Accountant's help on cloud nine

Michelle Hill

Rotorua's Michelle Hill has developed a new online low-cost initiative for accounting practices - the result of more than two decades' accounting experience.

Get the GiST, which launched on November 1, is a set of core compliance value-driven documents designed for New Zealand accounting practices. All documents are stored on a cloud-based platform.

Ms Hill started her own Rotorua accounting firm 22 years ago and is the director of ReSolve Accountants on Eruera St. Her firm works mainly with SMEs and family business, with the tagline "Straight answers for your business."

For the past three years she had also been coaching practices around New Zealand.

"[I am] helping them to run their business. I spend an intensive day with them looking at every aspect of their accounting or legal practice," she said, adding she then follows up with Skype sessions.

"Through that process of coaching I delved into the foundations of [practices]. I take a look at systems and processes in place, quite often they are absent or inconsistent or paper-based."

This year, Ms Hill was approached by Xero, which suggested she develop a cloud-based accounting system. She agreed, it was announced at Xero's February conference and Ms Hill got to work.

She said Get the GiST bundles the accounting necessities into 12 modules that are accessible on the go. It allows quick and easy access to compliance documents and because it's cloud-based clients can always access the most up-to-date data available,
Ms Hill said.

The documents can also be pre-populated from Xero's Workflow Max.

Ms Hill said Get the GiST was an ongoing project for her and she had also been asked to develop similar products for other countries.

"It's neat being able to share some of the knowledge I have gained over [the last] 22 years."

Ms Hill has been extensively involved with the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and was recently awarded a Fellowship.

She also speaks regularly around the country with accounting networks.

Despite being kept busy with her latest initiative, she said ReSolve and its nine staff remained her prime focus.

"Last year was one of the biggest growth years for us. We're still going well."

For more visit www.getthegist.co.nz.