Ignition Accounting Firm Billing: 5 Golden Rules
At Inspire, we’ve discovered that when it comes to running an accounting firm smoothly, two things matter most: processes and consistency. That’s why we rely on Ignition accounting firm billing to keep cash flow predictable, clients happy, and our practice on track.
Ignition (formerly Practice Ignition) is a client engagement and billing platform for accountants. It lets us send proposals, automate invoicing, and capture client payment details upfront. Over the years, it has become the backbone of how we bill clients, track revenue, and keep our firm financially healthy.
Here are the Golden Rules we follow, the same ones that have saved us from headaches, kept the money flowing, and helped us grow year after year.
1. Ignition accounting firm billing: every client, every time
Here’s the deal – 100% of our clients go through Ignition. Every single one.
Why? Because billing scattered across emails, spreadsheets, and one-off invoices is a mess waiting to happen. With Ignition, everything’s in one place. No chasing. No confusion. Just one streamlined system that makes tracking and reporting simple.
2. Upfront payment is non-negotiable
This was one of the biggest mindset shifts we made at Inspire: payment upfront, always.
Less than 3% of clients ever push back, and when they do, it’s usually a red flag. Ignition makes it simple by requiring payment details before clients can accept a proposal. That means the work (and your team’s time) is covered before you even start.
No more chasing invoices. No more sleepless nights.
3. Consistent billing for accounting firms with Ignition
One of the easiest ways firms lose control is by letting payments slip through multiple channels. Credit cards here, bank transfers there. Suddenly, you’ve got debtors you can’t track.
Our rule? Everything goes through Ignition. Every payment. Every client. Every time.
This one step keeps us organised, eliminates confusion, and makes debtor management almost effortless.
4. Track average client spend and monthly revenue
Want to know if your firm is growing? Don’t guess – measure it.
Ignition gives us a dashboard view of average spend per client (ours is about $7,000) and how it’s trending compared to last year.
We also track monthly recurring revenue (MRR) versus total revenue. The goal is to close the gap each month by building recurring work that supports long-term growth.
👉 According to Accounting Insights, firms that systemise billing improve cash flow and reduce debtor days, exactly what Ignition helps us achieve.
5. Plan for seasonal adjustments and budgeting
Accounting isn’t flat across the year, and your billing strategy shouldn’t be either.
For us, May and June are the biggest months. We use Ignition to budget around seasonality, set realistic targets, and adjust expectations. That way, one-off projects and non-recurring services land where they need to, keeping the numbers tight and the business on track.
Conclusion: Why Ignition accounting firm billing matters
Inspire wasn’t always this sharp with billing. Like many firms, we had clients who didn’t pay on time, processes that broke down, and cash flow that caused stress.
The turning point? Committing to Ignition accounting firm billing and these Golden Rules. Now, everything runs smoother, clients are accountable, and we’ve got a clear handle on our financials.
If you’re a sole practitioner accountant in Australia looking to simplify billing, protect cash flow, and build consistency, adopting these rules could be a game-changer for your firm too.
Ignition has given us structure, stability, and scale. And I reckon it can do the same for you.
