Practical AI for accountancy practices: where to start

AI will not replace your judgement or your knowledge of your clients, but it can take a lot of the writing, reading and admin off your team. Here is where it helps most in a small or medium practice, and where to be careful.

Where AI helps today

These are everyday tasks where practices tell us they save the most time.

• Drafting client emails, chasers and covering letters in your house style.
• Summarising long documents, such as correspondence from HMRC, leases or loan agreements, so you can find the important points quickly.
• Writing first drafts of management report commentary from figures you have already prepared.
• Turning meeting notes into clear actions and follow-up emails.
• Answering internal questions about your own procedures, using your manuals and checklists as the source.
• Preparing checklists and templates for onboarding and year end work.

Where to be careful

AI is good with language and weaker with precision. Keep these points in mind.

• Do not rely on a general chatbot for calculations. Use your accounting software and spreadsheets for the numbers.
• Tax rules change. Always check AI explanations of tax treatment against current guidance before advising a client.
• Keep client data in tools approved for it, using business accounts with data protection commitments.
• Check your professional body’s guidance on AI and make sure your engagement terms reflect how you use it.

A simple 30 day plan

Start small, measure the time saved and build from there.

1. Week 1: set the rules: Agree which tools are approved and what client information can and cannot be used. A short AI use policy is enough.
2. Week 2: pick two tasks: Choose two time-consuming writing or reading tasks and try AI on them with two or three willing colleagues.
3. Week 3: measure: Compare the time taken and the quality of the result with the usual way of working.
4. Week 4: share what works: Turn the best prompts into templates, show the rest of the team and choose the next tasks.

Want a hand getting started?

We help accountancy practices choose the right tools, set safe rules and put AI to work on the tasks that take the most time. Find out about our consulting for small firms, or talk to an AI specialist.