App Aware: Pixie

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From the way it sounds, you may think I'm about to 'sprinkle some pixie-dust', but don't be fooled by Pixie. Even though it' s an easy-to-use, and flexible practice management app for small CPA & bookkeeping firms, it packs a powerful punch.

In just a short time you can be completely set-up with Pixie, and then with a few clicks more you will be easily managing your workflow, clients, deadlines, emails and team. Its clean user-interface and simple design, along with their out-of-the-box workflow templates that come complete with checklists and automatic-reminders will have you saving time and reducing that past overwhelmed feeling of right away.

Pixie Features & Functions

Let's look at the functional areas of Pixie and the features it offers.

Client management & CRM

One place to manage all your client relationships

  • Client records auto-updated with emails and files
  • Unlimited custom fields to store key client data
  • Assign checklists to your clients with auto-reminders
  • Secure document portal seamlessly built-in
  • Smart 2-way integration with GSuite and Office365

Email management

Reduce email overwhelm and spend less time in your inbox

  • Emails from clients auto-prioritized and at the top
  • Full visibility over your entire team's emails
  • Delegate emails in just a click
  • Turn emails into tasks so they don't fall through the cracks
  • Gmail, and Outlook.com smart 2-way integration

Workflow management

Increase productivity and consistency with workflows

  • Set workflows to start & recur on fixed or client dates
  • Add checklists, rich text, training videos and links
  • Build automated email templates to remind clients
  • Use Pixie's library of out-of-the-box templates or build you own in minutes
  • Thousands of integrations with Zapier

Task & deadline management

Hit your deadlines and stay in control

  • Tasks are generated automatically from workflows
  • Your to-do list is automatically prioritized
  • Create ad-hoc tasks in seconds & save as templates
  • Emails, files and other info on the task where you need it

Team management & reporting

Keep track of your team's to-do's

  • See what's on individual team members' to-do lists
  • Delegate & reassign tasks in a click
  • Full work report with custom filters for capacity planning
  • Internal notifications when delegated tasks completed

Using Pixie - a typical day

On an average day, of course when is a day average, a Pixie User logs in and selects their email tab. Their emails have been auto-prioritized with anything from clients in the priority folder. They can then respond, delegate to team members or convert some to tasks to be worked on later.

Typically a user will next check their task list, where a mixture of ad-hoc tasks (ones they’ve added manually) and recurring tasks (the regular recurring compliance tasks like Payroll, Bookkeeping etc) are posted. As they start checking off tasks related check-list items based on workflows may pre-populate email templates to be sent. 

If the user still needs information from one of their clients they can set-up a checklist of required items, hit send, and the client receives a notification to upload the missing documents. Once uploaded, the information is automatically saved to the task as well as the clients record for future reference.

Pixie users typically head on over to the team section to find out what their team is working on. They may need to check the current status of all active accounts jobs to determine if all team members are on schedule or falling behind.

Designated users may be authorized to reassign some tasks (in just a click) to help manage capacity.

A new email arrives, a prospect has accepted the proposal and wants to proceed. It's time to turn the prospect's existing record into a client, select the required services and schedule the work. All of these jobs will now be created automatically by Pixie as and when they fall due, meaning they never miss a deadline. 

My Wrap-up

Want some more good news... their pricing is economical, very... I do mean very, check it out and don't let the funny squiggles on the numbers bother you either.  Yes, the first number you see is British Pounds, but there is a US Dollars value there too.  And that price is 'one flat price for your firm with 'unlimited users' and 'unlimited clients'.

Now for the bad news... they don't have direct integration with QuickBooks (Online) or Xero, but as I did mention earlier they do have "thousands of integrations with Zapier", so what does that tell you?

They offer a free 'one-on-one demo', a 30-day free trial w/o credit-card, and a 30-day on-boarding plan to help new users get up and running asap and fully functional. If you want more information see the Pixie website1.

Footnotes & Disclosures:

1 - For purposes of full disclosure, Pixie is the registered trademarked product of Pomar Ltd., a limited company registered in England and Wales with offices at 86 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NE, United Kingdom that can be contacted via email at, hello@usepixie.com.

App Aware articles are editorial features, they are NOT sponsored content. While they may (or may not) contain references or 'inserts' that refer to sponsored content, or sponsored webinars, the actual feature is intended as an informational resource for our readers.