“Information is a source of learning. But unless it is organized, processed, and available to the right people in a format for decision making, it is a burden, not a benefit.”

—William Pollard

William Pollard must’ve known how it feels to have tons of options staring you in the face. And that sometimes, too many choices lead your focus to split in too many directions. 

And then what happens? You either don’t make a decision at all, or you just pick something to get it over with and done. 

Enter the regret-your-decision phase. With this phase comes kicking yourself for spending money on something you chose in frustration. 

Where are the decision-making fairies when you need one? 

We may not be carrying magic wands around, but we’re pretty great at organizing information and narrowing it down for you. Then, you can take that information and use it to make a well-informed decision that isn’t laden with stress. 

We pulled together information for CPA firms to be able to choose their best match for time tracking software. 

Qualities of best time tracking software for CPAs

As you may already know, there are oodles of choices out there for time tracking software. Many of them are decent options, making it harder to choose. So, here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to tell you all the things you need to look for in time tracking software for your CPA firm. 

Billing without errors

Accurate billing is key to keeping your clients satisfied, and time tracking can help CPAs make sure this happens. Time tracking enables you to easily track hours spent on specific projects, ensuring that clients are charged correctly for the amount of billable time spent. 

By accurately logging all activity, non-billable hours can be clearly identified and removed from invoices. This reduces the chance of payment disputes arising from deductions or miscalculations in the final bill, resulting in better client relationships and a more positive working experience for everyone involved.

Streamlined workflow

Streamlining your workflow can have a major impact on the success of your accounting business. By making use of time tracking software, it’s possible to automate the time entry and billing process in just minutes. Not only will this save you valuable time and reduce the chance of errors, but it will also increase efficiency allowing practitioners to provide better service for their clients.

Time tracking software allows you to track projects and billable hours and easily send invoices on-the-fly or via batch processing. The software automates the entire process from start to finish, including setting up users, assigning job codes, and creating individual client accounts. 

It also provides real-time feedback so that you know how productive everyone is—from employers, managers, and staff alike, which helps you make informed business decisions based on accurate data. With such a streamlined system in place, you can see substantial growth in productivity levels which translates into quicker turnaround times for customers and better profitability for your business.

Enhanced employee productivity

Employee productivity is essential for any successful business because it directly impacts the bottom line. Thankfully, there are innovative solutions available today that can help managers track employee productivity and identify areas of improvement. 

Time tracking software enables managers to get a clear insight into how much time employees spend on different tasks. This type of data can be immensely helpful in designing more efficient workflows and better utilization of resources.

Time tracking software offers many useful features, allowing managers to set goals, view task progress in real-time, and even capture detailed reports on individual employee performance. By keeping an eye on the total amount of time spent on each task, managers can identify areas where employees may be unproductive or inefficient, allowing them to intervene in due course and create more productive work environments. 

The right software also allows managers to measure performance across teams and individual employees to understand who is performing best and why. All in all, time tracking software can be a powerful tool for improving employee productivity within your CPA firm.

Project management

Project management is often an integral part of accounting since it involves organizing and budgeting resources for different tasks. With multiple projects running concurrently, keeping track of the amount of time spent on each task can be a difficult challenge. In order to simplify this process, timekeeping software has become an invaluable resource in the accounting profession.

Timekeeping software provides real-time visibility into time allocation, making it easier to prioritize their workload accordingly. Data from the software helps to better measure progress and understand where time should be allocated for maximum efficiency. 

Aside from boosting productivity, this data can offer insights into important deadlines and goals that need to be met in order to ensure successful project completion. This insight also enables assessors to adjust expectations according to the actual amount of work required on each project. All this helps to reduce stress levels by providing assurance that no deadlines are missed and that all projects are well managed within budget limits.

Data security

Data security is an increasingly important issue in any organization today. It’s critical to ensure the software used by an organization provides robust data security measures, especially when it comes to handling sensitive data. These measures should include encryption of sensitive data in order to protect against unauthorized access and attempts at data manipulation or theft.

Secure login protocols can also be essential for ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to confidential materials, as well as preventing outsiders from obtaining control over user accounts. This can include two-factor authentication, multi-factor authentication, and other forms of identity verification. 

Regular backups should be performed in order to safeguard against data loss due to unexpected server failures or malicious attacks on the system. Having multiple copies of critical data in different locations can help organizations recover if they experience a major cyber attack or a serious technical issue with their servers.

Scalability

When it comes to scalability, your CPA firm should choose software that can accommodate growth without needing to switch to a new system. Scalability refers to the ability of a program or system to handle an increased workload without upgradation or configuration changes. Software that’s scalable will help business owners who are expecting an increase in users and transactions due to expansion.

One of the main advantages of using scalable software is that it provides businesses with the flexibility they need as they grow. Your CPA firm won’t be constrained by limited features and won't need additional development resources and costs as they expand. 

