2025 Report: The State of Accounting Workflow And Automation
Author: Financial Cents
In this article
Discover how accounting firms embraced workflow automation in 2024 with insights from 816 accountants, bookkeepers, and tax pros, platform data from Financial Cents, workflow templates from our community library, a Workflow Automation Ideas Library, and expert interviews with eight industry thought leaders.
Get the strategies, tools, and benchmarks you need to smoothen your firm’s operations.
Table of Content
- Introduction
- Overview.
- Who Weighed In?
- Firm’s Biggest Challenges in 2024.
- Adoption of Workflow Automation
- Case Study – Infinite Accounting Solutions.
- Before Automation.
- Defining Moments That Led Firms to Automate Workflows
- Barriers to Adopting Accounting Workflow Automation Software
- Case Study – Fiscally Professional Corporation
- How Firms Use Workflow Automation Software
- What Firms Hope to Achieve with Workflow Automation
- After Workflow Automation.
- The Impact of Workflow Automation on Client and Staff
- The Impact of Workflow Automation on Firm Collaboration
- Case Study – Full Send Finance
- The Impact of Workflow Automation on Client Document Collection
- The Biggest Impact Workflow Automation Software Has Had on Firms
- Firms Plan to Increase Workflow Automation Next Year
- Key Features Firms Consider When Choosing a Workflow Management Solution
- Most Important Factors Driving Firms’ Decisions to Adopt New Software
- How Firms Measure the Effectiveness of Workflow Automation
- Case Study – Accounting Therapy, Inc
- Accounting Workflow Automation Ideas Library
- Top Templates From Our Community Library
- Study Methodology
Introduction
The 2025 State of Accounting Workflow and Automation Report captures the experiences of 816 accounting, bookkeeping, and tax firm owners, primarily in North America. Our respondents—firm owners and admins—offer a firsthand look into the daily realities of managing an accounting firm and the evolving role of workflow automation.
This year, we expand on our past research with deeper insights and new resources to help firms optimize their operations. We explore:
✔️ The biggest workflow challenges firms faced in 2024
✔️ Why workflow inefficiencies remain a major pain point for firm owners
✔️ What running a firm without workflow automation truly looks like
✔️ Key areas of a firm that can and should be automated
✔️ The short- and long-term benefits of workflow automation
✔️ How to recognize when it’s time to automate—featuring real-life experiences from firm owners like you
✔️ The must-have features of workflow automation software
✔️ How to measure the success of workflow automation in your firm
In addition to survey insights, this year’s report includes exclusive platform data from Financial Cents, top workflow templates from our community library, and a brand-new Workflow Automation Ideas Library designed to help firms implement automation more effectively. We also feature interviews with eight industry thought leaders, offering expert perspectives on the future of automation in accounting.
Our survey respondents represent firms of all sizes: 41.6% have 2 to 5 employees, 29% are solo practitioners, 15.1% have 6 to 10 employees, 7.1% have 11 to 20 employees, and 7.1% have 20+ employees. In terms of work environment, 49.3% operate fully remotely, 36.7% follow a hybrid model, and 14% work onsite.
We launched the State of Accounting Workflow and Automation Report in 2023 to provide real-world insights from firm owners on how automation impacts their ability to get work done. This year, with even more data and expert perspectives, we aim to equip you with actionable strategies to streamline your operations and scale your firm efficiently.
This report is brought to you by Financial Cents.
Overview
Welcome to the third edition of the Financial Cents State of Accounting Workflow Automation Report. This year’s data revealed several compelling insights that stand out:
- Workflow remains a top challenge for accounting firms, with inefficiencies, client communication delays, and manual administrative tasks ranking among the biggest pain points.
- Getting documents from clients is still the biggest workflow issue, surpassing manual administrative tasks, which were the primary challenge in previous years.
- Workflow inefficiencies continue to impact firm owners’ work-life balance, with many taking work home, constantly thinking about work during social outings, and experiencing increased stress and anxiety.
- Before automation, 53.8% of firms spent over 5 hours per week scheduling and assigning work. Post-automation, 75.8% reduced this time to 5 hours or less, significantly improving efficiency.
- Many firms still rely on spreadsheets, even as they express a strong interest in transitioning to automation. However, concerns about firm size suitability and the overwhelming number of available software options are major barriers.
