ATL268
ATL268 — Scaling New Heights 2026, Part Two
Template:Infobox podcast episode
ATL268 — Scaling New Heights 2026, Part Two is an episode of the Accounting Technology Lab podcast hosted by Randy Johnston and Brian F. Tankersley, CPA.CITP, CGMA.
Episode information
- Episode: ATL268 — Scaling New Heights 2026, Part Two
- Publication date: July 31, 2026
- Recorded: July 2, 2026
- Hosts: Randy Johnston and Brian F. Tankersley, CPA.CITP, CGMA
- Program: Accounting Technology Lab
- Presented by: CPA Practice Advisor
- Approximate runtime: 23 minutes, 35 seconds
- Primary topics: Scaling New Heights 2026, artificial intelligence, AI-enabled general ledgers, technology adoption, advisory services, software selection, vendor risk and accounting-platform migration
Episode summary
In Part Two of their Scaling New Heights 2026 recap, Randy Johnston and Brian Tankersley examine what the conference revealed about artificial intelligence, accounting platforms and the profession’s readiness for change. They describe an unusually divided AI adoption curve: a relatively small group is experimenting aggressively with agents and advanced workflows, while many accounting professionals have done little or nothing with the technology.
The hosts review keynote speakers, educational sessions and the conference’s AI-enabled general-ledger tour. Products discussed include Campfire, SoftLedger, Kick, Xero, Puzzle, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Sage, Digits, Zoho and Acumatica. They also observe growing dissatisfaction with Intuit and uncertainty about replacements for QuickBooks Desktop.
A central lesson is that firms should not select technology merely to reproduce today’s processes. Instead, they should define how services, pricing and workflows should operate three to five years from now and choose platforms that support that future. Johnston and Tankersley also warn that an overcrowded accounting-technology market will produce additional vendor failures and discontinued products. Firms therefore need careful due diligence, realistic implementation plans, data-export procedures and a viable Plan B—even when buying from established publishers.
Key themes
AI adoption is highly uneven
Brian estimates that approximately 10% of conference participants were actively working with agents and advanced AI, another 10% had experimented with prompts, and a much larger group appeared to have done little with the technology. Randy compares the pattern to a K-shaped economy rather than a traditional bell-shaped adoption curve.
Compliance still dominates
Despite years of discussion about client advisory services, many firms remain heavily dependent on compliance work. The transition to advisory, alternative pricing and technology-supported higher-value services continues more slowly than industry advocates expected.
Accounting platforms are entering a transition period
The exhibit floor showed renewed competition among traditional accounting systems, AI-native ledgers and broader ERP platforms. Several offerings emphasized automated transaction coding, reconciliations, close management, reporting and real-time financial information.
Firms must buy for their future operating model
A replacement platform should support the firm that management intends to operate in three to five years—not simply recreate existing workflows. Strategy concerning pricing, advisory services, staffing and automation should precede product selection.
Every firm needs a technology exit plan
Vendor shutdowns, acquisitions and product discontinuations affect both startups and established publishers. Firms should understand data ownership, export formats, contractual terms, conversion options and the operational consequences of replacing a core application.
Notable quotes
| Time | Speaker | Quote |
|---|---|---|
| 03:34 | Brian Tankersley | “The tool’s ready to be used… The challenge is pulling along those laggards that are out there.” |
| 04:41 | Randy Johnston | “You’ve got the really early adopters, and you’ve got the other people that aren’t moving—and there’s a big gap in the middle.” |
| 10:29 | Brian Tankersley | “It felt like there were a lot of people that were in the middle of a divorce with Intuit right now.” |
| 17:43 | Randy Johnston | “There’s too doggone many products trying to get to too small of a market.” |
| 20:58 | Brian Tankersley | “You need to have a Plan B in your workflow for what’s going to happen if your product is discontinued.” |
| 21:41 | Brian Tankersley | “Pick the tools that are going to enable not how you run the firm today, but how the firm’s going to run in three years—five years.” |
| 22:39 | Brian Tankersley | “We’re seeing an increasing rate of failures because they’re trying to buy products that solve the old workflow.” |
Suggested episode description
What did Scaling New Heights 2026 reveal about the future of accounting technology?
In Part Two of their conference recap, Randy Johnston and Brian Tankersley discuss the widening divide between aggressive AI adopters and firms that have barely begun experimenting. They review the conference’s keynote presentations, AI education, accounting-software exhibitors and Randy’s walking tour of AI-enabled general ledgers.
The conversation covers emerging and established platforms—including Campfire, SoftLedger, Kick, Xero, Puzzle, Microsoft, Sage, Digits, Zoho and Acumatica—as well as growing uncertainty surrounding Intuit and QuickBooks Desktop.
Randy and Brian also explain why firms should select technology for the practice they intend to operate three to five years from now, rather than merely duplicating existing workflows. With vendor failures, product retirements and market consolidation likely to continue, every firm needs due diligence, an implementation strategy and a credible Plan B.
