This episode of Digi-Tools in Accrual World features Ryan Pearcy and Indi Tatla alongside guest Lara Manton to discuss the latest shifts in accounting tech news and fintech news. The team examines the stability of AI-first platforms following reports that Genesis has encountered financial difficulties and Botkeeper has closed its doors.

The conversation highlights a divide in the market: while some bookkeeping automation tools struggle, Field Guide has raised $75 million to target complex audit and advisory workflows for major firms. The panel also weighs in on the "AI disruption anxiety" felt across the sector after Anthropic released new legal AI tools, affecting the share prices of incumbents like Sage and Thomson Reuters.

Further topics include:

• Pilot’s unveiling of an "autonomous AI accountant" and the validity of its ten-year data claims.
• Simpro Group’s acquisition of Delight to bolster its trade-focused operating platform.
• The departure of Buddy’s CEO and the future of standalone payroll software.
• A landmark Upper Tribunal ruling involving HMRC that suggests baldness could be considered a disability for VAT purposes.

Episode Sponsor This episode is proudly sponsored by Advancetrack, the market leader in delivering high-quality offshore outsourcing solutions combined with cutting-edge technology for accountancy practices.

Sponsor Link: https://www.advancetrack.com/

0:00 Intro - welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World

07:54 AI agent Jenesys seeks new ownership

12:36 Botkeeper announces the closure of its platform to its community of users

16:18 Goldman Sachs backs Fieldguide with significant funding

21:28 Anthropic legal tool impacts data service providers

27:35 Pilot launches AI accountant to automate the entire bookkeeping process

34:12 Simpro Group expands its field service reach with the acquisition of Delight

36:36 Founder David Seisun announces his departure as CEO of Buddy after seven years

41:02 Expend introduces automatic document matching and updates reimbursement fees for 2026

42:44 Court rules that hair loss treatments can be zero-rated for VAT purposes

Stay ahead of the curve with the latest accounting tech news and fintech news in this episode of the Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast.

Today, Indi Tatla, John Toon, and our new regular guest Eriona Bajrakurtaj discuss the strategic shifts happening across the major platforms. We explore how Xero is doubling down on everyday productivity with 55 new feature updates and its continued push into the US market via the Melio acquisition.

We also examine the departure of Nick Williams from Intuit after 12 years and the legacy he leaves behind in the UK QuickBooks ecosystem.

Key topics include:

* The merger of Data Switcher and Move My Books for AI data migration. * Dext’s new AI agent, Dext Assist, and integrated payment workflows. * Briefcase’s approach to natural language context in document uploads. * A deep look at Xero’s quarterly product updates and global strategy. * The market implications of the cancelled Xeinadin sale.

0:00 - Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World App News: 7:00 - Merger of Dataswitcher and Movemybooks 13:10 - Dext Updates 19:37 - Briefcase Natural Language 23:43 - Xero's Updates and AI/US Strategy 35:21 - Nick Williams leaving Intuit 39:52 - Xeinadin Sale Collapse

This episode is made possible by Adsum. Adsum allows you to connect directly to HMRC for a single dashboard view of client taxes, including payroll, VAT, and corporation tax.

Episode Sponsor: Adsum: https://www.adsum-works.com/

In this episode of Digi-Tools in Accrual World, Indi and John react to the the latest accounting tech news shaping 2026.

We break down Sage's impressive Q1 financial results and their aggressive move into "agentic" AI workflows with the new Sage Copilot for Operations.

We also discuss the "feature-parity" battle as QuickBooks Online rolls out advanced inventory management to entice Desktop users to the cloud. Plus, we look at the sobering reality of AI ROI for CEOs and why high-quality data remains the biggest hurdle for "touchless" tax compliance.