- 59.2% of firms reported that their initial attempts at solving workflow issues were successful. Their efforts included implementing structured processes (65.2%), investing in workflow automation software (64.3%), and staff training (25.7%).
- Firms recognized the need for automation when they began hiring staff, lost track of key tasks, or struggled to keep up with increasing client demands. Some even reported losing clients due to workflow inefficiencies.
- The most sought-after workflow software feature is a centralized dashboard (73.9%), followed by client reminders (69.3%) and a client portal (60.6%). Recurring task automation remains a high priority.
- 66.1% of firms assess the success of workflow automation by how smoothly their systems and processes run, reinforcing last year’s trend.
Read on for deeper insights, expert recommendations, and actionable strategies to help you optimize workflow automation and improve operational efficiency in your firm.
Who weighed in?
2- to 5-employee firms made up the largest share at 37.5%, closely followed by solo practitioners at 34.2%. This distribution aligns with industry trends, as recent data indicates that small firms continue to drive growth in the accounting sector, often leveraging automation tools to manage increasing workloads with lean teams. Insights highlight that firms with fewer than five employees are the fastest adopters of workflow automation solutions, aiming to improve efficiency and client service.
Additionally, data from Financial Cents’ 2024 Firm Revenue Report indicates that solo accounting and bookkeeping firms made an average revenue of $62,327, while firms with 2 to 5 employees averaged $292,292 in revenue. This underscores the prevalence and economic significance of smaller firms specializing in bookkeeping and related services.
Most respondents operate remotely, with only 15.8% working exclusively on-site. This trend aligns with broader industry patterns. For instance, a 2024 report by Robert Half indicates that 37% of U.S. job seekers are interested in fully remote positions, while 60% prefer hybrid roles. Additionally, 31% of professionals planning to seek new employment cite the desire for more work flexibility as a primary motivator.
The majority of respondents are from bookkeeping firms, closely followed by accounting, tax, and advisory firms. This trend reflects the broader composition of the accounting services industry, where bookkeeping services represent a significant segment.
Interestingly, the industry is experiencing a notable shift towards client advisory services (CAS) as a key growth area. This evolution suggests that while traditional bookkeeping remains foundational, firms are expanding their services to include more strategic advisory roles, aligning with the diverse composition of respondents in the survey.
The majority of respondents came from firms with 0 to 50 clients, reflecting the dominance of small firms—primarily solo practices to those with up to 5 employees (71.7%).
Time blocking, realistic scheduling, and workflow visibility are key for solo firm efficiency and client satisfaction."
Erica Goode CPATop tip for balancing client work, admin, and firm management without burnout:
Time blocking and being realistic about how long tasks take. Plan your upcoming week accordingly. If you can’t fit everything in, push it to the next week or consider if something fundamental in your firm needs to change.
Biggest workflow change for efficiency as a solo firm owner:
Using a visual dashboard to track all clients in real-time. This allows for quick status checks and better weekly planning—a game changer.
One thing a solo firm should automate:
Reporting. There are excellent tools for reporting and forecasting that improve quality and efficiency. With a solid SOP, you can easily replicate processes across multiple clients, reducing effort while enhancing client satisfaction.
Biggest Challenges Faced in 2024
Top Challenges:
Addressing these challenges through process automation, client management tools, and strategic technology implementation can significantly enhance firm efficiency and growth.
Top Challenges:
Biggest Workflow Challenges
Firms can overcome these challenges through automation, process standardization, and better training to ensure smoother workflows and improved efficiency.
Workflow Efficiency Ratings
These results emphasize the importance of process improvements, automation tools, and clear workflow standards to help more firms reach higher efficiency levels.
Impact of Workflow Challenges
Addressing these challenges through automation, process optimization, and better team coordination can help firms protect their profitability, improve client satisfaction, and maintain a healthier work environment.
Workflow Review Frequency
These results highlight a need for more consistent workflow reviews, as regular optimization can significantly improve efficiency, reduce errors, and enhance client service.
Early automation, standardized processes, and clear client boundaries prevent workflow inefficiencies as firms scale."
Kelly Rohrs, CPAOne essential workflow investment for growing firms:
Automated billing/engagement letters and new lead processes are two of the simplest and most powerful workflows to invest in early. Both are practically hands-off for our firm!
