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449 answers · 16 sessions indexed · new every Wednesday
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- Bookkeeping
Does this AI bookkeeping tool generate workpapers or a backup file for review?
Workpaper functionality is still in development.
22:24May 27 call Members-only - Bookkeeping
How does an AI bookkeeping tool handle accruals when ingesting bank transactions, if the cash timing doesn't match revenue recognition?
As long as you point the tool in the general direction, it will figure out the accrual matching for example, if a deposit hits the bank that corresponds to…
21:30May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Why build a custom fine-tuned LLM instead of using flagship models like Claude, given token costs are low?
The presenter's stated reason was that token costs on flagship models were too expensive at scale.
20:49May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Is this bookkeeping chat tool built on Claude's agent SDK or another flagship LLM?
No.
20:17May 27 call Members-only - Bookkeeping
Is this AI bookkeeping tool a replacement for QuickBooks or does it connect into QuickBooks?
The tool is a full replacement for QuickBooks and other accounting software, not an integration layer.
19:22May 27 call Members-only - Bookkeeping
Can the AI tool reason through GAAP adjustments on its own, such as capitalizing a lease expense to a balance sheet asset and liability?
Confirmed yes.
18:25May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Could a firm build a similar document-parsing/bookkeeping tool in-house using something like Claude Code, and how was accuracy and hallucination control achieved?
The response was that this specific tool was not 'vibe coded' — it was built by dedicated developers over more than 12 months, including finetuning an OCR…
15:26May 27 call Members-only - Bookkeeping
What is the biggest bottleneck in AI-assisted bookkeeping workflows, and how was it addressed?
The main bottleneck identified was managing raw incoming client documents — duplicate bank statement uploads, unreadable JPEGs instead of proper PDFs, and…
11:15May 27 call Members-only - Client comms
How can AI be used to draft client communication emails, such as explaining a Section 179 deduction limitation?
One workflow demonstrated was taking raw notes (e.g., a client named Bob asking about how Section 179 deduction limitations apply to his business income) and…
10:10May 27 call Members-only - Security & compliance Open question
Should firms update their engagement letters to disclose that AI may be used to process client work?
One member relayed advice from another group: consider adding a short paragraph to engagement letters or terms disclosing that the firm may use AI to process…
1:04:43May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What's an effective two-step prompting approach for building a branded website with an AI design tool?
The approach shared: first prompt was "build me a website just like this" with an example website uploaded, plus a specification that it needed to be tailored…
1:01:14May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What does a modern AI stack look like for a small CPA firm doing bookkeeping and tax work, and how can client data privacy be maintained?
One firm owner (a former software engineer turned CPA running a 10person small business accounting/tax/payroll firm in Texas) described their current AI stack:…
5:03May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How do you actually build and update a website end-to-end using Claude design and Claude Code?
One workflow described: use Claude design to create the site, then have Claude Code push the changes through GitHub to Netlify as HTML.
1:00:08May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What's the purpose of using Claude design (as opposed to just going straight to a tool like Lovable) to build a website?
The stated purpose was to go deeper on standardizing the design and design language before moving to a build tool.
59:30May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Has anyone gone from a Claude-designed website mockup to an actual live website using Lovable?
One member confirmed using Lovable for this purpose.
57:53May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How can I use Loom to help generate SOPs (standard operating procedures) automatically?
One approach discussed is to record work sessions with Loom while narrating what you're doing, then take the transcript or recording and feed it into an AI…
56:57May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What kinds of small internal automation projects have members been building or planning?
One member described starting a practice of blocking two hours a week specifically for automation work, and keeping a running list every time a manual task…
55:13May 27 call Members-only - Getting started
How should I respond to enrolled agent (EA) exam candidates who feel discouraged that AI will make their future work obsolete?
One approach is to reframe why someone is pursuing the EA credential in the first place.
49:55May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Can Claude Cloud Co-work be set up with custom 'skills' to automate a firm's daily workflow across different software tools?
One member described working on building different 'skills' to connect Claude Cloud Cowork to each of the various software tools they use daily, with the goal…
48:25May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Can Claude (Cloud Co-work) integrate with Google Workspace to organize files and pull information across clients?
Yes.
47:26May 27 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
How does ClickUp compare to Notion for practice management, and is it too open-ended to be useful?
Members using ClickUp and Notion both noted the tools are similarly powerful but can feel 'too open' — you can build almost anything with them, which is both…
45:39May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How can I build a quick tool with Claude to give a client visibility into upcoming cash flow while I'm on vacation?
