Episode 102: Lessons from Year-End: What Worked, What Didn’t, and What to Improve

Feb 5

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Conquering Workflows & Systems for Bookkeepers & Accountants podcast with Alyssa Lang, founder of Workflow Queen and Magnetic Profits. Episode topic: Lessons from Year-End: What Worked, What Didn’t, and What to Improve

In this solo episode, Alyssa Lang covers essential strategies for improving year-end workflows for bookkeepers and accountants. Alyssa discusses practical ways to reflect on past processes, create plans to address bottlenecks, and leverage tools like Content Snare to automate client communication, ensuring a smoother and more efficient year-end experience in the future.

In this episode you’ll hear:

How to conduct a year-end debrief to identify what went right and wrong
What steps to take to fix year-end bottlenecks and improve workflows for the future
Why creating templates and specific softwares can streamline client requests
When and how to set expectations with clients to ensure smoother year-end

Resources mentioned in this episode:

👉🏼 Join our FREE POWER to Breakthrough Bootcamp (Feb 17th - Feb 21st)

⚙️ Content Snare

💻 Effortless Client Requests for Bookkeepers & Accountants

💻 Breakthrough for Bookkeepers & Accountants

⚙️ Notion

⚙️ Asana

Listen to the Full Episode here 👇🏼

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Lessons from Year-End: What Worked, What Didn’t, and What to Improve

If you're anything like me, then you absolutely know that year end is always one of the most chaotic times of the year for most bookkeeping and accounting firms. So if you feel that in any way, or even if it went really smooth for you, this episode is still for you. In today's episode, I'm breaking down exactly how to stay motivated after year end, the simple tweaks we made that completely transformed how we handled this busy season, and how you can start preparing now to make next year's year-end process so much smoother. I'll also be sharing a simple debrief strategy to capture what worked and what didn't while it's still fresh in mind.

Now that it’s over, the last thing you want to do is revisit the process, but here’s the truth…if we don’t reflect and make improvements now, we’re just setting ourselves up for another chaotic year-end next time around.

Step 1: Conduct a Year-End Debrief

Before diving back into everyday tasks, take time to reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Set aside at least 30 minutes to an hour, free from distractions, and document everything you remember about the process.

Ask yourself:

What processes went smoothly?
What felt chaotic or inefficient?
What client-related issues slowed things down?
What improvements can be made for next year?

If you have a team, ask them to do the same. Their insights may reveal different pain points or inefficiencies that you didn’t notice. Encourage open and honest feedback to improve the workflow together.

Step 2: Identify and Fix Year-End Bottlenecks

Once you have a clear picture of what needs improvement, it’s time to create a plan to fix any bottlenecks.

Common bottlenecks include:

Lack of automation: Relying on manual processes can slow everything down.
Inefficient client communication: Chasing down missing documents wastes valuable time.
Unclear workflows: If your team doesn’t have a structured process, things can easily fall through the cracks.

Now is the time to put solutions in place. Consider automating repetitive tasks, setting clearer deadlines, and improving your workflow tracking.

Step 3: Utilize Templates and Software for a Smoother Process

One of the best ways to reduce year-end stress is by creating and storing email templates, checklists, and automation workflows.

Here’s how:

Email Templates: Save commonly used emails for client follow-ups, missing information requests, and tax filing notifications to eliminate repetitive writing.
Project Management Tools: Use Asana, Notion, or a similar platform to track client progress and make sure nothing gets overlooked.
Client Request Automation: Implement software like Content Snare to automate document collection and prevent constant follow-ups.

Step 4: Set Clear Client Expectations

One major pain point for firms is when clients don’t provide necessary information on time. The best way to prevent this? Set expectations early and often.

Send out an email at the beginning of January outlining:

Your firm’s timeline for completing year-end tasks
What documents you need from them
The deadline for submitting missing information
The consequences of not providing the required documents on time (such as filing extensions)

Proactively managing expectations reduces the number of last-minute requests and ensures a smoother process for everyone involved.

Final Thoughts

If this year’s year-end felt overwhelming, use this opportunity to reflect, adjust, and make strategic improvements. By implementing structured debriefs, fixing bottlenecks, streamlining with templates and software, and setting client expectations upfront, you’ll be setting yourself up for a much easier year-end next time around.

Need help refining your systems? Join our Power to Breakthrough Bootcamp happening from February 17th to 21st to build scalable workflows and create a firm that runs without you being buried in work. Sign up at workflowqueen.com/bootcamp.

What were your biggest year-end challenges? Drop a comment below and let’s chat about it!

🧡 Sign up our FREE The POWER to Breakthrough Bootcamp: www.workflowqueen.com/bootcamp

*Bootcamp dates: February 17th - February 21st

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