During years, the accounting management of many self-employed professionals and small businesses has been based on manual methods: keeping receipts in an envelope, doing calculations in a spreadsheet, or reviewing printed invoices at the end of each quarter. But this routine not only consumes valuable time, but also involves risks such as errors, oversights, losses, and even penalties for delays or inconsistencies.
The good news is that today technology offers simple and accessible solutions to change that model by automating tasks, reducing errors, and freeing up time for what really matters.
What does it mean to innovate and digitalize accounting?
It’s not just about sending invoices by email or saving scanned receipts. Innovation implies a change of approach, in which administrative processes stop being independent tasks to integrate into daily life in an agile and secure way, and this can be done thanks to digitalization.
Among other common functions in current expense management platforms, the following stand out:
- Automatic receipt capture through photography from mobile devices.
- Data extraction (amount, date, concept) using OCR technology.
- Direct synchronization with the accounting tool or with the advisor.
- Automatic classification by categories and creation of reports by project or by client.
Real savings in time (and money)
For a self-employed person working on their own account, every minute not dedicated to their work is unbilled time. Automating processes allows expenses to be recorded in the moment and avoids accumulating administrative tasks.
For a small business, digitalizing accounting means reducing the internal or external workload, less time organizing papers, lower costs for the tax advisor, more control over the actual expenses of the activity.
For example, for a self-employed professional working in different locations, they can take a photo of the fuel receipt at the time of purchase. That expense will be associated with the card used for payment, registered in the app, and ready to be accounted for without having to do anything else.
In the case of a small business, internal expense approval rules can be configured, so that any payment is registered according to its budget and department, which facilitates decision-making and monthly review.
Accounting digitalization not only makes professionals’ lives easier, it also improves business vision:
- It allows identifying excessive or unnecessary expenses.
- It helps to better distribute budgets by area or by project.
- It facilitates access to data in real time, from any device.
- It reduces the risk of penalties for errors or late submissions.
A habit change that’s worth it
Like any change, moving from paper to digital requires minimal adaptation: learning to use apps, defining categories, establishing clear procedures… But the initial effort is quickly compensated with less wasted time, less stress, and much more reliable accounting.
And although some professionals still prefer traditional methods, the reality is that digitalization offers real and measurable advantages. Automating processes, reducing dependence on paper, and integrating accounting into daily operations means more control, more efficiency, and more time for what really matters: growing your business.
Take advantage of the services of the Galicia Economic Office and seek advice for the growth of your business through the online form on our website.
