XU Biweekly - Issue 56 - 2 June 2023

The independent user news source for accounting apps and their ecosystems

Starling Bank 6x increase in profits

ANNE BODEN, FOUNDER OF STARLING BANK, IS TO STEP ASIDE AS CEO ON 30 JUNE AND WILL REMAIN ON THE BOARD AS A NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. JOHN MOUNTAIN, STARLING’S COO, WILL TAKE OVER AS INTERIM CEO TO LEAD THE DIGITAL BANK INTO ITS NEXT PHASE OF GROWTH.

The move comes as Starling reports:

• Revenue of £453 million for the year to 31 March 2023, more than double last year’s figure of £216 million.

• Record pre-tax profits of £195 million for the year to 31 March 2023, a six fold increase on the previous year’s figure of £32 million.

• Total lending of £4.9 billion, versus £3.3 billion

previously.

• Customer deposits have increased 17% to £10.6 billion.

Anne Boden said: “When I started Starling in 2014, I was told no one ever starts a bank, nobody wins market share and you’ll never make a profit. Today’s results prove them wrong.

“We’ve succeeded in disrupting an entire industry.

I’m immensely proud of these results, which are a testament to how far we have come as a team and how fast we’ve moved as a business.

“I have spent nearly a decade here as both the founder and CEO, a dual role which is unique in UK banking. It’s been all-consuming and I’ve loved every minute of it.

"Now that we have...

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HedgeFlows appoints former Xero Director Glen Foster to Advisory Board, ahead of Accountants Dashboard Launch

FOSTER JOINS WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE AT LEADING ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE

FIRM XERO, OVERSEEING THE SALES CYCLE AND COMPANY GROWTH.

HedgeFlows, a financial toolkit for SMEs, has appointed former Xero Sales Director Glen Foster to its advisory board ahead of the launch of a new Accountants Dashboard.

With his extensive experience in the accounting and financial services sec-

tors, Foster will accelerate HedgeFlows’ expansion by championing its accountancy solutions to partners and prospective clients.

During his 12-year tenure at accounting software giant Xero, Foster played a pivotal role in overseeing the sales cycle and driving company growth. Prior to joining HedgeFlows, he served as the Managing Director UK&I at Libeo.

The news precedes the upcoming Digital Accountancy Show in June, where Foster and HedgeFlows

will unveil and showcase its solutions for accountants through demonstrations at the event.

Glen Foster, Advisory Board Member for HedgeFlows, said: “Accountants witness first-hand the challenges of doing business internationally but often feel at a loss as to how to properly support SMEs who are being held back from international growth. Financial toolkits and platforms are essential to providing proper advice and guidance to businesses and I’m looking forward to

Paytron joins the OFX Group

WE ARE THRILLED TO SHARE THAT PAYTRON HAS SIGNED A SALE AGREEMENT TO BE ACQUIRED BY OFX GROUP (OFX.COM), THE INTERNATIONAL MONEY SERVICES PROVIDER HEADQUARTERED IN SYDNEY, WITH THE SALE EXPECTED TO CLOSE IN JULY.

to offer an even better user experience for your business, for your stakeholders and for your clients. When we have more detailed information on what will change and when, we will share that with you.

What does this mean for us?

working with HedgeFlows to develop these services and deliver first-class support to accountants.”

Neh Thaker, Co-Founder of HedgeFlows, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Glen to our Advisory Board, bringing decades of accounting software experience at leading firms in the industry. Doing business internationally can be a risky and unsettling process for SMEs and early-stage businesses, and it is vital that...

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OFX has been serving clients since 1998. It was founded in a garage on Sydney’s northern beaches, but today is a global organisation with over 700 employees around the world and has been listed on the Australian Stock Exchange since 2013 (ASX: ‘OFX’).

What does this mean for you?

On a day-to-day basis, it’s business as usual with your Paytron team. Our team, applications and service will remain unchanged, and our commitment to you is our continued focus. We plan, in time, to combine the best of Paytron and OFX, to improve our service and capabilities to you. With the resources, capabilities and support of OFX Group, we are poised

We enter a new chapter through a shared ethos between OFX and Paytron. Our collective focus is to provide world-class service to businesses, complete with world-class cross-border payments, accounting workflows, virtual cards and a spend management platform. Paytron exists to transform financial operations for accountants, financial executives and bookkeepers, to get rid of challenging and time-consuming tasks with automation and smart workflows. Now, with the support and expertise of a trusted brand like OFX, we can scale and grow our efforts.

Thank you

Thank you for starting...

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New Apps & Updates

Introducing the New SuiteFiles Document Signing Dashboard

name, stage of signing, when it was sent, and when the signing request expires.

• My Hidden displays any files you have hidden from your Sent tab.

Overview of the Navigation Bar

When you click into More > Document Signing you will notice that the dashboard has had a complete makeover.

