The digital revolution is well and truly upon us, and its effects are being felt in every industry around the globe. 

The accounting and finance industry is no stranger to these effects, with a number of tech-focused trends impacting both how the industry operates and how it innovates moving forward.

There is no better way to learn more about the industry than Accountex Australia, coming to Sydney on the 15th-16th of March 2023. Accountex Australia is designed to be a platform to empower the industry to share insights, source the latest in technology and collaborate to drive innovation and efficiencies within the finance community.

Here are some of the trends informing the accounting and finance industry's priorities and Accountex Australia’s presentations and exhibitor demonstrations:

Greater need for data security

One trend that is of the utmost importance is data security. The digital revolution has not only benefited those in the accounting and finance industry, but it has also benefitted those trying to attack it. Digital threats continue to grow and adapt in new ways to jeopardise organisations' data, so what can be done about it?

A highlight speaker at Accountex Australia is Jamie Beresford from Practice Protect. Practice Protect offers an all-in-one platform for cybersecurity management to control access to client data, manage risk, and stay compliant. 

As CEO of the world's most widely used cybersecurity platform for accountants, Beresford has decades of experience in the IT, cybersecurity and data security sectors. With a holistic view of digital security, few are as experienced and knowledgeable on accounting-firm-specific security needs as Beresford. 

Having spoken at conferences around the world, Beresford continues to dedicate his professional life to teaching and training accountants on avoiding cyber breaches (externally and internally) and leveraging the future of work.

Automation and outsourcing of processes and functions

Another trend that is realising its full potential is the automation and outsourcing of processes and functions. Organisations need to be focusing their efforts in the most strategic ways possible, so any systems that can both speed up the process and perform tasks that are time-consuming are always going to be a necessity going forward.

FYI Docs is a great case study of an organisation making products in line with this trend. Since 2016, Rob Cameron, CEO and Co-Founder of FYI Docs, has been 100% focused on building the world's most efficient document management and process automation engine, purpose-built for accountants. 

FYI Docs provides cloud-based document management and process automation for accounting firms. This service helps to automate admin tasks, schedule recurring work to auto-repeat, and automate any multi-step process unique to an organisation's practice. Solutions such as FYI Docs are a game-changer for the industry as more and more automation solutions enter the market.

Streamlining technology to adapt to the changing nature of work (remote and hybrid working) 

A trend that goes hand in hand with automation is the streamlining of technology to adapt to the changing nature of work. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the workforce has shifted its priorities and what it is looking for from organisations, and a large part of this is the ability to work remotely.

Another key speaker at Accountex Australia is Alistair Marshall, the Director of Professional Services BD. Marshall's session on the Main Stage will focus on how to counteract the effects of the pandemic on staffing levels and demonstrate what it takes to stand out in an increasingly competitive and noisy marketplace for human talent. 

Key Sessions to look out for

There are so many more sessions to look out for at Accountex Australia, covering a diverse range of themes and topics. Some stand-out sessions include:

• How firms innovate at scale with Tanya Titman

This session with Tanya Titman will focus on how organisations can come up with better ways of working for themselves through reframing innovation as continuous improvement. More information about Tanya's session can be found here.

• How to scale up for carbon accounting with Sholto Macpherson, Amanda Kenafake, Jessica Richmond and Natalie Hick

This session with Sholto, Amanda, Jessica and Natalie will focus on how firms will ensure that carbon management accounting is more about opportunity than getting overwhelmed. What is the workload, who will do it, and how much will it bring in? And what advice will clients expect from firms on ESG? More information on the group's session can be found here.

• Who's winning the talent war with Nicole Gorton

This session with Nicole Gorton will focus on the fierce battle for talent that is pushing out hiring windows from weeks to months. Australia's largest recruiter of finance professionals will share the salary trends for 2023 and the tactics that successful firms are using to win the best candidates. More information on Nicole's session can be found here.

So what are you waiting for?

These and more exciting sessions will happen across the 15th and 16th of March at Accountex Australia. For more information on the speakers at the event, please visit the website here, and for those looking for more information about the event, please click on the link below.