This week’s episode (sponsored by FreeAgent ) dives into the latestaccounting tech news and fintech news, with sharp takes on major acquisitions and the future of user experience. We cover: The big fintech news as Starling acquire Ember — and what it means when a challenger bank strategically pulls the rug out from its high street competitors. Xero's controversial decision to email your clients directly — and the debate on who should own the client relationship. Xero's long-awaited navigation redesign and Syft-powered analytics — and whether this finally brings the user experience up to modern standards. The launch of QuickBooks agentic AI experiences — and how they're leveraging the entire Intuit ecosystem to go beyond simple bookkeeping. Plus: A deep dive into UI/UX with iplicit's CPO Paul Sparks, exploring why modern design and a mobile-first approach are just as critical as the AI hype. We also hear from Tugger's Craig Morrall on why your P&L is only half the story, and how to get true business insight by combining financial and operational data. 00:00 Welcome to Digi-Tools in Accrual World! 04:43 User Experience Matters: Modernising Accounting Platforms - with Paul Sparks from iplicit05:07 Mobile App Development and User Experience07:08 Platform Usage Analysis by Role08:32 UI/UX Modernisation Plans09:54 AI Assistant Integration 14:31 App News15:18 Starling Bank Acquires Tax Software Ember20:10 Xero will contact your clients on updates23:57 Xero Analytics Gets an Upgrade with Syft27:17 Xero is introducing a redesigned navigation30:34 QuickBooks is launching new agentic AI experiences35:00 Sage has announced the launch of Workforce Intelligence39:05 Sage expands capabilities for Intacct44:10 FreeAgent Adds Excel Export for Management Reports 44:40 Data-Driven Decisions: Combining Financial and Operational Reporting:  with Tugger45:28 Combining Financial and Operational Data48:04 Data Ownership and Reporting Structure50:03 Business Drivers for Integrated Reporting.. 53:27 Legacy Systems Integration55:53 Closing Remarks