There are a range of new features in the navigation bar that make it easier to oversee documents that are signed or pending signing.

• Sent displays all of your sent signing requests. You can order these signing requests by the document

XU BIWEEKLY - No. 56

Newsdesk:

If you have any news or updates that you would like us to consider for inclusion in the next edition of the XU Biweekly, please email us at: newsdesk@xumagazine.com

CEO: David Hassall

Managing Editor: Wesley Cornell Director of Strategic

Partnerships: Alex Newson

Design & Communications

Manager: Bethany Fulks

Creative Assistants: Hebe Vermeulen, Robyn Consterdine

Advertising: advertising@xumagazine.com www.xumagazine.com

‘Xero’ is a trademark of Xero Limited (New Zealand). XU Biweekly and XU Magazine is collaboratively produced by an independent group of Xero users and is not affiliated in any way with Xero. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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XU Biweekly is published by XU Magazine Ltd (08811842), registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Office 1, Brunswick House, Brunswick Way, Liverpool, L3 4BN, United Kingdom. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. XU Magazine Ltd cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information.

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• All is only available to Admins and displays all of your team members' document signing requests. You can order these signing requests by the document name, stage of signing, when it was sent, and when the signing request expires.

• All hidden is only available to Admins. It allows them to see all hidden documents across the business.

• Admin view is only available to Admins or Standard users with Custom brand-

ing permissions. It allows them to custom brand how document signing requests are sent.

• Filter stage allows you to filter documents by the different stages they are at; In Progress, Completed, Declined, Cancelled or Expired. You can select multiple stages to filter.

• Search allows you to search by document name.

• Filter by signees allows you to filter your list by Signee name. You can select multiple signees.

Document Overview

When you send a... Find out more

IRESS XPlan and Annature Unveil New Integration for Effortless eSigning and Data Sync

ANNATURE, A LEADING PROVIDER OF ESIGNATURE AND ID VERIFICATION TECHNOLOGY, ANNOUNCED TODAY ITS INTEGRATION WITH IRESS XPLAN, A LEADING FINANCIAL PLANNING AND ADVICE SOFTWARE PROVIDER.

This integration will enhance Annature’s eSignature capabilities by enabling users to sync client data in real-time with IRESS XPlan, providing a seamless and efficient user experience.

Sharing client data between platforms eliminates opportunity for error, knowing that details are originating from your source of truth. Signed documents are automatically filed back into XPlan eliminating the need for manual upload processes.

Data is shared seamlessly between both platforms which means everything stays in sync.

"We are excited to announce our integration with IRESS XPlan," said Amreeta Abbott, CEO of Annature. "I have a long standing admiration for Xplan since my early days as an adviser and this integration will allow our customers to easily and securely sign documents within their existing workflow, streamlining their processes and saving them time."

The integration will allow users...

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New Email Footers – with Company Logo and Your Profile detail

BGL CORPORATE SOLUTIONS (BGL), AUSTRALIA'S LEADING PROVIDER OF COMPANY COMPLIANCE, SELF-MANAGED SUPERANNUATION FUND (SMSF) AND INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF ITS INTEGRATION WITH LOAN COMPARISON SERVICE PROVIDER, COMPARE N SAVE.

“We are excited to add Compare n Save to the BGL Ecosystem," said Ron Lesh, BGL's Managing Director. “This integration will provide BGL’s Simple Fund 360 and Simple Invest 360 clients with a hassle-free and simple loan comparison solution that will add value to their customer service offering.”

Compare n Save is a fintech platform with an ownership stake in TAG Finance and Loans, a traditional mortgage broking fulfilment business. “We are extremely proud of the BGL partnership. It is a glowing endorsement of our fintech and fulfilment capabilities and further strengthens our

Rave Build Management: Progress Payment Update –FMS and NON-FMS Release

WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE IMMINENT RELEASE OF OUR LATEST FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (FMS) UPDATE – WHICH INCLUDES SOME AWESOME ENHANCEMENTS FOR OUR NON-FMS ACCOUNTS TEAMS TOO!

Below is an overview of the updates, with a sneak peek of some screenshots. These updates are going live on the 31st May 2023 – ready for you to access and start using from the 1st June.

‘Progress Payment (Payment Schedule)’ sub-tab – FMS and NON-FMS Release

Clicking on the project’s Progress Payment (Payment Schedule) sub-tab, you’ll notice that the look and feel of this page has also been updated. And again, this release is more than just a visual overhaul, we have included a ton of helpful new features! So, from top to bottom we’ve added:

• An invoiceable filter search – allowing you to display specific invoiceables

• All payment sections (non-contract... Keep reading

relationship with BGL”, said Sal Cinque, Director of Compare n Save and CEO of TAG Finance and Loans.

