INTHEBLACK July 2026 - Magazine - Page 53
moving beyond off-the-shelf tools and building
something more tailored to own and automate
the workflow.”
A RETURN OF TIME
One of the most immediate benefits of digital
fluency is time. When repetitive reporting
and administrative tasks are automated,
a meaningful portion of the working week
is freed up for higher-value work.
“A large proportion of white-collar work,
particularly in accounting, still involves
repetitive reporting, data preparation and
manual data transfer,” Lesch says.
The opportunity is not just efficiency for its
own sake, but what that time enables instead:
more analysis, stronger insight and better
decision-making. The shift is from doing the
work faster to doing different work altogether.
“We are now at a point where technology
can, in some cases, return anywhere between
5 per cent and 40 per cent of a professional’s
time,” he says.
REVIEW AND REVISE
The pace of change in technology can feel
relentless. New tools, features and platforms
emerge constantly and make it difficult to know
where to focus. But fluency, Wise argues, is not
about keeping up with everything. It is about
being deliberate and regularly reviewing the
tech stack to make sure it is still fit for purpose.
“My mantra is ‘catch up, do not keep up’,”
he says. “At a certain point, you need to step
back and review your tech stack. Ask: what
is the best option available right now and is
it worth pausing current workflows to consider
a tool upgrade or change in approach?
“Ultimately, technology is becoming more
accessible and democratised,” Wise continues.
“The barriers to digital fluency are less about
technical expertise and more about mindset,
and having a willingness to experiment, test
and refine tools within your own workflows.” ■
LISTEN OR WATCH
READ
a podcast episode
about the future
of accounting in
the AI world
an article on how
to get your SME
tech stack right
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au 53
