In picturesque New Zealand, there's a powerhouse accounting firm that's revolutionizing their approach to data organization.

Meet Add iT Accountants.

Led by CEO Annie Conza, a passionate technology specialist and Xero accounting software expert, Add iT has turned information management into an easy and streamlined process. Yes, with harmon.ie integration, Add iT is efficiently managing enormous amounts of documents, saving, accessing and sharing them only on MS SharePoint, keeping their desktops clean, their clients satisfied – and finally putting the ‘fun’ in finance management.

A boutique solution for boutique clients

Add iT offers a deep and comprehensive suite of accounting, tax and financial services to a select clientele, essentially becoming the finance manager for each company or trust they work with. This level of intensity demands an unprecedented sophistication in their approach to document management, which calls for a boutique solution.

Integrated with Xero accounting software, Add iT manages hundreds of thousands of files, documents and emails in SharePoint. But finding anything can be a daunting task.

Enter harmon.ie.

“If I can’t find something in under a minute, I’m not happy”

Searching for documents. Locating files. Addressing client questions and requests for past information. When there are so many documents to sift through, finding things fast is a problem.

The strategy? SharePoint IDs.

These are the reference numbers that keep Add iT’s document management machine running smoothly. They are used for referencing specific files, documents in Xero, timesheets, and even for internal handoffs between team members.

Relying on SharePoint IDs meant that every relevant file or email is stored in SharePoint every single time, and that's where harmon.ie played a crucial role.

Add iT has thousands of folders in SharePoint, structured into subfolders for each client and fiscal year. Using the harmon.ie pane within Outlook, team members can search by the SharePoint ID number and quickly find the file or document that they need.

This smart naming convention and numbering system is vital to the information management process at Add iT. While it has taken a bit of getting used to, the entire team is now aligned when it comes to the naming of files, making sure everything is in its proper place. For Add iT, “discipline” and “structure” aren't just words; they're a way of operating the business.

Connecting the dots, following the threads

The accounting industry is highly regulated and demands strict compliance. Every document is connected, and part of a bigger picture.

A common complaint in accounting firms is being asked for a particular document or piece of information more than once, spending time looking for it, and sometimes even losing it or filing it incorrectly. But not at Add iT.

Efficiency is the name of the game. The workflow is all about looking back to go forward. Every client group has its own directory, carefully sorted into jobs. The SharePoint ID reference numbering is vital for complicated accounting and tax-related projects; with harmon.ie, the Add iT team can easily go back to previous files, even from years or decades before, understand the history and context, and find out why certain choices were made.

Finding a document in seconds: Priceless

Client or colleague requests for documents or data have never been easier or quicker to fulfill.

Finding a file at Add iT now takes just 30 seconds, or less.

harmon.ie is always on, and with the SharePoint ID and a couple of clicks, Add iT staff can locate and access the right document on the spot. Whether in a boardroom meeting, on the phone with a client or solving a problem for a team member, the ability to access the files in an instant means that decision making is much faster with no waiting or delays.

“We just couldn’t do it without harmon.ie”

Add iT relies on harmon.ie every minute of every day. Documents flow seamlessly throughout their system, up to date and at hand, with no duplications.

The old-school ways of managing an accounting practice are gone. At Add iT, they've embraced the state-of-the-art harmon.ie solution that makes their jobs easier, enhances their performance, and provides better responses to their clients. It's all about saving time and enjoying the job more.

The new harmon.ie for the new Outlook

The future looks even brighter for Add iT. The new harmon.ie for the new Outlook promises to be even smoother and easier to use, ramping up the fun factor in 2024. After all, when you have the right tools, work becomes more enjoyable, and that's precisely what Add iT is doing for their staff and clients.

So, there you have it, a tale of Add iT, the NZ-based accounting firm that harnessed the power of harmon.ie to serve its clients better, faster, and smarter. It's a story of how a commitment to efficiency and a love for technology can transform a business and, quite possibly, an entire industry.

Read the full case study here.