Brad Wilkinson, Head of Ecosystem at BGL, said: "The BGL and Compare n Save integration will help advisors, accountants, and other BGL clients compare hundreds of loans from more than 30 of Australia's top banks and other lenders for home, investment and SMSFs. It will also help clients easily structure debt for property purchases and conduct regular loan reviews to lower interest costs for their clients. Loans are fulfilled via an experienced broker network with access to over 500 brokers nationally.”

BGL clients can access the Compare n Save app within their Simple Fund 360 and Simple Invest 360 Property Console screen or via the BGL Ecosystem.

BGL's free and open API is used extensively across the industry. Over 350 data feed and integration partners in the BGL Ecosystem deliver a holistic experience to our clients....

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WE’RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE SOME

IMPROVEMENTS TO

EMAILS & TEMPLATES IN QUOTIENT. OUR LATEST UPDATE INTRODUCED A BRAND NEW FEATURE - THE EMAIL FOOTER - DESIGNED TO HELP YOU SIGN OFF YOUR OUTBOUND EMAILS IN STYLE.

Email Footers

You can now create a custom Email Footer to be automatically appended to all of your outgoing emails. By popular demand, this can include your Company Logo, along with unique details from Your Profile, such as your Job Title, Phone Number, and even your Profile Photo.

Setting up an Email Footer is a great way to create a more consistent company brand appearance, making your communications look more professional and polished.

Bonus! Your Profile details on Quotes

As well as appearing in your Email...

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NEW XERO CONNECTED APPS!

RECHOUND

AU, IE, NZ, UK & US - A Balance Sheet Reconciliation Management tool to make your life easier. Clear transactions mid-month and store your audit friendly reconciliations safely in the cloud. Roll forward with a single click!

PODIUM BEDS24

AU & US - Enabling local businesses through the power of text. Win more customers, improve operational efficiency, drive positive reviews on Google and deliver better experiences with easy-to-use growth, communication & payments tools.

GLOBAL - Automate routines and simplify workflows with Bed24’s multi-property management tools, incuding automatic updates for inventory and prices, a booking engine and secure gues payment collection. From small to midsize hotels, B&Bs, hostels and holiday rentals.

STRIPE CONNECT IS THE QUICKEST AND SIMPLEST WAY TO ASSIMILATE PAYMENTS IN YOUR PLATFORM OR MARKETPLACE. STRIPE'S APIS EMPOWER YOU TO CONSTRUCT AND SCALE ENDTO-END PAYMENT INCIDENTS, FROM IMMEDIATE ONBOARDING TO INTERNATIONAL PAYOUTS, AND GENERATE NEW REVENUE STREAMS. SIMULTANEOUSLY, STRIPE WILL TAKE CARE OF PAYMENTS KYC. AND NOW, YOU CAN INTEGRATE MULTIPLE STRIPE CONNECT ENTITIES WITH SYFT.

This means that you can have one account with multiple users on Syft. Plus, you can connect all your Stripe Connect accounts in one place and share localized analytics with those who use that platform or marketplace. Read on for all the details!

How to get started with Stripe Connect and Syft

All you need to get started are a few vital details. These include:

• Your Stripe Account ID (which you can find in Stripe's Settings under Account Details); and

• A Stripe Restricted Key.

The reason that you will need the Restricted Key is that Syft needs read access to everything on your Stripe account in order to integrate.

Note: Restricted Keys are deletable and they are different to the Secret Key from Stripe. In other words, you can delete Syft's access to your Restricted Key without harming your Stripe account in any way.

Once you've found your Stripe Account ID and...

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MyWorkpapers announces new leadership roles

WE ARE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, WITH ROBERT SALVONI NOW CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER AND STEPHEN BURGESS PROMOTED TO THE ROLE OF CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER. ALICE NOTON HAS ALSO BEEN PROMOTED TO SALES TEAM LEADER.

Robert has contributed to the success of our company over the last three years as CRO and will now move to more day-to-day operational responsibility as COO.

Stephen has led the international sales team for more than six years, helping our

NAB Bank Welcomes Annature as Part of New Reward Program for Business Transaction Account Holders

Meet A2X's New Product Homepage & Simplified Setup Experience

A2X IS RENOWNED FOR BEING THE MOST ROBUST AND ACCURATE ECOMMERCE ACCOUNTING SOLUTION, AND THAT WILL ALWAYS BE AT THE CORE OF EVERYTHING WE DO. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN IT SHOULDN’T BE EASY TO SET UP AND USE.

A common theme in both customer feedback and product UX reviews was that getting set up on A2X could be a little daunting. First impressions are so important, and we care about our customers having the best first experience with A2X.

Meet the redesigned A2X product homepage and setup experience

The new product home-

page aims to make the A2X setup process a breeze. By simplifying the steps involved to get up and running, reducing the number of clicks, and providing clear instructions, we make it easy for customers to quickly start benefiting from A2X’s automated and accurate ecommerce accounting. That, and it’s also on brand with our recently re-freshed website, meaning it looks pretty sharp too.

