The document summarizes a power panel discussion on apps to help small businesses and accounting professionals. The panelists provided tips on finding and using apps, including automating tasks, outsourcing what you can, going mobile, embracing change, focusing on efficiency over cost, and thinking outside the box. Additional resources included David Leary's 12 laws of small business apps and an app checklist for choosing, testing, and implementing apps.

1. 100% Cloud – Your Action Plan for Success
2 © 2020 Innovation Training Limited 2017
QuickBooks Connect London 2017
Power Panel
Apps to give you more time to serve your clients
Panelists
Clayton Oates, Founder, QA Business Pty Ltd
Diane Lucas, Accounting Consultant, Direct Management
Kane Munro, Director, Accountancy Online
Facilitator
Wayne Schmidt, Accounting Practice Advisor, Karbon Inc.
Contributor
David Leary, Small Business Ecosystem Evangelist, Intuit Inc.
QuickBooks Connect Sydney
18May2017

2. Copyright
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owners.
Notice to Readers
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substitute for independent research. Intuit, Inc. does not render any accounting, legal or other
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accurate nor that it is completely free of errors when published. Readers should verify statements
before relying on them.

3. QuickBooks Connect Sydney 2017 Power Panel: Apps
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Panelists
Clayton Oates, the Inspired (Ex) Accountant, teaches accountants and bookkeepers to
successfully transition from a Trusted Advisor to a true Difference Maker both for their clients and
for themselves. As Chief Solutions Officer at QA Business, Clayton and his team have helped
more than 25,000 SMB's and their ABC's (Accountants | Bookkeepers | Consultants) use
technology to buy back precious time from their businesses.
Diane Lucas brings her passion for accounting to her bookkeeping practice, where she
specialises in QuickBooks Online. The first Australian ProAdvisor to be certified in QuickBooks
Online, a Top 100 ProAdvisor 2015 and 2016, and the International ProAdvisor of 2016, Diane is
also a Member of the elite Intuit Trainer/ Writer Network. Helping business owners effectively use
technology in their business is what Diane and her staff focus on at Direct Management. A
registered BAS Agent, Diane also enjoys supporting fellow bookkeepers and educating the
business world about what it means to use a Registered BAS Agent in their business.
Founder
QA Business Pty Ltd
www.qabusiness.com.au
@clayton_oates
Accounting Consultant
Direct Management
www.directmanagement.com.au
@dianelucasau

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With a background at larger accountancy firms Kane founded Accountancy Online with a view to
delivering a proactive and prospective service to clients by using the right tools from the growing
crowd of digital tools.
Adopting the same perspective in his own business allowed Kane to escape the grind and
granted him the freedom and flexibility to operate with full autonomy from anywhere and
anytime.
Director
Accountancy Online
http://www.accountancyonline.com.au/
@kanemunro

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Facilitator
With over 25 years of experience in the accounting industry spearheading Australian expansion
for all leading accounting software vendors, Wayne is now focused on his passion: enabling
accounting firms to unleash their growth potential, embrace change and be more profitable, via
his role as Accounting Practice Advisor at Karbon. Based in Australia, Wayne is a popular speaker
in the US and Australia and brings his humor to the stage as well as his understanding of the
needs and wants of accountants.
Contributor
David Leary is a Small Business Ecosystem Evangelist at Intuit and an innovative force in the small
business accounting world. His business sense, vast technical knowledge and domain expertise
have helped bridge the gap between developers, small business owners and accountants.
In 2015, David was named by Accounting Today as a "One to Watch" in their Top 100 Most
Influential People issue.
Accounting Practice Advisor
Karbon Inc.
http://karbonhq.com
@wayne_schmidt__chmidt
Small Business Ecosystem
Evangelist
Intuit Inc.
http://intuit.com
@davidleary

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Small Businesses that Use the Cloud
are More Successful
• Those that use cloud based solutions have 25% more revenue
• An app can save a small business three hours a week…
• Two apps can give a small business a whole extra month a year
HOW TO DEFINE APPS

