A practical guide to building a modern CAS tech stack

In a world overflowing with apps and automation, it's easy to get distracted by shiny objects, especially with the wave of AI in accounting when you're building a Client Accounting & Advisory Services (CAS) tech stack for your firm. But here's the truth: Clients aren't paying for your tech stack. They're paying for time back, clearer decisions, and, ultimately, business growth. The right tech enables that.

I say this as someone who owns a SaaS app, FinDaily.io. I also half-jokingly claim that I could run my fractional CFO firm with just Microsoft 365. While that's an exaggeration, it speaks to a mindset shift: Your stack supports your process, instead of defining it.

Where tech fits into CAS

CAS is 10% technology, 20% knowledge, and 70% communication. The right tools prevent you from pulling your hair out, but they're not the hero—your communications and insights are. A thoughtful tech stack helps you scale, stay sane, and deliver on your promises.

A simpler approach to app selection

Early on, I was stuck in analysis paralysis—building spreadsheets comparing 10 features across five apps, demo after demo. It was exhausting and often unproductive.

Now I follow a simple five-step process:

1. Get client feedback on client-facing technology.
2. Identify 3–5 needs.
3. Browse sites such as GetApp, soon to be Jason Staat's FirmStack, or accounting app marketplaces such as the QuickBooks App Store.
4. Ask peers how they use the app—what they love, what's missing, and can I see it in action.
5. Test it.

Getting hands-on experience is the only way to know if a tool works for your workflow. This "imperfect but practical" method saves hours of wasted research.

Leverage your network before you switch

You don't need to learn the hard way. Case in point: a colleague reached out after seeing I was using a tool he was evaluating. After a 30-minute call to discuss his needs, we realized that—even though I loved the tool—it wasn't the right fit for him.

He avoided a costly switch and the regret of onboarding a new tool that wouldn't solve his problem. Use your community. Ask questions. Get real-world input.

I'm constantly exploring new apps and I lean heavily on:

• Online communities: The Kick C@$ Community and Realize.
• Conferences: Intuit Connect.
• Newsletters: The CAS Cache and What's Next For Accounting Tech?
• Podcasts: The Accounting Podcast, Future Firm Accounting Podcast, and the new Firm of the Future podcast, On the Books.

These resources help me stay ahead of the curve without wasting time.

My CAS tech stack and why it works

Here's a look at the actual tech I use today, mapped to the client journey:

1. Intake and scheduling

• JotForm–For collecting client info upfront.
• Calendly–For scheduling discovery and strategy sessions.

2. Proposals, engagement, billing, and back office

• PowerPoint–Still my go-to for pitch decks. Clean and customizable.
• Ignition–For engagement letters and ACH capture, and automatically creates recurring invoices in QuickBooks Online. Ignition also integrates with Intuit ProConnect Tax. 
• QuickBooks Online–For one-off invoices, firm accounting, and firm payroll.

3. Banking and bill pay

• Relay – I use this to pay bills, pay an overseas contractor, and execute Profit First allocations automatically.

4. Project management

• Microsoft 365 (Tasks by Planner, To Do, and Teams)–Each client gets their own Team with recurring tasks and process docs.
• Loom–I use Loom to document processes, give feedback to contractors, and walk clients through deliverables.

This setup works well for my lifestyle fractional CFO firm, but I would not recommend this setup if you plan to scale and perform many repetitive tasks, such as bookkeeping. 

5. Client-facing reporting

• FinDaily.io–For automated, weekly financial digests. FinDaily is a client favorite.
• Fathom–For forecasting and financial reporting. After using and demoing many tools, I found Fathom to be the most robust and user-friendly.
• MS Teams–For sharing documents securely with clients.

I'll occasionally recommend apps to clients, but I tread carefully here. If you recommend something, assume you're on the hook for support—whether it's in scope.

Final thoughts: Progress over perfection

You will never build the perfect tech stack. Apps evolve and your needs change. I have switched forecasting and reporting apps three times in seven years, and am eyeing a fourth now.

But the key is to focus on execution, not perfection. Make the best choice with the information you have today, and lean on your network and client feedback before making a switch.

Your clients don't care what apps you use. They care that you show up ready to help them grow.