QuickBooks talk MTD, AI, and Freebies – But No Game-Changing Surprises
MTD, AI and Freebies: Ah, another accounting tech conference in the books! Recently, 400 accountants and bookkeepers gathered in London’s Tobacco Dock for Intuit’s Get Connected event, eagerly awaiting what QuickBooks had up its sleeve.
Spoiler alert: there were no reality-shifting announcements. No jaw-dropping tech unveilings. And no big surprises. Instead, it was solid, practical updates – the kind that accountants actually need.
So, what did QuickBooks bring to the table? AI, compliance prep for Making Tax Digital (MTD) ITSA, some well-placed product freebies, and a few incremental improvements. Here’s a rundown of the key takeaways.
MTD ITSA: The Countdown to 2026 Begins
If there’s one thing that gets accountants’ attention (besides an incorrectly reconciled bank feed), it’s tax compliance changes. With MTD for Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA) landing in 2026, QuickBooks is making sure its users aren’t caught scrambling at the last minute.
Intuit’s Nick Williams called MTD a “huge opportunity” for firms to future-proof themselves—because nothing says modernisation like being legally required to use digital tax systems.
QuickBooks’ MTD-ready products range from Ledger and Sole Trader options for smaller businesses to Simple Start, Essentials, and Advanced for more complex operations. And yes, the HMRC private beta is live, with a wider public beta rolling out in April 2025.
Translation? If your firm still has clients insisting on shoebox accounting, it’s time to nudge them toward digital tools—before HMRC does it for you.
AI in Accounting: 2025’s Big Leap?
No tech conference is complete without some AI buzz. And while the accounting world hasn’t exactly been overrun with Skynet-level automation just yet, things are starting to head in that direction. In spotting these changes, QuickBooks unveiled it’s own AI – Intuit Assist.
This AI-powered assistant is already live for US QuickBooks users and has been in testing for UK firms. But when will it fully launch in the UK? That remains a mystery.
What does it do?
- Automates routine tasks (chasing invoices, categorising transactions, expense matching).
- Adds a “Business Feed” to the QuickBooks homepage—offering insights, recommendations, and a look at what the AI has done in the background.
- Has ambitions to become Agentic AI—meaning it won’t just assist; it’ll actively take over workflows with minimal human supervision.
An early use case? Onboarding new clients, where AI can pull Companies House data, fetch logos for invoices, and confirm details—before double-checking everything with the firm.
It’s early days, but the idea is simple. Whether accountants will trust an AI to fully manage these processes remains to be seen (Fear is still the main reason for accountants not taking the leap), but 2025 could be the year AI finally finds its place in mainstream accounting workflows.
Practice Management: Free for Some, CIS Gets an Upgrade
One of the biggest surprises? QuickBooks Practice Manager is now free for partners with five or more QuickBooks Online Accountant licences.
For accountants juggling client tasks, deadlines, and team coordination, this means:
Task automation & deadline tracking
Client communication tools
Pre-built workflow templates for bookkeeping, payroll, and client onboarding
CIS Updates: If you deal with subcontractors and CIS filings, QuickBooks is rolling out a new CIS add-on that automates monthly return filings to HMRC. Plus, it’ll auto-send deduction statements to subcontractors. (No timeline yet, but it’s coming.)
FRS102 (1A) Functionality: More companies will qualify for simplified financial reporting from April 2025. QuickBooks is adding support so accountants can help clients meet Companies House disclosure requirements without extra hassle.
The Verdict: Incremental Wins, but No Fireworks
While QuickBooks delivered incremental wins, it’s clear that it’s automation still leans heavily on accountants to oversee and approve tasks. Sure, AI-powered features like Intuit Assist can categorise transactions and send invoice reminders, but they’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible.
This is where we, Bots For That, stand apart. Instead of offering basic task automation, our approach revolutionises accounting workflows by:
- End-to-End Process Automation – Not just assisting, but actually doing the work, from data capture to reconciliation and reporting.
- Seamless Integration Across Platforms – No need to stay locked into a single ecosystem like QuickBooks; our bots connect the entire financial tech stack.
- AI That Learns & Adapts – Our automation continuously optimises processes, meaning the longer you use it, the smarter it gets.
- No Half-Measures – While QuickBooks’ AI still relies on accountants for manual verification, Bots For That delivers truly autonomous automation—saving firms hours, not just minutes.
So, while QuickBooks is taking steps in the right direction, we’re already miles ahead—building the next generation of accounting automation that actually does the work for you.
Want to see the difference? Let’s talk. Head over to the ‘Contact Us’ tab on our website header. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to request a call back from a member of our team.
