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- Automation & MCP
What backend tech stack is being used to build an internal AI-powered practice management tool (chat, transcripts, client data)?
The system uses Supabase as the full database, storing everything including QuickBooksrelated data and call transcripts.
Jul 8 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What is being used for data storage in a custom-built internal accounting tool, and how is it managed?
Ben confirmed Supabase is used as the cloudbased data storage backend (not a physical server).
Jul 8 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
What inspired building a centralized platform to replace multiple disconnected software tools, and how has the team responded?
Ben said team buyin has been mostly positive, though there was some hesitation from staff who were previously employed by BotKeeper, since that company heavily…
Jul 8 call Members-only - Bookkeeping
Why use QuickBooks Online bank connections instead of Plaid for pulling client bank data?
The main reason was concern about connecting bank accounts to Plaid as a thirdparty user — some banks (the example given was Chase) require the actual account…
Jul 8 call Members-only - Security & compliance
Does recreating a bank statement from transaction data (instead of using the actual scanned statement) reduce PII/privacy concerns when feeding it into AI tools?
The point was raised that when a bank statement is recreated from transaction data rather than using the original document, it typically lacks account numbers…
Jul 8 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
Is an internally-built client portal designed to be mobile-friendly?
Ben said probably not his internal team tool was never designed with mobile use in mind since the team works at computers.
Jul 8 call Members-only - Bookkeeping
How can I build a custom QBO month-end close review tool that flags unreconciled accounts, uncategorized entries, and other close issues, instead of relying on a third-party tool like Keeper/Zenit?
Ben built an internal tool (a QBO 'month and close' reviewer) after having issues with a thirdparty tool (referred to as Zenit), particularly around…
Jul 8 call Members-only - Automation & MCP Open question
When building an AI chat assistant that searches across all client transcripts/data, how do you handle the assistant taking in too much information when queried broadly instead of per-client?
Ben indicated that vector layers had to be added on top of the transcripts because there was too much text for the system to search effectively otherwise.
Jul 8 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How do you make an AI assistant search through large volumes of client call transcripts and task data?
The team found that with large amounts of transcript text, a simple search wasn't enough — they had to add vector layers on top of the transcripts so the…
Jul 8 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Is there a better way to get Fireflies call transcripts into a system besides downloading them one by one?
Ben explained that transcripts are pushed directly into a database (Supabase) via an automated action, some of which run through GitHub daily actions.
Jul 8 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What is this internal 'Arch' tool that combines bank feeds, client tools, and bookkeeping workflows?
The tool (called ARCH) is an internal platform built to unify a firm's backoffice operations for a propertymanagement bookkeeping practice.
Jul 8 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What problems led a bookkeeping firm to start building custom internal tools instead of relying on Karbon and other off-the-shelf apps?
Ben runs Keystone Bookkeepers, a mostly bookkeeping/CAS firm heavily niched in shortterm rental property management (95% of business), using VR Trust (outside…
Jul 8 call Members-only - Advisory
How can we use Claude/AI to build client-facing benchmarking and analytics dashboards from QuickBooks data?
Ben described connecting all clients' QuickBooks files (clients are concentrated in one niche) into their system and mapping each client's chart of accounts,…
Jul 8 call Members-only - Bookkeeping
How do you set up automatic bank feed rules in QuickBooks Online so nothing is left sitting in the bank feed?
Bank feed data comes directly from QBO rather than Plaid.
Jul 8 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How can our firm build an internal system to store and query all our call transcripts using AI?
One firm built a system where call transcripts (from Fireflies) are pushed directly into a Supabase database via GitHub actions.
Jul 8 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
How much does building an internal tool (vs. paying for tools like Uncat) actually save in time and money, or is it more about housing information internally?
Ben's tech stack is very cheap: Supabase for the back end, Vercel for the front end, and low API call costs.
Jul 8 call Members-only - Getting started
If we want to build a smaller version of an internal AI/automation system, where should we start?
Start with basic infrastructure: Vercel, GitHub, and Supabase, which the speaker found userfriendly and sufficient to get going.
1:00Jul 8 call Members-only - Bookkeeping
Has building custom internal tools actually reduced close time (e.g., a 5-day close) or shown measurable time savings for the team?
Ben said he hasn't noticed overall time savings yet, in part because the tools he shared aren't fully rolled out to the team he's still personally testing and…
Jul 8 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
When building an internal platform with many features, is it better to build features separately and combine them later, or start with one unified platform and keep adding features?