00:00 Introduction and Exciting Changes Ahead 03:22 Sage leads blue-chip leaderboard after strong quarterly growth 06:54 Sage announces new suite of AI-powered capabilities within its Operations and Inventory modules 11:52 Sage partners with Augusta Labs to build out a new AI Centre of Excellence 16:09 Intuit introduces significant inventory management upgrades for QuickBooks Online users 20:42 Xledger integrates with Tessitura 24:10 Majority of CEOs yet to see financial payoff from AI 29:10 Thomson Reuters AI Updates 32:04 Finfluencer Deep Fakes 34:08 Close Out

This episode is sponsored by Fathom - fathomhq.com

In this episode of the Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast, Ryan Pearcy and John Toon dive into the latest shifts in the accounting technology landscape, following John’s return from his annual ski trip. The duo explores significant new software integrations and the evolving role of AI in professional workflows.

Key topics covered include:

Platform Integrations: The hosts discuss Fathom's new official integration with FreeAgent, enhancing reporting capabilities for small business users.

Xero Updates: A deep dive into Xero’s full rollout of Syft for advanced analytics and visual reporting. They also discuss the UI alignment of credit notes with invoices and speculate on a strategic "new user segment" hinted at in recent high-level job postings.

Regulatory Alerts: Ryan flags a critical gap in major payroll software (including BrightPay, Sage, and Xero) regarding the automatic calculation of maternity pension contributions, which currently requires manual intervention to maintain compliance.

Embedded Accounting: A look at Sage’s strategic partnership to embed its technology directly into HSBC UK’s business banking platform, a move aimed at sole traders and MTD readiness.

The Rise of MCPs: John explains the significance of Scoro launching a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, allowing users to interact with their business data through natural language via LLMs like ChatGPT or Claude.

Enterprise AI: An overview of Acumatica’s heavy investment in AI-driven workflows, anomaly detection for "real-time audits," and voice-interface assistants.

Industry Reflections: The episode concludes with insights from the "Finance Takes the Peace" trip, reflecting on the diversity of opinions regarding offshoring, the "firm of the future," and the professional responsibility of using AI-generated advice.

Chapters

00:00 Ski Trip Adventures and Industry Connections 01:59 Fathom launches FreeAgent integration 03:33 Payroll Software Challenges 08:08 Xero's New Features and Enhancements 12:25 Xero's Credit Notes Upgrade 14:39 Speculation on Xero's future 18:52 Sage and HSBC partner to deliver MTD tools to Sole Traders 24:48 Scoro's MCP Server and Natural Language Integration 30:06 AI Integration in Acumatica 35:38 Accountero utilises AI agents to help firms 41:02 Regulatory Challenges in Fintech: The Airwallex Investigation 45:11 Insights from Finance Takes the Piste: The Future of Accounting

In this episode of the Digi-Tools in Accrual World podcast, hosts Ryan Pearcy and Leigh Stallard dive into the latest in accounting and fintech news. They discuss the impact of new technologies on the industry, highlight key updates from companies like A2X, iplicit, and Crezco, and explore the strategic moves of Briefcase and FYI. The conversation also touches on the importance of automation and innovation in accounting practices.

00:00 - Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World 6.03 - Sponsored by Scoro

04:23 - A2X Innovations and E-commerce Solutions

08:12 - iplicit's Growth and Focus on Education

11:17 - Acumatica's New Leadership and Market Positioning

14:36 - Crezco's Pay by Card Feature

17:29 - Briefcase's New Sales Processing Feature

21:52 - Briefcase adds Line Item Categorisation

25:16 - FYI's Adds Forms Feature

31:14 - Digital Disruptors Updates

Scoro - www.scoro.com

Reuben’s Website post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/reuben-steenkamp_over-christmas-i-spent-2-weeks-782-million-activity-7417541719820238848-PsSE

In this episode of Digi-Tools in Accrual World, Ryan and Indi dive into the start of 2026 with a breakdown of the biggest accounting tech news and fintech news hitting the market.

The conversation headlines with Xero’s major platform shift, moving to usage-based pricing and restricting API data for AI training. Is this a move for security or a strategy to build a "walled garden"? The hosts also explore the rising "slop" in accounting books caused by generalist AI chatbots, with new data from Dext highlighting the cost of these errors for firms.

Plus, we cover the latest updates from Scoro (retainer watchdogs), FloQast’s push for deterministic AI, and WorkflowMax’s focus on capacity forecasting. Finally, we look at how niche firms are using tech stacks to target the construction boom.

