Month: August 2022

Why we ask for your ID

Posted on | by Jade Donno

As part of our onboarding process we ask all of our clients for two pieces of ID. You might be wondering why we need this and what we do with it afterwards? We explain it all here.

Why we need your ID

As we are a regulated accountant, we are required by our regulatory body (AAT) to hold two pieces of identification for all clients for whom we act. This is so that we can complete anti money laundering checks on all of our clients and ensure that all of our clients are who they say they are.

What ID do we need

We need two pieces of ID from you:

  • Photo ID – such as driving licence or passport
  • Proof of Address – Such as bank statements, credit card bills, council tax bills, utility bills or driving licence.

All ID must be in date and display your current name.

Note – you can use your driving licence for either piece of ID, but not both. If you are giving us your driving licence please also submit an additional piece of ID so that we can still have two pieces of ID for you.

How do we use your ID

We request your ID using our Karbon client portal. This is the most secure way of getting your ID to us and is preferred to email which is not as safe.

Once in our possession, we upload it to our secure cloud storage system, Sharepoint. It is never saved onto individual computers.

We will use your ID to confirm your identity during our anti-money laundering checks. If we have not met you face to face we may arrange a zoom call with you to make sure you are the same person as in your ID.

All of our systems are GDPR compliant.

When we’ll need you to update your ID

If you have changed your name for any reason, we will need an updated copy of your photo ID and proof of address with your new name. If you haven’t arranged for updated ID yet we can accept your marriage certificate or deadpoll document until you can obtain your updated ID.

If you move address, we will need updated Proof of Address ID. We understand that these can take a while to come through but if you can get them to us as soon as you have something, in these cases often bills are the first thing to come through, then we can get started on updating our systems.

We will check your ID once a year when we update your anti-money laundering check. If we find your ID to be out of date we will simply request that you send us an updated copy as soon as possible.

Customer Research: The Key to Keeping Up With Your Clients’ Needs

Posted on | by Jade Donno

As our businesses grow and evolve, so do the needs of our clients. It is important that our customers always remain at the centre of our companies, otherwise our efforts will be in vain.

A great way of ensuring that your business is always meeting your client’s needs is by constantly updating your customer information!

Throughout this blog, we will discuss it all – from the importance of client information to different research methods and data storage.

Why is gathering customer information so important?

Customer information is important for a myriad of reasons. It helps us understand our client’s needs, which products or services generate the most income and, most importantly, how to improve our customer experience.

By leveraging this information we can refine our marketing strategies, keep up with our competitors, offer personalised services and improve customer loyalty by a staggering 64%!

Do consumers actually care about the customer experience?

Believe it or not, 80% of consumers claim that the customer experience is ‘just as important’ as the quality of products and services you provide. Overlooking customer research simply isn’t an option! After all, who’s more qualified to teach you how to deliver the best customer service than your clientele?

What client information should you collect?

More is more in this instance. So instead of spending hours specifying all the information you need, we’re going to outline the four types of data you should collect to gain a detailed understanding of your audience:

Identity Data

Identity Data is used to identify specific clients and customers. Some of the information you would need to collect would include:

  • Names
  • Physical addresses
  • Email addresses
  • Mobile numbers

This information will allow you to contact customers, ask for their insight and send them marketing materials – with their consent.

Descriptive Data

Descriptive data asks for more personal information about your clients so you can gain a greater insight into your audience and the demographics you’re reaching. For example, you may ask about their:

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Career or education
  • Marital or familial status
Qualitative Data

Now, this is where we get into the really good stuff. Qualitative data teaches you all about your customer’s beliefs, behaviours and motivations in relation to their consumer habits. This is your opportunity to ask specific questions like:

  • What do you enjoy about our product/services?
  • How could we improve our customer service?
  • Why did you choose our company over our competitors?
  • Would you recommend us to a friend or family member?
  • How can we bring you additional value?
Quantitative Data

Collecting quantitative data is a great way to understand how your customers interact with your business. Its primary function is to track marketing trends and consumer patterns. For example, some of the analytics you could track include:

  • How often customers visit your website
  • The value of each transaction
  • How often they engage with your social media

How should you collect and store your client information?

