Accountants have been told for years that “the cloud is safer.”
But it’s not as safe as you think. And the cost of believing it is safe could wreck your client’s trust and your bottom line.
In this video, I talk with Michael Rogan of SysCloud about something few firm leaders want to think about: What happens when your data disappears, duplicates or gets corrupted.
Most firms assume that using QuickBooks Online, Microsoft or Google automatically means their data is backed up. It doesn’t. Even QBO Advanced only retains backups for a year. And in firm time, that’s like saying you only have a tenth of the history you really need.
Here’s why this matters:
Lost data = lost time. When something goes wrong, whether it’s an AWS outage, a user error or a bad sync, your team can spend hours trying to find what vanished. Those hours aren’t billable, especially for firms with fixed-fee packages.
Trust takes a hit. You can’t tell a client, “Sorry, your file just disappeared.” Even one missed restore can cost a relationship that took years to build.
You don’t know what you don’t know. Changes can happen deep in the data without any alert, meaning errors or deletions can live quietly until it’s too late.
That’s where firms need to shift from reactive protection to proactive visibility.
SysCloud automatically backs up QBO data — every object, up to three times a day. It also uses AI to notify you when something changes. Instead of hunting down problems, you’re alerted immediately.
But here’s the bigger story: this isn’t just about security — it’s about advisory.
When your data is protected and trustworthy, you can use it to spot anomalies, uncover trends and deliver insights. Suddenly, “security” becomes a revenue opportunity.
Firms can package SysCloud’s protection as part of a premium client service. This lets you add value while maintaining the trust clients already expect.
Even better, it’s frictionless. No workflow changes, no new habits, no behavior management headaches. It runs quietly in the background until you need it. And when you do, it’s there.
Change management is the hardest part of technology adoption. If you can strengthen client trust and open new advisory doors without changing how your team works, that’s a win.
AI is already reshaping how we deliver value. But without protected, high-quality data, your AI strategy is just smoke and mirrors. Trustworthy data isn’t just an IT issue anymore. It’s the foundation of a scalable, modern firm.
