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What Job Management Software Should I Start With?

What Job Management Software Should I Start With?

The decision to upgrade your Project Management system can be daunting. You might have spent years investing time and effort into your current system, just to outgrow it. You might have built your business around the flexibility of excel, only to never have a cohesive understanding of how your team is functioning, due to the endless number of spreadsheets and versions strewn across the business. Upgrading your project management system is accepting that your current processes need to change, and acknowledging that you need to put in significant effort to both get things running smoothly, and to take advantage of the benefits of the new software.

Once you’ve made the decision to move, an even more important decision awaits; what software will be right for you?

Just like shopping for any other significant purchase, the first thing you need to do is research. Have a look at the options in the market, do any stand out? Which are designed for your industry, and which aren’t? Which have a simple User Interface (UI) and which seem clunky? Follow your intuition to narrow down your list of options.

Once you have a shortlist, take a deeper dive into each option, and check out what features they present as their best assets. Every software has a feature list on their website which outlines their best bits. However, when checking out these feature lists, take them with a grain of salt and review each point with a critical eye.

They say they have a Xero integration, but how does it work? Can it be configured to suit your Xero needs? They say they have customisable proposal templates, but is it enough to suit your current designs? If not, are you willing to sacrifice your presentations to suit this new system? They say they have flexible invoicing options, but will it let you present invoices in the same way your clients have gotten used to?

So, you’ve reviewed the features, and asked yourself how those features would actually work for your business. Next up – What doesn’t the software tell you? A software’s website can’t show off everything under the hood. They need to pick and choose their feature list; however, a deeper review of the product can reveal some extra bonuses you may otherwise have missed.

Our Favourites:

One of our favourite Project Management software is WorkflowMax. However, we love it for reasons beyond those they put front and centre in their feature list.

For example, WorkflowMax is owned by Xero. We can dig deeper into this simple fact to get a far better understanding as to why it may be the software for you.

  • Being owned by Xero means its Xero integration is best in class.
  • It’s got financial security. You don’t need to worry about WorkflowMax going bust right after you make the move.
  • Your team only needs the one login for Xero & WorkflowMax. With a UI designed to reflect Xero, it can promote familiarity if they already use Xero.

Another example is WorkflowMax’s little-known email feature that lets you forward emails directly to your job as a note. This is a great way to keep the team across a project without worrying about who is and isn’t cc’d in an email.

Finding these extra bonuses when choosing a software isn’t always simple, and that’s where a cloud implementation specialist comes in. We know the software’s in and out, but more importantly, we know how they practically work for a range of businesses. We can tell you about the extra bonuses and workarounds that other businesses have used with success, helping to make the change as smooth as possible for you and your team.

If you’re in the market for a new Project Management software, but don’t know how to find ‘the one’ give Business Continuum a call. We can give you the confidence you need to make the right choice.

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Discover More About Xero Projects

Discover More About Xero Projects

Xero Projects is a relatively new competitor in the project management software market, that has been created with one thing in mind: Simplicity. It is an extension of the existing Xero accounting and payroll solution made for small teams.

Ideal for businesses of less than five people, Xero Projects is designed to facilitate project management with little complexity. Xero Projects lets you create a project, adding budgets, timesheets and invoices and view profitability within minutes.

As the name suggests, Xero Projects is a Xero Product, and is available with any Xero subscription for an additional $10 per user per month. A Xero subscription is essential for anyone looking to get started on Xero Projects. While restricting your options of accounting software, the Xero connection has efficiency gains regarding invoicing and expense management that is lacking in other solutions.

Simple & easy to get started

The simplicity of Xero Projects is most prevalent in its set up. In under thirty minutes, you will have explored all avenues of custom configuration, as the software limits you to working within its confines.  

A project takes only four fields to set up, and its integration with Xero means you already have your Xero client database to draw from. Once the Project is set up, you can add tasks with predetermined time budgets, log expenses or go straight into building a deposit invoice.

Once you have created a project, all that is left to do is add time & expenses. Adding time is simple. You can use the start/stop timer feature in the mobile app or add timesheet entries retrospectively from several screens within the app site.