Here are some of the updated features available on the new product homepage and setup experience.

• Simplified onboarding steps to connect your sales channels and accounting software...

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THE NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK (NAB BANK) IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH ANNATURE, THE LEADING AUSTRALIAN ESIGNATURE SOLUTION PROVIDER, AS PART OF ITS INNOVATIVE REWARDS PROGRAM FOR NAB BUSINESS TRANSACTION ACCOUNT HOLDERS.

Annature, known for its exceptional eSigning solutions, provides services to thousands of companies across Australia and processes more than 20,000 documents per week. Its cutting-edge technology, robust security, and ease of use have made it an essential tool for businesses looking to streamline their operations and enhance efficiency.

Under the new rewards program, NAB business account holders will now be able to access exclusive discounts and ser-

vices from Annature.

This move is part of NAB Bank's initiative to add more value to their business customers by linking them to high-quality services that can improve their business operations and bottom line.

The partnership with Annature will offer NAB Bank's business transaction account holders not just a discounted eSignature solution, but a seamless and secure experience in the digital signing of their essential business documents.

This reward program aims to aid businesses in their digital transformation journey, ultimately saving them time and improving efficiency.

"Partnering with NAB Bank is a fantastic opportunity for us to extend our services to more businesses across Australia," said Amreeta Abbott. CEO of Annature. "We are...

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innovative company achieve considerable growth during challenging times.

Stephen’s appointment is in recognition of his incredible work developing the brand and growing users internationally by the thousands. Alice will take on a key role in supporting Stephen.

With a background within some of the accounting industry’s leading tech firms, all have considerable expertise and experience in developing successful businesses.

Speaking about his appointment, Stephen said...

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Wolters Kluwer announces global, strategic partnership with LTIMindtree

LTIMINDTREE TO LEVERAGE WOLTERS KLUWER’S CCH® TAGETIK CORPORATE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT (CPM) EXPERT SOLUTION TO ENABLE CLIENTS TO STREAMLINE FINANCIAL CLOSE & CONSOLIDATION, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, AND PLANNING PROCESSES.

Wolters Kluwer CCH Tagetik, today announced a strategic partnership with LTIMindtree [NSE: LTIM, BSE: 540005], a global technology consulting and digital solutions company. This partnership provides LTIMindtree’s global clients with access to the CCH Tagetik Corporate Performance Management (CPM) solution, which supports and accelerates the digital transformation of financial

insightsoftware Introduces Comprehensive Cloud Platform

operations through a unified platform.

The award-winning CCH Tagetik solution provides an intuitive interface, builtin financial intelligence and automated workflows that go beyond traditional CPM solutions, empowering finance teams across industries to:

• Complete everyday financial processes, swiftly, so that teams can focus on strategic goals

• Adhere to major financial regulations and simplify compliance processes

• Improve productivity and reduce financial close cycle time

• Make faster and better-informed financial decisions

Sudhir Chaturvedi, President and Executive Board...

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INSIGHTSOFTWARE, A GLOBAL PROVIDER OF REPORTING, ANALYTICS, AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS, TODAY ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF THE INSIGHTSOFTWARE PLATFORM TO BRING TOGETHER THE COMPANY’S APPLICATIONS IN A SINGLE LOCATION.

The insightsoftware Platform empowers organizations with more speed, flexibility, and control when solving multiple business problems. By connecting solutions across the insightsoftware portfolio, organizations can now choose the capabilities they need for effective reporting, controllership, and budgeting and planning, while improving productivity, user experience, and reducing implementation risk.

To adapt to continued market uncertainty, busi-

nesses need to be agile and resilient in order to ensure continued growth. A recent survey by insightsoftware and Hanover Research reported 63% of IT decision makers find that finance is either very- or over-reliant on the IT department for operational reporting. A similar survey in 2022 found that more than 50% of respondents felt their planning and reporting efforts are hampered by a lack of resources. Both statistics are alarming considering market uncertainty increases the demand for more frequent, more accurate forecasts and reporting. Skills shortages, combined with an overreliance on IT to make sense of data in complex business systems, are draining resources at a time when companies need to do more with less.

“Business users’ productivity is hurt when they...

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It’s about you and all that you do: Xero Singapore Awards 2023

BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR, THE XERO SINGAPORE AWARDS ARE ALL ABOUT CELEBRATING THE INCREDIBLE COMMITMENT AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR ACCOUNTING AND BOOKKEEPING PARTNERS WHO WORK TIRELESSLY TO HELP SINGAPORE SMALL BUSINESSES THRIVE.

As our first ever in-person Awards event, we have planned a very special evening to come together to honour you, the extraordinary work you and your team do, and to spotlight the innovation, resilience and perseverance this community has demonstrated over the year.

