If you’re running or managing an accounting firm in the UK, chances are you’ve got more work on your plate than you’d like. While your focus should ideally be on delivering high-value services to clients — like advisory, planning, and relationship building, much of your time still disappears into the back office.

From endless bookkeeping to chasing clients for paperwork, these internal processes quietly eat away at your capacity. In today’s competitive and talent-strapped environment, firms need to be smarter about where their team spends time.

Here’s a look at five back-office tasks that accounting firms can (and should) stop handling internally — and why outsourcing them might be the smartest move you’ll make this year.

1. Manual bookkeeping and data entry

Bookkeeping forms the core of every accountancy service, but it’s also the most time-consuming. Whether it’s reconciling bank feeds, categorising transactions, or dealing with mismatched receipts, manual bookkeeping takes up a lot of hours — and often at the expense of more strategic work.

Why outsource it?

Outsourcing this function allows you to move faster and with fewer errors. Offshore teams with accounting experience can manage daily bookkeeping tasks using your cloud systems like Xero or QuickBooks. The result? Your team no longer spends hours cleaning up ledgers and instead has ready access to clean, reconciled data for review and client reporting.

It also provides better scalability. Whether you have ten clients or fifty, outsourced bookkeeping can easily expand without the pressure of hiring and training new staff.

2. Month-end close and management reports

The month-end is usually a mad rush. Internal teams scramble to get everything done — checking for unreconciled items, adjusting journals, preparing schedules, and generating reports. It’s stressful, especially when you’re dealing with multiple clients and deadlines.

Why rethink it?

By outsourcing the month-end process, firms gain access to a consistent, well-structured workflow. Reports are prepared on time, reviews become easier, and the close cycle shortens significantly. Instead of taking ten days, you could be closing in four or five with far fewer corrections needed.

For firms that want to improve turnaround times or take on more clients without increasing headcount, this makes a real difference.

3. VAT and CIS compliance processing

Staying compliant with HMRC requirements around VAT and CIS is crucial — but also complicated. Between VAT scheme changes, Making Tax Digital updates, reverse charges, and subcontractor rules, there’s plenty that can go wrong. If you have multiple clients or clients in construction, this becomes even more complex.

Why hand it off?

This is where a reliable outsourced compliance partner becomes invaluable. They can manage VAT return preparation, handle CIS deductions and submissions, and make sure everything is filed accurately and on time. Your team stays in control, but without the stress and manual checking.

When you outsource compliance functions, you’re not just buying time — you’re buying peace of mind.

4. Chasing clients for documents and admin follow-ups

It might sound minor, but chasing clients for missing invoices or documents takes up an enormous amount of time. It often falls to junior staff or client managers who could be doing more productive work.

Let automation and outsourcing take over:

Simple things like sending reminders, collecting bank statements, or checking in on approval delays shouldn’t require your team’s time or focus. These repetitive tasks are perfect for outsourcing or automation.

Some firms use outsourced admin support to follow up with clients on a set schedule, while others integrate AI assistants or workflow tools to automate reminders. Either way, it removes a huge administrative burden and keeps your processes moving forward without constant nudging.

5. Answering calls and routine client queries

Whether it’s a missed call from a potential client or a simple query about a payment date, phone interruptions can be disruptive. For smaller firms, it’s difficult to have a dedicated person on reception. For larger ones, the cost of maintaining a full-time admin team just to answer calls isn’t always justifiable.

Enter the AI Receptionist

This is where AI receptionist services are becoming a real game-changer. These systems can handle inbound calls 24/7, take messages, route urgent queries, and even respond to frequently asked questions — all without needing a physical receptionist.

For accounting firms, it means clients always reach someone (or something) helpful, without taking time away from the team. And unlike generic call centres, modern AI receptionists can be trained specifically for accounting workflows, making them much more effective.

So what’s the bigger picture?

When firms stop doing these internal tasks themselves, they gain something far more valuable than just extra time — they gain headspace and flexibility. That room to think, plan, and grow is often the difference between a reactive firm and a proactive one.

Outsourcing is no longer just about cutting costs. It’s about working smarter. When you partner with the right provider, your firm becomes more agile, more scalable, and better able to serve your clients at a higher level.

At Integra Global Solutions, we’ve been helping accounting firms across the UK streamline their operations by taking care of their bookkeeping, compliance, admin, and AI receptionist needs. Whether you need full support or just a few hours of help a week, we fit around your workflows — not the other way around.

If you’re ready to take the repetitive work off your plate and focus more on your clients, now’s the time to explore your options.