{"id":22744,"date":"2025-06-10T09:45:17","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T08:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=22744"},"modified":"2026-01-27T09:47:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T09:47:08","slug":"ai-for-accountants-and-bookkeepers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/ai-for-accountants-and-bookkeepers\/","title":{"rendered":"AI for accountants and bookkeepers: A practical 7-step guide to getting started"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTrends & Insights<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAI for accountants and bookkeepers: A practical 7-step guide to getting started\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Asavin\"\t\t\t\tAsavin Wattanajantra<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Artificial intelligence is here to stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while the tech world moves fast, many accountants and bookkeepers are still figuring out where AI fits into their practices, services, and day-to-day work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Accountex London 2025<\/a>, the mood was clear: you want to use AI but you might not have the confidence or know how to use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re just starting or experimenting with AI tools, this guide is for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Understand the gap between awareness and adoption<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At Accountex London, Chris Downing, director of accountants and bookkeepers at Sage, laid out where the profession stands and what needs to happen next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He asked, “Who\u2019s heard of AI tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or Sage Copilot<\/a>?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly every hand in the room went up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Who uses these tools weekly? Daily?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number of hands dropped sharply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sums up the state of AI in accounting: high awareness, low adoption.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not a lack of interest; it\u2019s a lack of clarity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may have tried AI tools but if the results were mixed and outcomes hazy, the practical next steps may seem uncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet the opportunity, clearly set out in Sage report The Practice Of Now<\/a>, shows that there is recognition of the power of AI, machine learning, and automation to transform insight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the report, 92% of accountants and bookkeepers<\/strong> said they spend too much time on manual admin and compliance tasks, which could be drastically reduced using AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while many have started their tech advancement journeys, others haven’t. By building capability today, you will be ahead of the curve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: It starts with mindset, not tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t think about the technical side so much. Rethink how you approach AI. Chris said, \u201cAI is your assistant. It won\u2019t automate you\u2014it will amplify you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI isn\u2019t here to replace accountants\u2014it\u2019s here to empower you. Instead of treating AI as a novelty or a threat, treat it as a long-term strategic partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some mindset shifts you can take forward:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Know your \u2018why\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Consider why you want to use AI in the first place. Is it about saving time? Improving client communication? Growing your practice?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris says, \u201cYou need to be laser-focused on where you will play first. Don\u2019t try to do everything\u2014focus on one area and learn from it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being clear on your goals helps avoid AI being bolted on with no real benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Involve the right people<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

AI isn\u2019t just for tech enthusiasts or senior partners\u2014it should be part of everyone\u2019s toolkit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider your internal stakeholders and how to bring the whole team on the journey. Chris says you should ask: \u201cWho are the stakeholders? Who\u2019s involved? Who needs to be kept informed?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some clients may have already asked you about AI, and if your team isn\u2019t trained or aware, you risk being caught off guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start small<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rather than overhauling everything, pick one use case and test AI in a safe, low-risk environment. That could be admin, marketing, communications, or internal reporting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris explains, \u201cYou get so excited about the opportunity that you start doing too many things… But it\u2019s about learning by application, then scaling up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose your tools wisely<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some accountancy practices are jumping straight into general-use Large Language Models (LLMs) such as Claude, Gemini, or ChatGPT. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Others are exploring integrated tools like Microsoft Copilot or Sage Copilot<\/a>, which can sit inside their existing systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStandalone tools are great, but you must consider your data, team, and structure. Pick the right tool for the right problem.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>Chris Downing, Director of accountants and bookkeepers, Sage<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 3: Understand what AI can do for you today<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At Accountex London, Chris Downing gave live demos of how AI can make everyday accounting work faster and easier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the examples he shared:<\/p>\n\n\n\n