Track expenses with ease

Tracking expenses is similarly straightforward. Xero Projects only tracks essential expense information. Therefore, expenses can be quickly added from within the project.  The Xero integration is again useful here, in that a Xero bill can be directly related to a project, preventing double handling of these expenses, ensuring timely data.

The invoicing module from Xero Projects is almost identical to Xero, except that it gives you 3 project billing methods that relate directly to the project; Deposit, Project Amount or Tasks and Expenses invoicing.

Flexible invoicing

This invoicing flexibility is one of the system’s biggest strengths, as it enforces the mantra of simplicity (just select an option and the invoice practically creates itself) while still letting you bill in the way that bests suits you. Again, the Xero integration ensures efficiency when invoicing, as the invoice created against a project is reflected in Xero in its entirety.

After you have billed your project, it is time to report – an area where Xero Projects relishes simplicity. Reporting in the software is restricted to key project profitability information, and a time overview. The former compares budget vs actual using key metrics, while the latter allows you to review each staff members logged time, to identify where projects or tasks are going over the estimated time.

There is minimal customisation of reports, but all the key information to identify a projects financial projects is readily available.

The downfall…

Where Xero Projects is most lacking, considering its intention as a financial tracking tool, is its inability to link to any quotes. While quote functionality exists in Xero, there is currently no integration with Xero Projects. This has been identified by the team at Xero Projects as an item on its roadmap for future development and would be a welcome addition to the construction of more accurate budgeting.

If you are only concerned with tracking the financial progress of a project through time and expenses and want a familiar invoicing process with a complete integration to Xero, then Xero Projects could be the software for you. While its limitations in quoting, customisation & reporting are prevalent, it has the essential functionality to ensure small business can in control of their projects.

Have questions?

We’d be happy to answer them or take you through features of Xero Projects in more detail. Or, if you’re wondering if another solution might be better for you, we’ve also done the hard yards for you and taken a look at other project management platforms, including: Harvest & Forecast, Streamtime, ActiveCollab, Zoho Projects, WorkflowMax, Scoro and Accelo.

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Xero Projects vs. WorkflowMax: Which is Best for Your Business?

Xero Projects vs. WorkflowMax: Which is Best for Your Business?

At Xerocon 2017, Xero introduced Xero Projects, a new platform that offers small business owners simple ways to track projects, timesheets, invoicing and other factors to ensure better profitability. Because Xero owns both Xero Projects and WorkflowMax, it can be confusing for small business owners: which solution is best for your business?

Here are the key factors to consider when deciding which of these impressive cloud-based software solutions is right for your business.

Xero Projects is very new

Yep, since the announcement of Xero Projects at Xerocon in mid-September 2017, AFL club Richmond has not lost a football game (we checked). Even though it’s new, it’s well thought out and is priced accordingly with a $7 per user introductory rate (that will increase to $10 per user in 2018). But bumps are to be expected, and Xero is yet to roll out the full suite of functionality for Xero Projects. Features like iOS and Android apps, and integration with Quotes and Expenses are not available yet. But, it’s only getting better from here.

What is Xero Projects good for?

The current incarnation is suitable for small businesses with simple costing needs, such as freelancers, sole traders and micro businesses with less than ten staff. If your small business is in the creative, IT, finance, design, consulting and digital marketing space, you’re the ideal customer.

For example, a freelance web developer can use it to record time, cost jobs, manage subcontractors and track the progress of projects. Importantly, it allows you to easily build reports to assess each project’s profitability and cost-effectiveness. This reporting allows you to quote more accurately and concentrate on the most profitable aspects of your business. It’s a great way to bring quality project management software to smaller businesses, potentially giving them a more level playing field with larger competitors.

What is WorkflowMax good for?

WorkflowMax is a sophisticated cloud-based project management tool, with much more complexity and functionality. Managing larger teams brings further complexity in scheduling, operating processes, task tracking requirements and job costing that WorkflowMax is capable of handling. Importantly, WorkflowMax can be configured to your business processes. For example, your business might follow a process of initial scoping, getting approval, integration and then final delivery. WorkflowMax can be configured to these stages in your project life cycle.

