Count Financial launches technology integrations

Count Financial has solved one of the fundamental challenges faced by converged accounting and advice businesses as it launches a series of back-end integrations focused on efficiencies for advisers, and delivering a better client experience.

The new integrations – across platforms including My Prosperity, Astute Wheel, Padua Sorrento, Moneysoft and Iress – are focused on removing the double handling of data for the adviser and creating a better digital experience for the client. Count is the first licensee to implement both the Padua and Astute Wheel integrations.

“These tools target specific areas in the advice process,” Count Financial Head of Licensee Systems, Reg Gabila, says. “For example, the Padua Fact Find tool targets the fact find collection process. Currently, this is largely paper based and double data entry is required as the adviser completes the paper-based form and then manually re-enters that data into XPLAN.

“Now, the fact find is completed online through a client friendly interface, and the information is automatically integrated into XPLAN. This means there is no more paper, and no more double data entry. We expect this to lead to a 50% time saving in the client discovery process.”

The Astute Wheel integration with XPLAN will save about 20% of time across the customer discovery and advice formulation process.

Importantly, the new solutions remedy one of the main limitations experienced by converged accounting and financial advice businesses – the lack of communication between accounting platforms and financial planning systems.

“The integrations we have developed will see a significant progression in the ability of our advisers to manage their clients’ data,” Gabila says. “As an example, the My Prosperity application integrates with accounting platforms Xero, MYOB, BGL, and Class Super, along with XPLAN.”

Andrew Kennedy, Chief Advice Officer at Count Financial, says the integrations are a part of the network’s commitment to allowing its advisers to focus on the most important part of their work – delivering financial advice to their clients.

“Count Financial is continuing its transformation to a technology-driven digital business,” Kennedy said. “We will continue to support our network by finding ways to help them spend more time with their clients, and on always refining and improving the client experience.”