Profile
Unity Business Advisors is a firm located in Lynnwood, WA, with a strong presence in the accounting industry for the past 25 years. The firm comprises 15-18 team members in the Lynnwood office and is supported by an outsourced team. They offer a wide range of services, including small business financial accounting, tech services, profit and loss statements, payroll, tax planning, and tax advisory. Most of their clients are based in Washington state, although they have a few clients in other states. The firm operates on a hybrid work model, providing flexibility for employees.
Integration with Canopy
Unity Business Advisors fully onboarded Canopy in the fall of 2022. The decision to integrate Canopy was based on extensive research, including Google searches, peer feedback, and detailed demos. Canopy’s comprehensive features aligned well with the firm’s needs, making it the standout choice.
“I think Canopy…fulfilled all the different buckets that we had that we wanted a product to fill to address our needs.” – Prince Rataul, CTO, Unity Business Advisors
Obstacle
Before integrating Canopy, Unity Business Advisors faced several challenges. They lacked a comprehensive practice management software, relying instead on outdated data management solutions that did not meet modern communication needs. As the firm grew, managing projects and daily tasks became increasingly difficult, leading to a lack of structure in prioritizing tasks, analyzing workloads, and managing team members effectively. Disorganized communication further compounded these issues, resulting in inefficiencies and time wasted tracking down emails and documents.
“We felt that we were all over the place and we were not able to sort of project what’s coming our way, what needs to be done as far as the priority levels, as far as analyzing the workloads and analyzing the team members.” – Prince Rataul, CTO, Unity Business Advisors
Solution
Canopy provided several key features that addressed these challenges. Creating teams and assigning permissions was particularly useful for managing offshore teams and facilitating smooth communication and collaboration. Customizable workflows and job tracking improved efficiency and allowed for better workload projection and team member management. Centralized document storage and communication tracking streamlined processes, and clients could easily upload documents via a user-friendly mobile app. Additionally, Canopy’s data analysis features offered insights into team performance, workload distribution, and client interactions, aiding in capacity planning and resource allocation.
“With this workflow and jobs that you can create in Canopy, you can sort of track everything. And all the team members know what they are supposed to be working on.” – Prince Rataul, CTO, Unity Business Advisors
Outcome
Since integrating Canopy, Unity Business Advisors has seen significant improvements in several areas. Efficiency has improved with better organization and visibility of projects and tasks, and communication has been streamlined both internally and with clients. The firm has also achieved a better work-life balance, reducing burnout through improved workload management and enhanced flexibility and remote work capabilities. Clients have responded positively, appreciating the ease of use and centralized document management. The onboarding and offboarding processes for both employees and clients have been streamlined, with customized workflows ensuring all parties remain on the same page. Team members have found Canopy’s training videos and resources highly beneficial, further enhancing the integration process.
“Our work-life balance has definitely improved quite a bit…in my background, I have worked for bigger firms. I used to work for Deloitte and I worked for EY. And compared to my times there to this, I think it’s a night and day difference.” – Prince Rataul, CTO, Unity Business Advisors
Looking ahead, Unity Business Advisors aims to continue leveraging Canopy’s data analysis capabilities to further improve firm efficiency. They are focused on refining workflows and job tracking to achieve even better performance. The firm has significantly benefited from integrating Canopy into its practice, improving efficiency, communication, and work-life balance. This has led to higher client satisfaction and better internal management, allowing Unity Business Advisors to maintain high standards while focusing on growth and meeting evolving needs.
