At a glance
- With AI growing more prolific, there is an opportunity for accountants to learn its language.
- Learning coding can automate tedious tasks, saving accountants considerable time.
- The key is to start simple and use AI tools to help them learn.
There appears to be a strong appetite among accountants for upskilling, and that grasping this technology is seen as a way to better connect with clients who are tech savvy.
Stephen Edginton, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Dext, summarises the issue and says: “Do you need to learn to code? No. Will it help you? Absolutely.”
A Hays report revealed that 88 per cent of finance and accounting employers faced skill shortages last year, with nearly one-third of accounting professionals indicating they lack the skills to effectively use AI tools. This comes despite over half (52 per cent) saying the ability to upskill was one of the top five most in-demand soft skills for employers.
Edginton says: “If the accountancy profession is to keep up with the pace of tech innovation, it must continue to evolve and adapt.”
“We have come a long way since journals and ledgers were bound books only one person could work on at a time… Now we live in a world of real time data, cloud-based systems, and intelligence embedded into the fabric of our lives.”
1. Coding can tackle mundane tasks
For Anita Rasheva, Owner of AD Accounting, learning to code can allow accountants to automate tedious tasks like data entry, reconciliation and report generation, which are often manual and error prone.
She says, “The idea of automating such tasks excites me because it could free up so much time, allowing us to focus on higher-level work like analysing trends, interpreting data and giving more strategic insights to the businesses we support.”
“The beauty of learning to code is that you don’t have to be a fully-fledged developer to see the benefits. You can start small and still make a significant impact on your workflow and the value you bring to your clients or organisation.”
2. AI can help with coding
Rasheva believes AI can play a crucial role in making coding more accessible for accountants. AI-assisted coding tools mean accountants do not have to be expert programmers to start automating parts of their job – AI can help them build scripts.
Generative AI tools can also guide accountants through learning with personalised recommendations, breaking down complex concepts and offering real-time help. Rasheva says: “In a way, AI is like having a tutor by your side, lowering the barrier to entry for coding and making the process smoother and less frustrating.”
3. There are simple coding tools that can be embedded in Excel
Rasheva says accountants are already busy balancing workloads, deadlines and complex client needs, and adding ‘learn to code’ to the mix can feel daunting. She says: “Coding requires a shift in mindset – it’s not just about numbers and spreadsheets, but about problem-solving and thinking in a more structured, logical way.”
For Edginton, learning to code differs from learning natural languages. Programming languages follow strict rules and structure, and he says it is important to learn whether the code you are writing will work. “Just like a formula in Excel, code can be ‘correct’ but still be wrong, which is why understanding it is important,” he says.
He recommends Python as a starting point for accountants looking to learn coding. “It’s simple to get started, readable, flexible and is even being embedded into Excel for those that want to take those skills to the next level.”
Other tools to consider are SQL, which is essential for extracting and managing data from large databases, while VBA in Excel is great for automating reports and repetitive tasks using custom macros.
4. There is no need to become an expert – start small to reap the benefits
Edginton says: “Be curious and begin with a simple prompt for Generative AI to help you. Once you understand some of the basics, you can ask AI to generate more advanced solutions.”
“The ability to code is a skill. You can use it to create new tools, to automate, analyse and help you reason. Learning to code helps you understand the art of the possible, and leaning into AI lets you level up and do more.”
Rasheva says: “Start small and make it practical. Don’t feel like you must master everything right away – coding is a skill that you can build over time.”
“Instead of trying to learn everything all at once, start with one problem or task in your day-to-day work that could be improved with automation or more efficient data analysis,” she says.
“Maybe there’s a report that you create every week that could be automated, or maybe you’re manually sorting through data when a script could do it for you in minutes. Focus on that one task, and as you learn to solve it with code, you’ll gain confidence and motivation to keep going.”
Coding is becoming an increasingly valuable skill for accountants – not just to make their jobs easier, but to expand the value they can provide in a data-driven world. Whether it is through automation, better data analysis, or integrating systems more effectively, learning to code can improve productivity, help with market opportunities and provide greater flexibility.