Introducing a new award category

This year we are introducing a new award category. Business Vertical Champion of the Year will recognise a Xero accounting or bookkeeping partner who has gone above and beyond for clients in a particular vertical. This may include, but is not limited to, community involvement, advocacy and innovation in a specific industry segment such as retail, F&B, construction, manufacturing, education, professional services and so on.

There are five categories in total:

• Small Accounting Partner of the Year

• Medium Accounting Partner of the Year

• Large Accounting Partner of the Year

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Moneypenny Launches Intake Services to support new business drives for US accountancy firms

MONEYPENNY HAS LAUNCHED A NEW INTAKE SERVICE, DELIVERED VIA ITS SISTER BRAND VOICENATION, TO HELP ACCOUNTANCY CLIENTS DRIVE NEW BUSINESS BY RESPONDING QUICKLY TO NEW INQUIRIES ON THEIR BEHALF.

The new service means that VoiceNation’s team of professional US-based call handlers will help improve the conversion rate of new inquiries, by responding to them quickly on the phone, and qualifying them by asking a series of screening questions provided by, and tailored to, the client. As a result, accountancy businesses’ own teams can focus on converting qualified leads, saving their teams

Self

time and effort. VoiceNation’s highly trained professional call handlers know the importance of making a good first impression and the new Intake Service is backed by full CRM and Zapier integration.

How it Works

• When a new completed web form arrives at a client’s CRM, this alerts VoiceNation’s OpenAnswer platform

• OpenAnswer immediately flags to a VoiceNation agent about the lead

• Using the completed web form details, the lead is qualified by phone, or any other required channel

• All information requested by the client is then fed back into the client’s CRM

Made: Another inspiring Xero Roadshow spent

our growing

THIS YEAR WAS NOTHING SHORT OF PHENOMENAL, AS OUR ROADSHOWS ONCE AGAIN UNITED OUR ACCOUNTING, BOOKKEEPING AND APP PARTNERS DURING OUR LIVE JOHANNESBURG AND CAPE TOWN EVENTS. THIS YEAR WE WELCOMED A RECORD 2,300+ ATTENDEES ACROSS THE TWO SOLD-OUT LOCATIONS. IT’S ALWAYS AMAZING TO SEE THE PASSION AND SUPPORT WITHIN OUR GROWING COMMUNITY, AND THE INNOVATION DRIVING THE ACCOUNTING INDUSTRY FORWARD.

The day’s agenda combined an incredible line-up of speakers and we had a number of our Xero app partners exhibiting. Here are a few of my highlights from this year:

Celebrating the resilience of the self made

We celebrated the tenacity and resilience of the accounting, bookkeeping and small business community under this year’s theme of ‘self made’.

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• The service integrates with all CRM platforms and contracts can be completed via Docusign

Eric Schurke, VP of VoiceNation said: ‘This new service will enable accountancy businesses to respond to new leads before their competitors do. We’re doing the heavy lifting of sifting through new opportunities, efficiently and cost-effectively, by qualifying new leads, so in-house sales teams can then convert hot leads faster. Our clients should see benefits of the new service really quickly, achieving faster new business growth.'

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We talked a lot about the importance of people – both people in small businesses and the people who support them, especially accountants and bookkeepers. I shared the latest insights from our State of South African Small Business report. Despite concerns around political and economic instability, and revenue loss due to...

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BGL CORPORATE SOLUTIONS (BGL), AUSTRALIA'S LEADING PROVIDER OF COMPANY COMPLIANCE, SELF-MANAGED SUPERANNUATION FUND (SMSF) AND INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, IS PROUD TO BE RECOGNISED AS VICTORIAN STATE WINNER OF THE 2023 AUSTRALIAN ACHIEVER AWARD WITH A SENSATIONAL SCORE OF 98.80% FOR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.

The award included special recognition of Ron Lesh, Daniel Tramontana, Adriana Cavallo, Damien Gunatillake, Luca Ranellone and Peter Di Stefano for their remarkable customer service.

“This is a fantastic achievement and recognition of the BGL Team. I am incredibly proud!” said Ron Lesh, BGL’s Managing Director. “This is the 18th Australian Achiever Award won by BGL and proves again and again our commitment to providing remarkable experiences and sensational customer service to our clients”. Australian Achiever Awards are an independent award system based on assessments from the business customers. The award system focuses on eight criteria: Time-related Service, Addressing Client Needs, Care and Attention, Value, Attitude, Communication, Overall Perception and Referral. The judging...

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community

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Highlights from this year’s Xerocon Sydney agenda

IN JUST A FEW MONTHS, WE’RE HEADING BACK TO SYDNEY’S ICONIC DARLING HARBOUR FOR XEROCON 2023! ON 23 AND 24 AUGUST, WE’RE BRINGING OUR PARTNER COMMUNITY TOGETHER FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE FOR TWO INSPIRING DAYS.

So what can you expect?