How to prevent workflow inefficiencies while growing:
Automate everything you possibly can EARLY in the game. Setting up standardized processes (SOPs) and setting boundaries with clients can prevent workflow inefficiencies as your firm grows.
Common workflow bottlenecks as firms scale:
Not having structured onboarding processes with new clients, not streamlining communication platforms, and lacking automations.
Adoption of Workflow Automation
Current Workflow Management Methods
These results suggest that while many firms have adopted specialized software, a significant portion still uses less efficient tools, presenting opportunities for technology upgrades to enhance productivity.
Areas Firms Have Automated
These insights highlight the areas where automation is driving the most value and where firms have opportunities to further streamline their operations.
💡 Financial Cents Platform Insight 💡
Client request reminders are the most used automation, followed closely by project tagging
automation.
Spreadsheet Users’ Experience with Workflow Management
These results highlight that while spreadsheets remain a common tool, many firms are actively seeking more efficient, automated solutions tailored to their workflow needs.
Before Automation
Time Spent Scheduling and Assigning Work Before Workflow Automation
Among the 54% of firms using accounting workflow software, the survey reveals how much time they spent on scheduling and assigning work before adopting automation:
These results emphasize the significant time savings that workflow automation can offer. It allows firms to focus on higher-value tasks and improves overall efficiency.
Time Spent Reviewing and Updating Work Status Before Workflow Automation
Among the 54% of firms using accounting workflow software, the survey reveals how much time they spent reviewing and updating work status across their firm before adopting automation:
These findings underscore the time savings and productivity gains that workflow automation delivers. It frees firms from time-consuming manual status updates and enables real-time visibility into work progress.
Client and Staff Onboarding Experience Before Workflow Automation
The survey highlights the state of client and staff onboarding processes before firms adopted workflow automation:
These results emphasize how automation can significantly improve onboarding by introducing standardized workflows, automated reminders, and clear task assignments for both clients and staff.
Set clear client expectations, maintain control of engagements, and ensure clients align with your firm workflows"
Dawn Brolin CPASetting clear client expectations to avoid bottlenecks:
Having a consistent standard workflow that you teach and train your clients on is key. Bottlenecks happen when we let the client be in control of the relationship and engagement—we have to be in charge. For example, when we onboard a tax client, we require them to upload a copy of their tax return. We monitor how long it takes them and if they struggle with it since we want clients who can handle technology. If you don’t have a consistent workflow, every client is handled differently, making things more complicated. Bottlenecks happen because of us.
A game-changing workflow improvement:
Getting paid upfront. When you finish a return, you then have to go into QuickBooks or wherever, process the payment, remember to do it, and have time to do it—or you forget. With prepayment, everything just works out perfectly.
Handling clients who refuse to follow the workflow:
You have to decide if you want to keep them. If a client refuses to engage with the way we do things, they’re just not a client for us. If we say, ‘We charge upfront for tax returns,’ and they don’t want to prepay, then we’re not the place for them. There’s only so much give and take. If it becomes painful, it might be time to break up with them. Maybe damaging the relationship isn’t a bad thing. We do have one client who’s hard to work with—she owns ice rinks, horses, rental properties, and is always busy. But she pays us a lot of money, so we put up with it. A $500-$600 tax return client who’s difficult? I don’t have time for that.
Firm Collaboration Before Workflow Automation
These findings highlight how workflow automation can improve collaboration by providing real-time visibility into tasks, centralizing communication, and streamlining handoffs between team members.
Document Collection Speed Before Workflow Automation
The survey highlights significant delays in receiving client documents before adopting workflow automation:
These findings emphasize the value of workflow automation tools, such as automated reminders and secure client portals, in accelerating document collection and reducing delays.
Steps Taken to Address Workflow Challenges
When firms first encountered workflow issues, they adopted various strategies to improve efficiency and productivity:
These insights underscore that while automation and structured processes are the most popular solutions, firms are also exploring a mix of staffing adjustments, training, and client engagement strategies to address workflow challenges.
Effectiveness of Actions Taken to Address Workflow Challenges
The survey reveals how firms rated the effectiveness of their efforts to resolve workflow issues:
These results highlight that while many firms benefited from structured processes and automation, others may need to refine their strategies or adopt additional solutions to achieve lasting improvements.
