{"id":3914,"date":"2018-03-30T10:19:49","date_gmt":"2018-03-30T14:19:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=3914"},"modified":"2026-02-09T05:18:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T10:18:26","slug":"accounting-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/accounting-skills\/","title":{"rendered":"The top 3 skills an accountant can\u2019t be without in 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAccountants<\/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\tThe top 3 skills an accountant can\u2019t be without in 2022\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\tMark Redstrom<\/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

For an accountant, staying on top of the game has never been more vital in an industry that\u2019s becoming increasingly competitive<\/a>. Competitors are not just around the corner. They might be across the country or on a different continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to the Internet, clients have no qualms about seeking out the right kind of expertise and accounting skills. Here are several tips for an accountant who wants to remain the first choice in any client\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. You need to be technologically fearless<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The fact we no longer write in hardcover ledgers is a testament to the fact accounting and technology<\/a> have been evolving hand-in-hand for decades. In recent years, cloud computing has been driving massive changes to the industry, one example, have meant accountants can have a live view of client data, so no there is longer need to chase them on the phone or via email periodically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is building on this to delivering even more benefits. While at the moment AI is largely found coping with often tedious administrative tasks, such as bank account reconciliation, some practices are already experimenting with smart assistants as the first line of customer interaction. Sage\u2019s Pegg<\/a> provides a perfect example of what this looks like and you can try it right now. Businesses can ask Pegg simple questions like, \u201cHow much money do I owe?\u201d. No need to wrestle with nominal codes, or even a full-blown accounting software package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But all of this is chicken feed to the technological revolution that might be on the way in the form of blockchain<\/a>. Put simply, a blockchain is a kind of ledger or database that is decentralized (that is, it\u2019s spread across the Internet, so concurrent copies exist in multiple places) and it\u2019s impossible to defraud. Its uses within accounting should be obvious. These uses will also be abundant, especially if governments embrace the technology, as appears to be happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question of whether accounting firms will have the know-how to fully embrace blockchain is another matter, however, although you can bet clients will be asking about it very soon in their initial consultations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the biggest real-world manifestation of blockchain<\/a> in today\u2019s world \u2013 cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin \u2013 is almost certainly set to become yet another aspect of everyday accounting. Some businesses already accept Bitcoin and while all convert it to regular currency before accounting for it (or record it as an asset), there may well become an increasing need for accountants to deal with cryptocurrencies directly. It\u2019s not hard to imagine the challenges inherent in what is such a volatile monetary system (or at least right now).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the future, accounting practices may choose to enhance their technological expertise, so it is on a par with their basic ability to provide advice on tax and legislation, the bread and butter of many practices. Some firms might even choose to put their technological focus at the center of their business to distinguish them from the \u201cregular\u201d accounting firms. Where will you stand in all of this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s some advice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n