Exmouth accountancy software shortlisted for national award

Digita, Thomson-Reuters’ Exmouth-based software house, is up for a top industry award.

Their software Digita Company Secretarial has been shortlisted in this year’s British Accountancy Awards as Practice Software Product of the Year.

It is part of a range of products produced to aid accountancy firms in their day to day practice.

Andrew Flanagan, Managing Director of Digita said: “One thing we really try to do at Thomson-Reuters is make complexity simple for our customers.”

“Our software is fully integrated into the overall Digita professional suite. We’ve also re-written company secretarial in C# (C Sharp) the most modern programming language”

“We are developing all our products in C# now and have done for some time. Company Sectarial is actually a product we’ve had since 1997 but this is the first time we’ve integrated it into the suite, it now has completely the same look and feel as the rest of our products.”

The latest version of the software launched in July 2012 uses a range of features to make it easier and more efficient in accountancy including the ability to import customer information straight from Companies House, removing the need to individually input data.

The software also monitors filing at Companies House using its unique security software Sentinel.

Andrew Flanagan said: “Sentinel monitors what is going on in Companies House in Cardiff and anything that gets filed gets flagged to the firm of accountants so they can monitor if any fraudulent filing is taking place. So if somebody lodges a change in company office with a view to passing themselves off as your client or as director of the business this gets reported back to the accountancy firm.”

The software has proven successful with UK accountants Elizabeth Eyre, partner at Elizabeth Eyre Limited, commented: “I would not be without Digita Company Secretarial... It allows me to file electronically with Companies House and adds an extra layer of security that clients like. Security is an important issue and we have won new business because we have a reputation for using technology to file securely.”

Andrew Flanagan said: “We have a 98% customer retention rate that we are very proud of. There are not many in the industry who can boast such a high retention rate. In the main our customers are very loyal; we have customers who have been with us since the 90s.”

Much of this could be attributed to the software’s extensive support service available to those using the software. Flanagan said: “Although the software is fairly intuitive we provide this service to help customers use the software.

“In the south west we have a very highly trained workforce and over the years we’ve obtained some very capable people from the local universities and rest of our other key hires tend to come out public practice accountancy firms and a lot of people particularly in support and some in development come from local accountancy firms.

“It gives them a certain insight and indeed empathy for what our customers are experiencing in their day to day.”

Now in its third year, the British Accountancy Awards take place on 20 November, 2013 at the Pavillion at the Tower in Central London. The Awards aim to highlight professional development and to shine the light on those that have demonstrated excellence in their profession during the last 12 months.