Communication is a fundamental need when moving to a cloud-based bookkeeping system. The advantages provided through such programs as Receipt Bank, Quickbooks Online, Telpay, and other such programs can be lost so easily simply by a failure to communicate. The ability for two parties to sucessfully work remotely is dependent on it. Email is likely the most common and in many ways the best to establish and maintain effective, traceable, and recordable messaging. There are also numerous ways to secure email so that even sensitive messages can be safely exchanged.
For example, Telpay is used for direct electronic payments by business to their employees and suppliers. It is fast, cheap, and reliable as long as the process for its use is followed. Telpay uses email to send communications back and forth from users to Telpay and from Telpay to users to make sure that the integrity of the payment process is not compromised. At one stage in the process, a formal request for the approval of the payment by the business owner or designate is sent. That email demands a response to keep the process moving forward. As payments are time-sensitive in terms of when the payment is intended to be received by employees or suppliers, and there are third parties – banks – involved in the movement of funds, delays in the approval mean that payments can be late. That of course is a major upset to employees and can create friction between business and suppliers. No one likes to be paid late.
Similarly, programs like Receipt Bank or Hubdocs depend on a clear flow of communication between the bookkeeper who oversees the flow of data coming in for review and publishing to the bookkeeping program, and the people who are submitting the various documents. Many items may arrive in the document reading program that are not clear, have insufficient information available, or have payment methods that are not recognised by the program. This will generally stop the publishing of these items to their proper place in the bookkeeping records and require the bookkeeper to request clarification or more information. Delays in responding to such request can frustrate the efforts by the bookkeeper to keep the accounts up to date, and that may have costly results.
There are lots of ways to improve business communications, and lots of source of information on how to go about it. Most common email programs offer tools and techniques to manage and control your email by highlighting more important message, categorising them, and speeding up your responses. Setting specific times in your work day to view and respond to emails saves you from the constant distractions of incoming mail, and sharing these timeframes with those with whom you most commonly communicate will help them to time their own messaging practices – and when to expect answers.