Ben said he started with a few standalone tools and combined them into one internal platform pretty early on because he needed a single place to house…
Jul 8 call Members-only - Bookkeeping
How can we build our own QBO month-end close review tool instead of relying on Zenit?
One firm built a custom QBO monthclose review tool after running into issues with Zenit, particularly around unreconciled bank accounts — Zenit required…
1:50Jul 8 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
How do you get your team interested in and engaged with using AI tools like Claude?
Ben's approach was to create an internal AI group with team members who had been with the firm for a few years, and require them to use the tools.
Jul 8 call Members-only - Bookkeeping Open question
When automating bank statement recreation from transaction data (e.g., via QuickBooks or Plaid), is it possible to also pull actual check images?
A member asked whether an automated bank statement/transaction pull could also retrieve check images rather than just recreating the transaction list.
Jul 8 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
Is the internal client portal structured per client, and can the internal team see all clients in one place?
Ben explained that on the clientfacing side, clients only see their own properties (or, in cases where one owner has multiple properties, all of those).
Jul 8 call Members-only - Bookkeeping Open question
Can bank statement-style output (with beginning/ending balances) be generated from data pulled through Plaid or QuickBooks rather than obtaining actual client bank statements?
One approach discussed was building a system where a client logs in once through Plaid to grant token access, after which Plaid pulls the exact transaction…
Jul 8 call Members-only - Automation & MCP Open question
Where does a custom-built practice management/client portal tool actually get hosted, and what's involved in maintaining it long-term?
The custom client portal tool currently runs on Supabase and Vercel, with the underlying hosting managed by the contractor building it; the firm owner wasn't…
Jul 8 call Members-only - Automation & MCP Open question
What does it mean to run AI 'locally' or 'offline,' and is anyone using this to annotate financials and map them to Drake tax software?
A distinction was drawn between two different meanings of 'local': (1) working with files stored on your local machine while still using Claude in the cloud…
57:01Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
What is a 'handoff skill' and how do I use it when a Claude conversation gets too long?
A handoff skill lets you continue a conversation in a new chat once you're approaching the context window limit, by activating a skill (e.g., typing a slash…
33:09Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
How can I get Claude to pull together everything it has previously taught me or discussed on a specific topic across multiple chats?
You can ask Claude to pull up all chats related to a specific topic and summarize what's been covered — for example, asking it to review all chats where you've…
39:42Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Is it better to use Claude Projects with CLAUDE.md files for a specific project, housing project-specific skills within an overall CLAUDE.md, rather than re-teaching context every time?
One approach shared: use a project and draganddrop relevant files into it rather than reexplaining context each time, since even with memory features Claude…
39:00Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What are the two types of MCP connectors in Claude, and how do I set up a custom one?
There are Claudepromoted (builtin) connectors and custom connectors.
10:21Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
How should someone who doesn't know what they're doing get started using Claude for a project?
The suggested approach is to work through it with Claude directly: tell it you don't know exactly what you're doing but have a goal, and don't want it to make…
29:50Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How can I use Claude Projects to capture ongoing frustrations/ideas and turn them into automation opportunities?
Create a project in Claude Chat and set the project instructions to something like: "I'm going to dump in all the ideas and frustrations I encounter in my…
46:55Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How would you get started using Claude/MCPs to consolidate information scattered across tools like email, Slack, and Notion to see where things stand with a client, without altering any data?
This is described as a good use case for MCPs: connect all the relevant MCPs (email, Slack, Notion, etc.) into Claude, then build a "skill" — a repeatable…
27:34Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
Do you ever ask Claude what information it's missing in order to accomplish a task?
Yes — a common practice is to explicitly ask Claude followup questions like "what is my blind spot here?" or "what do you need from me?" before starting a task…
40:39Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
I feel completely lost with AI as a CPA — where do I even start?
Start simply: open Claude (even the free version) and literally tell it "I feel like a deer in the headlights.
43:40Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
If we all end up living inside one 'super app' like Claude, are we still able to access all our other tools and data?
Yes.
20:38Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What's the difference between APIs and MCPs?
APIs are the legacy approach for connecting to a service, useful when you want to build a custom application.
9:24Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
Is it okay to ask Claude very basic or 'dumb' questions, and how does that help improve workflows?
There's no such thing as a dumb question to ask Claude.
35:35Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
What prompting techniques help when using Claude to create and execute a research or project plan?
