The accounting tool stack a company runs determines what its accounting team can do – and how fast. A well-configured NetSuite environment with a skilled operator produces close cycles measured in days. The same environment with an accountant learning the system produces close cycles measured in weeks.
For fast-growing companies building remote accounting teams, two decisions matter equally: which tools to use, and whether your accounting talent actually knows them.
NetSuite is the most commonly used ERP among scaling companies – VC-backed, PE-backed, and mid-market alike – handling the full accounting function: GL, AP, AR, revenue recognition, fixed assets, multi-entity consolidation, and financial reporting. Best for companies with $5M+ in revenue that have outgrown QuickBooks and need multi-entity support or robust reporting.
NetSuite proficiency ranges from basic journal entry and reconciliation to advanced multi-entity configuration, custom saved searches, and revenue recognition modules. For remote close support, assess whether a candidate has run a full close cycle in NetSuite – including intercompany transactions, accruals workflow, and period-end lock.
QBO is the dominant accounting platform for companies under $5M in revenue and smaller clients of accounting firms and fractional CFOs. QBO competency is more widespread than NetSuite, so the bar for claiming proficiency is lower. Assess whether a candidate can handle bank feed reconciliation, multi-class reporting, AR aging and collections, and accurate period-end financial statement preparation.
Sage Intacct is Increasingly popular among nonprofits, healthcare, and services companies with strong multi-entity and fund accounting requirements.
These are legacy platforms still common at mid-market companies that haven't migrated to cloud ERPs – particularly relevant for PE-backed companies running on legacy systems pre-transformation.
Bill.com is the leading AP automation platform for SMBs and growth-stage companies. Manages invoice receipt, approval routing, payment processing, and vendor management, syncing to QBO and NetSuite. Assess whether a candidate can configure approval workflows, manage vendor onboarding, handle payment runs, and reconcile Bill.com to the GL.
A corporate card and spend management platform with built-in AP capabilities, Ramp is increasingly used by tech companies as a unified spend management layer. Candidates with Ramp experience can typically configure card controls, manage expense reporting, and integrate Ramp data into the close.
Tipalti is used by larger companies with high-volume international payment needs – media, SaaS, marketplace businesses – for supplier payments, tax compliance, and payment reconciliation at scale.
Expensify is widely used at companies with travel-heavy teams and integrates with NetSuite, QBO, and other ERPs. Ramp and Brex combine spend control with expense reporting and are increasingly replacing Expensify for companies that want a unified card and expense solution.
Many remote accounting teams handle payroll reconciliation rather than processing – ensuring entries are coded correctly in the ERP and reconciled to the bank. The most common platforms: Gusto (best for under 100 employees, strong QBO integration), Rippling (full HR, payroll, and IT platform, common at tech companies), and ADP or Paychex (more common at mid-market companies).
Stripe is dominant at SaaS and e-commerce companies for payment processing – and revenue recognition for Stripe-based revenue is one of the more technically demanding accounting tasks at growth-stage companies. Chargebee and Recurly are subscription billing platforms common at SaaS companies that require accountants who understand deferred revenue, MRR/ARR reconciliation, and ASC 606.
Generic accounting interviews routinely fail to detect tool proficiency gaps. Candidates who list "NetSuite" or "Bill.com" on a resume are frequently far less proficient than the listing implies.
Scenario questions reveal real proficiency:
Candidates with genuine proficiency answer with specificity. Candidates overstating their experience give vague or hesitant answers.
The ramp time for an accountant learning a new ERP from scratch is 60–120 days at minimum. For a remote accountant joining a lean team, those 60–120 days produce a fraction of eventual value and require disproportionate management time. A tool-matched hire who knows your exact ERP, AP platform, and billing system can contribute meaningfully in week one and own their processes by week three.
For a 12-month engagement, the productivity difference between a tool-matched hire and an unmatched one works out to roughly one to two additional months of high-quality accounting work per year. MAVI's matching process includes tool proficiency as a core assessment dimension. Every candidate presented has been evaluated on the specific tools in that client's stack.
The standard modern stack for growth-stage companies: NetSuite or QuickBooks Online (ERP), Bill.com or Ramp (AP), Expensify or Ramp (expense management), and Stripe or Chargebee (billing). The right choice depends on company size, industry, and complexity.
Ask ERP-specific scenario questions tied to actual close processes. Genuine proficiency shows up in specific, fluent answers. Surface-level familiarity produces vague responses.
Yes. Tool proficiency is a core assessment dimension. Candidates are evaluated on your specific stack before being presented.
Typically 60–120 days to full productivity in an unfamiliar ERP. Tool-matched hires through MAVI contribute meaningfully in week one and own their processes independently by week three.