As the world’s most beautiful and innovative conference for cloud accounting leaders, this is your opportunity to see world-class speakers and entertainers, hear thought-provoking updates from Xero’s leadership team, and take home practical learnings from the Xero showcases on day one and day two to boost the success of your practice. What’s more, you’ll have the chance to dance the night away at the famous Xerocon wrap

party. Read on for a closer look at this year’s agenda – take it from us; you won’t want to miss out.

A reimagined main stage

After six months in the seat as Xero’s CEO, Sukhinder Singh Cassidy will hit the main stage for her first-ever Xerocon appearance. From purpose to partnerships, Sukhinder will share why you – the advisory community –are critical to the future of small business success.

Joining Sukhinder will be Diya Jolly – Xero’s new Chief Product Officer – to share insights on the products and connections that drive better collaboration, save you time and generate greater value across our platform.

For our returning partners, this showcase will be unlike

UPCOMING EVENTS

any you’ve seen at Xerocon before. So get ready to experience everything Xero has to offer in a reimagined format. Plus, the afternoon breakout sessions will help you go deeper into the topics that matter most, from how to get paid faster to improving your workflow with integrated apps, and so much more.

Stellar speakers and one iconic host

From global executives to innovators and changemakers, this year’s lineup of guest speakers is designed to impress. To set the scene, we’re thrilled to announce our host – Julia Zemiro, an iconic Australian TV personality and actress whose glittering career has seen her...

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WATCH A FREE WEBINAR ON THE XU HUB

UPCOMING APAC WEBINARS

UPCOMING UK WEBINARS

By Kylie Wing, Chief Marketing Officer, ApprovalMax

JOIN KYLIE WING, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AT APPROVALMAX, AS SHE TALKS TO THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE TEAM: MATT LOWRY, CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER.

Matt leads the global sales and customer success teams. His role is pivotal to ensure ApprovalMax continues to grow in the Xero ecosystem and the company’s global customer base continues to get value from the product.

Kylie: Welcome to the team, Matt – we’re so pleased that you’ve joined ApprovalMax at such an exciting time of growth! We currently have just over 100 team members who are spread across 30 different countries. What inspired you to join ApprovalMax?

Matt: I’m really excited to be joining the team! The growth to-date speaks for itself, picking up several Xero awards and being shortlisted for others recently in several geographies is a testament to the great work the team is doing. Speaking with the Founders highlighted the

exciting new product developments that are planned to continue this growth trajectory and I like that we are expanding into new markets with a goal of being an endto-end AP solution of choice.

Having come from another company within the Xero ecosystem, I was already familiar with ApprovalMax’s great reputation and bestin-class product. I’m glad I get to keep working in the cloud accounting industry because it’s great to be part of a mission where we help accountants, bookkeepers, and SMEs worldwide have a tangible impact on society.

Kylie: We definitely have a ripple effect when it comes to our impact and the communities we serve, so you’ve joined the right team. Tell me about your background and what I’d find out about you if I was to look on your LinkedIn profile.

Matt: I originally have a legal background, working inhouse for a small-cap listed technology company in the UK. I transferred internally to head up their customer experience department after realising that I enjoy being in the driver's seat and making

decisions, rather than reactively acting on decisions in a purely legal sense! This experience gave me first-hand experience of board meetings and the impact that internal red tape can have on growth. If only we had ApprovalMax and some of the other leading ecosystem apps to help!

In late 2018, I joined the management reporting and forecasting app, Fathom, to launch their UK office. The role was to grow the revenue base significantly and I became their Head of Growth (EMEA), leading goto-market activities in the EMEA region, primarily the UK and South Africa. Helping thousands of SMEs and advisors globally to change how they view forecasting and management reporting was a greatly rewarding experience and showed me first-hand the impact that great AccounTech can make to businesses globally.

Kylie: We have something in common. My previous role was also working for another company in the Xero ecosystem where management reporting and forecasting was a huge part of the value

proposition. Helping SMEs and accounting firms understand the story behind the numbers was a big part of the inspiration. Now that you’re on a new adventure with us, what opportunities are you looking forward to diving into?

Matt: ApprovalMax is at such an exciting stage of growth, with all the recent and future product launches. I’m keen to work with the sales and marketing team to reach more of our target market to promote how ApprovalMax can really help lead the way forward!

A really recent example is the ApprovalMax and Airwallex integration for UK businesses, providing an end-to-end accounts payables solution, ensuring a seamless experience for our customers in preventing fraud and implementing inhouse financial controls. It’s great that we’re using Airwallex’s financial technology inside ApprovalMax to help businesses not only with payments, but scale across borders.

Kylie: Absolutely. We’ve just given our UK accounting partners another way to add

value with this service without requiring access to their client’s bank account. It’s automating the steps from approving it, to processing it, to paying it. I think it’s fantastic that our team has created a faster and smoother workflow, and that it can be done without having to leave the ApprovalMax platform.

