Revolutionizing Accounting Workflows

Through interviews with prospects and existing customers, we identified several pain points. While they had different things to say, they all mentioned the same features that would 1. Allow prospects to shift their vendor and invoice operations onto Archie and 2. Allow exiting customers to process more invoices in Archie.

We built Complex Controls for Approvals a few months prior, and had to decide what to build next. Out of the remaining 3 features, the Accounting System Integration would take the least amount of time. Discovery had already been done and we’d planned to implement the Railz API (think Plaid for accounting) into our infrastructure in order to connect to various accounting systems more quickly. One of our engineers had 2 months free before staring a larger project, and he was confident that we could build and launch in that timeframe.

After implementing the Railz API, we would build the integration with 1 accounting platform, collect feedback, make the revisions, and start again with another accounting platform. That way, we were constantly iterating while building out new connections to appease more customers.

We chose QuickBooks as the first accounting platform since the majority of our existing customers used it (including our larger customers). That way, we could provide value to most of our customers immediately.

Given the tight timeframe, we worked in parallel, ensuring frequent, transparent communication and close collaboration to ensure success.

With each call / video interview, we asked users how they currently handle data transfers, their frustrations with the process, any workflow requirements, and what they’d want from the integration in an ideal world. We also gathered greater details about how manual their workflow really is and how often it occurs.

The insights also revealed finer details about syncing preferences, field mappings, permissions, and desired controls. We then organized the insights into “required” vs “nice to haves. These insights directly shaped the design and functionality of the integration.

To get started, I partnered with the team to outline the business goals and design principles.

From there, it was clear that the project didn't have a clear leader / someone pushing the project along, so I took the opportunity to be that person by making progress each day (even if small). I started by breaking the project down into its simplest parts:

After, I then listed out the different workflows we had consider. I scheduled quick meetings often to discuss each decision in detail, often referencing sketches or quick prototypes to help visualize different solutions. We continuously exchanged ideas, balancing user needs with long-term scalability. This collaboration allowed us to make fast decisions, reduce the unknowns, and adjust our approach without derailing the project.

What errors could happen with the integration? How do we notify the user when this occurs? What happens to the existing data? What are the steps to resolve?

How would the user map objects like vendors and bank account? Do we offer this in a integration management area and/or on the individual vendor profile and bank account sections? How do we save the user time mapping? What can we automate?

How would users map the line items on incoming invoices? Do we offer bulk mapping options? Do we build logic to apply automatic mappings to incoming invoices?

Who has access to do the above? Do we limit to Organization Admins only? Do we offer this as a custom permission? Who is often adding the above if not the Organization Admin?

After 2 short months, we launched the QuickBooks integration. The new “Integrations” page allowed users to set up the connection quickly and easily adjust details, while Archie took over the daily data syncs. The integration was designed to simplify workflows, save users time, and reduce the risk of errors.

Users can map vendors at two points and the fields were interconnected: during the invite vendor workflow and when editing a vendor's profile. We designed this flexibility to accommodate different user workflows, allowing for smoother integration into their daily tasks. Mapping was kept optional, recognizing that the individual performing the action may not always have the necessary mapping information. This kept the workflows fluid, reducing potential roadblocks with managing vendors.

We didn’t have time to build a feature for bulk updating vendor mappings, so we needed to offer users a simple way to identify which vendors had / hadn’t been mapped. To address this, we added a filter on the vendors page, allowing users to easily filter for the unmapped vendors and take action necessary.

Users can map bank accounts at three points: during the add account workflow, when editing a bank account, and when editing integration details. Similar to the vendor mapping experience, all fields were interconnected—any updates made in one location automatically synced across the other two. To ensure seamless functionality, bank account mapping was also accessible on the integration management page, as it played a crucial role. The mapping status directly influenced which bills and bill payments were written to QuickBooks, making it an essential element for accurate data synchronization.

Users can map invoice line items directly on the edit invoice view. For this initial version, we couldn’t implement automation features for invoice line item mappings, but it was a key piece planned for the next iteration. Our vision was to create a rules section where users could define mappings for each line item name and have those mappings automatically apply to incoming invoices, streamlining the process and reducing manual effort over time. However, we would have to completely change the user experience and functionality of how line item names are added in Archie, which was a bigger undertaking.

When viewing an invoice, we wanted users to quickly reference mappings for status and accuracy. To achieve this, we added the mapping details directly on the invoice view. To view, the user can expand the total amount widget to see the individual line items in addition to the corresponding mappings.

Users can map invoice line items directly on the edit invoice view. For this initial version, we couldn’t implement automation features for invoice line item mappings, but it was a key piece planned for the next iteration. Our vision was to create a rules section where users could define mappings for each line item name and have those mappings automatically apply to incoming invoices, streamlining the process and reducing manual effort over time. However, we would have to completely change the user experience and functionality of how line item names are added in Archie, which was a bigger undertaking.