How to Automate 90% of Your Bookkeeping Without Hiring

Running a business means wearing a hundred hats - but “bookkeeper” doesn’t need to be one of them.

If you’re still spending hours each month reconciling bank transactions, chasing invoices, or wrestling with spreadsheets, you’re not alone - and you’re not stuck. With the right setup, UK SMEs can now automate 90% of their bookkeeping and reclaim valuable time.

Here’s how.

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Step 1: Connect Everything Once - and Let the Data Flow

The first step is centralising your financial data. That means:

Connecting your bank account to your accounting platform (like Xero)
Linking payment platforms (Stripe, Shopify, PayPal)
Syncing expenses and receipts automatically via tools like Dext or Hubdoc

With these integrations in place, your financial transactions are updated daily - no manual uploads, no gaps, no guesswork.

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Step 2: Set Smart Rules (So You Don’t Reconcile Line by Line)

Automation doesn’t mean “out of control.” The trick is building rules into your system so transactions are coded correctly the first time.

Examples:

All Stripe payouts go to “Stripe Control Account”
Shopify fees are allocated to “Merchant Fees”
Regular subscriptions (like Zoom) go straight to “Software Expenses”

Once rules are set, they apply automatically - turning what used to take hours into something that runs quietly in the background.

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Step 3: Automate Recurring Tasks (VAT, Invoicing, Payroll)

You can eliminate the monthly “admin scramble” by automating:

VAT returns - based on live data, not a quarterly panic
Payroll - including HMRC submissions and payslips
Recurring invoices - sent and tracked automatically

At Addition, these workflows are fully automated and monitored - so you’re alerted only when action’s actually needed.

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Step 4: Review, Don’t Re-Do

With automation, your job shifts from doing to reviewing. Instead of digging for numbers, you get a clear, live view of:

Bank balance vs. liabilities
Monthly P&L
Outstanding invoices and payments
Real-time cash flow position

You’re not chasing reports - they’re already waiting for you.

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**Real Talk: Automation Saves Time and Money**

Our clients save an average of 15+ hours per month just on basic financial admin. That’s almost half a working week - every month - to reinvest in growth, hiring, or rest.

Even better: they stop paying for basic services from legacy accountants that automation handles better and faster.

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