And with its lead management and CRM tools, you can track your leads pipeline from one place. Taking leads on a journey from initial interest through to a signed proposal can be streamlined and simplified with WorkflowMax. If you have sales staff, you can track how they are performing by assessing how many of their leads convert to customers and the value of the customers they are bringing in. WorkflowMax makes costing jobs easier as you can access data from similar jobs, meaning you’re less likely to underquote a job and be stuck delivering an unprofitable project. And with more than thirty add-ons, WorkflowMax can integrate with other cloud-based software tools that produce financial reports, track expenses, manage payroll, schedule staff shifts and much more.

Simple versus complex

As you can see, WorkflowMax offers a lot more features and functionality than Xero Projects. But with that complexity comes difficulty. It’s not a system you can set up easily yourself. In contrast, Xero Projects is quite easy to get started on your own, if you have basic cloud software experience (such as Xero). If you’ve no plans for extensive growth and can’t see yourself using many features of WorkflowMax, you may find yourself happily using Xero Projects for years without issue. However, as a growing business with the intention to increase sales, revenue and staff numbers, you may find yourself outgrowing Xero Projects in its current form within a few years.

Migration

If you’re small, you might be tempted to start with Xero Projects and move on to WorkflowMax later as your business grows. However, there is no path in place to enable simple migration from one to the other. (Or back again, if your business is scaling down in its twilight years.) So, it may be wiser to start with WorkflowMax while you’re still small, building in the functionality along the way, rather than going through the hassle of upgrading to WorkflowMax in the middle of a complex growth stage.

Pros and Cons

Benefits of Xero Projects:

  • simple, with a good user interface
  • less complexity makes it easier to use and navigate
  • easy to get started on your own
  • suitable for small businesses of less than ten staff

Cons of Xero Projects:

  • less functionality for complex reporting
  • less integration with other tools
  • no iOS or Android app (yet)
  • you (or your accountant) must be a Xero customer to access it

Benefits of WorkflowMax:

  • offers a number of sophisticated reporting tools
  • can be configured to your business processes
  • manage deadlines, invoicing, job allocation, profitability and efficiency
  • you can get WorkflowMax without having to purchase Xero
  • suitable for businesses with up to 100 staff

Cons of WorkflowMax:

  • Complex features may not be required for smaller business
  • Needs expert setup by cloud integration partner for maximum efficiency
  • Requires training for staff to learn how to use it

The upshot: our recommendation

If you’re small and have no growth plans, Xero Projects may be all you need. If you have more than five staff and growing, WorkflowMax is the better choice.

Also, if you’re small now but have ambitious plans for the coming years, start with WorkflowMax now. Choose a platform that will support your rapid growth down the track.

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APIntel Wrap Up: Gaining Insights from Xero Practice Manager Data

APIntel Wrap Up: Gaining Insights from Xero Practice Manager Data

Last month the Business Continuum team participated in APIntel (Accounting Practice Intelligence), a pre-Xerocon event held to demonstrate how accounting practices could achieve better profitability with Xero Practice Manager. Three industry leaders shared insights to help practice owners make the most of data insights to improve workflow, find efficiencies and achieve business growth, including our very own Tim Dowling.

In case you missed it, here’s a summary of the advice from the three speakers at APIntel.

Kit out your practice | Paul Murray, AccountKit

Paul talked about adopting a policy of always seeking better ways of doing things, and using tools that enhance staff visibility of client and practice decisions leads to better productivity, engagement and retention. He also reminded us to ensure integration with cloud-based software solutions to avoid unnecessary double handling of data. He also demonstrated how to use AccountKit to create stunning and precise client entity maps that illustrate complex entities in one impressive image that takes just a few clicks to create.

