AI tools for accountants

Records transactions, reconciles accounts with the bank and counterparties, prepares reporting and answers tax authority requests.

Tools ranked for this role

Best tool for each task

ChatGPT

All-purpose chat assistant with web search, file and spreadsheet analysis, voice and custom GPTs. Paid plans from $20/mo. Free plan available.

Claude

Assistant for long documents, contracts and careful writing, with a Project for each matter. Paid plans from $20/mo. Free plan available.

Gemini in Google Sheets

Gemini side panel in Sheets: formulas, summaries and anomaly checks with no copying of data into a chat. Paid plans from $14/mo.

Data that stays out of public AI tools

• Employee names, tax IDs, dates of birth and salaries: into a public service only as [Employee 1] and [amount]
• Account numbers, tax numbers and counterparty names from bank statements and the trial balance: banking and trade secrets, replace them with codes C1, C2
• Digital signature keys and passwords to online banking or the taxpayer portal: never, anywhere
• A tax authority request with company details and transaction amounts: anonymize it before pasting
• Source documents with scanned signatures and stamps: cover the details before uploading

Tasks with a prompt and steps

• Reconcile the trial balance with the bank and source documents 30 min
• Categorize a bank statement by cash flow line 20 min
• Find discrepancies in a counterparty reconciliation statement 20 min
• Check a source document for required fields 10 min
• Prepare a reply to a tax authority request 40 min
• Write an overdue payment reminder 10 min
• Get a spreadsheet formula from a plain-language request 10 min
• Summarize changes in legislation for colleagues 20 min
• Analyze budget variances, actual versus plan 30 min
• Explain the numbers to the business owner 15 min
• Draft an internal company order 15 min
• Write a business letter 10 min
• Summarize a long PDF 10 min
• Keep a contract register and track deadlines 30 min