One member built an HTML tool with Claude for a client experiencing cash flow problems.
43:26May 27 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
After adopting AI tools and freeing up staff time, are firms adding new service lines or just gaining more capacity?
One firm reported it's a bit of both, but mainly they've shifted focus toward tax planning instead of closing books.
40:50May 27 call Members-only - Security & compliance Open question
Is it safe to use Claude for Chrome to work directly inside QuickBooks or web-based tax prep software for client work?
One member asked if anyone had used Claude for Chrome to poke around in QuickBooks or webbased tax prep software.
1:02:36May 27 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
What is the pricing model for accounting firms wanting to use this tool, and what integrations does it currently support?
Pricing is a monthly subscription based primarily on transaction/document volume more PDFs or transactions uploaded costs more, since the underlying cost…
27:33May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Why not build this tool on top of QuickBooks' ledger via its API rather than a fully independent system?
The presenter said they purposely did not want to be tied to any single platform, which is why the system was built independently with its own proprietary API…
26:25May 27 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
Does the end business-owner client use this AI bookkeeping tool directly, or only the accounting firm's team?
The tool is used by the presenter's own team and by other accounting firms as customers the end business owner client generally does not use it directly,…
25:23May 27 call Members-only - Bookkeeping
Is this AI tool a replacement for QuickBooks, or does it integrate with QuickBooks and similar accounting software?
It is a full replacement, not an integration.
19:22May 27 call Members-only - Bookkeeping
Who is the ideal client for this AI ledger tool, and does it cover AP, payroll, invoicing, and AR like QuickBooks does?
The tool is built for clients who don't need those additional features but still want yearend financials it is strictly for ledger work, not a replacement for…
24:27May 27 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
What is a typical bookkeeping engagement fee when using this kind of AI-driven ledger tool?
Pricing ranges from about $500 a month to $2,000 a month depending on the client, mostly for small businesses under $10 million in revenue.
23:10May 27 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What is the primary purpose of the 'Open Accountants' platform/project?
The primary purpose of Open Accountants is not to have accountants review tax returns directly on the platform.
32:18May 20 call Members-only - Tax
How much does it cost to have Claude review a complex tax return (e.g., one with 12 rental properties and a Schedule C)?
One speaker stated that for a very complicated return with 12 rentals and a Schedule C, Claude can review it top to bottom better than a human could, and it…
1:05:22May 20 call Members-only - Security & compliance Open question
Is there a security/compliance concern with using custom AI models (like open-source models from Hugging Face) to review tax returns, given US regulatory requirements like WISP plans and SOC 2 compliance?
One participant raised concern that in the US, tax preparation firms are regulated entities that must have a WISP (Written Information Security Plan) and use…
29:01May 20 call Members-only - Getting started
Do Claude usage credit limits reset daily, weekly, or monthly?
Based on the usage dashboard shown, there appear to be two separate limits: a shorterterm limit that resets roughly every 5 hours (the 'current session'…
58:25May 20 call Members-only - Getting started
What's the difference between using Claude in regular chat versus using 'co-work,' and when should I use each?
Cowork has access to your local files, making it more powerful for certain tasks, and it can run multiple tasks simultaneously — for example, connecting to and…
55:57May 20 call Members-only - Advisory
How does using AI for bookkeeping and financial review change the role of a fractional CFO or advisory-focused firm?
One member, who runs a fractional CFO firm, explained that fractional CFO work traditionally requires also doing the books and monthend close, but they want to…
1:03:02May 20 call Members-only - Getting started
What does the 'adaptive thinking' checkbox in Claude do, and should I leave it on?
Adaptive thinking is a setting in Claude's chat interface that, when checked, significantly increases token usage — reportedly around quadrupling it.
54:16May 20 call Members-only - Getting started
What happens when you run out of Claude tokens for the day — do you have to wait until tomorrow like with some other chatbots?
No.
54:44May 20 call Members-only - Getting started
What Claude subscription level and settings should I use to avoid burning through tokens too quickly?
One approach discussed: use the Claude 'team' plan, which includes SOC 2 compliance and requires a minimum of five users.
51:16May 20 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How can I use Claude to act like a staff accountant that works inside my actual accounting systems?
The idea is to get Claude connected to all the systems you use, ideally through API connections (MCP servers) rather than something like a Chrome extension…
49:02May 20 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How hard is it to set up an MCP server on Google Cloud if you're not technical?