Reasons Why Initial Workflow Solutions Were Ineffective
Among respondents who found their initial actions ineffective, the survey identifies key obstacles that hindered success:
These insights underscore the importance of pairing process improvements with automation, comprehensive training, and user-friendly software to achieve lasting workflow efficiency.
Why Actions Taken Were Effective
1. Implementation of Workflow Automation Tools
- Many credited Financial Cents and other workflow software for streamlining their processes, improving task tracking, and increasing overall efficiency.
- Automation of recurring tasks and client reminders significantly reduced manual work and follow-ups.
- Having a centralized platform for work visibility helped teams stay on track.
2. Structured and Standardized Processes
- Firms that established clear workflows and documented procedures saw immediate improvements.
- Standardizing processes helped ensure consistency, accountability, and repeatability in work management.
- Workflow automation allowed firms to eliminate inefficiencies and reduce errors in task handoffs.
3. Improved Team Adoption and Collaboration
- Success often depended on team buy-in—firms that focused on training and change management saw better adoption rates.
- Cross-training staff improved team flexibility and reduced bottlenecks.
- Collaboration improved with better visibility into tasks and project statuses.
4. Enhanced Client Communication and Document Collection
- Automated client reminders via multiple channels helped speed up document collection and reduced follow-ups.
- The introduction of client portals provided a seamless way for clients to submit information, improving response times.
- Firms that previously struggled with delayed documents saw quicker turnaround times after implementing structured communication processes.
5. Reduction in Administrative Burden and Time Savings
- Automating workflows freed up time for higher-value work, allowing staff to focus on client service and advisory roles.
- Many reported that workflow automation significantly reduced admin work and prevented missed deadlines.
6. Scalability and Growth
- Firms that implemented structured systems early found it easier to scale operations, onboard new staff, and manage workload distribution.
- Having a standardized process across multiple locations or teams ensured efficiency as firms expanded.
These insights highlight that firms that combined technology, structured processes, team training, and client communication strategies experienced the most success in overcoming workflow challenges.
💡 Financial Cents Platform Insight 💡
The most commonly used communication feature in Financial Cents is Email, followed closely by in-app chat messages and client task comments.
Improve efficiency by setting client-specific deadlines."
Logan Graf, CPAGetting clients to provide information on time:
Schedule out information deadlines for each client instead of having a broad deadline for all clients. This helps spread the work out and sets clear expectations.
Using social media to improve client relationships and workflows:
Communicating over LinkedIn and other social media platforms allows firms to be transparent in how they operate, allowing better fits to find them.
A workflow tip more firms should implement:
I wish more firms would try to make ‘busy’ season not busy. Run your firm like a business owner, not an accountant.
Defining Moments That Led Firms to Automate Workflows
The decision to automate workflows often came from moments of overwhelm, inefficiency, and missed deadlines. Many firms reached a breaking point when they realized that manual processes were slowing them down, impacting profitability, and causing stress. Below are the common themes from respondents, along with a selection of compelling quotes.
1. Work Falling Through the Cracks
- Many firms realized they were missing deadlines, losing track of tasks, and struggling with visibility into ongoing work.
- As workloads grew, important client tasks were overlooked, leading to inefficiencies and frustration.
The moment I asked ‘Where is Client X at?’ and no one could answer me."
Long, long nights updating spreadsheets for internal processes, realizing shit wasn't complete when I expected it to be. There was no visibility into engagement status."
This year-end got away from me—no tracking, no visibility. I knew I needed a system."
Things were falling through the cracks, and clients and staff were getting annoyed."
I dropped the ball on a few clients, or ended up doing things after the fact. It was embarrassing."
2. Increased Client Volume Made Manual Tracking Impossible
- Many firms started small and were able to manage workflows manually. But as client numbers grew, spreadsheets and manual tracking became unsustainable.
- The need for scalability and efficient task delegation became apparent.
Adding more clients, it became obvious that without workflows and information in one place, tasks would slip through the cracks."
We needed automation when we took on more corporate and bookkeeping clients. It was too much to track manually."
I wanted to grow my firm but felt stuck—like I couldn’t scale without a better system."
The moment I hit 20 clients, everything fell apart. Spreadsheets just couldn’t keep up.""
I was building my firm with automation in mind from day one because I knew growth would be impossible without it."
3. Overwhelming Administrative Work
- Many respondents found that they were spending too much time on administrative tasks rather than revenue-generating work.
