Why "we already have software" is rarely the real issue

We hear this a lot. "We already have software for that."

Most of the time, it's true. Accountancy firms aren't short of software. Practice management systems, tax platforms, document storage, email, spreadsheets. The stack is often extensive.

The problem isn't a lack of tools. It's that the tools don't quite fit how the firm works today.

The gap between tools and process

Software is usually designed for a generic firm. Your firm isn't generic. You've got specific client types, particular ways of working, quirks that have developed over years.

So people work around the software. They copy data between systems manually. They keep parallel spreadsheets. They develop informal processes that exist nowhere in the official tools.

What actually helps

The answer isn't replacing everything. It's filling the gaps. Small, targeted tools that connect what you have, automate the tedious bits, and give you visibility where you need it.

Think of it as software that adapts to your firm, rather than forcing your firm to adapt to software. That's what we mean by "custom" - not complicated, just fitted.