Print…File…Find | Andrew Sims, SuiteFiles

Andrew discussed the benefits of storing and managing practice files in the cloud, and how this can integrate with Xero Practice Manager to create efficiencies. Andrew emphasised the necessity of simplifying setup and filing of ongoing communications with your client. SuiteFiles is a file management solution that offers email and document templates that can be pre-populated with Xero Practice Manager data. This means your communications are consistent, up-to-date and use the right client information, straight from the source.

Professional client communications can be the difference between an impressed or an unhappy client, so it’s an important process to get right. With the use of multiple cloud-based solutions, Andrew stressed the importance of filing emails and attachments to maintain ‘one source of truth’ from any device. This ensures staff have access to the latest correspondence and files, reducing the risk of errors or miscommunication. Andrew also suggested eliminating outdated versions of documents and email templates (It’s very 2005).

Transform Practice Data Into Relationship Insights | Tim Dowling, Business Continuum

Tim challenged the audience to think about growing profitability even if not actively looking to grow the client base. Growth should not be for growth’s sake, but better profitability is always worth striving towards. With almost endless amounts of data now available to us, it can be difficult to know what to concentrate on. Tim suggested these three areas:

  1. client wealth information
  2. firm service utilisation
  3. client referral and churn

With this data on hand, it can form the basis of open discussions with clients, with the aim of improving your range of services as well as the underlying quality.

Lastly, Tim emphasised that selling is not a dirty word. All successful and evolving practices concentrate on achieving stickier, more engaged and more profitable clients. Focusing on client satisfaction has always been, and will always be, essential for success—we simply have better ways of measuring it with the many cloud-based software solutions on the market.

As the event finished up, it was a great chance for the Business Continuum team to catch everyone for a drink and a chat before Xerocon.

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Xerocon: What we Learned, Who we Met & Why it was Xero’s Best Ever

Xerocon: What we Learned, Who we Met & Why it was Xero’s Best Ever

Whew! Last week was busy for the Business Continuum team at Xerocon 2017. We were thrilled that Xerocon came to our home town of Melbourne, bringing more than 3,000 visitors from around Australia and further abroad to our magnificent city. It was great to rub shoulders with accounting professionals from around the globe.

Uni Day

Xerocon started with Uni Day on 12th September, a great event for accountants and bookkeepers looking to skill up on all things Xero. Our Director Matthew met with plenty of first-time Xerocon attendees and answered questions about lead automation and change management.

“Young accountants are embracing new technology and seeing how it works in the business world,” said Matthew. “I shared plenty of practical advice on a variety of cloud-based software solutions, such as Xero Practice Manager, FORMbasic, Streak for Gmail and Boomerang for Outlook.

Matthew also met with attendees from far and wide, and enjoyed the opportunity to share ideas with those from economies both smaller and more developed than Australia. “Practitioners from smaller economies, like Vanuatu, attended to gain insights about cloud accounting and practice management to share back home—it’s great to see,” he said.

The Power of Us

The recurring theme woven throughout Xerocon 2017 was ‘the power of us’. It’s the idea that people are innovators, not technology, but technology helps us achieve innovation. It’s a powerful reminder that there are real human people behind every bit of seemingly faceless technology. And it’s those human connections that really matter.

New announcements and new products galore

Plenty of people attend Xerocon for the new product announcements. And it did not disappoint.

CEO Rod Drury was first up on the keynote stage and made a record number of new Xero product announcements. These included:

The nine integration partners for Xero HQ

The first integration partners announced for Xero HQ included the cloud file management system SuiteFiles, (our buddies and co-presenters at our pre-Xerocon APIntel session), as well as Boma, the much-hyped marketing automation app for accountants. Boma’s stand was flooded with interested accountants and bookkeepers—the joke doing the rounds was that Xerocon should in fact be renamed Bomacon!

The relaunch of expenses

The expenses function within Xero has been given a major refresh to make the expense process easier and more intelligent. Users can now capture and submit expense claims on the run with the iOS and Android apps. Approvals are now more flexible and easier to control. Also, users can now submit expenses on behalf of others in the organisation, no doubt a popular new feature for those who struggle to get their receipts in order each month.