- Chasing clients, managing email threads, and manually tracking deadlines were major pain points.
I was spending so much time sending emails and tracking things, and not getting the paid work done!"
When I realized I was spending more time on admin than revenue-generating work."
Without automation, a lot of time was being wasted on collecting data instead of analyzing it."
I was losing hours every week manually scheduling tasks and following up with clients."
When I realized I was spending time away from my toddler doing admin work. Admin work!"
4. Lack of Visibility and Disorganized Workflows
- Firms struggled with tracking project statuses, work distribution, and collaboration among team members.
- Remote and hybrid work environments exacerbated visibility issues, making real-time updates crucial.
I had too many piles of work around me and didn't know what was where. It was just overwhelming."
When I couldn’t remember the processes from client to client, wasting time setting up the same workflows over and over."
Clients were frustrated because we had no visibility, and everything felt like a guessing game."
I spent more time looking for information than actually completing work."
When requests were duplicated by multiple staff, causing workflow inefficiencies and chaos."
5. Client Communication and Document Collection Bottlenecks
- Many firms struggled with clients sending documents in multiple formats, forgetting to send key information, or responding only after multiple follow-ups.
- The lack of a centralized, automated request system led to delays and inefficiencies.
Clients sending docs from five different ways became too much to track easily."
When my client texted me six pages of a bank statement in .jpg format. Turning that into a PDF took forever. I needed a portal."
Client reminder emails were manual and exhausting. Most of my time was spent chasing, not working."
Clients didn’t respond until I personally emailed them, which was unsustainable."
When a client submitted documents via the portal for the first time without me chasing—it was life-changing."
6. Stress, Burnout, and Work-Life Balance Struggles
- Many respondents cited stress, burnout, and an unsustainable work-life balance as major triggers for automation.
- The inability to delegate effectively or manage workload efficiently led to frustration and exhaustion.
Personally, a mental breakdown from the stress."
When I hit 15-hour workdays and still felt like I was drowning."
I was hospitalized last year, and that step back showed me the chaos I lived in."
When work-life balance became non-existent, I knew something had to change."
The over-whelming stress of multitasking everything and missing vital pieces—it was too much."
7. Learning from Other Firms and Industry Leaders
- Some respondents realized they needed automation after learning from more successful firms or attending industry webinars.
- Seeing how other firms leveraged workflow automation provided the push they needed.
Talking with bigger, more successful firms about how they got to where they are."
Following webinars by TRN, Dawn Brolin, and Financial Cents made me realize I needed a change."
I learned from my old firm’s mistakes—they refused to adopt new technology, and it cost them."
I attended a conference and saw how easily other firms tracked their workflows. I felt behind."
When I saw a demo of workflow software, it clicked. I couldn’t go back to spreadsheets."
Conclusion
The defining moment for most firms came when manual processes became too time-consuming, disorganized, and unscalable. Whether it was missed deadlines, document chaos, administrative overload, or stress-induced burnout, these pain points pushed firms to seek workflow automation. Those who took action found that automating processes improved efficiency, reduced errors, and helped them regain control over their workload and work-life balance.
Leverage technology, shed unfit clients, and use practice management software to maintain profitability"
Mike Sylvester CPABalancing efficiency and quality service:
Technology and AI are changing the accounting industry quickly, and I feel our industry is going through more change than any other time over the last 20 years. The key for us has been establishing a very large funnel of new leads reaching out to our firm. Once you have a large number of potential new clients, you can improve efficiency by shedding clients that do not fit your business model. Quality service is a growing problem—more than half of the new clients I onboard have significant errors in their bookkeeping, which translates to errors in their tax returns. The key to quality is to focus on clients who fit your model and ensure their bookkeeping is correct by doing it yourself or frequently checking and training those responsible for it.
Maintaining efficiency at scale:
Scaling is hard and not for everyone. The key is to install good practice management software, have strong internal procedures, and ensure your team is efficient and effective before you scale. Too many firms try to scale too fast, leading to a variety of problems.
A common workflow mistake that impacts the bottom line:
Firms should fully understand everything their practice management software can do by getting feedback from all team members and integrating it throughout the firm. Additionally, I work hard to ensure my firm does not onboard too much work. There is nothing wrong with extensions, and clients need to understand this.
