FINANCE KNOWLEDGE · HANDS-ON DELIVERY
Still copying information between sales, finance and operations? Connect the systems you rely on so your team can spend less time re-entering data and chasing missing updates.
Work directly with Stephen Mitchell. Liverpool based, supporting businesses remotely across the UK, with occasional on-site visits by arrangement.
Discuss your disconnected systemsDOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
A sale, purchase or payment should not trigger another round of copying and checking. I look at the full business process, agree where each record belongs and connect the steps using supported APIs, connectors or controlled imports.
Customer and order details are copied from a CRM or spreadsheet before an invoice can be prepared, creating delays and opportunities for error.
HOW I CAN HELP
Define the required checks and connect the agreed sales and accounting steps, so information is reused and exceptions can be reviewed.
Finance, sales and operations each hold part of the picture. Someone has to download, combine and tidy the data before anyone can use it.
HOW I CAN HELP
Bring agreed data into a consistent reporting flow, with a suitable refresh schedule and checks that the sources reconcile.
Updates fail quietly, duplicate records appear, or a change in one application breaks the workflow.
HOW I CAN HELP
Review record matching, validation and failure handling. Make rejected transfers visible and test how corrections and retries should work.
WHAT WOULD CHANGE
Map the workflow, record ownership and timing. Assess available APIs, connectors and import/export options alongside the business rules.
Build the required connections between accounting, CRM and operational tools. Develop a tailored workflow or reporting tool where existing features leave a useful gap to address.
Test normal transactions, duplicates, failures and corrections. Reconcile the outputs, document the connections and train the people responsible for reviewing exceptions.
EXPERIENCE IN PRACTICE
I have developed custom API integrations with Xero and other software, and implemented AI agents that extract Xero accounting data to produce tailored stakeholder reports.
My procurement and accounts payable platform connects purchase requests, receiving, invoice matching and approvals. In controlled testing, I have demonstrated bill creation and attachment of supporting PDFs in a Xero demonstration organisation. The wider platform is still in development, with local testing and selected staging demonstrations.
See more examples of my workDELIVERY & ADOPTION
We agree the business process before the technical design. I review the interfaces and access available, build a focused connection and test normal transactions alongside failures and corrections. Release and support arrangements are agreed as part of the project.
Monthly support can include integration maintenance, investigation of failed transfers, data-quality reviews and changes to connected workflows. We agree the systems, responsibilities, scope and fees before work starts.
We assess supported connectors, scheduled exports or controlled imports, and any limits imposed by the provider. The right approach depends on the system and the process; a custom connection should be based on an interface the provider supports.
PLANNING THE WORK
That can form part of the scope. We first review the systems, the records that need to move, available APIs or exports, and the rules for creating or updating data. The integration should also make exceptions and failed transfers visible.
The design needs agreed record identifiers, validation rules and a way to handle failures without silently repeating transactions. We test representative data and reconcile the outputs before relying on the connection in everyday work.
No. A supported connector, an existing product feature or a simpler process change may be sufficient. Bespoke development is useful where those options leave a clear gap that is worth addressing.
THE FIRST CONVERSATION
Tell me which applications are involved and what people currently transfer by hand. A short phone or Teams call can establish the process to improve before we get into the technical details.
Discuss your disconnected systems