There are several ways you can go about collecting customer information. Our top recommendations include:

  • Feedback surveys
  • Interacting on social media
  • Website tracking
  • Subscription services

We also strongly suggest investing in a CRM system. Some CRM systems focus solely on storing your client information, whilst others also offer sales and marketing automation to help put your research into practice. Whether you opt for the former or the latter, an effective CRM system can help you:

  • Streamline your communications
  • Optimise your marketing strategies
  • Improve customer retention
  • Increase profits

Keep up with your customers’ needs!

If you want to optimise your services, keep up with competitors and continue fulfilling your clients’ needs, you must invest your time and resources into your customer research.

Loyal clients are the basis of every successful business, so don’t underestimate the importance of understanding your audience! Instead start valuing their insight as much as you value their business.

13 Ways an Accountant Can Help a Small Business Owner

Posted on | by Jade Donno

There are two huge mistakes that many start-ups or small business owners make. The first one is trying to manage their own accounting system. This is often done incorrectly which can hurt the business in the long-term. The second mistake is assuming that an accountant is only good for managing accounts and filing Tax or VAT returns.
An accountant is a financial guru and an all-around business advisor all in one. Accountants are an incredibly valuable member of any small business team as they can offer a lot more than just accounting to small business owners. Here are 13 ways accountants can help:

1) They can help you go from business idea to start up

They will give you advice on what you need to create the foundation for a successful business e.g. determining the best business structure, creating your business plan, opening a business bank account etc.

2) They can assist with the financial analysis in your business plan

They can also help with loan applications and forecasting.

3) They analyse your finances to determine where your business’ money is going

They can then advise you on where to make improvements in your processes and cash flow so your business can scale and grow.

4) They will explain your financial data so you can make financial decisions with confidence

A good accountant will break it down so you understand the ins and outs of your business at all times.

5) They close out your books and create end-of-year financial reports

With your reports, an accountant will recommend changes to budgets or forecasts.

6) They compile and submit your taxes and financial reports to HMRC and Companies House

As well as submitting, they can also calculate VAT, provide advice on estimated tax payments, and provide guidance.

7) They make sure that your accounting procedures comply with government regulations.

Legislation changes all the time. An accountant keeps up to date with these so they can check your company’s tax position and keep you compliant.

8) They oversee your company payroll and payment process

They can help you streamline your business processes to work smarter, not harder.

9) They can help you streamline your business processes to work smarter, not harder

They can provide advice on the type of accounting software that’s suitable for your business, how to track your expenses, and also invoicing and payroll. More time means more earning potential!

10) They can identify risks in financial transactions to prevent fraud

Many business owners want to identify investment opportunities too. An accountant can provide advice on this and check whether an investment is solid.

11) They can help you identify areas for growth in your business as well as ways to save money

By looking at cash flow patterns, inventory management, your pricing, business financing.

12) They will work with you to create a business budget and stay on track

Every business owner needs a budget to support their business goals. An accountant can actively help with this.

13) They can advise you on all the big things

Reports, taxes, audits, business strategy, you name it and they can probably help you with it. Need advice on property or equipment leasing and purchase? Need guidance or resources to assist with scaling the business? Guess who can help – Accountants!

Accountants are key to business success, wherever you are on your business journey

These are just some of the ways that accountants can work with you to support your business. Whether you’re launching a start-up, you’re a small business owner who needs help with running the business day-to-day or you’re wanting to really scale your business, an accountant can provide essential advice and guidance, every step of the way.

Why we love Xero!

Posted on | by Jade Donno

It’s no secret that we love Xero! It is the accounting software that we recommend to absolutely all of our clients. This is because we truly believe that it offers better features and useability than its competitors. Here are just some of the reasons why we love Xero!

1) Easy to use

Xero has made its interface very user-friendly and we find it easy to use on our end as well. This also makes it easy for us to teach you how to use it, to make sure that you get the best out of it and make sure your data is always accurate and up to date! We offer Xero training sessions to all of our clients at the onboarding stage so we can make sure you start off with it well, especially if you have never used it before.  Multiple users can be added who can all access the software at the same time.  You can also have different access levels for different team members so individuals can access or be restricted from certain parts of the software as appropriate.

