Who can set up automation for an accounting firm?

Four kinds of provider set up automation for an accounting firm, CPA firm or accountancy practice. The vendor of your practice management software offers onboarding by its own team. A consultant certified by that vendor configures it. A partner from an automation platform's directory builds on that platform. An independent builder, such as Alea Applied AI, builds the workflow across the tools you already run and operates it. Each handles client data, so read the rules on service providers first.

Updated 4 October 2026

Who does this work, and when does each one fit?

The first four are providers; the fifth is doing it yourself. The prices are the ones each company published on 3 October 2026, in dollars.

The software vendor's own team
Karbon offers training, implementation and consulting, delivered by people it calls Karbon experts, in named packages that include an eight-week guided implementation. Canopy offers guided implementation with a dedicated specialist, priced by quote, and a self-guided route for firms of up to ten users at 199 dollars, which it refunds in full if the firm completes six setup milestones within 60 days. TaxDome offers free self-serve onboarding and paid onboarding from 999 dollars. This route fits when you have bought the software and need it running.
A consultant certified by the vendor
TaxDome lists certified consultants, which it describes as independent professionals and firms it has vetted and trained, for implementation, workflow design and automation setup. This route fits when you are staying on one product and want its workflows designed by someone who knows it.
An automation platform and its partners
Make and UiPath each publish a directory of partners who build on their platform; UiPath's lists business partners in tiers from Authorized to Diamond. QuickBooks lists the third-party apps that integrate with it, and Xero runs an app store of third-party apps. This route fits when the job is connecting apps you already use and you are content for it to be built on that platform.
An independent builder
An independent builder builds the workflow across what you already run and operates it afterwards. That is our work: every new client walked through the same steps, documents and signatures chased on a schedule, and a report of what happened this week, in plain language. We work inside the tools the practice already runs, Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent, IRIS and Dext among them, and we agree the acceptance criteria in writing before we start. This route fits when the work falls between the practice software, the inbox and the client.
Your own team
TaxDome's self-serve onboarding is free, and Canopy refunds its self-guided fee to firms that complete the setup milestones within 60 days. If someone in the firm has the hours, the vendor's self-serve route is the place to start. It stops fitting in the weeks before a filing deadline.

What do we do, and on what terms?

We build and run the system inside the software your firm already uses. It starts with a fixed-fee audit, about a week, that measures the current process and models the fix. The build is then scoped and quoted at a fixed price, and a first working version is usually live in two to four weeks. The acceptance criteria are written before any build begins: what the system will do, measured how, by when. If it does not meet them, the fix is ours. After that we can keep running it, reviewed monthly, and you can cancel at any time.

What should you ask before you sign with anyone?

In the United States, is the provider covered by your written security programme? The FTC's Safeguards Rule covers tax preparation firms. It requires a written information security programme. On service providers it sets three duties: take reasonable steps to choose ones able to protect customer information, bind them to that by contract, and reassess them periodically. Anyone who receives, holds, processes or is otherwise allowed access to customer information through providing services directly to the firm counts as a service provider.
IRS Publication 5708, prepared by the Security Summit of the IRS, state tax agencies and the tax industry, says the law requires a written information security plan of tax and accounting professionals whatever their size.
In the United Kingdom, HMRC's standard for agents says it expects agents to keep the client information they hold secure, and that agents must comply with data protection law. HMRC says the standard applies to all tax agents, and names accountants among them.
What will the system do, measured how, by when, and is that written down before the work starts?
Who runs it in the weeks before a filing deadline, and what happens when it fails?

When are we the wrong choice?

If you have just bought Karbon, Canopy or TaxDome, use the vendor's onboarding first
If the work you want gone is the bookkeeping itself, that is a different service from ours
If you onboard only a few clients a month, a checklist and a shared folder are fine, and we will say so
If you are about to change practice management systems, wait until that settles rather than building twice

Frequently asked questions

Who can set up automation for a CPA firm?

The vendor of your practice management software, a consultant that vendor has certified, a partner from an automation platform's directory, or an independent builder. The first two set up the product you bought. A platform partner builds on that platform. An independent builder connects the practice software, the inbox and the client into one workflow and runs it.

How much does onboarding with Karbon, Canopy or TaxDome cost?

On 3 October 2026 Canopy's self-guided implementation was 199 dollars, refunded on completing six setup milestones within 60 days, and its guided implementation was priced by quote. TaxDome's paid onboarding started from 999 dollars, with a free self-serve option. Karbon published no price for its implementation packages; its Annual Service Plan, an ongoing add-on and not an onboarding package, was listed at 1,499 US dollars a year.

Does an outside automation provider fall under the FTC Safeguards Rule?

The rule defines a service provider as any person or entity that receives, maintains, processes or is otherwise permitted access to customer information through providing services directly to the firm. The firm has to take reasonable steps to select providers capable of maintaining appropriate safeguards, require those safeguards by contract and reassess the providers periodically.

Is a Xero advisor an automation consultant?

Xero's advisor directory is a place to find accountants and bookkeepers: Xero says every firm in it has staff trained in Xero. Nothing on that page describes them as automation consultants.

Is Botkeeper an automation consultant?

Botkeeper describes itself as an AI accounting solution built for accounting firms, and as an automated bookkeeping solution. Its site presents it first as bookkeeping automation. Our work is the coordination around the bookkeeping: onboarding, document chasing and reporting.

How long does it take?

Karbon describes its guided implementation as an eight-week package, and TaxDome says most firms finish onboarding in six to eight weeks. Our own first step is an audit of about a week, and a first working version is usually live in two to four weeks.

Sources

Every statement on this page about a named company, a price or a rule was read at its source on 3 October 2026. Prices and policies change: read them again before you rely on them.

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