Japan is a ‘Unique’ place when it comes to accounting. There are countless procedures and bureaucracy to deal with, and local reporting and compliance will most likely be different from what you may be used to. Add to this a very traditional approach which usually revolves around an incredible amount of paper and you start to get the idea...
We started a mission about 2 years ago; To offer our clients a cloud-based service that leverages new technologies and methods that match their business and the way they work best. We want to take the stress and difficulty out of running a compliant Japanese business, and give our clients the support and space they need to focus on their business while we take care of their back office.
When you’re looking for a new or better accounting firm, the decision isn’t always easy. At JOS we specialize in supporting international clients who need regular English reporting (usually locally and to a head office) in a way that the Japan numbers can consolidate into a global business overview while keeping the business locally compliant. We also take care of local entrepreneurs who want to be nimble and who need a good handle on their finances, leveraging our knowledge and experience to support business growth.
Whatever kind of business you have, the appeal of cloud accounting is the same: Here are 5 great reasons to switch your Japanese business to cloud accounting.
1. Real-time financial data
Perhaps the biggest benefit of switching to a cloud accounting firm is having speedy access to your financials. This can help improve and speed up your decision-making by making sure you always have an up-to-date overview of your business performance.
JOS’s cloud accounting solutions allow you to view your accounts at any time and from anywhere in the world. Traditional accounting firms usually make you wait for weeks and sometimes months in order to complete financial statements only to give you a retroactive overview of your business performance. By then, it is often too late to make critical decisions around investment, hiring, tax planning, etc.
By contrast, traditional accounting firms tend to use old-style desktop accounting software systems that reside in their office. As a result, accessing your data becomes more difficult and reports are delivered in paper or excel format at best. This does not allow you to drill down into the details of the reports in real-time, and so you often have to go back and forth asking questions to your accountant to understand the reports. Cloud accounting gives you much better and deeper visibility into your business performance.
2. Bye-Bye to Paper
Switching to a cloud-based firm will put the latest accounting software and technology at your fingertips, and result in a drastic reduction-- if not complete elimination of paper being shuffled back and forth between you and your accountant. We will work with you to try to automate the electronic flow of data to our office and into the cloud. Your accounting data will be stored electronically and backed up with tight online security protocols around data and personal information protection.
3. Streamlined business processes
Modern accounting firms are all about efficiency and eliminating waste. Spending less time dealing with your accounting will be a huge efficiency gain for your business over traditional models. At JOS, we work very closely with our clients to understand their business and make sure the monthly accounting schedule is optimized, manual tasks are streamlined or eliminated, and data flows as efficiently as possible. The time and energy saved on your monthly reporting will allow you to focus on other areas of your business.
4. Cool Tools
Our cloud accounting systems contain some very cool features such as customizable management dashboards and reports that can keep key information right at your fingertips. We also have integrated expense reporting apps that allow your employees to capture their reimbursable expenses by taking photographs of their receipts on their mobile phones. It is very simple and easy to set up, leading to a much more streamlined expense reimbursement process.
5. In-Person or Virtual Meetings? - It's up to you!
In this day and age, many people are used to having online or virtual meetings. We see this as a real time saver, and efficiency gain. Having all of your accounting in the cloud makes it easy to collaborate online. It comes down to personal preference, but those that are overseas (or local clients that are exceptionally busy) would probably benefit from having a convenient virtual meeting instead of having to meet their accountant in person. However, if you do like face-to-face we also have a convenient office location close to Tokyo Tower that you are welcome to visit..
So what next?
We are confident we can help you get the most out of cloud accounting and leverage all 5 points above to improve your business. So much so that we are willing to do a migration to cloud accounting FOR FREE for new clients.
Spring campaign for new clients
For clients that come on board with our accounting service, we are offering FREE migration and set-up of your accounting to the cloud. This offer is valid until June 30th, 2022. But you can also find out more and get a FREE consultation anytime ;)
About JOS
Since 2008, JOS is a full end-to-end solutions provider for foreign companies and entrepreneurs entering the Japanese market. We are local Xero and MF Cloud experts. Our bilingual and qualified staff are dedicated to making our clients' Japan experience a good one, and we fully support Japan in its quest to become an International and open market.