Case Study
|Burgess Hodgson: Less Data Entry, More Advisory
“Combinely's team worked alongside us to understand how we actually work. The agents are shaped around our processes, not the other way around.”
Ben HoustonBA ACA - Partner, Burgess Hodgson
About Burgess Hodgson
Burgess Hodgson is a chartered accountancy practice in Canterbury, Kent, with over 200 staff across its offices. The firm is partner-led, with the kind of client relationships where people speak to the same adviser year after year.
During busy season, the volume of returns, data entry, and client queries ramps up fast. The team needed a way to keep up without compromising on quality.
How They Use Combinely
Burgess Hodgson started with their tax team in the 2025/26 busy season. Three workflows stood out.
1. Getting the right information in front of staff, fast
Combinely pulls previous correspondence, prior-year details, and relevant tax guidance together - so instead of spending time digging through emails and docs, the adviser goes straight to the judgment call.
“Combinely saved real time on client queries, pulling relevant emails and guidance together and having everything ready to go.”
2. Cutting time on tax preparation
For rental and self-employment returns, Combinely produces a first draft of the income & expenditure accounts from what the client sends in, automatically picking up data as it arrives by email. The team reviews and finalises - but the legwork is done, cutting I&E creation time by 75%.
“The income and expenditure for rental worked really well. It saved a lot of time creating the I&E accounts and automatically adding information when emailed by the client.”
3. First-pass return review
Combinely gives juniors an automated quality check before work reaches the partner. Fewer errors at review means less back-and-forth - and returns get completed and out to clients faster.
“Combinely catches things before they reach me - so by the time I'm reviewing, there's less to send back. It speeds everything up.”
Fiona Wilkes, Head of Personal Tax, BA CTA - Partner
The Result
In December and January alone, Combinely handled over 2,600 tasks for the team - staff at all levels were using it daily. Less time chasing information, fewer rounds of review, and more time spent on the advisory work that matters.
