How To Use Zapier To Automate Workflows In Your Accounting Firm

If you work in an accounting firm, you know how important it is to stay organized and efficient. Managing finances for multiple clients can be time-consuming and tedious, leaving little room for growth and development.

At the same time, there are a thousand cloud-based apps for small businesses and AI tools that can help you give some order to these tasks. The problem: Not all of them work together. 

Fortunately, there is a solution: Zapier. This web-based automation tool allows users to connect different web applications and automate workflows between them. In this blog, we’ll discuss how you can use Zapier to streamline your accounting firm's workflows and save time.

What is Zapier?

Zapier is a web-based automation tool that allows users to connect different web applications and automate workflows between them. It enables users to create "Zaps," which are automated workflows that connect two or more apps, allowing data to flow seamlessly between them.

Zapier supports a wide range of applications, including popular tools such as Gmail, Slack, Salesforce, QuickBooks, and many other cloud-based alternatives. Users can create Zaps without the need for coding or technical expertise, making Zapier accessible to a wide range of users.

Why use Zapier for your accounting firm?

Using Zapier can help you automate many of your recurring tasks, such as client onboarding, data entry, and notifications. This can save countless hours each month and free up time for more important tasks. Additionally, Zapier can help you reduce errors and increase consistency by automating processes and ensuring that tasks are completed in a standardized way.

How does Zapier work?

A Zap starts with a Trigger, which means that something happens in an app that you’re using. For example, you receive a new email in Gmail, create a new invoice in QuickBooks, or an event is added to your Google Calendar. When that Trigger occurs, Zapier sends an Action instruction to another app to do something in another app. This can be endless, depending on the number of apps that you have connected to Zapier.

Building a Zap

To get started with Zapier, you'll need to sign up for an account and connect the apps you want to use. Once you've done that, you can start building your first Zap. Let’s say you want to collect a W-9 form from a service vendor as soon as you add the vendor to your QuickBooks Online company. This is a process that can be automated with Zapier. Here’s how the workflow in Zapier works:

Step 1: Define the Trigger

The first step in building a Zap is to define the Trigger. This is the event that will activate the Zap. For example, create a new Zap and select QuickBooks as the trigger app. Choose the "New Vendor" trigger, so that when a new vendor is created in QuickBooks, the Zap will be activated.

Step 2: Add a Filter

Once you've defined the Trigger, you can add a Filter to specify the conditions that must be met for the Zap to run. In our example, the filter checks if the vendor is a service vendor. You can do this by checking if the vendor is marked as a "service vendor" in QuickBooks.

Step 3: Add an Action

The final step is to add an Action that will be performed when the Trigger event occurs. In this case, sends a blank Form W-9 to the vendor via email when the vendor is added to QuickBooks Online.

How can accounting firms use Zapier?

Accounting firms can use Zapier to automate a wide range of tasks, from collecting and processing client information to tracking expenses and creating invoices. Here are a few examples:

• Client Onboarding: You can use Zapier to automate the process of onboarding new clients. For example, when a client completes a Google Form, Zapier can automatically create a new client record in your accounting software, create a new channel in Slack to notify your team and create a new folder in Google Drive or Dropbox to store their documents.
• Expense Tracking: Zapier can also be used to track expenses automatically. For instance, when you receive an email with an invoice attached, Zapier can save the attachment to a specific folder in Google Drive, send a notification to a team member to approve the invoice and create an expense report in your accounting software.
• Invoice Creation: With Zapier, you can automate the process of creating invoices. For example, when a new payment is received through PayPal, Zapier can automatically create a new invoice in your accounting software, add the payment to the invoice, and send an email to the client with the invoice attached.
• Time Tracking: Zapier can also be used to track employee time. For instance, when an employee clocks in and out using a time tracking app like Toggl, Zapier can automatically create a timesheet in your accounting software, calculate the employee's hours, and create a billable time entry for the client.

Set to success

In conclusion, Zapier is a powerful tool that can help accounting firms save time and streamline their workflows. By automating repetitive tasks, firms can focus on higher-value work, such as providing strategic advice to clients or developing new business opportunities. With Zapier, accounting firms can increase their efficiency, improve their accuracy, and enhance their client service.

Kevin Mitchell, CPA

Senior Manager and CPA with over 20 years of experience in accounting and financial services, specializing in risk management and regulatory compliance. Skilled in managing audits and leading teams to deliver exceptional services. Proud father of two.

🔗 Kevin Mitchell | LinkedIn

References

Save time and reduce errors with accounting automation | Zapier. (n.d.). Save Time and Reduce Errors With Accounting Automation | Zapier. https://zapier.com/blog/accounting-automation/

Streamline your accounting with these 5 automation tips | Zapier. (n.d.). Streamline Your Accounting With These 5 Automation Tips | Zapier. https://zapier.com/blog/favorite-zaps-accounting/