The answer given was that you simply ask Claude for help when you don't know what you're doing, and it will guide you through it — that was the member's own…
47:16May 20 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How do you build a custom MCP server to give Claude fuller read/write access to QuickBooks Online?
The current QBO connector for Claude is limited: it only links one company/organization and has very limited write access alongside read access.
41:36May 20 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
Why does it matter whether AI-assisted work is labeled as reviewed by a specific tax practitioner?
One member noted they explicitly state that the AI output is 'not reviewed by a tax practitioner' in their materials, and stressed this is key so that anyone…
39:03May 20 call Members-only - Payroll
Is the Open Accountants platform limited to individual income tax, or does it cover other areas like payroll?
It is not limited to individual income tax — the scope covers whatever contributors choose to build.
37:38May 20 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Does the Open Accountants platform let members create their own skills, or can they only verify existing ones?
The platform does allow members to create their own skills, not just verify existing ones.
37:13May 20 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
If a user of the platform wants an accountant to actually review their tax return, how does that engagement happen?
The engagement does not happen on the platform itself.
33:37May 20 call Members-only - Security & compliance
Is security/compliance a concern for the Open Accountant project, and what about using custom/open-source AI models instead of Claude?
The response was that security in the sense the question was framed isn't quite the right concern for Open Accountant, because the project isn't about using…
27:56May 20 call Members-only - Getting started
What is a Claude 'skill' and how do you create and use one to keep tax guidance consistent and reduce risk?
A Claude skill is essentially a set of instructions you create (e.g., 'EU VAT rules for selfemployed') that you can write yourself or paste in from research.
34:35May 20 call Members-only - Getting started
How can a CPA become the regional contributor/maintainer for their state on Open Accountant (e.g., for Virginia)?
To become a regional contributor, sign up through the generic contact email (info@openaccount.com) and verify your credentials by submitting your license…
21:00May 20 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
How does the notification and workflow process work once an accountant becomes the verified maintainer of a region's skills on Open Accountant?
Once an accountant is verified and becomes the maintainer of the skills for a given region, every time a request comes in from that region, the accountant…
19:37May 20 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
Why do LLM answers vary so much depending on what's loaded into the model beforehand, like for reconciliations or 1040 prep?
The answers you get from an LLM can differ significantly based on what's loaded into it at the time it's asked to perform a task.
19:00May 20 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
What exactly is a 'skill' in the context of using LLMs like Claude for accounting/tax work?
A 'skill' is essentially a document (like a markdown or Word file) that gets uploaded into an LLM's context to instruct it on exactly how to perform a specific…
16:59May 20 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How can I automate splitting client tax documents into organized PDF workpaper files and tracking PBC (provided by client) checklists?
One firm organizes workpapers into categories like W2s, portfolio income, and retirement income, with each document type broken into its own PDF file.
8:04May 20 call Members-only - Getting started Open question
What is the 'brand voice' feature shown at the bottom of the Claude co-work interface, and where should firms manage brand assets like logos and colors?
The feature seen in the cowork interface relates to brand voice/brand packages, but the speaker noted it's likely better handled now in Claude Design rather…
59:17May 20 call Members-only - Practice mgmt
How should firms protect themselves against the risk of being over-reliant on a single AI provider like Claude/Anthropic changing its pricing or product?
A member raised concern about putting 'all your eggs in one basket' with Claude, since the provider could change pricing or pull features at any time,…
1:07:32May 20 call Members-only - Tax Open question
Can AI tools like Perplexity help research when the IRS changed the RMD life expectancy tables for calculating missed required minimum distributions?
One member described using Perplexity for a client prospect who had inherited an IRA and failed to take RMDs for about 15 years.
4:23May 20 call Members-only - Getting started
Where should someone with no technical background start if they want to build automations with Claude?
The suggested starting point is to tell Claude a specific problem in your accounting firm — something tedious or something you wish you could automate — and…
48:29May 20 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How can I automate saving e-file acceptance confirmations (9325 forms) to client files from UltraTax?
A firm is working on a workflow to automatically capture the 9325 form when a return is accepted in UltraTax, print it, and save it to the client's file, then…
6:40May 20 call Members-only - Automation & MCP
How can a firm automate verifying that clients' LLC/entity status is still active in their state?
One firm built a script that runs weekly and pulls every client's entity via API to verify their LLC is still active in the state (in their case, Texas).
6:05May 20 call Members-only - Tax
What is the 'Open Accountants' project and why was it created?
Open Accountants is a community project built in response to LLMs computing incorrect tax returns.
11:09May 20 call Members-only
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