How to Onboard Your Clients to Accounted

Moving clients to a new platform is one of those tasks that feels more daunting in theory than in practice. The actual technical migration is straightforward — Accounted is designed to get clients up and running in under fifteen minutes. The real challenge is the conversation: explaining why you are recommending a change, addressing concerns, and managing the transition period.

This guide covers both sides. The practical steps of getting a client set up on Accounted, and the softer skills of managing the change. Whether you are migrating clients from another platform or onboarding new clients who have not used any bookkeeping software before, the process follows a similar pattern.

Having the Conversation

Before any technical setup happens, you need to explain to your client why you are recommending Accounted. Different clients will have different concerns, so it helps to understand their perspective before launching into features and benefits.

For Clients Currently Using Another Platform

If your client is currently on Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, or another platform, they will naturally wonder why they should switch. The key points to communicate are:

Simplicity. Accounted with Penny handles most of the bookkeeping automatically. Instead of logging into accounting software, manually categorising transactions, and trying to work out VAT treatment, the client simply connects their bank account and responds to Penny's WhatsApp messages. For most sole traders, this is a dramatically simpler experience than managing their own accounting software.

Cost. Many clients are paying for accounting software features they do not use. A sole trader on Xero's Growing plan at £36 per month is paying for invoicing, multi-currency, and project tracking that they may never touch. Accounted's pricing is built around what sole traders actually need. You can direct them to the pricing page for specifics.

MTD readiness. With Making Tax Digital for Income Tax launching in April 2026, clients need software that handles quarterly submissions. Accounted manages this as part of its core functionality, with Penny preparing the quarterly updates and the accountant (you) reviewing and authorising submission through the practice portal.

Better communication. Instead of exchanging emails about missing receipts and unclear transactions, the client communicates with Penny via WhatsApp. Questions get answered immediately. Receipts are uploaded by photographing them. And anything that needs your input gets escalated to you automatically.

For a detailed comparison that you can share with clients who want to evaluate the differences, our Accounted vs Xero comparison covers the specifics.

For New Clients Without Existing Software

Onboarding new clients who have not previously used bookkeeping software is simpler in some ways (no migration required) but requires more education about why they need the software at all.

The key message here is compliance. With MTD for Income Tax, sole traders and landlords earning above £50,000 (dropping to £30,000 from April 2027) are legally required to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC. This is not optional, and the penalties for non-compliance are real.

Accounted makes compliance as painless as possible. The client connects their bank account, uploads receipts via WhatsApp, and Penny handles the rest. As their accountant, you review the records through the practice portal and authorise submissions. It is the least disruptive way to meet the new requirements.

Addressing Common Client Concerns

"I don't trust AI with my finances." This is a reasonable concern and should be acknowledged rather than dismissed. Explain that Penny handles categorisation and organisation, but every transaction is reviewable and nothing is submitted to HMRC without your professional review and authorisation. The AI saves time; it does not replace the accountant.

"What about my historical data?" Accounted imports historical bank transactions when the client connects their bank account. Transactions from the current and previous tax year are pulled in and categorised by Penny. For clients with data in another platform that they want to preserve, export options are available in most accounting software.

"I'm not on WhatsApp." While WhatsApp is the primary channel for client interaction with Penny (and most people already use it daily), it is not the only option. Clients can also upload receipts via email and interact through the web interface. However, WhatsApp is where the experience shines, and most clients who were initially hesitant become enthusiasts once they try it.

"Will this cost me more?" Depending on what they are currently paying, Accounted may be cheaper, comparable, or slightly more expensive than their current software. The difference is that with Accounted, the software does far more of the work automatically. Many clients find they can reduce or eliminate time spent on bookkeeping administration, which has its own value.

The Technical Setup: Step by Step

Once the client agrees to move to Accounted, the setup process is straightforward. Here is what happens, step by step.

Step 1: Client Creates Their Account (2 Minutes)

The client signs up on the Accounted website or through the invitation link you send from your practice portal. They provide:

• Name and email address
• Business name and type (sole trader, landlord, etc.)
• UTR number (if known — it can be added later)
• VAT registration status

This creates their account and they can log in immediately.

Step 2: Bank Account Connection (3 Minutes)

The client connects their business bank account using Open Banking via TrueLayer. This is the same secure technology that powers hundreds of financial services apps. The client:

1. Selects their bank from the list
2. Logs into their online banking (they are redirected to their bank's own login page — Accounted never sees their banking credentials)
3. Authorises the connection
4. Returns to Accounted

Once connected, bank transactions begin syncing automatically. Historical transactions (up to two years, depending on the bank) are imported and Penny begins categorising them immediately.

It is worth noting that this uses Open Banking standards regulated by the FCA, so the security and data protection are robust. If clients have concerns about connecting their bank account, this regulatory backing provides reassurance.

Step 3: WhatsApp Connection (1 Minute)

The client links their WhatsApp number. This is as simple as entering their phone number and verifying via a code sent to WhatsApp. Once connected, Penny can send and receive messages, and the client can upload receipts by photographing them and sending the photo to Penny.

