Reducing admin and saving time for more valuable work with Tugger®
Who is Thorne Widgery?
Thorne Widgery (TW) is a multi-award winning digital accountancy firm boasting an impressive 75-year heritage.
As a leader in embracing new technology, TW has evolved beyond traditional accounting practices. Their forward-thinking approach helps clients understand patterns and predict the future of their businesses, not just report on past performance. This commitment to innovation has made TW the largest firm of accountants in Herefordshire and Ludlow. Their adoption of cutting-edge tech has earned them accolades, including the highly regarded "Total Xero" award.
We spoke with Sam King, Head of Xero and Xero Education at TW, to learn how they are leveraging Tugger, Power BI, and Xero to streamline their accounting processes
Before Tugger, we spent a lot of time manually exporting data from Xero into Excel and uploading it to SharePoint. The process was labour-intensive and prone to errors. Since integrating Tugger with Power BI, reporting has become seamless and efficient, saving us time and reducing mistakes. It has significantly improved our productivity and streamlined our data management.
The Problem: Precious time wasted with manual data movement
Before adopting Tugger, TW faced significant challenges in managing client data across Xero and Power BI. Despite using these powerful tools, Sam explained that manual data transfer from Xero to Power BI was still a major hurdle.
“We were already using Power BI with our Xero system and the reporting was good, but we were having to do a lot of manual work to get the data out of Xero and into Power BI,” Sam said. “For example, we’d export data from Xero reports to Excel, then upload it to SharePoint before it could be transferred to Power BI. It was a labour-intensive process and prone to errors.”
Additionally, with the need for frequent updates, the team often had to repeat this process for each client – sometimes up to twenty reports per client – leading to frustration and wasted time.
“We had a team of ambitious individuals who didn’t want to be bogged down by these manual, low-value tasks,” Sam added. “I knew we needed to reduce the manual input.”
The Solution: The right product, but crucially the right team.
Sam’s search for a solution led him to discover Tugger at the Digital Accountancy Show. Although he wasn’t specifically looking for a connector at the time, he quickly saw that Tugger met their needs.
“We’d been looking for a while. We tried several other connectors, but they weren’t right – usually, the data refreshes weren’t fast enough,” Sam explained. “When we met Tugger, we realised it was exactly what we needed. The product was robust and reliable, and the team was genuinely interested in helping us succeed.”
Tugger stood out not only for its functionality but also for the team’s commitment to understanding TW’s specific challenges. Sam appreciated how the conversation wasn’t a hard sell but a collaborative discussion. “It was refreshing. Tugger listened, understood our needs, and provided an honest assessment of what they could do. They were open and transparent about the product,” Sam said.
The Results: Time saved and enhanced client reporting
Since integrating Tugger with Power BI and Xero, TW has experienced significant improvements. The manual process of updating client reports has been eliminated, saving valuable time and reducing errors.
“We used to spend a lot of time manually refreshing reports each month, which could easily lead to errors,” Sam noted. “Now, Tugger automates these updates, and our team can access reports daily. It’s been a game-changer for both us and our clients.” Sam estimated that TW saves about 5 hours per client each month, which allows the team to focus on more value added tasks. “We’re able to use the time saved on more meaningful work, improving productivity across the board,” he said.
“The data we now receive is reliable and accurate,” Sam continued. “With other connectors, there was always a need for cross-checking to ensure the data was correct. With Tugger, the reports are accurate, which has saved us time and eliminated frustrations.”
This efficiency has had a direct impact on TW’s clients.
Clients no longer have to wait for the monthly reporting cycle. They can access real-time reports whenever they need them. For one client with 25 business sites, all sites now receive daily data updates. This simply wouldn’t be possible without Tugger.
A culture of support and collaboration
Sam also praised the Tugger team’s commitment to supporting TW beyond the product itself. “The culture at Tugger is exceptional. They genuinely care about our success, even outside of the product,” he said. “Response times are fast, and the team is always willing to help, even with challenges that aren’t directly related to their product.”
For example, when TW needed assistance merging Tugger data with other existing data for reporting in Power BI, the Tugger team was quick to provide support—even though it was outside the scope of their product.
The team is incredibly responsive and helpful. Nothing is too much trouble, and I’ve enjoyed many discussions with them about broader business goals. This level of support is rare in the tech space.
How would they describe Tugger in one word?
When asked to describe Tugger in one word, Sam didn’t hesitate: “Efficient. It does what it says on the tin and does it well. It’s reliable, easy to use, and has made a significant difference in how we work with our data. The time saved is invaluable, and our team is able to focus on more meaningful work that drives real business value.”
For Sam and TW, adopting Tugger has not only enhanced their own productivity, but also provided clients with better, more timely insights. It’s a win-win.
We used to struggle with the time it took to manually refresh many clients' reports each month, where small errors could derail the process. Tugger has completely streamlined this, automating updates and allowing our staff to access reports daily. It’s been a game-changer for our team and our clients.