Barriers to Adopting Accounting Workflow Automation Software
The survey reveals that firms face several challenges preventing them from implementing workflow automation software. The top reasons include cost concerns, time constraints, and feeling overwhelmed by the options and implementation process.
Cost and Financial Concerns:
- Cost was mentioned frequently, with several firms citing software pricing and implementation expenses as key blockers.
- “Expense”, “Financial and budgetary considerations”, and “Too small to pay for automated procedures” were common themes.
Time Constraints and Implementation Overwhelm:
- Many firms feel they lack the time or resources to implement new software:
- “Takes a long time to implement”
- “Time constraints with pending work”
- Some also struggle to find the time to learn how to fully use the tools they have:
- “We have Financial Cents; we just need to use it more”
- “Overwhelmed by the implementation”
Uncertainty and Lack of Knowledge:
- Several firms are unsure how automation fits their operations or if their processes are ready:
- “Not sure if it’s something we can afford or how to go about it”
- “Too many variations in accounting scenarios to automate”
- “Older owners are not exploring options”
Spotlighted Responses:
- “Nothing has worked the way my brain envisions it.” — Anonymous
- “We started before, but it got away from us. The job is on me and my hubby, and we both have other responsibilities that take up our time.” — Anonymous
Conclusion:
The barriers to adopting workflow automation fall into five key categories:
- Cost concerns – Both upfront costs and ongoing expenses are significant deterrents.
- Time and implementation challenges – Firms feel they cannot pause operations to onboard a new system.
- Overwhelm from too many choices – Decision fatigue prevents firms from selecting a solution.
- Uncertainty about readiness – Firms hesitate, believing they need to “fix” internal processes first.
- Lack of knowledge or leadership buy-in – Some firms lack awareness or struggle with change resistance.
These insights highlight opportunities for vendors and advisors to address concerns by offering:
✅ Flexible pricing options tailored for small firms.
✅ Onboarding support and training resources to reduce overwhelm.
✅ Clear comparisons of software options to simplify decision-making.
✅ Case studies and readiness assessments to help firms see how automation fits their size and needs.
With the right support, more firms can overcome these barriers and experience the productivity gains that workflow automation offers.
How Firms Use Workflow Automation Software
The survey reveals how firms leverage workflow automation software to streamline their operations and improve productivity. The top uses emphasize task management, client communication, and collaboration.
Spotlighted Responses:
- “Automating client reminders has saved us hours chasing documents every month.” — Anonymous
- “We use automation to assign recurring tasks—no more manual scheduling every month!” — Anonymous
Conclusion:
The survey highlights that firms primarily use workflow automation for task management, client interactions, and team collaboration, with client and staff onboarding as areas with room for growth. Firms that fully leverage automation across these areas experience greater efficiency, fewer missed deadlines, and improved client satisfaction.
Financial Cents Platform Insight
50% of firms use workflow automation features in Financial Cents.
What Firms Hope to Achieve with Workflow Automation
Among those who have not yet adopted workflow automation software, the survey highlights the primary outcomes they hope to achieve. The responses reflect a strong desire for efficiency, growth, and better collaboration.
Conclusion:
The survey reveals that most firms view workflow automation as a solution to improve efficiency, reduce workload, and drive business growth. While cost savings are a factor, the human benefits—work-life balance and error reduction—are the most significant motivators. Firms that adopt automation with these goals in mind are more likely to experience increased productivity, stronger team collaboration, and long-term scalability.
After Workflow Automation
Time Spent Scheduling and Assigning Work After Implementing Workflow Automation
Before vs. After Comparison: Time Spent on Scheduling Work
Before implementing workflow automation, no respondents spent less than an hour per week scheduling work. However, after automation, 43.7% of firms reduced their scheduling time to under an hour—a remarkable improvement driven by automated task assignments and recurring workflows.
The percentage of firms spending 2–5 hours per week scheduling work decreased from 42.7% before automation to 32.1% after automation, demonstrating further time savings.
A significant shift occurred among those spending 6–10 hours per week, dropping from 22.9% before to only 6.2% after automation, highlighting the efficiency of automated scheduling.
Extended scheduling times were nearly eliminated. Those spending over 10 hours per week scheduling dropped from 9.1% before automation (including 5.9% at 10–15 hours and 3.2% at 16+ hours) to just 2.6% after automation.