The Lifelong Learning Platform

This program gives schools and professional accounting bodies a platform they can use to equip students for the real world of cloud accounting. Students can practice using Xero to complete a variety of real-life accounting processes, in a safe and highly repeatable fashion. It’s good to see Xero creating products for Universities and TAFEs, giving students access to Xero rather than MYOB or Reckon (which both have academic trial versions). Consequently, more students will be graduating from courses with good Xero skills and experience with cloud accounting—a benefit to the entire industry.

Xero Projects

Forty percent of Xero clients are professional service-based businesses, so it made sense for Xero to introduce a project management function. It allows creative, digital and IT businesses to better manage the progress and profitability of projects, and helps them stick to plans and focus on the most profitable types of work. This is not replacing WorkflowMax, but rather bringing light capabilities into the core platform so that the smallest of Xero clients can have access to additional project management functionality. For now, it’s better suited to smaller projects, but look out for more features to help with more complex projects in future.

Other highlights included:

In line with the conference theme, author and consultant Tim Leberecht talked about retaining the valuable human touch in business, as technology automates more and more of the day-to-day.

Dan Gregory and Kieran Flanagan from The Impossible Institute challenged everyone to get clear on their business values, align these with our desired clients’ values and “deliver a nowhere-else experience.”

IT industry veteran Steve Vamos urged us to put people first in business and reminded us that technology amplifies human disruption—not the other way around.

Magda Szubanski talked about her career achievements (as well as the professional and personal insecurities she’s overcome) and encouraged us to all embrace our own true selves as well as celebrate the diversity of others around us.

And to wrap it up, we enjoyed one heck of a block party in the laneway alongside the conference venue—the biggest wrap party we’ve ever seen!

We’re already looking forward to Xerocon 2018…

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6 Industry Movers & Shakers Tell Us What They’re Looking Forward to at Xerocon

6 Industry Movers & Shakers Tell Us What They’re Looking Forward to at Xerocon

Going to Xerocon? It’s the major annual event for the cloud accounting industry’s biggest player, so it’s likely that plenty of your LinkedIn connections will be there. To help you get the best out of your visit, we asked six industry veterans to tell us what they’ll be doing, who they’ll be seeing and how they make the most of their time at Xerocon.

Paul Meissner, Cloud Accountant, Founder of 5Ways Group and Freedom Accounting System

“I’ve been to nine Xerocons, and they always announce something big. It’s important to know Xero’s priorities for the future and the keynotes let me hear it from the top. I will spend most of my time around the exhibitor area. No other event gives me access to all the add-on providers in one place. I like to cut straight to brass tacks with exhibitors and ask them: “What problem do you solve?” Getting a little bit of information from all exhibitors leaves me time to go back later to the ones I’m interested in. I suggest new visitors come armed with a need (better payments, gateways or reporting, for example) and look for products and seminars that meet that need. Because there are so many exhibitors, it’s easy to be overwhelmed, so just get to as many as you can.

“Networking is a huge part of Xerocon, but it’s not about getting clients. I like to meet industry connections that I usually only communicate with via social media—nothing beats that face-to-face contact. Everyone is willing to meet, and as a solo entrepreneur, I don’t have partners to bounce off. So, I’ll be asking my contemporaries what their favourite tools and products are, to see if there’s anything I should be using for my practice and clients. I would encourage anyone who wants to meet a big industry influencer to be bold and come and say hello—people are very friendly and open.”

Paul is participating in a panel session on Day Two: The Power of Small and Agile Firms at 12:20pm.

Carolyn Stebbing, Director of digital marketing and creative agency, Little Village Creative

“This is my third Xerocon. I was lucky enough to wing my way in as a speaker in 2015. We (Little Village Creative) have a few clients actively involved in Xerocon this year, so it’ll be a busy two days on the ground for me. I’ll spend most of my time checking in with clients, running social media, briefing writers to draft quick-turnaround content and generally making sure things are happening as they should be on the marketing front.

