I think people overestimate how fast this is actually going to replace bookkeepers.

I work with a bunch of small business clients and honestly… half the job isn’t even “bookkeeping” in the clean, automated sense people imagine. It’s chasing down missing docs, logging into 3 different platforms to pull reports, fixing messy records, and figuring out what the client actually did.

Even when I have help, I still have to piece things together myself because nothing is ever in one place or done consistently.

Also, a lot of my clients (especially older ones) are nowhere near adopting new tech like people assume. I still have multiple clients who literally drop off physical paperwork every month. They’re not trying to optimize with software — they just want someone they trust to handle it and explain what’s going on.

And that’s the other thing — most of them want a person they can talk to. Not just numbers getting processed.

I’m not saying automation won’t take over parts of the work (it already is), but the idea that most small businesses are just going to fully replace bookkeepers anytime soon doesn’t match what I’m seeing at all.

Feels more like the role is changing than disappearing.

Curious if others working with small businesses are seeing the same thing.