We get asked these questions every week. Here are honest answers from Brad Clark, from Jim’s Bookkeeping, Ascot Vale, and a regional franchisor in Melbourne East and Melbourne West at Jim’s Group. This article covers 4 of the most common questions about AI, tech change, and why good bookkeeping still matters.
Watch the video above, or keep reading for the full Q&A.
How will technological advancements impact your business?
Technological advancements have changed the tools, but they have not removed the need for a bookkeeper. Brad’s view is simple: if anything, bookkeepers are “probably more needed now than we ever have been”.
He points to how different the work looked “15 years ago”, when “basically everything was done on a desktop,” and teams had to back up files locally and even take a “USB hard copy”. Cloud software shifted the workflow fast, especially once Xero started, and online accounting software really came into play.
The big change is where the value sits. Brad says there is still “a little bit of data entry”, but most of the job is “checking, making sure things are done right”. Software companies market their tools like you “just turn the software on, and it does everything itself”, but in real businesses, it does not work that way. Rules change, edge cases happen, and the numbers still need someone accountable to verify them. For a practical look at what a bookkeeper actually does day to day, see this.
What are your thoughts about the A.I stuff?
AI can support bookkeeping, but it cannot replace responsibility. Brad’s core point is that AI “can’t replace what we do because at the end of the day, someone has got to be responsible for a mistake”.
Here is the part many business owners miss: when something goes wrong, software does not bear the consequences. Brad says “a software company is going to hold the client responsible for the mistake”, and “they’re going to always hold an agent responsible for any errors”.
AI will still matter, and Brad is clear about that, too. He expects the industry to “keep up to date with it” and use it “as a tool to make sure things are done properly”. He also expects checking pressure to rise, because “the tax office are going to be using the same sort of technology to check things are done right as well”. If you want a straight explanation of how a bookkeeper can save time while keeping the numbers clean, read this.
Why should business owners choose Jim’s Bookkeeping?
Business owners should choose Jim’s Bookkeeping because doing it yourself often ends in mistakes. Brad says he has “seen a lot of mistakes and a lot of things go wrong”, which is why he would “really recommend business owners don’t do this themselves”.
His reasoning is practical. Bookkeeping is not a set-and-forget admin task. Brad points out that bookkeepers are trained, they “do this every day”, and they must “keep up to date with the legislation”, which he calls “a legal requirement”. That is the difference between ticking a box and staying compliant when rules shift.
He also frames bookkeeping as a full cashflow system, not just tax time. Brad says they stay across “the entire cashflow cycle of a business”, including “payroll and everything”. That means business owners can see what matters early: “who owes you money”, where it “hasn’t been collected”, and “who you need to pay” next. If you want a quick baseline on what every owner should understand before they touch the books, click this.
How can we get in touch with you?
You can get in touch by calling 131546, and the team will get in contact with you. Brad says it is “a no-obligation call”, and the goal is to “steer you through whatever issues you’ve got”.
This matters because most people do not reach out when everything feels easy. Brad says people generally call “when there’s a problem”, not “when things are going well”. That is why the team is used to “working on complex problems”, including messy catch-ups and situations where something has already gone off track.
If you are ready to talk it through, call 131 546 or send an enquiry to jims.net.