Step 4: Accountant Connection (1 Minute)

If the client signed up through your invitation link, this step is already done — you are automatically connected. If they signed up independently, they enter your email address in their accountant settings, and you receive an invitation to connect in your practice portal.

Step 5: Initial Setup Review (5-10 Minutes — Your Side)

Once connected, you should do an initial review of the client's records:

• Check that the bank connection is working and transactions are flowing
• Review Penny's initial categorisations for the most recent month to assess accuracy
• Set the confidence threshold for this client (start with the default 0.90 and adjust if needed)
• Note any client-specific categorisation rules you want to configure (for example, if this client has a specific supplier that should always be categorised a particular way)

This initial review takes five to ten minutes and sets the foundation for ongoing efficient reviews.

Managing the Transition Period

The first month after onboarding is a transition period. Penny is learning the client's patterns, the client is getting used to the new workflow, and you are calibrating your review approach. Here is how to manage this smoothly.

Expect a Higher Flag Rate Initially

In the first month, Penny's review queue will show more flagged items for a new client than it will in subsequent months. This is normal and expected. Penny has not yet learned the client's specific patterns, so more transactions fall into the "uncertain" category. By the third month, the flag rate typically drops to 10-15% as the AI learns from your review decisions.

Schedule a Check-In After Two Weeks

A brief check-in with the client two weeks after onboarding catches any issues early. Common things to address:

• Receipt upload habits — some clients need a reminder to photograph and send receipts promptly rather than letting them accumulate
• WhatsApp responsiveness — Penny sends questions about unclear transactions, and clients who ignore them create a backlog
• Missing connections — some clients have multiple bank accounts or credit cards that need connecting

Communicate What Has Changed

Clients need to understand what is different about their responsibilities:

Before Accounted: Log into accounting software, manually code transactions, file receipts, answer accountant's emails about missing information, worry about deadlines.

With Accounted: Respond to Penny's WhatsApp messages (usually a few per week), photograph receipts when they arise, and let everything else happen automatically. Their accountant handles the rest through the practice portal.

This simplification is a genuine selling point. Most clients spend less time on bookkeeping with Accounted than with any previous method.

Bulk Onboarding: Moving Multiple Clients

If you are migrating a significant portion of your client base, the process above scales reasonably well, but there are a few additional considerations.

Prioritise Clients

Start with clients who are:

• Straightforward — sole traders with simple transaction patterns are the easiest first candidates
• Technologically comfortable — clients who already use WhatsApp regularly will adapt fastest
• Approaching a deadline — clients with an upcoming MTD quarterly submission benefit most from immediate setup
• On expensive legacy software — clients currently paying for features they do not use will see the most immediate cost benefit

Leave the most complex clients (those with multiple businesses, intricate VAT arrangements, or CIS obligations) until you are comfortable with the platform and have refined your workflow.

Use Templates for Client Communication

Rather than explaining the change individually to every client, prepare a template email or letter that covers the key points: why you are recommending the change, what the client needs to do, what it costs, and what the timeline is. Personalise it for each client's circumstances, but the core message can be standardised.

Batch the Technical Setup

If you are onboarding ten or twenty clients in a short period, schedule the work. You might set up five clients per day over a week, doing the accountant-side configuration (Step 5) in a batch at the end of each day. This is more efficient than mixing onboarding work with other tasks throughout the week.

For the full picture of how automation supports your onboarding process, our guide on what to automate in your practice covers the broader context.

After Onboarding: The Ongoing Workflow

Once a client is onboarded and the transition period has passed, the ongoing workflow settles into a predictable rhythm:

1. Transactions flow in via Open Banking automatically
2. Penny categorises each transaction and matches receipts
3. Items needing attention appear in your review queue
4. You review flagged items weekly or as your schedule dictates
5. Workpapers generate automatically from your review actions
6. Returns are prepared by Penny and submitted after your review and authorisation

This workflow is the same whether you have five clients or two hundred on the platform. The volume of items in your review queue scales with client numbers, but the time per client decreases as the AI learns and the flag rate drops.

For practices managing larger client volumes, our guide to managing twice the clients covers the strategies and structures that make high-volume practice management sustainable.

Resources for Accountants

If you are ready to start onboarding clients, here are the most relevant resources:

• Set up your practice portal — if you have not already created your practice account
• Review queue guide — understanding how the AI-flagged review system works
• Accounted for accountants — comprehensive overview of the practice portal features
• HMRC MTD guidance — the regulatory context for digital record-keeping

The onboarding process is designed to be low-friction for both you and your clients. The technical setup is genuinely quick. The learning curve is gentle. And the ongoing efficiency gains compound over time as Penny learns and your review workload decreases. The hardest part is deciding to start.

Accounted gives accountants a free practice portal — manage all your clients, file to HMRC, and let Penny handle the routine work. See the accountant portal →