At Unlock 2025, we brought together a panel highlighting several of our partnerships with leaders from Microsoft, Ramp, Inflo, and Laurel. The conversation focused on how firms already have plenty of tools. What they truly need is a connected ecosystem that works as one. The panelists dove into how collaboration between modern tools make the ecosystem stronger for everyone, and also discussed product depth, shared engineering, and roadmap alignment.
Why connection beats more tools
Most firms already run a full stack of software. The problem is the space between those systems. Data gets rekeyed. Work stalls in email. Leaders lose visibility right when decisions matter. A connected ecosystem fixes the seams so information moves securely, triggers fire on time, and clients experience one firm instead of a patchwork of apps.
“When you improve back-office technology, nobody questions the efficiency. You become the hero without impacting revenue.”
Kourosh Zamani, Laurel
What a connected ecosystem looks like
A connected technology ecosystem in an accounting firm is more than just using multiple tools, it’s about how those tools work together. When systems are integrated with defined handoffs, shared data, and aligned workflows, firms unlock greater efficiency, visibility, and client satisfaction.
Below is a structured view of the core components of a connected ecosystem for modern accounting firms:
- Source of truth for clients, engagements, and billing in practice management
- Workflow that moves from intake and engagement letters into staged work and reviews
- Document management tied to client experience, with deep links to SharePoint or your DMS from the project level
- Time and calendars synced with Microsoft 365 so time entry reflects actual work
- Payments tied to engagement acceptance so cash flow starts on day one
- Data services that report on cycle times, bottlenecks, and realization without spreadsheets
Platforms are also moving quickly. Document intelligence can already extract fields from tax forms. The next wave will bring content understanding across images, audio, and video.
“The real challenge is making systems talk to each other. That is why efforts like the Model Context Protocol matter.”
Abdullah Masud, Microsoft
Depth over breadth
One of the most resonant conversations during the panel was that surface-level integrations aren’t enough. Surface integrations break under real workload. As firms embrace specialized tools, the need for meaningful integrations grows. It’s becoming more common for firm leaders to expect features that fit their workflows, eliminate manual steps, and scale with their teams.
“It is one thing to launch another module. It is another to build true product depth so firms do not feel like they are using a half-baked solution.”
Blake Rudolph, Ramp
This level of functionality doesn’t happen by accident. It requires vendors to co-develop with firms, stress-test new workflows, and go deep on product development. True partnership shows up in engineering roadmaps and day-to-day deliver, not just sales.
Roadmaps must align
Partnerships are not logos. They are operating agreements that show up in daily work. Engineering teams need to be in the room, not just go to market.
“Roadmaps cannot conflict, and systems have to stay in sync. That only happens when engineering teams are connected and prototyping with customers before building.”
Matt Naber, Inflo
Why connected ecosystems matter
The real takeaway from the panel is that connected ecosystems only come to life when vendors build together. That means engineering teams sharing roadmaps, testing new workflows alongside firms, and committing to depth that holds up under real workloads. These details rarely make headlines, but they are what give firms the confidence to adopt and rely on new tools.
True partnership shows up in the day-to-day work: co-developing features, aligning timelines, and solving integration challenges early. When that happens, firms gain the consistency their clients expect and the efficiency their staff need. The panel made clear that progress is happening, and that the firms leading the way are doing so with partners who invest in making their ecosystem work as one.
Moving forward
The conversation at Unlock 2025 proved how much progress has already been made, but also how much work remains. Firms are asking for technology that fits together, supports their people, and makes client service easier.
If you are choosing where to invest next, start at the seams. Pick one process where systems do not connect, close the gap, and measure the result. Modern firms create capacity and deliver value by connecting what they already have, making systems work together instead of piling on more tools.