Additionally, 15.5% of respondents reported that scheduling was no longer applicable, indicating that their workflows were fully automated with little to no manual input.
Conclusion:
Workflow automation has delivered significant time savings, with over 75% of firms now spending 5 hours or less per week on scheduling and assigning work, compared to only 42.7% before automation. This shift highlights how automation reduces administrative burdens, enabling firms to focus more on client service, team collaboration, and business growth.
Capture relevant data across all work areas, segment data to refine workflows, and centralizing data in a warehouse to drive."
Roman Villard, CPAImproving workflow transparency using data:
The best way to improve workflow transparency is by ensuring you’re capturing all relevant data points related to the work being accomplished. This includes financial information, task-related data, and time spent by your team. Pulling in elements from all areas impacting the work gives you a clear understanding of the work status and what still needs to be completed.
Using data to refine workflows over time:
Data plays a huge role in refining workflows. If you segment workflows by workstream, role, industry, or client, you should collect data relative to each benchmark to better architect your workflow. By cross-referencing workflow data within an industry-specific client base, you can identify bottlenecks and areas where time is spent inefficiently. Harnessing and segmenting this data allows firms to refine workflows for greater efficiency.
Ensuring data is used effectively rather than just accumulated:
The best way to avoid accumulating data debt is to capture all data in a single location that integrates across firm systems. A data warehouse allows you to connect data points, create triggers, and take action based on aggregated insights. When adopting automation, it’s crucial to pull data from a single source to avoid friction and quality issues. Centralizing data and creating triggers based on movement within the warehouse ensures data is actionable rather than overwhelming.
The Impact of Workflow Automation on Client and Staff Onboarding
The survey highlights the impact of workflow automation software on firms’ client and staff onboarding processes. While most firms have seen improvements, some are still refining their systems to achieve smoother operations.
Impact on Onboarding Processes
Before vs. After Comparison: Onboarding Process Efficiency
Before implementing workflow automation, onboarding processes were often manual, inconsistent, and time-consuming, with many firms struggling to maintain a clear, repeatable process for both clients and staff. After automation:
- The percentage of firms describing their onboarding as “smooth” rose from 6.2% (before automation) to 67.5% (after automation)—a significant leap in efficiency and client experience.
- Conversely, those reporting that onboarding “had no major effect” or remained “clunky” dropped from 47.6% (before automation) to just 12.7% (after automation).
- A notable 16.1% found onboarding automation not applicable, likely due to the nature of their services or roles.
Spotlighted Responses:
- “Somewhat improved. Still refining the process.” — Anonymous
- “Scheduling discovery calls is much easier, but I still need to automate proposals and onboarding tasks.” — Anonymous
- “Better in some ways, but training them on the PM software is time-consuming in and of itself.” — Anonymous
- “I put so much time into the workflow setup and have to constantly adjust. Some things flow easily for sure, but I would still call the whole process clunky.” — Anonymous
Conclusion:
Workflow automation has driven substantial improvements in client and staff onboarding processes, with over 67.5% of firms experiencing a smoother, more organized process compared to their pre-automation methods. However, the spotlighted responses indicate that onboarding remains a work in progress for some firms, with challenges such as process refinement, training, and software learning curves.
The takeaway: While automation can significantly streamline onboarding, firms that combine continuous process improvement with training and software optimization see the greatest results.
Lack of a standardized process leads to inefficiencies and confusion."
Nick Boscia CPABiggest onboarding mistake & fix:
Lack of a standardized process leads to inefficiencies and confusion. We refined our system to ensure a seamless client experience while maintaining team efficiency.
Balancing automation & human touch:
Automation handles admin tasks like email templates for inquiries, follow-ups, and engagement letters, notifications for document uploads, and auto-generating tasks in Financial Cents when a client signs and pays. Recurring tasks keep bookkeeping clients on track. Human interaction remains essential with personalized Loom videos in onboarding emails, live video calls, and email or video responses for complex questions.
One key onboarding improvement:
Setting clear boundaries and standardizing processes helps reduce inefficiencies and frustration. We enforce this by requiring digital-only document uploads (paper incurs a fee), using Calendly for scheduling instead of back-and-forth emails, limiting calls to scheduled appointments, and ensuring pricing transparency with digital agreements.
