Accounting Made Easier: How Automation and Machine Learning Are Helping Businesses
Disclosure: I am not a professional accountant nor a
computer scientist. However, I am a proponent of anything that makes our lives
easier, especially when it comes to taxes and finances. And in this age of
automation and machine learning, it's no surprise that these technologies are
starting to play a bigger role in accounting.
First, let's address the elephant in the room. No, machines
are not going to replace human accountants anytime soon. But that doesn't mean
they can't work together to make accounting more efficient. In fact, automation
can free up accountants' time to focus on more high-level tasks, such as
analyzing data and providing strategic advice to clients.
For example, instead of manually entering data into
spreadsheets, automation can do it for you. Many accounting software products,
such as Xero and QuickBooks, now offer automatic bank feeds, which means your
transactions are automatically imported and categorized for you. By doing so,
you can save time and minimize the possibility of human errors.
But what about those pesky receipts and bills that still
need to be manually entered? This is where machine learning comes in. Some
accounting software products, like Receipt Bank, offer machine learning
capabilities that can read your receipts and extract the data for you. No need
to waste your time typing in the date and amount – the machine does it for you.
Machine learning can also help with fraud detection. By
analyzing large sets of data, it can detect irregularities and unusual patterns
that may indicate fraudulent activity. This can potentially save businesses
thousands of dollars in losses.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "But what about the
cost of these software products?" Yes, they can be expensive, but they can
also save you money in the long run. By automating tedious tasks, you can
reduce the amount of time you spend on them and focus on more important tasks,
such as generating revenue for your business.
Plus, these software products are becoming more
user-friendly and intuitive. It is not necessary to possess advanced computer
skills to operate them. In fact, many of them offer mobile apps that allow you
to access your financial data from anywhere, at any time. This is great for
freelancers or small business owners who are always on the go.
So, in summary, automation and machine learning are both
tools that can help accountants and business owners work smarter, not harder.
They may not replace human accountants, but they can help them be more
efficient. Plus, they can potentially save you time and money. Now, if only
there was a machine that could file my taxes for me...
