The use of accounting CRM Software has been on the scene for several years. In the world of rapid digitization, where companies are relying on software solutions to accelerate their process and bring in organizational efficiency, CRM software is a business imperative. And, for all the right reasons, this is true for the CPA Firms. With a diverse client base and minute details of accounting ( serving as the primary data source), manual data management is difficult. Fortunately, the CRM for CPA firms solves this and streamlines everything in the most hassle-free manner.
If you are an accountant or a CPA or running a firm that deals with a large customer base from different industrial segments, an accounting CRM is all that you need. And, if you are already in the market shopping for the best CRM product for your CPA firm, here we will be telling you about the 10 best products in the market.
And how do you choose the right one for your business?
FreshBooks is a cloud-based accounting software that assists SMBs and CPA firms maintain their day-to-day accounting needs. It’s a great product for freelancers, as well. The best part of the Freshworks CRM is it helps accountants collect and organize client data to streamline their exchanges with their customers.
User limits and limitations on billable clients are FreshBooks’ biggest drawbacks. All plans include one user except for the Select tier (which allows two users); each additional user costs $10 per month. Lite and plans allow five and 50 clients, respectively.
ConvergeHub is the leading accounting CRM and 100% of its users plan to renew their subscription with the product. It is a high-end CRM for CPA firms that allows users to track finances from multiple perspectives, including sales, expenses, taxes, and more. The ConvergeHub Billing module is an integral part of ConvergeHub which directly relates to sales, marketing, and service platforms. It helps businesses connect payment activities to accounts and deals and take total control of the business.
ConvergeHub exclusively offers QuickBooks CRM integration, be it online or offline. If you are using QuickBooks Desktop or QuickBooks Online, you can get the help of the support team to integrate it into your ConvergeHub account. No matter whether you have subscribed for the free trial version or the professional ones, it’s easy to integrate.
Following CRM QuickBooks integration with your ConvergeHub account, you can easily access a consolidated and detailed view of your Accounting customers, products purchased, and invoices, whether recurring or one-time. So, when you subscribe to ConvergeHub CRM, you can easily leverage the integrated benefits of QuickBooks accounting software and CRM in one platform and relate them together.
Not just this, ConvergeHub also offers a bi-directional synchronization with QuickBooks, which means whenever any data is created or updated in the CRM, it gets automatically populated in QuickBooks and vice versa without any manual intervention.
Birst is a cloud-based accounting software that’s easy to use and a fantastic support for accounting firms. It comes with a free trial version and an excellent support team. The intuitive user interface of Birst is one of a kind. It also offers great customer support, with high-performance mobile apps, so that you can access it from your phone. This CRM is perfect for CPA firms and SMBs who need an accounting solution on the go!
Users have reviewed that the architecture of the Birst dashboard is poor and not user-friendly. In addition, it is extremely dependent on command-line tasks (a few drag-and-drop) and lacks administrative views (reports and dashboards showing platform response).
RightSignature is a cloud-based signature CRM for CPA firms exclusively that allows you to manage your clients and projects. It’s perfect for small businesses, accounting firms, and anyone else who needs an easy way to track signatures.
According to the user reviews there is still room for improvement in terms of ease of use. Also, the timely update of the software is still lacking.
HubSpot is a CRM for marketing and sales and for CPA firms, HubSpot is the perfect CRM product. It’s a cloud-based software that you can use from anywhere on your computer, or any other handheld device. HubSpot is available as a SaaS (software as a service), PaaS (platform as a service), and IaaS (infrastructure as a service).
HubSpot offers more than 60 integrations with other products, so you will be able to connect with all of your clients’ systems in one place. The platform includes features like lead scoring, time tracking and reporting; email automation; project management tools like task lists; data visualization tools like graphs; social media management including Facebook Connect integration; content creation features such as blog posts & webinars etc.; analytics reports showing how well known each page was by visitors/customers etc, all while keeping track of what people are talking about online too!
HubSpot comes with annual contracts, and you have no way for early termination if you no longer need it. Also, users have considered it ineffective when used as an all-in-one tool. Also, HubSpot accounting CRM does not offer A/B testing on lower plans.
Zoho is an all-in-one accounting CRM for CPA firms to help manage and organize finances, track payables, and manage bills and expenses. The robust functionalities of Zoho’s accounting suite streamlines the process by segregating transactions, tracking cash flows, and monitoring your financial setup.
Zoho also offers mobile apps so you can access your data on the go, as well as desktop applications for those who want to take their work offline (or don’t want to be connected 24/7). If you need help setting up your account or using it in general, there are plenty of tutorials available online via YouTube or Google search results.
According to the user reviews, setting up payment portals for customers is not at all user-friendly. Moreover the portal management is also complex. In certain scenarios, integration with the Zoho One module is still clunky.
Xero is widely popular among SMBs and personal accountants alike. It has a free trial, for which you can use and decide before investing. Moreover, ZERO is highly scalable. Xero offers three versions: Basic ($29 per month), Professional ($59 per month) and Enterprise ($99 per month). The enterprise version includes advanced features like invoicing, sales tracking and budgets; however, it also comes with an annual fee of $1 million USD or more depending on which plan you choose (which we’ll talk about later).
While Xero has everything that a high-end accounting CRM offers, it’s a bit pricey for small CPA firms. Also, most of the advanced versions are available in expensive subscription plans.
Quicken serves as an accounting tool and budgeting app. As far as the accounts and finances are concerned, this software program helps users to keep track of every minute details. Being automated, all transactions are recorded workflow is managed without any manual labor. The software also provides reports about how much money has been spent on each item over time so that it’s easier than ever before!
According to the user reviews, importing transactions is not automated, which is a big time hassle for the users. Moreover, it is not easy-to-use for most of the users.
QuickBooks Self-Employed/Professional Edition is a popular accounting software that is available for both Mac and PC. It’s one of the best CRM options for small businesses, self-employed individuals and freelancers. The program is compatible with various third party services such as PayPal, Google Drive and Salesforce Chatter.
According to Quickbooks users, the software lacks industry and business-specific features, which include lot tracking, eCommerce, and barcode scanning.
Peachtree Accounting Software is a great choice for accounting firms. It is easy to use and affordable, while still being reliable and secure. This software is ideal for small businesses that need an accounting system but don’t want to spend too much money on it. The program has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for anyone in your organization to understand how everything works together, which means you won’t have any complaints about technical jargon or complicated processes after implementing this CRM solution into your business operations.
According to the users the configuration and set up if the software for specific users is pretty complex. People with less technical expertise cannot set up the software.
Selecting the appropriate CRM for CPA firms is a business imperative, as it can significantly streamline financial processes and offer timely, precise data for informed decision-making. Nonetheless, with a multitude of options in the market, it may become extremely challenging to opt for the ideal software that caters to your business requirements. Avoid ending up with the software that is either pretty complex or too basic for your needs by conducting thorough research.
There are plenty of options in the market and we have already made a list of the leading ones in the market. Accounting firms have to deal with diverse client requirements on an everyday basis. Here’s some cool ideas in here which might help you decide what software your business needs. If there was something missing or if there’s something else, share your views in the comment.