The Impact of Workflow Automation on Firm Collaboration
Impact on Collaboration
Before vs. After Comparison: Firm Collaboration
Before workflow automation, collaboration was often limited by manual processes, scattered communication, and unclear task ownership. After automation:
- The percentage of firms describing their collaboration as “very collaborative” jumped from an estimated 12.5% (before automation) to 37.6% (after automation).
- The group describing collaboration as “somewhat collaborative” increased from 27.3% (before automation) to 33.3% (after automation), showing incremental gains from task tracking and shared workflows.
- The percentage of firms stating they were “not collaborative at all” dropped from 11% (before automation) to just 3.2% (after automation)—a significant improvement.
Conclusion:
Workflow automation has significantly enhanced collaboration within firms, with over 70% of respondents (combined “Very” and “Somewhat” collaborative) seeing improvements compared to pre-automation processes. The software’s ability to centralize tasks, improve visibility, and streamline team communication is key to these gains. However, the 25.9% “Not applicable” group highlights that collaboration-focused automation may not apply to all firms, especially those with solo practitioners or less team-based structures.
Overall, workflow automation proves to be a powerful tool for boosting team collaboration, provided firms fully integrate it into their processes and workflows.
The Impact of Workflow Automation on Client Document Collection
Impact on Client Document Collection Times:
Before vs. After Comparison: Document Collection Speed
Before automation, delays in receiving client documents were a major bottleneck, with most firms waiting several days or even weeks. After implementing workflow automation:
- The percentage of firms receiving documents within 2–3 days rose from 23.1% (before automation) to 50.5% (after automation)—a 27.4% improvement.
- Firms experiencing extremely fast (same-day to 1 day) responses more than quadrupled, from 1.9% (before) to 10.2% (after automation).
- Those reporting slow responses (several days) dropped from 49.9% (before automation) to 24.4% (after automation)—a significant reduction.
- The number of firms facing extremely slow (weeks/months) responses decreased from 18.5% (before) to 2.8% (after automation)—an improvement of over 15 percentage points.
Conclusion:
Workflow automation has significantly accelerated client document collection, with 60.7% of firms now receiving documents within 1 to 3 days, compared to just 25% before automation. The results emphasize that automated client reminders, client portals, and recurring requests play a crucial role in reducing delays.
However, the 24.4% still experiencing slow responses highlights that while automation improves the process, client behavior and engagement remain critical factors. Firms can further address this by:
✅ Automating reminders with deadlines
✅ Using client-friendly submission portals
✅ Incentivizing faster responses
Overall, workflow automation has proven to be a game-changer in document collection, delivering both speed and efficiency.
💡 Financial Cents Platform Insight 💡
The average time for clients to submit requested documents is 5 days across firms on the scale plan:
The Biggest Impact Workflow Automation Software Has Had on Firms
The survey highlights the most significant benefits firms have experienced since implementing workflow automation. The responses emphasize improvements in process efficiency, speed, collaboration, and client interactions.
Limited or No Impact:
- Not applicable (6.4%) – Some respondents indicated that automation did not apply to their specific workflows.
- No major impact (2.5%) – A small percentage reported minimal or no improvement, suggesting implementation issues or low adoption rates.
Spotlighted Responses:
- “It has helped us to implement better standardized systems and processes. We now have clear workflows that everyone follows.”
- “Getting documents from clients is so much easier with automated reminders. It’s saved us hours of follow-up.”
Before vs. After Comparison: Impact of Workflow Automation
Before workflow automation, firms faced inconsistent processes, slow task completion, poor collaboration, and frequent deadline issues. After automation:
The biggest impacts of workflow automation have been in standardizing processes, accelerating work completion, and improving collaboration. With over 60% of firms experiencing gains in speed, efficiency, and consistency, automation has become a key driver of productivity.
However, 2.5% of firms reported no major impact, signaling opportunities for better onboarding, training, or workflow optimization. Overall, the data highlights that when properly implemented and adopted, workflow automation delivers measurable improvements in firm operations and client service.
💡 Financial Cents Platform Insight 💡
Highest engagement features in Financial Cents include:
The Workflow Dashboard is the most visited page
- Bulk creating projects for many clients from a workflow template
- Marking tasks completed
- Syncing clients and time entries with QuickBooks Online
- Email automations including auto-linking emails to client profiles and creating projects from emails
- Time tracking reports
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