Matt: Outside of that, we also want to continue making our existing customers happy and provide them with world-class customer support – this is particularly important as we scale to new markets and geographies. Personally, I’m also looking forward to continuing to advance our relationship with Xero accountants and bookkeepers, and assisting them with implementing in-house financial controls and workflows to their clients. That’s important because it ultimately adds deeper value to their relationships.

I want to also add to that list the new corporate identity and brand direction that your team has been heavily involved in – what was the story behind the new branding?

Kylie: The ApprovalMax story is interesting because the roots go as far back as 2014. The brand has evolved over the years, but at the end of 2022, we decided it was time for a new look. We wanted something that was deliberate, more modern, and software relevant. We exchanged our darker colours for ones that were brighter, lighter, and more energetic. It’s happening during a phase when there are a number of exciting internal changes and new people joining our team, such as yourself, Justin Campbell from Xero, Brendan Lucas as our Head of Accounting, and Cassandra Scott as our Head of Bookkeeping, just to name a few. Can you relate to the evolution of the brand, and why branding in SaaS is important?

Matt: The new brand looks clean and concise, which for me is imperative to stand out in any market. The timing is perfect as we move into a new stage of growth with a more comprehensive product. The new brand reflects the new stage of the journey that we are now on.

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Is not engaging in the latest tech holding you back?

By Amanda Linton, CEO, ICB Australia

WE FREQUENTLY TALK ABOUT THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY BEING THE KEY PIN AND CENTRE POINT TO ANYTHING THAT BOOKKEEPERS AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS PROVIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESS IN 2023, THE DIGITAL AGE. RECENTLY I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TRAVELLING OVERSEAS FROM AUSTRALIA VISITING CHILE, PERU, COLUMBIA, PANAMA AND THEN TO SPEND SOME TIME IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

As both CEO of ICB Australia, and a very passionate bookkeeper at heart, even a magnificent holiday like this often means that your brain doesn’t completely switch off.

I found it amazing to watch how technology, that we consider mainstream use in Australia, is approached very differently in different countries around the world, and that's assuming it's in use at all.

At times I wonder whether we live in a micro bubble here in Australia. The effective use of up to date technology to help us achieve the results that we are aiming for our clients as advisors, is central to the way in which professional bookkeeping, is conducted here, as in many other parts of the world.

Many of the tools available have been developed in countries other than Australia, including those I

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mentioned above, yet the adoption and use of these technologies, in a business sense, has been approached and applied somewhat differently.

Given the globalisation of business, globalisation of tech company presence, I was nothing short of astonished at the lack of technology enablement in (mostly) small to medium businesses that I observed and researched. Astonishing, given every second person (in the USA in particular) appeared to have the latest mobile phone, the latest technology on their wrist or on their finger, the latest technology in cars and in homes.

Now let me preface what I’m about to say, by I understand government regulation, red tape, and reporting requirements of a jurisdiction, often impact technologies we use and how we use them. The journey we take business owners on to increase productivity and efficiencies is often reflective of the environment we operate in.

What I’ve come to realise is Australia’s use of technology in small and medium business is, in many ways, at least decade in front of some other countries across the world, including the USA.

Whilst visiting beautiful state of Texas in the USA, I was fortunate enough to spend several days with a lovely lady who has built a successful career in her own professional bookkeeping practice. Never one to miss

an opportunity, I asked if I could interview her about the ways in which bookkeeping and the business environment in the USA is different, or similar, as to what it is in Australia.

Whilst there are a significant number of similarities, and at the end of the day, with application of International Accounting Standards, the result of which is that core services we provide are almost identical. The way in which we utilise technology (or don’t) to achieve these outcomes, is markedly different.

For those of you that may not be aware, across the USA, each state is responsible for setting the rate of, and collecting, its own sales tax. It also differs state to state as to as to which goods and services attract the tax, if at all. This creates an interesting set of dynamics when you have, for example, a business owner in California, being serviced by a bookkeeper or adviser that’s located in, for example, Texas. The non-harmonisation of tax rules and tax rates across America, clearly presents a unique set of challenges that we don’t face here in Australia. As a result, many advisors work with SMEs inside their own jurisdiction, or perhaps across only one state border.

The setup and environment of the American banking system, much simplified industrial relations systems...

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BEYOND THE BASICS

By Paul Lodder, VP of Accounting Product Strategy, Dext

THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING AT UNPRECEDENTED PACE. ALONGSIDE THE UBIQUITOUS RISE IN CLOUD COMPUTING, MOBILE DEVICES, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND BIG DATA ANALYTICS, THE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN AI ARE TRANSFORMING THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF AUTOMATED ACCOUNTING CAPABILITIES FROM BOOKKEEPING, TO TAX PREPARATION, AUDIT SUPPORT, FRAUD DETECTION - AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. SO IT’S PERHAPS NOT SURPRISING THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF ACCOUNTING FIRMS ARE ALREADY SOMEWAY ALONG THE PATH TO DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION.