“During the rare moments of downtime, I’m looking forward to catching up with industry connections and meeting new people. I’d like to catch Dan Gregory and Kieran Flanagan’s talk on amplifying your influence and developing commercial clarity around your competitive advantage. And I’ll most definitely be at the block party for a Melbourne-style Xerocon send-off. My biggest tips for Xercon newbies are to drink buckets of water (it’s so easy to forget) and leave the high heels at home.”

Sholto Macpherson, Editor and Publisher of DigitalFirst.com

“I’ve been to six Xerocons and I have three main reasons for attending. Firstly, I enjoy the community. Because this is the group of the most tech savvy accountants in Australia, everyone is enthusiastic about exploring new ideas. Secondly, I love that Xero shares its roadmap and constantly pushes the definition of what cloud accounting software can do. So I am looking forward to hearing its new announcements. It’s great to hear their fresh ideas about what is possible, and I appreciate their transparency. And thirdly, as a journalist, I look forward to interviewing industry leaders.

“It’s easy to be overwhelmed by Xerocon, so I suggest new attendees prepare three top priorities for their business or clients and concentrate on those. Take time after the event to digest everything you’ve learned and make plans, because without action the inspiring ideas will soon be forgotten.”

Tim Dowling is a Client Director at Business Continuum

“This is my eighth Xerocon. I am looking forward to seeing what Xero is planning around AI, machine learning, and what they’re doing with big data servers. I always get plenty of value out of the product sessions. I plan to check out the new products on the market and spend time networking. It’s incredibly valuable to hear from people on the ground using the products.

“I encourage new visitors not to be afraid to chat—everyone at the stands will love to connect and industry leaders are welcome to being approached. Make sure to explore on behalf of your clients—what problems are they facing that can be solved? And bring a big bag for all the free stuff—enjoy the many giveaways like chargers, beach balls, balloons, and frisbees. If it can get a logo printed on it, you can find it at Xerocon.”

Andrew Van De Beek, Founder and Director of accounting practice Illumin8

“I was so inspired by my first Xerocon. I learned plenty of technical skills, and I also felt energised to grow my practice and better service my clients. Now, attending my fourth Xerocon, I still get the same combination of technical learning and creative inspiration. I like to check in with other accountants to see how they are doing, what makes them tick and how they solve problems they’re currently facing. I want to help those starting out in the industry too, so I’m attending the Uni Day to help students better understand branding and marketing. I encourage anyone with questions to come and see me.”

Illumin8 is the winner of Xero’s Victorian Partner of the Year award. Andrew is hoping to take home the gong for AU Accounting Partner of the Year, to be announced at Xerocon on Day Two.

Troy Townley is a partner in HTA Advisory, an accounting and small business advisory practice based in Melbourne

“I always like to see the roadmap of Xero and where its ecosystem is going. It’s great to see the add on partners and other businesses—sharing and collaborating on ideas is what Xerocon is all about. This will be my sixth Xerocon and nearly every year I have found one or two products that I rollout to my business and to our clients. I’ll be on the lookout for anything that solves problems that we see in client businesses and makes us more efficient and saves us time. In particular, I am looking forward to seeing Anna Curzon’s keynote and Rachael Powell’s presentation on building positive workplaces.

“I recommend first time visitors make time to see as many vendors and sponsors as they can. It’s a huge ecosystem and there are so many different products. You can never learn them all but Xerocon gives you a great introduction. Have an open mind about the change that is coming to the industry—don’t dismiss products without giving them due consideration.”

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Use Xero to Give Your Business the Shark Tank Treatment

Use Xero to Give Your Business the Shark Tank Treatment

The latest series of Shark Tank on Channel Ten is captivating. It features entrepreneurs pitching to a group of self-made investors (the ‘sharks’). Each pitch features an entrepreneur asking the investors to purchase a stake of their business with their own money.

The sharks are:

Janine Allis, founder of Boost Juice Bars

Andrew Banks, founder of Morgan & Banks and Talent2 International

Steve Baxter, tech entrepreneur and multimillionaire

Dr Glen Richards, founder of Greencross Vets

Naomi Simson, founder of RedBalloon

The breadth and depth of innovation amongst these entrepreneurs is impressive. But what really fascinates is the sharks’ penetrating questions.

