What Do Engineers Think of Accountants? My Top 3 Takeaways
As the Executive Vice President of Product & Engineering at Gappify, I lead the design, execution, and delivery of accrual automation software for accountants. In this role, I observe and collaborate with team members who focus on the product journey and perform demonstrations for corporate accountants, controllers, and CFOs. I also implement Gappify’s Accrual Cloud products for our customers.
Coming from an engineering background and having worked closely with finance for many years, it is fascinating to see how accountants work day to day. Turns out, the best accountants have a lot in common in how they operate and problem solve. Here are the top three observations I’ve made from working closely with accountants—and what makes a great one.
1) Accountants are Process and Detail Oriented
Known to be the leanest business unit within a company, the accounting team goes through constant month-end, quarter-end, and year-end activities. To accommodate and perfect such time-driven efforts, accountants have to follow a process-oriented and detail-oriented regimen to succeed and achieve their goals.
Great finance teams also tend to house brilliant critical thinkers who enjoy the process and have a passion for problem-solving. Finance and IT teams often share a strong work ethic that allows them to be successful in their own space while finding common ground to be excellent partners.
2) Accountants are Adaptable and Collaborative
Accountants are adaptable and excited about tools and enhancements that can simplify their work. They also continuously look for ways to improve their manual processes with tools or in-house builds that help them save time and reduce errors.
Furthermore, accountants trust their supporting teams wholeheartedly. Having worked with accountants and their IT counterparts, there was always a sense of confidence and comfort that accountants placed in IT. They believe in IT’s recommendations and focus on collaborative deliverables, ensuring success for both parties.
3) Accountants Persevere through Adversities and Challenges
Problems are going to pop up—that’s just business. What makes accountants stand out is their continued pursuit of small, impactful goals month after month. Perseverance through hardship will lead to the expected results — and great accountants get that. This is similar to how IT focuses on Minimum Viable Product (MVP) deliverables, which get expanded to optimize on focus areas and continuous improvements.
Accountants thrive by developing strong integrity. Accountants and technologists often adhere to unpredictable schedules during specific periods, such as month-end close and product launches. All in all, it’s become increasingly clear to me that regardless of your place in your company, solid work practices lead to success!
Rahul Somani
Executive Vice President of Product & Engineering at Gappify
About Gappify
Gappify, founded in 2016, is a cloud-based provider of accrual automation solutions for mid-market and enterprise accounting teams. The company is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Berkeley, California, Washington DC, and Manila, Philippines.
Its team consists of accountants and CPA’s from Big Four accounting firms and software innovators. Gappify is also supported by strategic advisors from some of the world’s most recognized technology companies and is affiliated with the top companies & accounting organizations.