2) Up to date reports

Using Xero means you will be able to access up-to-date reports that make it easy to understand how your business is doing. These are also able to be tailored to your specific needs for your company.

3) Cloud accounting

As with the majority of the other products that we love, Xero is cloud based! This means there is no need to save your documents to your PC and your data is backed up automatically and securely so you will never lose it. This also means that it can be accessed anywhere at any time, either via the web browser or the app.

4) Automatically brings in bank feeds

Xero can be set up so that it automatically brings in bank feeds from your business bank accounts and credit cards so your transactions are automatically bought into the software daily.  This limits the need for manual entries and means your figures are up to date in real time. This makes it easy for our bookkeepers as well as we won’t have to ask you for statements!

For a list of available bank feeds please see here.

We can help you set up your bank feed if you need, please just get in touch.

5) Integrations with other software

Xero also has over 1000 different apps, add-ons and integrations with software such as Dext, GoCardless, Stripe, Vend, Square, PayPal and more. Many of these apps can be set up to automate time-consuming tasks to make your admin easier!

If you need any help with setting up apps and integrations with Xero please get in touch.

6) Ahead of the crowd

Xero is typically always one step ahead of its closest competitors.  This can be in terms of reporting or keeping up with change in statutory requirements and legislation such as Making Tax Digital, Domestic Reverse Charge and even the Covid Furlough Scheme. It is constantly evolving and adding new features, particularly based on customer feedback on what features users would like to see implemented or ways existing features can be improved.

If you would like to find out more about Xero, transfer over from your existing software or try a free trial or demo please contact us so we can discuss!

7 ways to have the right mindset for growth during a recession

Posted on | by Jade Donno

A fixed mindset is thinking that the recession means business stops and clients don’t want to spend money.
A growth mindset is using this recession as an opportunity to adapt and do things differently.
You bees the second mindset if you want to grow your firm doing the recession.
The only thing holding you and your firm back from growing right now is you. To help you move your practice forward, both now during the pandemic and during any future recessions, here are 7 mindset shifts you need to make.

1) Make peace with your reality

Suffering is what happens when you resist what is already happening. The sooner you confront the current reality and accept it, the quicker you can move past it.

2) Hold yourself accountable

If you want to grow, you need to think of the acronym R.O.A.D. You need to take Responsibility for the choices you’ve made, you need to take Ownership of where you want to go, you need to start taking Action, and you need to be Decisive. When making your strategy plan, be 100% accountable for putting it into action.

3) Don’t compare yourself to others

Some businesses are struggling, others are thriving. Don’t compare yourself to either. Every business owner, firm, and situation is different, so don’t disrupt your focus with doubt.

4) Prioritise delivering value

Concentrate on delivering exceptional service to your current clients. How can you offer extra value during this time? This will make you invaluable and it will ensure that you stand out from your competitors.

5) Focus on your strengths, not your ‘failures’

What work are you good at? What do you love to do the most? Which clients are your favourites to work with? Being positive during this time is essential, so focus on what you love and reflect on your principles and values. Rediscovering why you do what you do is very powerful when it comes to self-motivation and drive.

6) Fail fast and achieve quickly

Inaction is the worst thing you can do, not trying something and failing. During a time of such change, don’t procrastinate and don’t be a perfectionist. Take action, fail fast, learn from your mistakes, and concentrate on getting there first (not doing it perfectly and getting there last).

7) Be grateful and become self-aware

Practice gratitude every day by thinking about what you are grateful for both now and in your future. Also, take time to reflect and to rediscover your purpose. If you’re confident and happy, you will attract similar clients.

Adapt AND adopt

We have all had to adapt to some degree during the pandemic, for example, being forced to adapt to working from home. Changes such as these are necessary to our ‘survival’ during this time.
With that being said, however, it is the accountants who have both adapted and adopted changes of their own, who have thrived. These are the individuals who make quick and effective decisions, who take responsibility for changing their situation, and who take action.
Anyone can grow their firm during a recession, they just have to have the right mindset.