Scalable software also offers stability across multiple platforms, allowing CPA firms to confidently move into new markets. Data can be shared securely across different platforms since scalability increases interoperability and standardization. 

By leveraging a single database system, scalability streamlines processes making them more efficient. Scalable technology makes it easier for businesses to transition from manual labor-intensive operations to automated ones, in order for maximum cost efficiency and higher returns on investments.

Customization

Customization is a critical element to consider when researching and selecting the best software for your business. All CPA firms have unique needs, so it’s important to ensure that the software can be tailored to your specific needs. 

That includes customizing requests such as custom fields, workflows, and invoicing templates. With custom fields, users can better categorize information related to customers, products, or services, and reports can be more easily generated. 

Workflows help streamline processes ensuring proper coordination of all tasks for efficiency. And with invoicing templates, users can customize their invoices in record time without any hassle.

Ultimately by opting for software that offers customizable features, CPA firms are able to benefit from having an optimized system that easily integrates into their existing workflow while providing maximum efficiency and effectiveness due to the ability to fit the solution perfectly to their individual requirements, perfecting the user experience. 

User-friendly interface

User-friendly interfaces are an essential factor in determining if a software solution will be successful in achieving its goals. A user-friendly interface gives users an intuitive and straightforward way to interact with the software, increasing efficiency and saving time. Simplifying the process of inputting data or information as well as making it easier to view and make changes are two core functions of a user-friendly interface.

Good design takes into consideration the complexity of tasks that users will be facing when using the software system, ensuring that they can complete them quickly and easily. This helps to eliminate confusion and frustration about how the software works by providing things like clear navigation options, visuals, animations, etc., all of which make interacting with the system more enjoyable. 

If the design is effective, it should help to reduce errors and reduce support time needed for users with issues or questions related to how to use the system. In summary, selecting a software solution with a user-friendly interface means being better able to achieve your goals while also providing your team with a good user experience.

Compatibility

Ensuring that a program or application is compatible with all the necessary devices, operating systems, and platforms used by a team can help create an efficient workflow and prevent costly delays caused by incompatibility issues.

When selecting software, it’s important to look for products that are compatible with current platforms and technologies used by members of the team. In some cases, developers may need to modify programs to make sure they run effectively. 

Teams should carefully review any updates made to existing software for compatibility issues before beginning an integration process. Doing so can save a great deal of time and money in terms of technical support costs or product redevelopment later on. Not only this but running incompatible instruments can also damage the core components of the device's true potential leading to long-term complications.

On the other hand, it’s important to remain open to new developments in technology, such as virtual reality tools which could result in compatibility benefits down the line. Keeping up with changing trends in technology and maintaining high levels of cross-platform compatibility will provide teams with the foundation they need to stay competitive in today’s digital landscape.

Integration

Integration is essential in order to maintain efficiency and accuracy. Integrating existing software systems with external platforms can help streamline workflows and reduce time spent on manual data entry or copying information from one system to another. 

When done correctly, integration also greatly reduces the risk of data inconsistencies. Your CPA firm can save time by linking its systems together rather than manually entering its data each time. 

Furthermore, integration avoids the potential for data duplication and human error which can both have major repercussions for your business operations. When integrating new or existing systems together, there are many options available, such as cloud-based solutions or enterprise-level integration software that can be tailored to the specific requirements of an organization. 

Careful consideration is always important when it comes to selecting an appropriate solution so that it meets both the current needs as well as any likely future development plans.

Reporting

Detailed reporting features are essential for any CPA firm seeking to effectively manage and analyze its data. Customizable reports allow users to tailor the data being gathered and insights gained in order to best suit their needs. Additionally, export options are a must-have as they make it possible to save, share and transfer data while keeping it secure. Real-time reporting is also invaluable as it enables up-to-date access to all of the current metrics, allowing users to quickly react or adjust goals based on changing conditions.

In summary, comprehensive reporting abilities should be a key requirement when selecting software for your business or organization. Granular control of the data being collected, saved, and processed allows for easier cleansing, manipulation, and analysis—thus providing more accurate insights into what’s happening with your operation at any given moment. 

Requesting an export option is also recommended so that reports can be shared securely with external audiences such as clients or stakeholders without damaging security protocols. In conclusion, deep reporting features are paramount when you’re looking to get the most out of your chosen time tracking software solution.

In conclusion

We have just rolled out the red carpet of necessary attributes for time tracking software that will work best for your CPA firm. Follow these as guides for choosing a time tracking solution that makes your business run smoother.

If you’re still confused about choosing the best time tracking software for your CPA  firm, we can help. Reach out to Harvest and we will go over all of your needs with you and get you set up on a free trial. At no cost to you, you can see the Harvest difference firsthand.