In this episode, we cover:

Xero’s Platform Shift: The end of the 15% revenue share and new data usage costs.

Data Ownership: The debate over who owns client data - the platform, the accountant, or the business.

Scoro Updates: New "Watchdog" alerts for retainer metrics and resource booking improvements.

FloQast & AI: Why "deterministic" AI might be the future for reliable accounting workflows.

AI Hallucinations: Dext reveals how much money clients are losing due to chatbot errors.

WorkflowMax: Using AI for staff capacity forecasting and handling subcontractor approvals.

This episode is sponsored by Xledger, the mid-tier accounting system perfect for those moving to the cloud. www.xledger.com

00:00 – Intro & Welcome

00:03:41 – Xero’s Data Ownership & Pricing Shake-up

00:10:45 – Scoro Releases: Watchdog Alerts for Retainers

00:14:07 – FloQast’s Deterministic AI Strategy

00:20:36 – The Cost of AI Errors: Dext Data on Chatbot "Slop"

00:25:12 – WorkflowMax Updates: Capacity Planning & Fraud Detection

00:31:12 – Solving the Subcontractor Approval Headache

00:34:15 – Niche Focus: Tech Stacks for Construction

00:37:41 – Awards, Academy & Closing

Welcome back to Digi-Tools in Accrual World! We are kicking off 2026 with a packed episode of accounting tech news and fintech news to help you navigate the year ahead.

Join John Toon, Ryan Pearcy, and Indi Tatla as they look at the latest launches, from the world's first "AI CFO" to major platform updates from the industry giants. Plus, the team breaks down bold predictions for the profession - is the manual month-end close dead?

In this episode, we cover:

• Nume Launch: We analyse the release of Nume, the "first AI CFO". Is this $99/mo tool a threat or an opportunity for accountants?

• Intuit Accountants Suite: A look at Intuit’s massive redesign, including the new "close books at scale" feature and AI-powered client insights.

• Fintech & Capital: Updates on the QuickBooks Capital Marketplace, featuring new integrations with Adsum for instant VAT refunds and YouLend for working capital.

• Iris Elements Summary: A review of Iris’s 2025 updates, including new large-firm features, IFRS support, and the long-awaited tax anomaly detection.

• 2026 Predictions: We debate Digits CEO Jeff Seibert's claim that the month-end close will be fully automated by the end of this year.

• Future Trends: Insights from Wallester on why real-time finance and spend management are becoming the new advisory standard.

• Solver's New AI: A look at Solver’s new AI-driven supply chain management solution for manufacturing and logistics clients.

Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by iplicit, the award-winning mid-tier accounting software.

Subscribe for more insights into the digital evolution of accounting!

Join Indi, Ryan, John and Leigh for the Digi-Tools in Accrual World Year-End Special - sponsored by Advancetrack.

In this episode, the team gathers in the studio to wrap up a massive year in accounting tech news.

We break down the most controversial and exciting stories of 2025, from Xero and QuickBooks Online introducing strict usage caps to the explosion of fintech news surrounding AI agents and automated ledgers. We also cover major acquisitions, including the TaxCalc and Engager merger, and discuss the latest feature drops from Dext and FreeAgent.

Finally, we gaze into the crystal ball to share our predictions for 2026. Will AI replace compliance? Is e-invoicing about to change everything? Tune in to find out.

In this episode, we cover:

00:00:00: Welcome to the Christmas Special 00:02:41: Xero and QBO Fair Use Policies & Usage Caps 00:05:48: MTD for Income Tax Product Releases 00:07:22: FreeAgent Files MTD from Space 00:09:28: The Launch of Vinyl & AI Advisory 00:12:13: Digits Releases AI-Powered Ledger 00:14:23: Major Dext Feature Updates 00:17:25: TaxCalc Acquires Engager & Pricing Controversy 00:20:36: Intuit Platform & New AI Agents 00:23:58: CIS Features for QBO and FreeAgent 00:24:56: iplicit and Cin7 Integration 00:25:51: The Impact of API Charges 00:28:43: Digital Disruptor Awards Recap 00:30:50: Predictions for 2026

Subscribe for more insights into the world of accounting technology!