How to use Karbon’s Client Portal

Posted on | by Jade Donno

Welcome to the 1 Accounts client portal! This portal is an online management system that allows you to easily and safely send, receive and store all of your accounting and tax information online.

What does this mean for you?

The client portal allows you to review and approve your accounting and tax information with the click of a button. It also allows you to view open and closed requests and any current requests we’ve sent to you.

Why are we doing this?

It’s a safer and more efficient way to handle your accounting and tax. It simplifies the process for you and allows us to serve your individual needs better. It also provides you with more flexibility, you can comment and ask questions directly in the portal. Your accountant is immediately notified and can take action. This eliminates the need for email and keeps it all together in one place, so you can review it at any time.

Review Tasks

You will receive an email with your tasks. Click on ‘manage checklist’ to access the tasks you need to complete.

You will automatically see all the tasks assigned to you for completion.

Please note: if you open this link on one device, and you’d like to access it on a different device, click the link again and it will ask you to “Send Access Link”. This will send another link to the originally sent email that will allow you to access it from the computer.

Comment, ask questions and upload files

You’ll be able to comment, ask questions and upload files on each of the tasks, which your accountant is immediately notified of and can take action.

Click Comment to comment or ask questions on a task or click upload files to attach files to a task. To add files to a comment click on the paperclip icon on a comment while composing.

Log in

By logging in, you’ll have access to all your open and closed requests, including current client requests that haven’t been completed. You’ll also have copies of documents you have uploaded, so you can keep track and easily find what’s been sent.

  • If you have a login, follow the instructions and log in (example A)
  • If you don’t have a login click the ‘create account’ button and it will ask you to create an account (example B).
  • If you forgot your password, click the forgot password link and follow the instructions (example C)
Example A
Example B
Example C

Once you have created an account, you can access the client portal at any time. Once you are signed in, you will be taken directly to the client portal which looks like this.

Magic Link

The main way you will access the client portal

Spend money to make money

While you can save a couple of hundred pounds doing your own books, you won’t save as much with an accountant and you could actually end up losing a lot more. With an accountant on your team, you can save both time and money while having the reassurance and peace of mind that you’re making sound business decisions for your future.

If you would like to learn more click here to get in touch.

Or feel free to use our chat box —>

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1 Accounts shortlisted for prestigious national award

Posted on | by Jade Donno

A commitment to supporting businesses through the pandemic has seen 1 Accounts shortlisted for a top national award.
We have been named in the top five of the prestigious Accounting Excellence awards in the Medium Firm of the Year category.


While acknowledging the growth of the company, the shortlisting is also testimony to the bespoke service provided by 1 Accounts over the last two and a half years.
Paul Donno, director of our family-run business, said: “Our team worked above and beyond during the pandemic – at a time when we were all trying to keep our loved ones safe.
“Because we are an online business, our staff were still able to provide the same high-quality service to our clients. But we wanted to do more than that so we supported their loan and furlough applications free of charge.

“It was something we felt we could do at a time when our clients needed all the help they could get just to stay afloat.
“We also held webinars for both clients and non-clients to support other local businesses. On the back of that, we have received a lot of client referrals and our business has grown by over 60% in the last two years.”

1 Accounts was named best new practice at the British Accountancy Awards in 2016 and Paul is hoping for similar success this time around.
“I am incredibly proud of their hard work and honoured, as a company, to be nominated for this award,” Paul said.
“To be shortlisted in the medium size category is testimony to how much we have grown in a short space of time.
“In 2016, we only had three members of staff, including me and my wife Jenni, and around 40 to 50 clients. Since then, we have grown to in excess of 300 clients and we are just about to employ two more people, taking us to 15 members of staff.”
The Accounting Excellence awards will be held on Thursday 8th September at a ceremony in London.

Press release & photo by Dave Gooderham at Gooderham PR.

Marriage Allowance

Posted on | by Jade Donno

As we are in the middle of wedding season, it’s worth reminding everyone about marriage allowance. This extra bit of tax relief could be especially helpful to people now during the cost of living crisis.

What is marriage allowance?

