Running a small accounting firm is one of the most rewarding—and challenging—ventures I’ve ever taken on. Like many firm owners, I started lean, doing everything myself, and gradually built a team as my client list grew. But as our workload increased, I noticed something troubling: more and more of our staff time was being consumed by data entry.
On the surface, it seemed like a simple task. But it quickly became the hidden cost of running our business. Hours spent keying in numbers meant less time on billable work. Turnover was constant—training new staff became a cycle that drained both morale and resources. And no matter how carefully we onboarded, mistakes still crept in, costing us rework and reducing client confidence.
That’s when we started looking for alternatives.
The Real Costs of In-House Data Entry
When you add it up, in-house data entry is expensive. Salaries, benefits, payroll taxes, training, software licenses, and the time managers spend supervising—it all eats into margins. For us, the breaking point came when we realized that data entry was consuming our talent, our profit, and our growth potential.
We didn’t need more accountants—we needed relief from the one thing no one in the office wanted to do: entering data.
Discovering SimpleEntry
I’ll be honest: we were skeptical about outsourcing. We had tried it in the past, and the results were frustrating—slow onboarding, endless back-and-forth, and quality issues that created more work than they solved.
SimpleEntry was different. From the start, it was clear this wasn’t a generic outsourcing shop. SimpleEntry was founded by CPAs who still run their own firms, so they understood exactly what we were dealing with. They built the service around accuracy, speed, and security—three things accounting firms can’t compromise on.
Their team was already trained in the software we use every day—Drake, Lacerte, ProSeries, UltraTax, and QuickBooks. There was no learning curve, no hand-holding. Within days, we had a dedicated SimpleEntry team plugged directly into our system, delivering clean work product the first time.
The Impact on Our Firm
The difference has been dramatic.
- Lower Costs: By eliminating salaries and overhead, we cut monthly expenses by nearly 50%.
- More Capacity: We can scale up instantly during tax season without hiring or firing.
- Higher Accuracy: Errors and rework are down, freeing us to focus on clients.
- Stability: No more turnover headaches—we have a consistent, reliable team.
- Growth: With data entry handled, we finally have the bandwidth to take on more clients and expand services.
Perhaps the biggest benefit is peace of mind. I don’t have to micromanage or worry about whether the work will get done right. It always does.
Why It Matters
Data entry will never drive revenue, but it can quietly destroy margins if left unchecked. For us, switching from in-house to SimpleEntry wasn’t just about saving money—it was about unlocking growth without the growing pains.
Now, instead of burning out staff on repetitive tasks, we’re investing our energy where it matters most: client relationships, strategic advisory, and scaling the firm.
If you’re a firm owner still wrestling with in-house data entry, take it from me: there’s a simpler way. SimpleEntry turned our biggest bottleneck into our biggest advantage—and it can do the same for you.