology to define and easily track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Doing so gives practices closer control of performance tracking, and deeper insights that will inform strategic growth plans.

Saving Time

For several decades, business technology platforms have enabled practices to track performance metrics that they have customised. This highlights areas that qualify for improvement and underpins strategic planning.

Contemporary technology, such as CCH KPI Monitoring, makes setting up KPIs faster and easier for accountancy practices than ever before. This is vital today. The current business landscape demands that firms assess and amend KPIs more frequently, based on fresh market variables. KPIs such as client retention rate and business time-to-recovery have become increasingly prominent performance indicators in the past year. If clunky technology makes KPI management difficult, practices have less time and insight to plan future growth.

Reducing Risk
CCH KPI Monitoring makes it far easier to track KPIs and report on them. This is fundamental in minimising risk. For example, if a KPI is set to track and escalate debt filtered by overdue dates, the ability to easily set alerts and automatically generate reports is critical to practice performance management.

Some practices are manually running monthly reports to measure KPIs. Others are running real-time reporting engines, a key feature of CCH KPI Monitoring. This latter solution allows practices to review essential data at any time – covering both performance management and compliance requirements. They can do so remotely or on-premise.

This means that firms can assess issues before they become problems, and thus act proactively. Real-time reporting is a true asset in building a future-fit practice.

The Proof is in the Practice
A number of Wolters Kluwer customers have been using CCH KPI Monitoring for several years now. Our customers look to us when they need to be right. Ryecroft Glenton has successfully integrated CCH KPI Monitoring with its own system. This consolidates information from several sources, including CCH Central and CCH Practice Management.

“We can use the year end date to trigger a sequence of reminders. Have we asked for the books? Have they been received? If a request to a client has been outstanding for a certain period, the partner will receive an alert via email. For limited companies, we can monitor the corporation tax and Companies House filing deadlines – as well as the different deadlines for pension schemes”

– Ian Smith, partner at Ryecroft Glenton

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“Apogee are not just aprinting company, theyconsult with us and go onto deliver a full end to endservice from concept toinstallation. They go aboveand beyond and we lookforward to continuing ourjourney with them”

Corporate events agency who benefited from greener graphics initiative

“Apogee are not just aprinting company, theyconsult with us and go onto deliver a full end to endservice from concept toinstallation. They go aboveand beyond and we lookforward to continuing ourjourney with them”

Corporate events agency who benefited from greener graphics initiative

“Apogee are not just aprinting company, theyconsult with us and go onto deliver a full end to endservice from concept toinstallation. They go aboveand beyond and we lookforward to continuing ourjourney with them”

Corporate events agency who benefited from greener graphics initiative

“Apogee are not just aprinting company, theyconsult with us and go onto deliver a full end to endservice from concept toinstallation. They go aboveand beyond and we lookforward to continuing ourjourney with them”

In today’s fast-moving, data-driven world, accountancy firms must rethink how they manage and protect information. Information governance (IG) is no longer just about compliance—it is a fundamental business necessity that drives efficiency, strengthens client relationships, and lays the groundwork for AI-driven innovation. Firms that prioritise IG will be better positioned to compete, deliver superior client service, and future-proof their operations.

The business case for information governance

The total amount of data created, captured, copied, and consumed globally is increasing rapidly. In 2024, it reached 149 zettabytes, and by 2028, it is expected to exceed 394 zettabytes. This explosion of data presents both challenges and opportunities. Without effective IG, firms’ risk being overwhelmed by unstructured, redundant, and obsolete data, leading to in efficiencies, security vulnerabilities, and rising costs.

On the flip side, firms that implement strong IG practices can stream line operations, enhance data security, and provide faster, more accurate insights to clients. This not only improves service delivery but also strengthens client relationships and fosters long-term loyalty.


Compliance, trust, and competitive advantage


Accountancy firms handle highly sensitive financial and personal data,making compliance with data protection laws essential. Key regulations include:

  • UK GDPR & Data Protection Act 2018 – Requires firms to manage and dispose of personal data securely.
  • The Companies Act 2006 Mandates that financial records be retained for at least six years.
  • HMRC requirements – Dictate that tax-related records be kept for five to six years.
  • Anti-money laundering (AML) regulations – Enforce strict document retention policies for due diligence records.

