What can AI do for an accounting firm?
At an accounting or bookkeeping firm, AI takes over the preparatory work: reading invoices, proposing entries, preparing returns and reminding clients about missing documents. The review and the judgement stay with the accountant or bookkeeper.
There are two ways to do this. You use an AI assistant such as ChatGPT or Claude yourself for copy, summaries and analyses. Or you have an AI agent set up: a digital worker that is connected to your accounting software and your client channels and prepares tasks on its own. What that is exactly is explained in what is an AI agent.
Which tasks does AI take over at an accounting firm?
AI takes over five kinds of tasks: invoice processing, VAT preparation, reminders and status questions from clients, draft text for the annual accounts and sorting incoming documents.
| Task | What the AI does | Which data is needed | Where a person reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invoices and receipts | Reads the document and proposes an entry | The invoice, your chart of accounts and earlier entries | Unusual items and new suppliers |
| VAT return | Lists the booked items and flags notable ones | The records for the period | The return itself, before filing |
| Reminders and status questions | Messages clients about missing documents and answers questions about status | Your deadline list and the status per client | Substantive and tax questions |
| Annual accounts | Writes draft text for the notes | The figures and your own model texts | Every text and every figure |
| Incoming documents | Recognises the document type and links it to the right client | The documents and your client list | Documents the AI cannot place |
Processing invoices and receipts
An AI agent reads incoming invoices and receipts, recognises the supplier and proposes a ledger account and VAT code. The agent takes the VAT amount from the document itself. If the amount is missing or the invoice is unreadable, the agent sets the item aside for a staff member.
You configure in which cases the agent asks for confirmation, for example with a new supplier or an amount above a limit you set. How this works in practice is described in AI agent for bookkeeping.
Preparing VAT returns
Per client, the agent lists the booked items for the period and flags what differs from earlier periods. The accountant or bookkeeper assesses the overview and files the return. Filing remains an action taken by a person.
Reminding clients about documents and deadlines
An AI agent keeps track of which client still has to deliver which documents and sends a reminder at the agreed moments, for example via WhatsApp or email. Clients can ask which documents are still missing. The agent answers based on the current status in your system.
Questions about substance, such as a tax choice or a payment arrangement, are passed on to the person handling the file with a short summary of the conversation.
Annual accounts and reports
AI writes draft text for the notes and for interim reports based on the figures you provide. A language model can copy figures incorrectly or suggest a connection that does not exist. Check every number against the records before a text goes to the client.
Sorting incoming documents
Payslips, bank statements, contracts and letters from the tax authority arrive through different channels. An AI agent recognises the document type, links it to the right client and places it in the file. More about this is in AI agent for document processing.
What can you do yourself today with ChatGPT or Claude?
With a business subscription to ChatGPT or Claude you can do four tasks faster yourself today, without integrations:
- Draft client emails that explain an assessment, a deadline or a change in the law in plain language
- Prepare advisory meetings with a list of questions and points of attention based on anonymised figures
- Summarise long documents, such as a newsletter from the professional body or a guidance note
- Have formulas and checks explained or written for your spreadsheets
The result depends on your instruction. Give the AI context about your client, the goal and the tone you want. What is a prompt shows how to build such an instruction.
Tax rules and rates change. Check every substantive answer from a language model against the source, such as the tax authority or the text of the law.
Which rules apply to accountants who use AI?
In the Netherlands, accountants who use AI are bound by the professional rules of the NBA (the Royal Netherlands Institute of Chartered Accountants) and by the GDPR. This section describes what those rules ask. It is general information and no legal advice.
Confidentiality. The Dutch code of conduct for accountants (VGBA) lists confidentiality as a fundamental principle: you do not share client data with others. That also applies to what you enter into an AI tool.
Guide from NBA and NOREA. In June 2026 the NBA and NOREA published "Leidraad 2: AI Toegepast" (Guide 2: AI Applied). The guide contains practical examples, from journal entries and contract review to fraud detection, and pays attention to the validation of AI outcomes. Its starting point is that validation and human judgement remain the basis.
GDPR. Accounting records contain personal data, such as salary data and citizen service numbers. If an AI provider processes that data for you, you sign a data processing agreement. The Dutch Data Protection Authority received reports of data breaches caused by employees entering personal data into AI assistants. The regulator advises clear agreements about which data employees may and may not enter. The steps are in using AI in a GDPR-proof way.
How do you start with AI at your firm?
Start with one well-defined task where a staff member reviews every outcome, and expand from there.
Step 1: choose a task. Take a task that recurs often and whose outcome is easy to check, such as client reminders or coding invoices from regular suppliers.
Step 2: record which data may go into which tool. Make a short firm agreement: which AI tools are allowed, on which subscription, and which client data stays out.
Step 3: decide on the review. Record per task who assesses the outcome and when the AI passes a question on to a staff member.
Step 4: evaluate after a month. Look at which AI proposals were changed and why. Then adjust the instructions.
For an AI agent, AI Agent B.V. handles the setup and the integrations on your own infrastructure, preferably with a European host. You decide who has access and how long data is kept.
Frequently asked questions
Does AI replace the accountant or bookkeeper? No. AI prepares work, such as proposed entries and drafts. The assessment, the advice and the responsibility for the figures stay with the accountant or bookkeeper.
Can I enter client data into ChatGPT or Claude? Only if you comply with the GDPR and your duty of confidentiality. That requires, among other things, a data processing agreement with the provider and a firm agreement about which data is allowed. Do not use a free account for client data.
Can AI file a VAT return? AI can prepare the return by listing items and flagging deviations. The review and the filing stay with a staff member of your firm.
Does the NBA have guidance on AI? Yes. In June 2026 the NBA and NOREA published "Leidraad 2: AI Toegepast", with practical examples and attention to validation. The confidentiality principle from the VGBA also applies.
What does AI cost for an accounting firm? A 1-on-1 AI training costs from €449 excl. VAT. The implementation of an AI agent starts from €1,495 one-time, on invoice (as of October 2026). Read more about what an AI agent costs.
Using AI at your firm?
Want to become AI-proficient yourself first? You can with a 1-on-1 AI training. Curious what a digital worker can prepare for your firm? Read what an AI agent costs or schedule a no-obligation call.