Nowadays, failure to embrace digitalisation puts firms at a disadvantage, leading to reduced efficiency, lower levels of client and employee satisfaction, and challenges with recruitment and retention of team members. To stay relevant and competitive, a digital strategy is now a business imperative.

Yet the reality for many is that they are barely scratching the surface of what digital has to offer. As a result, firms are missing out on significant opportunities to dig deeper and dramatically improve the way they operate and support their clients.

The key to unlocking the full potential of transformation, is to understand your firm’s level of digital maturity, and always strive for the next.

So what does a ‘transformed’ firm currently look like, and how can it be achieved?

The digital transformation

In digitally innovative accounting firms, you would be pushed to find paper - anywhere. All files, correspondence and notifications are digital. Unnecessary manual data entry is banished, with receipts, invoices and other financial files all automatically fetched and categorised from platforms into accounting software. Records are retrieved, sent, reviewed and signed elec-

tronically. Accounting workflows are seamless because backend processes are too: holidays, sick days, flexible-working arrangements and time-tracking are recorded, processed and approved, and workflows are updated instantly for embedded efficiencies.

Meetings increasingly take place virtually. And digitally savvy, often geographically dispersed, fee-earners have become proactive advisors, offering virtual FD services and checking in with clients to advise in real-time. Everyone in the firm has excellent working knowledge of the business software and apps in use, and there is a practice-wide desire to embrace the latest technical advances the world has to offer - to ensure the evolving needs of clients and stakeholders are continuously met.

Common transformation pitfalls

If the blueprint is your firm’s goal, but your digitalisation efforts have so far failed to deliver as...

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Introducing the Venmo Teen Account

PARENTS AND LEGAL GUARDIANS CAN NOW OPEN A VENMO TEEN DEBIT CARD AND A VENMO ACCOUNT FOR TEENAGERS 13 TO 17 YEARS OLD, SO THEY CAN SEND, RECEIVE, AND SPEND MONEY. OFFERS BUILT-IN PARENTAL CONTROLS AND OVERSIGHT CAPABILITIES.

Venmo today introduced the Venmo Teen Account,

providing parents and legal guardians the ability to open a Venmo account for their teenagers between the ages of 13 to 17-years-old so they can send and receive money.

The Venmo Teen Account also comes with a Venmo Teen Debit Card1. For the first time, the Venmo Teen Account gives teenagers a way to engage with and learn more about...

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Capium Launches Capium PayThe New Embedded Payments Solution for Accountants

UK BASED CAPIUM, A LEADING PROVIDER OF INTEGRATED ACCOUNTING CLOUD SOFTWARE, IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF ITS NEW EMBEDDED PAYMENTS SOLUTION CAPIUM PAY.

Capium pay is an innovative payments solution that seamlessly integrates with Capium's suite of Cloud accounting software to provide simple, secure and efficient payment processing for businesses of all sizes. With Capium Pay, businesses can easily process payments, receive funds and reconcile transactions, all from within the Capium EcoSystem.

"Capium Pay is a game changer for accountants and clients who run businesses which require instant payment," said Tush-

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ir, Co-Founder of Capium. "With this new payments solution, our Accountants will have access to a powerful tool to manage their payments securely and efficiently. Capium Pay will simplify the payments process and provide a seamless experience for our users, allowing them to focus on growing their Practices, it completely integrates with what they already have."

Capium Pay offers a wide range of features, including:

• Quick and easy onboarding process

• Support for multiple payment methods, supporting most debit cards, credit cards, and open banking.

• Advanced security features

• Automated invoice...

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Introducing GoCardless Pro - the Direct Debit solution for larger organisations

AN EXCITING NEW DEVELOPMENT AT GOCARDLESS TODAY – LARGE ORGANISATIONS LOOKING FOR COMPLETE CONTROL OVER YOUR PAYMENTS AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCETHIS ONE’S FOR YOU…

Having opened up the world of Direct Debit to thousands of SMEs across the UK, as part of our mission to rewrite Europe’s recurring payment infrastructure, we are proud to introduce GoCardless Pro. GoCardless Pro is specifically designed for larger organisations coupling the simplicity our customers love about the original GoCardless product with the complete control over payments and customer experience that large organisations need. We’re already

working with The Guardian and many other multinational organisations, to provide them with a payments solution that lets them focus on what’s important to them.

How does it work?

With GoCardless Pro we offer a simple, modern REST API which allows you to seamlessly integrate online Direct Debit with your website or CRM. This includes full documentation, client libraries and technical support to assist with integrations.

How is it different to the original GoCardless product?

With GoCardless, you use our SUN to make the process of taking payments...

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