Marriage allowance lets you transfer 10% of your unused personal tax allowance to your husband, wife, or civil partner. This will then reduce their tax bill by that amount. It could be worth up to £252 a year!

Am I eligible?

To be eligible to marriage allowance you need to be;

  • Married or in a civil partnership
  • one partner earning below the personal tax threshold of £12,570 per year
  • The other partner earning below the higher rate tax threshold of £50,000 per year

Unfortunately you can’t claim marriage allowance if you are only co-habiting and not married or in a civil partnership.

How do I claim marriage allowance?

If you are a client of ours, mention that you would like to apply for marriage allowance when we complete your tax return. We can then help you sort this out.

You can also apply yourself by phoning the income tax helpline on 0300 200 3300 or by applying online. You will need your partner’s national insurance number for the claim.

There are some online firms that will charge you a commission for claiming through them, our advice is to stay away from these and to either claim yourself by contacting HMRC or through your accountant. We do not charge our clients extra for this. This will ensure you get 100% of what you are owed!

Can I backdate my claim?

When applying for marriage allowance you can backdate your claim to 5th April 2018! So if you have been eligible for marriage allowance since then, these tax years will be included in your claim and you could receive more money back.

If you are married and not already taking advantage of the marriage allowance then what are you waiting for! Make sure you apply to receive your tax refund.

Starting your own business after redundancy

Posted on | by Jade Donno

Facing redundancy can be incredibly challenging, but it could also be the perfect time to start a brand new career based on your interests, your lifestyle and your aspirations.
Does this sound too good to be true?
With these five steps, we can help you transform your redundancy package into your very own startup:

1) Take advantage of your notice period

Typically, you’ll need to work a notice period. Instead of worrying about what comes next, use this time to start planning your new venture!
Dive into research, enrol in training and network as much as possible. The sooner you can start, the better! After all, wouldn’t you prefer to plan for your future whilst you’re still on the payroll?

2) Develop a business plan

Success is all about strategy, so it is important to develop a business plan.
Every business plan will look slightly different, but the main areas you want to focus on are the:

  • Executive summary – create a brief overview of your business detailing what services you offer and what you intend to achieve.
  • Management bio – this is your opportunity to introduce yourself, your values and your professional experience.
  • Marketing plan – identify your target audience, USP and market competitors before explaining how you intend to attract your desired audience.
  • Financial plan – because you’re just starting out, your financial plan will be primarily made up of projections (sales projections, expensive projections, cash flow projections etc.). Make sure you’re thorough with your research if you intend to achieve accurate estimates.

Your business plan will become the blueprint for your company, so the more information you can include, the better – particularly if you want to attract investors!

3) Address any legalities

To establish a legitimate business, you need to fulfil certain legal requirements. Now, these requirements may vary depending on your business model and industry, so it’s always worth checking whether you need to obtain a specific type of permit or insurance.
You can find these answers by visiting the government website or checking with your relevant industry bodies.
It is also worth hiring an accountant early on to advise you on the financial aspect of your business.

4) Open a business bank account

This next point is directed specifically to our sole traders. Although you don’t have to open a business account, we strongly suggest you do. It will make your bookkeeping 10x easier! So unless you want to waste your time separating your expenses and risk receiving a penalty, you should seriously consider setting up a business bank account.
If you are starting a limited company this is also something you will need to do, however it is essential rather than it just being strongly advised.

5) Set yourself boundaries

Starting a business is an exciting endeavour. However, it can become all-consuming. So for our final point we wanted to discuss the importance of setting yourself boundaries and practising self-care.
Firstly, give yourself some grace. Redundancy is incredibly difficult to navigate, so try not to be too hard on yourself – especially during those early days.
And secondly, start as you mean to go on. Give yourself lunch breaks, take time off and allow yourself opportunities to relax. Only then can you avoid burnout and achieve sustainable growth.

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade


No one wants to be made redundant – but that doesn’t mean it has to be all doom and gloom. Instead, this could be the start of your exciting adventure into entrepreneurship! So take the chance, pursue your passion and totally transform your career. You may just find redundancy works in your favour.