Intuit experts highlight how smarter digital finance tools are transforming business growth across Asia

With the rapid pace of digitalisation, businesses must evolve with tools like QuickBooks Advanced to stay competitive and deliver greater strategic value.

Accountants and advisors across Asia are reaching a digital inflexion point. As operations expand across borders and business models grow more complex, the next stage of growth demands real-time insights, automation, and control, which go far beyond traditional accounting tools.

To understand how businesses are adapting, Asian Business Review and Hong Kong Business, in partnership with Intuit, spoke with three industry leaders, Lily Tan, Senior Director, TnB Global Outsource Pte Ltd; Eric Chan, Chief Consultant, Reachtop KSHK Group; and Lily Yong, Managing Director, InTune Outsourcing Global, to discuss the biggest challenges companies face, what’s driving digital adoption, and how tools like QuickBooks Advanced are transforming the advisor-client relationship.

Smarter finance beyond basic tools

As businesses outgrow traditional accounting tools, markets in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia are facing challenges in adapting accounting software. Chan noted that Hong Kong businesses face growing operational and regulatory complexity as they expand across borders. Many also struggle with real-time visibility across sales channels and payment platforms, compounded by growing compliance demands, fragmented app stacks, and lean finance teams.

In Singapore, Tan sees a similar pattern but highlights mindset as the key barrier. “The biggest challenge isn’t just data — it’s visibility and control,” she said. Many companies still rely on spreadsheets and manual work because adopting new systems seems risky or time-consuming. However, she noted that the mindset is starting to shift as more business owners recognise that technology adoption is essential to long-term competitiveness.

Yong added that in Malaysia, compliance has become increasingly complex with new frameworks like e-Invoice, MBRS, MITRS, and the expanded SST scope. She added that many businesses struggle with disconnected systems, limited reporting, and weak internal controls, compounded by a shortage of skilled finance staff.

Across Asia, SMEs are now becoming more open to digital transformation. Chan noted that rising costs and tighter margins are driving businesses to automate core finance processes and move beyond manual reconciliations. With cross-border e-commerce and instant digital payments becoming the norm, seamless, real-time integrations are now essential. He added that practical AI for forecasting and anomaly detection is delivering clear returns, whilst younger finance talent increasingly expects cloud-native, automated systems.

Tan added that this shift is also mindset-driven. SMEs now see real business value in digitalisation. Business owners want instant insights from cash flow to project profitability to make faster decisions. “Digitalisation isn’t about replacing people,” she said. “It’s about giving teams more control and clarity.”

SMEs in Malaysia are increasingly embracing technology adoption, spurred by the pandemic, government incentives, new compliance requirements, and cloud affordability.

Bridging the ERP gap

Whilst many SMEs hesitate to adopt ERP systems due to cost and complexity, QuickBooks Advanced bridges that gap for advisors to take on a more strategic role in their clients’ growth.

The platform’s automation, AI insights, and real-time dashboards free up time once spent on bookkeeping. It allows advisors to deliver higher-value services such as cash flow coaching, scenario planning, and KPI analysis.

QuickBooks Advanced strikes the right balance between capability and cost, offering robust approvals, advanced reporting, and multi-currency support. With real-time data, automation, and customisable dashboards, advisors can focus on interpreting numbers and guiding clients. QuickBooks Advanced also provides tools that make financial analysis and strategic guidance more accessible.

Redefining the advisor role

Looking ahead, smarter financial tools are transforming the advisor–client relationship from transactional to collaborative. Automation and AI are turning monthly closes into continuous forecasting, enabling advisors to spot risks and opportunities in real time.

Chan highlighted that advisors will become governance partners, offering industry-specific insights and helping clients strengthen controls and plan expansion. Tan added that automation frees advisors to act as financial co-pilots, guiding strategy, not just reporting numbers. She noted that “the human touch remains irreplaceable, but now it’s amplified by technology that delivers speed, accuracy, and clarity.”

Yong sees the advisor’s role shifting from task-based to value-based, with pricing models tied to value rather than hours worked. “Advisors will focus more on forecasting, planning, risk identification and management, and cash-flow management,” she said.

All three experts agree that scaling a business doesn’t require a heavy ERP system. Digital transformation is not just about adopting new tools, but it’s about embracing a new mindset to give you the confidence to grow.  As Yong noted, choosing a cloud accounting system that scales with your business is key. “The right combination of tools and advice can turn accounting into a powerful driver of business growth,” she said.

To learn more about how Quickbooks Advanced can help you automate, connect, and grow with confidence, catch the webinar “Discover The Advisor's Edge with Quickbooks Advanced” on 6 November 2025, 11:00 am to 12:00 nn, SGT. Interested in joining? Register here.