In this Case Study, we sat down with Katie Williams of The Vault Bookkeeping, winner of the prestigious 2024 LUCA Award for Professional Bookkeeper of the Year.
The Vault Bookkeeping, based in the Hunter Valley, is a leading bookkeeping practice that specialises in the building and construction industry, while also working with clients in heavy industry, transport, primary production, and Allied Health. Founded by Katie Williams in 2017, the firm focuses on helping business owners reclaim their time, improve efficiency, and gain control of their financial data.
The team at The Vault is passionate about using technology and innovative solutions to reduce administrative burden, save time and increase accuracy.
When the firm began to grow, Katie looked for a way to maintain oversight, quality, and compliance across all client work. She decided to integrate XBert, seeing it as a smart fit for the firm’s focus on accuracy, efficiency, and innovation.
Before implementing XBert, The Vault Bookkeeping faced the same issues many growing firms experience: maintaining quality and compliance as the team expanded.
As the firm scaled from a solo operation to a team, Katie needed a system that provided oversight and quality assurance. Ensuring that every client file met the same high standard required a way to monitor work efficiently without slowing down operations.
“When you start to grow, you have the same pain points your clients have. You want your finger on the pulse for compliance and quality of work. XBert helped us do that quickly.” - Katie Williams
Manually auditing client work was time-consuming and repetitive. Tasks like ABN checks, identifying duplicates, and reviewing client-prepared bookkeeping consumed valuable hours that could have been spent on advisory and client relationships.
“Every time we set up a new supplier, we used to manually check ABNs and GST registration. XBert started doing that for us automatically, giving us time back straight away.” - Katie Williams
In construction and trade industries, compliance is non-negotiable. The Vault needed a reliable way to detect transaction errors, duplicates, and compliance gaps before quarter-end reviews to protect clients and prevent rework.
“We wanted to see if there were any transactions to look at before quarter-end. XBert let us act early rather than waiting to find issues later.” - Katie Williams
In 2021, The Vault Bookkeeping implemented XBert to overcome these challenges.
The adoption of XBert allowed Katie and her team to automate checks, identify risks in real time, and standardise their internal review process. XBert’s AI-powered audit tools provided instant visibility into ledger data, helping The Vault detect potential issues before they became costly rework.
“XBert has allowed us to be proactive rather than reactive.” - Katie Williams
XBert’s automated alerts and audit dashboard gave Katie visibility into every client file, ensuring high standards across her growing team. The firm can now monitor quality and compliance instantly, without micromanagement or manual reviews.
“XBert lets me check the integrity of files quickly and easily. I can be confident that the quality of our work is expert level.” - Katie Williams
The team created custom XBerts that automatically alert them when specific conditions are met, such as changes in net profit percentage or unpaid superannuation.
By using XBert’s automated ABN and GST checks, The Vault eliminated the need for manual data verification.
“It gave us time back and ensured accuracy. Every time we set up a new supplier, XBert checked it for us instead.” - Katie Williams
The Vault have also built custom XBerts tailored to different industries, enabling alerts for specific metrics like payroll anomalies, time-based award changes, and profit fluctuations. These custom alerts have become an essential part of the firm’s proactive advisory process.
“Our clients don’t want to be paying for work that needs to be reworked, and I don’t want to lose time rechecking. XBert gave us the visibility we needed.”
The adoption of XBert brought about significant improvements in The Vault Bookkeeping’s efficiency, client service, and advisory capabilities.
XBert’s automation of repetitive checks freed up significant time for Katie’s team. Processes that once required manual oversight are now streamlined, allowing staff to focus on client value and higher-level advisory work.
“Clients see the value even if they don’t see the time.” - Katie Williams
With XBert’s data-driven alerts, The Vault can proactively contact clients when key financial metrics change. This has strengthened relationships, built trust, and positioned the firm as a proactive advisor.
“XBert helps me know when something’s wrong before the client even calls. That’s how you build trust and loyalty.” - Katie Williams
Using XBert has improved the integrity of client files and strengthened partnerships with accountants. Clean, reliable data means fewer errors and smoother collaboration between bookkeepers and other advisors.
“Accountants want to work with us more because they know our data is clean and accurate. XBert builds that trust.” - Katie Williams
Looking ahead, Katie is interested in XBert’s new features, including bank reconciliation and receipt capture tools. She also plans to expand her use of custom XBerts to further streamline processes and enhance advisory insights.
“If I were to start a bookkeeping firm again, I’d build it around XBert as a one-stop shop.” - Katie Williams
XBert has become a valuable part of The Vault Bookkeeping’s operations, both for efficiency and service quality. By combining automation with industry expertise, Katie and her team have transformed their workflows, built stronger client relationships, and set a new benchmark for quality assurance in bookkeeping.
“XBert has given us the assurance, accuracy, and visibility we need to deliver expert-level work every time.”- Katie Williams
Start with workflow only, or connect your files and reduce that manual effort.
