How to set your clients up with MYOB (without lifting a finger)
2nd September, 2015
Your client has done their research, listened to your advice, and made a decision. They’re going to manage their accounts with MYOB software. Nice. Now what?
How do they move from their existing solution to MYOB?
The savvy accountant or bookkeeper could do this migration themselves. But it takes time, and who can afford that?
MYOB’s migration services help you to switch from another accounting software to a nifty MYOB online solution like AccountRight or Essentials Accounting.
So how does it work and does it save time?
I caught up with Victorian bookkeeper Debbie Demooy of RAD Bookkeeping and Business Solutions to get her thoughts on MYOB’s migration services.
Q: Tell me one of your favourite client stories.
Debbie: I started with one particular client about nine years ago – a small electrical business, tiny, just himself. He now has 15 employees and around the $2 million-mark in revenue. To this day, we advise him on business matters. He’s not afraid to ring up.
I love getting brand new clients, brand new businesses in. From the start, I can advise them on everything from getting an ABN to setting up WorkCover.
We are advisors to most businesses on how to do things. All my clients know that if they’ve got queries, they can ring or email me. I might not get back to them straight away, but I will always get them an answer. Many clients come to us before their accountant!
Q: How long have you been in business in Mornington, Deb?
Debbie: 15 years.
Q: What changes have you seen?
Debbie: Oh, lots of changes. Everything used to be manual. Now look at it – awesome.
Q: Fifteen years ago, you would have been offline. Can you remember what the workflow was like?
Debbie: It would take hours! You’d have to wait for the bank statement to come in. Some people don’t have their bank statements set to monthly, so you’d have to wait three months for the bank statement to come in and there would be three months of data to enter, which is time consuming. All that data entry makes your hands sore!
Q: What are the big advantages that technology has given you?
Debbie: Having instant access to bank data is fantastic. Before that I was importing it, but it’s still data entry. I think that’s the biggest improvement – having that live feed between the bank and the accounting software.
I now no longer have to log into the bank, which is another big advantage. I’ve got two screens, but I was considering getting another screen because two screens weren’t enough! I used to have the bank up on one side and the program up on the other side.
Q: How long have you been moving your clients to the cloud?
Debbie: Three years. I was one of the first to start. To be honest I didn’t like it at first – it was slow.
It’s fantastic now. I’m trying to get everyone online. It’s just easier.
Q: Are the customers with an online solution seeing the benefits?
Debbie: Oh yes! I had clients that were sitting at home every weekend reconciling their accounts.
I told them I could bring that figure down from 20 hours a month to just five. (It could actually be lower than that, but it depends on their pace.)
I ask clients: “Would you prefer to use 15 hours a month to have some time with your kids or be out in the garden instead of doing bank reconciliation?”
I offer it as a timesaving opportunity. If I set up the rules for them, they don’t actually have to do anything.
I always check their file before a BAS is done. They still give me their bank statements and paperwork, and I make sure they’ve paid it. But after a quick look through their ledger I can see where something’s out.
Q: Are your clients actually seeing those timesavings?
Debbie: Oh, they’re blown away! They ask why we didn’t do it earlier.
Once you show someone the program, they see the benefits.
Just last week I demonstrated it to a lady and she was blown away. She remarked: “What? Where did this come from? I’ve been manually entering this stuff for so long. How long has this been around?”
I told her ‘years’, but it’s only great now.
Q: What have been the challenges of moving clients to an online solution?
Debbie: Lots of people are conscious of the internet and hacking. Seriously, who’s going to go in and hack your file? They’re going to hack your bank before they hack that.
Many have been worried that I’d have access to their bank! I made it clear that it was only the bank feeds, only the data. I don’t get to pay transactions from clients’ accounts.
Pay Super’s been unreal – I’ve been setting heaps of clients up on that. With the click of a button, I can tell clients how much they owe for the month or for the quarter and ask them if they want me to process it.
I’ve signed up for it so I get the code to authorise it and all that. BAM – done! How easy is that?
We’ve been using a clearing house and that still takes time to use. Unbelievable.
Q: So how does MYOB’s new migration service fit in with your service offering? Does it save you time?
Debbie: It definitely saves time because the data is transferred and I don’t have to enter it from another program. Otherwise I’d have to export lists, export clients, export suppliers, and then I would have to import it again. That takes time. That’s having two screens up and making sure it all comes through. With MYOB’s migration service I can send it off and it’s all done.
Q: Does that open up opportunities for you with your current client base?
Debbie: Some clients drop their work in and want it next week. Realistically, that’s unlikely. But if they are online, there’s a chance that it could happen. It doesn’t matter what program, as long as it’s an MYOB online program – either Essentials or AccountRight.
Live data is crucial – clients want an overview on profit and loss instantly. With data that’s up to date, that’s possible. Being able to offer clients what they want – when they want it – is brilliant.
To learn more about how you can streamline the transition, discover how MYOB’s migration services can help you and your clients.