With just a brief investigation (or so it seems on TV) the sharks clarify the opportunities and weaknesses of a business. Nothing frustrates the sharks more than an entrepreneur that doesn’t know the numbers. And regardless of whether you plan to pitch your business to investors (on TV or otherwise), it’s vital to have a detailed and depth knowledge of your financials.

Give your business the Shark Tank treatment

Appraise your business with the cool, calculating and experienced eyes of your inner shark. It can help you identify opportunities, move through challenges and seek more growth and efficiencies.

Cloud-based finance software solution Xero is the ideal tool to give you the bigger picture insights you’ll need. Whether you simply review these numbers yourself, or you’re going into a Shark Tank-style pitching situation with investors, using Xero to understand the numbers is a vital investment of your time and energy.

How to use Xero to create reports to answer typical Shark Tank style questions

Xero gives you the ability to generate complex detailed reports that give yourself or a potential investor a terrific overview of your business. Using the typical questions often posed on Shark Tank, you can use Xero to create the reports to see the answers for yourself. Of course, this is just a snapshot of what you can do with Xero—its features go far beyond this kind of analysis.

What is your gross margin?
What are your debtor days?
What is your average selling price?
What is your average revenue per customer?

What are the biggest expenses of your business?
What is your customer lifetime value?
What percentage of customers are return customers? What are your manufacturing/production costs – cost of goods sold?

It’s not just the numbers

Of course, there are some elements that interest the shark beyond just the numbers, and it’s important to give these questions considerations as well. Elements like brand appeal, value of the market and your own dedication to your business come up often. But, overwhelmingly, there are two simple questions the sharks always ask:

What customer problem are you solving?
Why are you the one to solve it?

These are questions only you can answer and it is worth taking the time to consider your responses honestly. It’s a simple strategy that could be a game-changer for you.

The value of the expert opinions

Shark Tank serves as a reminder that it’s important to take any opportunity to get expert advice. Sometimes on Shark Tank the sharks don’t invest but they give excellent advice. Make sure to seek out and listen to that advice for your business whenever possible.

The art of the counteroffer

The fascinating element of Shark Tank is the negotiation element, so learn all you can about the art of negotiation if you’re going to be pitching for investment soon. Knowing the value of a well-crafted pitch can be the difference between success and failure.

In conclusion, whether you are actively seeking investment or simply looking for a tactic to give yourself a fresh perspective on your business, you need to ensure the numbers stack up. Using Xero’s many tools to know your numbers better might just help you get a shark to invest in your business!

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Business Continuum Appoints Tim Dowling as Client Director

Business Continuum Appoints Tim Dowling as Client Director

Tim Dowling, a leading technology industry veteran with more than ten years of experience has joined Business Continuum as Client Director.

Extensive knowledge of WorkflowMax for our customers

Tim brings considerable experience to his new role, including four years in-house at Xero—firstly as Direct & Channel Sales Manager, and then as General Manager for WorkflowMax.

“I’m delighted to join the Business Continuum team and I’m impressed with its success and continual growth,” said Tim. “Business Continuum is a business that really cares about its customers, and is at the forefront of cloud innovations for service industries, which is a great fit for me. I can’t wait to get stuck in.”

Strong addition to Business Continuum team following significant growth

Matthew Peng, Business Continuum’s Director, said that Tim’s experience, connections and enthusiasm make him a welcome addition to the team.

“We are experiencing a strong growth phase, so it’s essential that we manage it effectively. Tim helps us solidify our service offering and create sustainable growth whilst continuing to provide cloud solutions for our growing customer base. His in-house experience with Xero and his extensive operational knowledge of WorkflowMax will be a welcome resource for our customers.”

Tim says the opportunity to join the Business Continuum team is the perfect fit for him. “Their methodology, success and services are a winning combination,” he said. “I am looking forward to using my extensive consulting experience to help Business Continuum continue to attract and retain customers as more and more service based businesses identify the benefits of migrating to the cloud.”

Tim’s experience

In addition to his several years with Xero in various roles, Tim was previously General Manager of Commercial Operations for Vault Intelligence, leading creators of risk and safety management software.

