Accountex previews new exhibitors & features for 2017

Accountex

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

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”

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”

Accountex – The National Accountancy Exhibition & Conference, has released its first preview of new exhibitors and show theatres for 2017.

Firmly established as the flagship event in the accounting calendar, and enjoying the active support of all the relevant industry associations and training bodies, Accountex will return to London ExCeL next year on 10-11 May.

Accountex 2017 will be its biggest edition yet. Thanks to a 24% increase in unique visitors for 2016, the show floor has been expanded to accommodate 200 exhibiting companies and offer increased capacity theatres for its 180+ CPD accredited Keynotes, seminars, panel sessions, and interactive workshops.

The latest innovations, services and solutions will be on show – covering everything from accounting software, making tax digital, technology, training, cloud, pensions, and payroll, to money laundering, auto enrolment, and government updates; plus every other subject relevant to the modern accountant.

New exhibitors include Mode Print Solutions, Accoa, Spotcap UK, Base Practice Support, 9SPOKES, ITM, Hibob, KPMG, Foretagsplatsen, Debt Collection Services, Magicube, Onion Reporting Software, Smart Search UK, White Rose Finance, Excelsious, Citrus HR, MyDocSafe, Capium, Fin-eX, Consulting, Willow Pay, Compleat Software, Postlethwaite, Mint Trio, PG Mutual, X-Vat, and Klyant.

They join returning big names like Sage, Thomson Reuters, Iris, Taxcalc, Xero, Intuit, and Exact. Plus, AML250 Tax Network, Free Agent Central, Ross Martin, Abbey Tax, Nest Corporation, GoCardless, Benchmark International, Ocrex, Brightpay, Webexpenses, Swat UK, Bloomsbury Professional, Expensify, ITESOFT, Jumpstart (Scotland), My Digital Accounts, NOW: Pensions, Practice Ignition, Qtac Solutions, Zoho Corporation, Nomisma Solution, Draycir, Kingsland Business Recovery, and Inform Direct.

The ‘go to’ show for inspiring content
Running alongside the exhibition is Accountex’s comprehensive free multi-theatre seminar programme. The 2017 line-up, currently being developed by a dedicated new steering committee formed of key influencers from across the UK’s accounting profession, is set to be unveiled over the coming months. It’s expected to include big name speakers from the likes of HRMC, Sage, Xero and 2020 Innovation.

Returning theatres, all boasting increased capacity for 2017, include Accounting in Business, Practice Growth, How to, Tax, Cloud, Firm of the future, Technology, Sales & Marketing Workshop, and Keynote. New additions include the Digital Innovation Theatre, Accountants in Practice Theatre and The Financial Directors Forum.

Many companies, particularly SMEs, rely on their accountants for more than their financial expertise. They are trusted and influential advisors helping CEOs and MDs to navigate the complexities of modern business,” says Accountex’s event director Zoe Lacey-Cooper.

“In these times of economic uncertainty, particularly around the implications of Brexit and its impact on accounting, tax and business legislation, it’s never been more important for accountants – these trusted business advisors – to be fully-prepared for the changes ahead.

“At Accountex we’re working more closely than ever with influential players in the accounting profession to ensure that the show continues to offer the most up-to-date and relevant seminar content across all theatres, as well as all the latest products and services from leading suppliers.

“Our visitors will benefit from real-time insight and essential solutions and guidance from their fellow professionals and industry leaders, while equipping themselves with all the tools they need to provide the best all-round accountancy service possible,” she says.

Save the date for 2017 
Brilliant, important, fun and relevant – were just some of the words visitors used to describe the 2016 show. 2017 promises more of the same, with nearly 7,000 attendees expected to pack the aisles. Among them will be the country’s top accountants, sole practitioners, bookkeepers, finance directors, MDs, accounts managers, tax professionals, and senior IT decision-makers from working in practice, business, industry, banking and financial services, education, and the public sector.

“There was so much to listen to and learn about that I was spoilt for choice. I’d recommend Accountex as a must do for anyone that is serious about growing their practice,” says Kandeepan Espirial, assistant manager at PKF Little John LLP.

Feb 2017

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