Braden Kraft Braden Kraft

BookSmarts Tax & Accounting serves small business owners who want more than reports—they want clarity and momentum. Founded by James Merante, EA, the firm is built around delivering actionable insights that help clients implement meaningful change in their businesses and lives.

The Challenge 🧮

James’s biggest challenge wasn’t accounting complexity—it was time.

Before Digits, much of his work was consumed by low-value tasks:

  • Chasing bank statements, payroll reports, and source documents
  • Manually keying and coding transactions in QuickBooks
  • Staffing or outsourcing catch-up and cleanup work

“I spent more time on the lowest-skill work than anything else.”

For new or tax-only clients, onboarding could stretch weeks—delaying not only actionable insights for the client, but also the firm’s ability to demonstrate value early and create a strong first experience.

Why Digits? 🚀

James wanted a system that could turn raw financial data into accurate financials—without manual cleanup, or rule-building.

Digits delivered exactly that.

By connecting bank, payroll, and loan feeds directly into Digits, James can now generate reliable financials with minimal hands-on work, freeing him to focus on advisory instead of data entry.

“I want to get paid for insight and experience—not manual labor.”

Impact & Results 💅

Digits immediately changed how BookSmarts operates.

Measurable Time Savings

  • A full year of accounting completed in hours instead of weeks by uploading source documents
  • 5–10+ hours saved per client per month by eliminating manual booking and document chasing
  • Clients on Digits are fully accounted for weeks earlier than clients on legacy tools

“Clients on Digits are done. Clients on QuickBooks are still giving me documents.”

Inbox-Driven Accuracy

James relies heavily on the Digits Inbox:

  • When transactions need more context, James requests clarification directly from clients. Once provided, he resolves the transaction, and Digits applies that learning to similar transactions going forward—reducing future questions and rework.
  • Ongoing reviews take minutes, not hours.

“Once you clarify it, you pretty much never have to look at it again.”

New Growth Opportunities 🌱

Digits unlocked a more proactive, repeatable approach to working with tax-only clients:

  • Instead of chasing documents once a year, James completes a one-time setup that gives him ongoing, year-round visibility into client finances
  • That visibility allows James to stay informed and prepared without taking on full monthly bookkeeping work
  • As clients experience faster turnaround, clearer insights, and a smoother tax process, many are choosing to expand into ongoing monthly accounting engagements

“I’m deepening relationships and picking up new monthly accounting clients.”

Looking Ahead 🌟

James believes financial reporting will soon become a commodity. Speed and accuracy won’t differentiate firms—insight will.

Digits helps BookSmarts stay ahead of that shift today by removing transactional work and creating space for strategy, advisory, and higher-value conversations.

“If you’re not on the front end of these improvements, you go out of business.”

Final Take 💡

Digits didn’t just save time—it reshaped how BookSmarts delivers value.

  • Hours saved per client every month
  • Weeks faster to complete financials
  • More time for insight, advisory, and growth

For firms focused on value-based pricing, Digits isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.

Ready for clearer financials and faster insight? See how Digits helps firms deliver accurate reporting, real-time visibility, and better conversations with clients.

Become a Digits Partner Today!