Non-compliance can lead to hefty fines, reputational damage, and even legal action. However, compliance is about more than avoiding penalties—it is about building trust. Clients want to know their data is being handled responsibly. Firms that demonstrate robust IG practices stand out in a crowded market, giving them a clear competitive edge.

Cybersecurity: Minimising risk, maximising protection

Cybercrime is an increasing threat, and accountancy firms are prime targets due to the high value of financial data. Ransom ware attacks, phishing schemes, and data breaches are on the rise, causing serious financial and reputational harm.

Poor IG increases these risks. Retaining excessive or outdated data creates a larger attack surface for cybercriminals. Firms that prioritise IG and data minimisation reduce their exposure, making them less attractive targets and improving their overall security posture.

Driving efficiency and reducing costs through smart data management  

Beyond security and compliance, IG directly impacts operational efficiency. Unstructured data slows down systems, complicates audits, and makes it harder to locate essential records. A structured IG framework can help firms:

  • Reduce the time spent searching for documents and responding to client enquiries.
  • Streamline audits and financial reporting.
  • Lower data storage costs by eliminating redundant, obsolete, and trivial (ROT) data.

Additionally, cloud-based accounting platforms charge premium rates for data storage. Firms that proactively manage their data footprint can significantly cut down on these expenses. Model Training: Techniques like decision trees, clustering, and neural networks are applied in combination to predict clients, projects, and tasks. Predictions are scored and ranked for users to confirm or adjust, further enhancing the model.

Information governance as the foundation for AI strategy

As AI-driven tools become more prevalent, a solid IG framework is essential for success. AI thrives on high-quality, well-structured data.Without proper governance, firms risk feeding their AI systems incomplete, outdated, or biased data—leading to unreliable insights and poor decision-making.

Firms leveraging AI for automated reporting, fraud detection, and predictive analytics need:

  • Clean, well-organised data – AI models perform best when trained on accurate and relevant datasets.
  • Defined data lifecycles – Ensuring AI systems do not rely on obsolete information.
  • Security controls – Protecting AI-generated insights from cyber threats and unauthorised access.

Firms that integrate IG into their AI strategy will see greater efficiency, improved forecasting capabilities, and enhanced client service—positioning themselves as leaders in the digital era.

Practical steps to strengthen information governance

Many firms struggle with IG due to a lack of structured processes.Here’s how to get started:

  • Establish clear data retention policies – Define how long different types of data should be kept, balancing regulatory requirements with business needs.
  • Conduct regular data audits – Identify and remove ROT data to keep systems lean and efficient.
  • Automate data management – Implement technology solutions such as iCompli to classify, manage, and securely dispose of outdated data across multiple platforms.
  • Train staff on IG best practices – Employees play a crucial role in maintaining data integrity and security.
  • Continuously update policies – IG isn’t a one-time initiative—it requires regular review and adaptation as regulations and technologies evolve.


Stronger governance, stronger business

Strong IG is not just about mitigating risks—it is a driver of business success. Firms that embrace IG will:

  • Operate more efficiently with cleaner, more accessible data.
  • Build trust with clients by demonstrating strong data security and compliance.
  • Reduce costs by optimising storage and automating data lifecycle management.
  • Lay the foundation for a successful AI strategy, ensuring machine learning models are trained on high-quality data.

In an increasingly competitive market, firms that take IG seriously will be the ones that thrive. The time to act is now—because information governance is not just about managing data. It is about shaping the future of your firm.

The iCompli team are presenting a webinar on this topic on the 5th of June,2025. You can register for ‘Stronger governance, stronger business’, by clicking here. If you can’t make the time of the webinar, register anyway and we will send you the link to the recording.

About the author:

Antony Wells is a seasoned professional committed to helping organisations optimise their information management responsibilities. In his role as Commercial Director, EMEA at LegalRM, Antony leads initiatives aimed at enhancing firms' information governance strategies, with a keen focus on compliance, risk mitigation, and cost reduction. 

Before joining LegalRM, Antony amassed invaluable experience guiding firms in selecting and implementing document management solutions, throughout the legal and professional services market.

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