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HOW TO FIND APPS
Apps.com and QuickBooks Online Apps Tab
Google Searches
Word of Mouth
• Online Reviews
• Online Discussion Groups
• Conferences
• Webinars
• Over Lunch

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POWER PANEL TOP TAKEAWAYS
According to Kane Munro
1. Automate what you can afford to — Your time is the most precious resource you have.
Use technology to automate as many repetitive and time consuming tasks that you can.
2. Outsource what you can afford to — Your time is the most precious resource you have
(yes, it’s that important I’ve mentioned it twice). If technology can’t do exactly what you
need, find cheaper time than yours to do tasks.
3. Go Mobile — You likely have pockets of time you didn’t even realise. If you’ve got the
ability to do productive work on the go it allows you to tap into these unexpected pockets
(Example: If you’re on the train or waiting for an appointment).
4. Change it — Don’t be afraid of change. If something isn’t working for you or is sucking up
too much of your time, do not be afraid to change the process/app/resource to
something that works.
5. Focus — You cannot afford to waste the time you have.
According to Diane Lucas
1. Embrace change — It is happening whether you want it to or not. Choose to move with it
or be left behind. If you aren’t the one talking to your clients about change, someone else
will be.
2. Aim for simple — Apps are about creating processes that is repeatable and consistent.
No one app will do it all (we wish); don’t let best get in the way of better.
3. Cost isn’t everything — Apps cost money; time is money. Find an app which makes your
processes more efficient and the app will pay for itself.
4. Don’t be afraid — This works two ways. Your practice needs to step up into the new-age
to remain relevant. But, don’t be afraid to define your client base. Work out your ideal
client and let go of those who are holding you back.
5. Think outside the box — Don’t restrict yourself to what you currently know. Learning
enables change. Always be thinking about your clients and how you can better help them
to simplify their business.
6. Understand what you are trying to achieve — If you aren’t sure, then talk an expert who
can help to articulate your needs/wants. Remember, your wants may be very different
from your needs.

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According to Clayton Oates
1. If you're feeling app-overwhelm, you're not alone. This session will teach you how to
overcome inertia and help you start your app selection process.
2. Building an apps-stack doesn't mean you have to know a stack of apps! Discover
how to shortlist the key apps you need to better service your chosen client base.
3. Discover the key questions to ask when interviewing prospective app vendors in order
to create lasting partnerships
4. Discern the big six app end-points that are needed by most businesses. Learn how the
bookkeeper and accountant are perfectly positioned to add more value to the client
relationship by delivering these solutions.
5. Learn how to effectively market apps to your clients
6. Apps can differentiate you and your firm in the marketplace

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Additional Resources
DAVID LEARY’S 12 LAWS OF SMALL BUSINESS SAAS APPS
1. There is not a list of top apps; there are only smaller lists of possible apps that could be
a good fit for a specific small business
2. There is no app that does everything
3. The right app today may not be the right app tomorrow
4. Using the right app can save time; time is money, justifying the cost of the app
5. The source of truth will be spread across many apps
6. Accountants, you cannot possibly learn all the apps. Pick a niche and learn the apps
needed for that niche.
7. Developers, if you think your app works for every small business niche you are wrong
8. Small business owners, if your accountant says you need to be on QuickBooks Desktop,
they haven't explored the numerous apps which when added to QuickBooks Online
are a better solution
9. Apps keep small business owners and their employees out of the accounting software,
returning it to its natural home in the domain of accountants and bookkeepers
10. It's Software as a Service (SaaS). Service is all that matters.
11. Commodity apps will get cheaper in price, niche apps will increase in price
12. It's not a conversion from Desktop; it's an upgrade to a better cloud ecosystem of
solutions

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APP CHECKLIST
CHOOSE
q Screen Shots
q Upfront Pricing
q Free Trial
q Self-Signup
q QuickBooks integration
TEST
q Collaboration
q Learning Curve
q Pricing
q Platform
q Support
IMPLEMENT
q Test on its own
q Add to demo account
q Test with client
q Get feedback and adjust
q Train, support, rollout