How Central Saved ~4 Days Per Month While Improving Client Happiness Using Puzzle

QuickBooks Created Barriers to Growth and Client Satisfaction

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When Matt Armstrong joined Central, his goal was clear: build a modern, scalable accounting offering for startups. But the firm’s reliance on QuickBooks and other legacy systems created daily operational bottlenecks that hurt both the team’s efficiency and the client experience.

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Client onboarding was one of the biggest pain points. Even simple setup tasks became time-consuming and frustrating. In one extreme case, an early-stage R&D startup couldn’t gain ownership of their own QuickBooks account, leaving Matt stuck on support calls with no resolution in sight.

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QuickBooks also introduced hidden costs. For startups using Stripe—which made up the bulk of Central’s clients—accrual accounting required expensive third-party plugins. These extra tools not only increased costs but forced uncomfortable conversations with clients about who would foot the bill.

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Meanwhile, core workflows were clunky and manual. Reconciling Stripe transactions could take an hour per client. Managing fixed assets and prepaids meant juggling spreadsheets outside the core system—introducing errors and draining time.

"We’re seeing a big push towards anti-Intuit. The problems that legacy systems have are all the same: clunkiness, poor customer support, and a bad user experience. It’s clear that clients and accountants are hungry for a solution."

Seamless Migrations and Native Automation with Puzzle

Switching to Puzzle transformed both how Central works and how they serve clients. Onboarding that once took hours now takes just minutes, thanks to Puzzle’s migration support and streamlined setup process. The Puzzle team handles historical data migration and configuration—so Central’s team can stay focused on client service.

“Puzzle has really gone the extra step to make it even easier for accountants.”

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One of the most impactful changes was Puzzle’s native Stripe integration. What used to require third-party plugins and manual reconciliation now happens automatically within Puzzle. Stripe revenue is recognized on an accrual basis instantly and accurately, with almost no setup required.

"If you're spending an hour reconciling Stripe in QuickBooks, that whole process is automated and done within a minute. So that's efficiency gained for us as accountants."

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Beyond Stripe, Puzzle automates a wide range of bookkeeping tasks. Features like built-in subledgers for fixed assets and prepaids, real-time bank connections, and auto-categorization mean Central can eliminate external spreadsheets and reduce error-prone manual work.

"Typically an accountant would have to maintain fixed assets and prepaids outside of the accounting system and maintain this external spreadsheet. In Puzzle it’s all native.”

30+ Hours Saved Monthly—and Clients Are Happier Too

Today, over 60% of Central’s clients are on Puzzle. The firm now saves an average of one hour per client per month, totaling 30+ hours monthly across the portfolio. That’s time Central reinvests into higher-touch client service and firm growth.
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• 30+ hours saved monthly through automation and native integrations
  
• 10-minute onboarding vs. hours with QuickBooks
  
• 35–40 clients migrated out of 65 total clients
  
  

Looking ahead, Matt aims to move 80% of Central’s clients to Puzzle, especially those with Stripe revenue or more advanced accounting needs. The team sees Puzzle not just as a tool, but as a partner in delivering modern, scalable accounting.

"Using Puzzle across 40 clients saves us about a week’s worth of work, give or take.”