Xero, the global accounting platform for small business, has today launched a new book, The Pacesetters.

Offering insight from some of the UK’s pacesetting accounting firms, the book has been written as a guide to support advisors as they embrace the next phase of accountancy.

As the accounting industry grapples with the forces of digital disruption, The Pacesetters offers insight from some of the UK’s progressive accounting firms and draws from research by Xero that suggests online accounting firms run more efficiently and experience dramatic year-on-year revenue growth. It is an accountant’s must-have guide to embracing the cloud, getting more time back, helping more clients and increasing revenue.

Authored by Doug LaBahn, Ph.D, of Xero’s practice leadership team, The Pacesetters launches shortly after HMRC’s announcement of its list of software suppliers supporting Making Tax Digital for VAT. The list features Xero, following the successful beta launch period of its MTD functionality.

Gary Turner, MD at Xero UK said: “Accountants and bookkeepers are facing the biggest industrial shift for a generation, driven by the growth of global cloud platforms like Xero and progressive government legislation such as HMRC’s Making Tax Digital policy in the UK. Having studied how some of the UK’s most progressive practices have adapted to this new reality it’s a privilege to share the stories and learnings from these real pacesetters for the benefit of the wider community.”

The Pacesetters was officially launched on Thursday 19th July at the Chartered Accountants Hall, home of the ICAEW in London. Attendees included the book’s author Doug LaBahn, Ph.D, Xero’s director of partner & product Damon Anderson, as well as some of Xero’s pacesetting firms featured in the book, some of who shared their experience with a panel session discussing the content behind the book, as well as their take on the state of the industry as we near closer to Making Tax Digital.

Richard Andrew FCA, Head of Accounting, Armstrong Watson LLP commented on The Pacesetters:  “This book provides a road map to achieving efficiencies, automation, cloud accounting and access to real-time advisory services – packed with case studies covering the challenges and successes which will resonate with every practitioner. Essential reading.”

Alex Falcon Heurta, founder of Soaring Falcon Accountancy adds: “Cloud technology has transformed my business, freeing up time that I had previously spent juggling spreadsheets and taking trips back and forth to the filing cabinet, to instead spend with clients,” she comments. “With all the tools that I use now, I genuinely have more time to talk to clients on a more personal level which allows me to better understand their needs.”