One approach is to turn the model's thinking/effort level up to at least "high" when generating a plan, then explicitly tell it to run deep research so it…
19:01Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How can I use Claude to build an automated client/user status dashboard from emails and other data sources?
One approach shared: connect data sources (like a user signup list) and email into Claude, then ask it to check email history to see if you've already talked…
29:02Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Can Claude be used to build or redesign a firm website, including for a specific niche?
Yes.
15:08Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What's the difference between an MCP and an API, and when should you use one versus the other?
MCP is used when you want to live and operate within an existing assistant environment like Claude or Codex — it lets that environment connect to and use…
21:36Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What's the difference between Claude chat, Claude Code, and Cowork?
Claude Code used to be terminalbased but now runs directly in the application, so you don't need to go to a terminal anymore.
13:12Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What is MCP and how is it different from an API?
MCP (Model Context Protocol) was described as being developed by Anthropic as a way for AI agents to talk directly to other applications, letting you do work…
7:49Jul 1 call Members-only - Security & compliance Open question
Which AI tax prep tool should I use, and does it require 7216 disclosure to clients?
There are many different tools available for tax prep, including Cowork if you have Claude Enterprise (which now offers Cowork with data protection features,…
17:09Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
How do I consolidate and store outputs (markdown files, chat content) across different Claude conversations so I can pick a project back up later?
One practice is exporting outputs into a desktop folder for projects you expect to revisit, then pushing that folder to Dropbox or Google Drive so Claude can…
31:09Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP Open question
Can a fully offline/local AI workflow that maps financials to Drake tax lines be integrated directly with Drake's import process?
A member described a workflow that runs fully offline with local models on local folders (no cloud) to take financials and annotate next to each line where…
59:00Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
How do I know when to move from a regular Claude chat to something like Claude Code or another Claude surface, and how do I avoid wasting tokens as a beginner?
The suggested approach is to simply tell Claude your constraints as part of the prompt: e.g., "I have no background in AI, I don't want to use up tokens…
48:03Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
How do you use voice/speech instead of typing when working with Claude?
You can press and hold the microphone button and speak your request out loud (e.g., "hey, I want to build this") rather than typing.
36:29Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Can you build lightweight custom software plus your own MCP to hook it into Claude/ChatGPT for your own workflows?
Yes — an example given was someone who bought a firm with an old CRM she didn't like, so she used Claude Code to build her own custom CRM, then created an MCP…
25:09Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How hard is it to actually build a custom tool with a working back end (not just a front end) and an MCP on top of it?
Getting a nicelooking front end built can be fast — often within 30 minutes to a weekend.
26:48Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
Is it worth paying for a Claude course for accountants?
The advice given was not to buy a paid Claude course for accountants (referencing courses priced around $1,500–$2,000), and instead to spend that money on…
18:37Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How can Claude be used to draft client memos (e.g., an 83(b) election memo) using firm formatting and writing style?
By connecting an MCP (such as one for a practice management/accounting platform), Claude can draft a memo—for example, an 83(b) election memo—because it…
14:05Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How can I have an AI tool interact with websites or software that doesn't have an official API?
One approach discussed was using the Claude in Chrome extension, which lets Claude browse and click through websites much like a human would, just a bit slower.
49:56Jul 1 call Members-only - Security & compliance Open question
Is there a resource showing exactly what security settings to turn on when getting started with AI tools?
Yes — the group indicated there is something on the site covering this, and suggested it's a good topic to dig into further as its own conversation.
46:27Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
Should I put instructions like 'explain things to me as a beginner' into my organization/global custom instructions so they apply every time?
Yes — general preferences about your experience level, how you want things explained, and how you want the AI to guide you between tools can be placed in…
53:33Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started
Which AI model should I be using right now (Claude vs Codex)?
The latest recommended model is Sonnet 4.5 (referred to on the call as 'Sonnet 5'), released the day before this call, which 'should be your goto now.' There…
16:28Jul 1 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Can you create your own MCP to connect to a third-party company's software even if that company doesn't offer one?
No.
23:13Jul 1 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
What's the best way for members of this AI accounting group to work together and support each other?
One suggested model, based on running a weekly session with accounting cofounders: hold a targeted weekly meeting where members do homework beforehand (e.g.,…
41:56Jul 1 call Members-only - Getting started Open question
When should I use a plain chat versus setting up a Claude Project?
Projects are useful when you want to silo a specific initiative with its own context so it doesn't bleed into other conversations — for example, creating a…
37:27Jul 1 call Members-only
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