Intuit hosted a webinar with Arthur Boutin, Director of Sales at Reach Reporting, who shared a better way to approach financial reporting and planning. This was part of an ongoing collaboration between Intuit and Reach Reporting through the Intuit Developers Concierge Program. If you missed it, you can still catch the whole session and resources here.
The Real Reporting Pain Points
Attendees didn’t hold back when it came to sharing what’s slowing them down:
- Hours lost every month to manual spreadsheet updates
- Static reports that don’t tell the full story
- Clunky visuals that confuse more than they clarify
- Forecasts that are either missing or based on outdated info
Many financial professionals juggle clunky tools or outdated systems that create more work than value. About 60% said that better visual reporting was a top need. Half craved automation to save time, and 40% wanted stronger forecasting. QuickBooks Online limitations came up, too: missing project-level data, inconsistent charts of accounts, and weak Excel integration.
Here’s what people said:
- “Customizability rooted in Excel is a strength where alternatives lack.”
- “AI for report writing is valuable.”
- “Chat help is fantastic.”
- “Great for growth in CAAS for CPAs.”
- “Tons of time saved with custom reports.”
What Makes Reach Different
Reach Reporting combines automation, customization, and AI in one intuitive platform:
- No learning curve: Spreadsheet-friendly interface with built-in logic
- Templates that scale: Apply templates across clients and teams, including non-financial data
- Live QuickBooks integration: Keep reports current without manual syncing
- Real-time dashboards: Drag-and-drop metrics, trend tracking, custom visuals
- AI-powered narratives: Generate clear explanations and summary text from your numbers
And it doesn’t stop there:
- Budgeting and forecasting with rolling updates
- AR/AP aging reports, consolidations, and multi-currency
- Editable client portals and white-labeling
Key Takeaways from the Demo
- Dashboards: Build interactive dashboards with KPIs like ROI, break-even, and cash flow
- Reports: Save time with AI-assisted report content, custom themes, and reusable templates
- AI Builder: Let the platform analyze trends and auto-generate tailored reports
- Forecasting: Use predictive tools that feed directly into financial statements
People loved the fast-paced walkthrough. It gave a real feel for what’s possible. Some seasoned users said they’d love more advanced sessions, maybe slower-paced or more hands-on.
Real Business Impact
- Saving 10 to 15 minutes per client on basic reporting tasks
- Recovering hours per client for more complex workflows
- Charging more for advisory by presenting clearer, branded, value-driven insights
No wonder Reach has 530+ reviews on the Intuit QuickBooks App Store with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars!
Webinar Poll Insights
- 40% are still stuck in spreadsheets
- 25% rely on basic reports
- 20% have tried other tools but didn’t get results
More than a third said visuals frustrate them. Forecasting came in next, followed by the time it takes to build reports. People are hungry for a better way, a faster way.
Q&A Highlights
- Client Collaboration: Editable portals make budgeting a breeze
- Data Syncing: Always up to date thanks to auto-sync
- Custom Templates: Including AR/AP reports
- Support: Backed by tutorials, webinars, and live help
- Consolidations: Automated with new mapping tools coming
- White Labeling: Full control over branding for dashboards and reports
- Pricing: Starts at $149/month, unlimited users, scales with your firm
Q&A Session Deep Dive
Q: Do we also have to have an account with Reach Reporting, or will this be included with the QBO subscription?
A: Reach Reporting is a separate subscription.
Q: Currently, there is no ability to pull in individual transactions. Will this become a capability at some point?
A: This is a part of our roadmap, but no immediate timeline.
Q: Does Reach work with QB Desktop and/or Excel?
A: Yes, Reach works with QuickBooks Desktop, Excel, and Google Sheets. There are other integrations as well.
Q: Does desktop QB have a similar dashboard and reporting function?
A: Yes, we also connect with QuickBooks Desktop.
Q: Is this only pulling data from QBO? For example, trying to understand how it is going to forecast accurately?
A: Our forecasting tool allows you to forecast based on the historical actuals coming from QBO. You can also leverage the internal row drivers, like a forecast algorithm, to help in your forecasting.
Q: When you say it’s live, does the dashboard refresh daily?
A: Yes! The dashboards automatically sync with QBO every day.
Q: Can I get a Trial Balance report?
A: This is not currently available as a baked-in report, but we are working on it.
Q: I have multiple companies on QB, but one isn’t. How can I make that work?
A: We integrate with QBD, Xero, Gusto, MYOB, or if your client isn’t on any of those, you can simply upload a trial balance into Reach.
Q: How do you show an owner’s distributions for cash flow?
A: This is something that you can build out as your own custom metric.
Q: Will clients have access to this dashboard, or will we be able to customize the reports we share?
A: You can grant access to the dashboard and reports.
Q: Can I edit the AI verbiage?
A: You can manually edit the verbiage to fit your tone once you copy and paste the AI insights.
Q: Can the budget/forecasting be done by class?
A: Yes!
Q: Is there a way to import the data from other software, such as Google Sheets or other platforms?
A: Yes, we integrate with both Google Sheets and Excel.
Q: Are you planning to incorporate AI into the forecasting and budgeting section?
A: Do you mean in terms of the AI building your forecast?
Q: When will this COA mapping be available that he is talking about?
A: Very, very soon! Stay tuned.
Q: Will Reach Reporting integrate with Intuit Enterprise Suite (IES)?
A: Not at the moment.
Q: Do you integrate with other software?
A: We also integrate with QuickBooks Desktop, Gusto, Xero, MYOB, or you can upload a CSV of the trial balance.
Q: Do you have AR Aging Detail by class?
A: Not by class at the moment. But we do have the AR/AP aging reports.
Q: Regarding the client portal. When anyone in our office logs in, will they have access to all clients set up within our office dashboard?
A: You can segment client access as you see fit when they log in.
Ready to See It in Action?
Start your own transformation with a free 30-day trial at reachreporting.com.
Join us at Intuit Connect in October to see what’s next for AI-powered reporting.
