Article
In an accounting firm, the hours to free up are first in production: collecting documents, data entry, bank reconciliation, reminders. No public study measures these times task by task: record yours before choosing a tool.
Key takeaways
- Look for the hours in production first: collection, data entry, reconciliation, reminders.
- No public study measures these times by firm: record them before choosing a tool.
- Avoid the tax season and, from 50 employees, plan for the works council consultation.
Why now
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Two pressures add up. The profession is short of staff: 10,000 a year according to Omeca (2022, cited by Cegid). And e-invoicing is an “absolute priority” for the Paris-Île-de-France Order of chartered accountants, whose AI workshops drew 3,000 registrations (season 4 of its transformation programme).
The professional services sector, which includes accounting firms, is among the most advanced: 33% of companies with 10 or more employees used AI in 2025, against 18% on average (Insee).
Where to look for the hours
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Here is where to look first. This is not a measurement: no public study of time per task was found for accounting firms, hence the value of recording your own.
| Task | What AI can take on | What stays human |
|---|---|---|
| Collecting documents | Chase, file, flag what is missing | Judging that a file is complete |
| Data entry and coding | Propose an entry from a document | Validating unusual cases |
| Bank reconciliation, matching | Match simple transactions, isolate discrepancies | Explaining the discrepancies |
| Client reminders | Prepare reminders, track replies | The tone and the relationship |
| Preparing the review | Prepare a file summary | The review and the conclusion |
Professional secrecy and validation
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A firm handles its clients’ data. Before any tool, ask three questions: where the data is stored, who can access it, and whether it is used to train a model. For a SHIFTLABS Diagnostic: encrypted data, active storage in the Paris region, no training on your data; AI analysis is entrusted to Anthropic (United States), under standard contractual clauses, with Mistral AI (France) as a fallback. The trust centre gives the sources.
In every case, AI prepares and the decision stays human: an expert reviews and validates every deliverable before publication.
The right time of year
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The tax season keeps teams busy from January to May: we avoid scheduling a Diagnostic then; that is our working assumption, to be adjusted with you. The Diagnostic takes 2 weeks of data collection; from 50 employees, allow about 1 more month beforehand for the works council information and consultation.
Where to start
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With a record: who does what, how often, how long. For 20 people interviewed, ≈ 420 recoverable hours a year repay a Diagnostic and a first agent within 24 months, all costs included, at €45/h. The Who it is for page details this threshold for firms of 20 to 100 people, with its sources.
Do you run a network of firms? A first firm provides the proof, then the method is rolled out: see Networks and funds.
Frequently asked questions
Will AI replace accounting staff?
In a profession short of staff, the point is rather to give time back to advisory work. An assessment describes tasks, not people, and is not used to assess anyone.
Should you wait for e-invoicing before starting?
No: a record of the work actually done shows where collection and data-entry hours go today, which also helps prepare the switch.
From what size is it useful?
The threshold is counted in hours, not headcount: ≈ 420 recoverable hours a year for 20 people interviewed. Firms of 20 to 100 people are the first segment we target.
What does the validating expert do?
They review every interview summary and every deliverable, correct what needs correcting and validate before publication. Today, the expert who validates is the founder of SHIFTLABS.
Sources
The sources (3)
- Cegid, “Expertise comptable : recrutement et salaires 2025” (28 January 2025, updated 18 February 2025): shortage of 10,000 staff a year, Omeca 2022 (in French)
- Ordre des experts-comptables Paris-Île-de-France, Rapport moral 2025 (July 2026): e-invoicing an “absolute priority”; transformation programme, season 4, 3,000 registrations (in French)
- Insee, Insee Première no. 2120 (July 2026): AI use by sector, companies with 10 or more employees, 2025 (in French)
Further reading
Keep reading
- How many hours does it take for an AI agent to pay off?
- Playbook: running a successful AI assessment in an SME
- AI use cases in business: how to find and prioritise them
And in your organisation?
An AI agent interviews your teams about their work and an expert validates every deliverable. You know where AI will save you time, with costed use cases and a roadmap.