Tim is also a well regarded technology industry commentator with a strong following on LinkedIn, where he shares business insights, advice and opinions from thought leaders across the world.

Tim holds a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting and Commercial Law from Deakin University and in his spare time he enjoys reading IT and business books, making apps, camping and keeping fit with Crossfit, running, walking and swimming.

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A New Era for Business Continuum

A New Era for Business Continuum

We are pleased to announce that Business Continuum has today merged with Realtime Business, marking an exciting milestone for both organisations.

The two businesses will operate under the Business Continuum brand, offering clients a wider range of cloud integration solutions using Xero and WorkflowMax.

An experienced team

The team at Realtime Business, headed by Greg Harrison, brings impressive skills and expertise to Business Continuum.

“This merger brings together two like-minded companies that share a commitment to quality, innovation and customer service,” says Chung Hui, Director, Business Continuum. “It enables us to quickly achieve significant growth and improvement in expertise, quality and capabilities.

“Greg joins us as a director, bringing with him 35 years of IT and business experience. His comprehensive knowledge of Xero and WorkflowMax is a major asset. He’s strong on process, pragmatic in his approach and passionate about achieving the right outcomes for clients.”

More services, more expertise and more insights for clients

The merger of the two businesses creates a significant growth in capacity and scope – effectively doubling the operational size of the business.

“Our broader scope of services will enable us to offer comprehensive consulting services for inventory management, strategic solutions, Xero tax training, document management and many other services,” says Greg Harrison. “I’m looking forward to working with the Business Continuum team. Their depth of experience is considerable and their holistic approach to their clients is first-rate. Due to the market presence and strength of the Business Continuum brand, it was an easy decision to continue operating under the Business Continuum name.”

For Business Continuum clients, operations will continue as normal. Realtime Business clients will be seamlessly transitioned to become clients of Business Continuum. Abacus, another brand established by Realtime Business, will also cease operation.

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5 Highlights From the Xero Roadshow 2017

5 Highlights From the Xero Roadshow 2017

Last week the Business Continuum team attended the Xero Roadshow in Melbourne. These events are always a great opportunity to catch up on the latest news from the Xero camp and with some of the app partners doing interesting things to enhance the Xero experience for accountants and small businesses.

Here’s a few of our highlights from the roadshow:

1. Fixed assets with tax

Joe Salvati (Head of Partner Solutions) announced that Xero will be incorporating tax values into the fixed assets module of Xero. This much anticipated development will allow accountants to set up tax depreciation on the fixed assets register including pooling.

2. Xero Tax

Some nice updates for Xero Tax were unveiled – and there are a few more on the way. You can now set up multiple customised email templates for sending your eSign tax returns and activity statements. There’s also a reminder email template for following up clients who haven’t signed their tax documents yet, which is a precursor to automatic email reminders (currently in development).

A faster, more intuitive Xero Tax user interface is being rolled out this year with new tax forms. Matthew Prouse (Partner Solutions Manager) demonstrated a cleaner UI that’s designed to make it easier for the user to speed up the processing of tax returns.

Matthew also unveiled Xero’s partnership with Tax & Super Australia that would see the integration of their tax knowledge base directly into Xero tax forms. Accountants and bookkeepers will be able to access the latest, up-to-date information direct from Tax & Super Australia for each line item of a Xero tax form.

3. Xero HQ recap

Matthew also took us through a great recap of Xero HQ features. These included adding client notes and tagging clients (like Gmail labels). He also explained how you can set up custom alerts in Xero HQ – for example, to notify you when a client organisation has reached a certain number of unreconciled bank transactions.

4. Clone organisations

This feature was first announced at Xerocon South last year and is now close to launch. Users will be able to copy data across from an existing Xero file when setting up a new one, which will help to save time setting up bank rules, chart of accounts, contacts and tracking categories. This will be a great time-saver for accountants and bookkeepers.

5. The food!

Xero sure does know how to put on a good spread, and the mini beef rolls were our favourite – enough said!

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