Impact comes from what you do with it
Software is sometimes seen as something you “implement” and then just let run. But software isn’t an end in itself. It’s a means to an end. The real value lies in how people deploy, understand, and use it.
Good software highlights where work is getting stuck, where expectations aren’t being met, and where decisions need to be made. Decisions such as: How do we track hours? When do we invoice? Who sets the schedule, and based on what criteria? Those decisions aren’t made by the tool—they’re made by the organization. A system can support that, but only if you set it up thoughtfully and continue to refine it.
And that is precisely what is often underestimated. Not because accountants aren’t capable of it, but because their attention is already focused elsewhere. The tax return that needs to be filed, the case file that needs to be closed, the client who’s calling. During peak periods, there’s simply no time to stop and ask whether you’re getting the most out of the software. And so the real impact never materializes.
I know that from my own experience. When I worked in accounting myself, I have to admit that I found all that constant change mostly annoying. Just when you thought you had everything figured out, things had to change again: a new way of working, an update, a process that ran just a little differently. So I understand very well why firms prefer to take a breather after an implementation.
The feeling that there’s more to it
During my first year at Milestones, I heard the same question surprisingly often: “We’ve been using Milestones for a while now, but could you take a look and see how we can use it even more effectively?”
I find that question very telling. It shows that organizations sense there’s more to be gained. That potential is going untapped somewhere. And that’s exactly what I see now that I’m on the software side: how many opportunities are being left on the table. An office that logs hours manually, even though there’s an automated solution for that. Or analyses that are run over and over again when there are shortcuts available. I understand that day-to-day tasks demand attention—I’ve felt that myself for years. But by systematically setting aside time for this, you’ll ultimately free up time to better serve your clients.
Decisions made during implementation based on expectations often turn out slightly differently in practice. That’s not a mistake, but a logical step: you only know how something works once you start using it. Refining and fine-tuning aren’t the only areas where efficiency falls by the wayside.
Modern software, but yet you’re still falling behind
Your organization is changing, and so is the software. Development is moving fast: features are being refined, capabilities expanded, and insights sharpened. Yet I regularly see offices that, after a few years, are still operating the same way they did when they first started. When was the last time you checked to see if your way of working still aligns with what the system is now capable of?
As a result, workarounds emerge, and the idea that the system “can’t do everything anyway” slowly creeps in. But in my experience, that’s rarely the software’s fault. It’s due to a lack of systematic attention to how that software evolves and what that means for the way you work. And I really think that’s a missed opportunity. Imagine spending hours every month on work that the system has long been capable of handling—all while capacity is scarce.
Sometimes just a few hours is enough
The good news: further development rarely requires a new project or an extensive reimplementation. Often, the benefits come from a brief analysis, a few targeted questions, and reassessing previous decisions. Not as a major consulting project, but as an opportunity to see where the gains lie: small improvements in setup, usage, or agreements that make an immediate difference. For some firms, it ends with that single moment. Another prefers to build such a moment into its structure, so that the software continues to grow alongside the organization. What strikes me most is how much comes to light once you consciously take the time to do it just once.
Take a moment to catch your breath, and then continue
My advice: ntake the time after implementation to see what’s in place, what works, and what needs work. But don’t just sit back. The firms that really make a difference aren’t the ones that work the hardest, but the ones that keep checking to see if things are can be .