Social-media posts
- AI adoption in accounting is not following a smooth curve. A small group is moving rapidly while a much larger group has barely started. ATL268 examines the widening gap. #AccountingTechnology #AIinAccounting
- The tools may be ready—but are accounting firms ready to redesign their workflows around them? Randy Johnston and Brian Tankersley discuss the challenge in ATL268. #FutureOfAccounting #ArtificialIntelligence
- Do not select software for the firm you operate today. Select it for the firm you intend to operate three to five years from now. Hear why in ATL268. #CPAfirm #AccountingSoftware
- AI-enabled ledgers were everywhere at Scaling New Heights 2026. Which platforms appear ready for real accounting work—and which require more scrutiny? #ScalingNewHeights #Fintech
- A technology replacement project is more than a conversion. It is an opportunity to rethink services, workflows, staffing and pricing. #DigitalTransformation #Accounting
- Many firms say they want to move from compliance to advisory. Why is the transition still moving so slowly? ATL268 explores the obstacles. #AdvisoryServices #CAS
- What happens when a core software provider shuts down or retires your product? Every accounting firm needs a Plan B. #BusinessContinuity #RiskManagement
- The accounting-technology market may have too many vendors pursuing too small a market. Randy Johnston explains why buyers should proceed carefully. #AccountingTech #SoftwareSelection
- Startups are not the only source of technology risk. Major publishers also discontinue mature applications and force firms to rebuild important workflows. #PracticeManagement #CPA
- Firms considering a new general ledger should evaluate data ownership, integrations, reporting, conversion support and exit options—not merely the demo. #ERP #AccountingSoftware
- Is the profession experiencing a “K-shaped” AI adoption curve? The leaders are accelerating while many firms remain on the sidelines. #GenerativeAI #Accountants
- QuickBooks Desktop uncertainty is prompting firms to reconsider their technology foundations. ATL268 reviews several possible directions. #QuickBooks #CloudAccounting
- A polished sales presentation is not the same as a successful implementation. Buyers must test the product against real accounting workflows. #TechnologyStrategy #DueDiligence
- Before choosing software, decide what you want your firm to become when it grows up. That may be the most important lesson from ATL268. #FirmStrategy #Innovation
- AI-powered accounting is changing transaction processing, reconciliations, close management and financial reporting—but implementation discipline still matters. #Automation #FinanceTechnology
- The human may become the bottleneck in an increasingly agentic accounting workflow. Are your approval processes ready? #AgenticAI #WorkflowAutomation
- Campfire, SoftLedger, Kick, Xero, Puzzle, Microsoft, Sage, Digits, Zoho and Acumatica all appeared in the discussion of modern accounting platforms. #AccountingPlatforms #ERP
- A replacement platform should support new pricing and advisory models—not lock the firm into yesterday’s service structure. #ValuePricing #ClientAdvisoryServices
- Vendor viability should be part of every software evaluation. Funding, leadership, customer concentration and data portability all matter. #VendorManagement #TechnologyRisk
- Join Randy Johnston and Brian Tankersley for Part Two of their Scaling New Heights 2026 analysis on the Accounting Technology Lab. #ATL268 #ScalingNewHeights2026
Suggested hashtags
Primary: #ATL268 #AccountingTechnologyLab #ScalingNewHeights2026 #AccountingTechnology
Additional: #AIinAccounting #AccountingSoftware #CPAfirm #ClientAdvisoryServices #CAS #AgenticAI #ERP #CloudAccounting #DigitalTransformation #Automation #FutureOfAccounting #TechnologyStrategy #SoftwareSelection #ValuePricing
Products, services and organizations mentioned
| Product, service or organization | Context | X | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Technology Lab | Podcast hosted by Randy Johnston and Brian Tankersley | — | — | — | — |
| CPA Practice Advisor | Publisher presenting the podcast | X | — | ||
| Scaling New Heights | Accounting-technology conference | X | |||
| Woodard | Conference organizer and accounting-practice education company | X | |||
| Expensify | Expense and spend-management platform | X | |||
| Puzzle | AI-native accounting platform | X | — | — | |
| Digits | AI-native accounting and general-ledger platform | X | — | ||
| Microsoft | Technology publisher and conference participant | X | |||
| Dynamics 365 Business Central | Microsoft ERP and accounting platform | X | |||
| FinSmart | Accounting and finance-services organization | — | — | — | |
| Zoho | Business-software publisher | X | |||
| Decimal | Accounting operations and bookkeeping provider | X | |||
| BILL | Financial-operations platform | X | |||
| Kick | AI-powered bookkeeping and accounting platform | X | — | — | |
| Ramp | Corporate-card and financial-operations platform | X | |||
| Campfire | AI-native ERP platform | X | — | — | |
| SoftLedger | Cloud accounting and multi-entity general ledger | X | — | ||
| Xero | Cloud accounting platform | X | |||
| Sage | Accounting, payroll and ERP software publisher | X | |||
| Acumatica | Cloud ERP platform | X | |||
| Siegel Solutions | Accounting-technology consulting and implementation firm | — | — | ||
| Intuit | Publisher of QuickBooks and related products | X | |||
| QuickBooks | Small-business accounting platform | X | |||
| Botkeeper | Automated bookkeeping platform discussed as a failed vendor | X | |||
| Thomson Reuters | Tax and accounting-technology publisher | X | |||
| SurePrep | Tax-document automation platform owned by Thomson Reuters | X | — | ||
| Wolters Kluwer | Publisher of CCH accounting and tax applications | X | |||
| CCH Engagement | Audit and engagement-management application | X | — | ||
| FileCabinet CS | Thomson Reuters document-management product discussed as being retired | X | — | ||
| C2ACT | Platform launched by the hosts for independent accounting-technology information | — | — | — | — |
