Running a business solo means wearing multiple hats. You’re the salesperson, the bookkeeper, the customer service team and everything in between. Recent announcements from BILL and Quicken promise to reduce that load by automating tedious financial tasks and giving self‑employed workers a unified picture of their finances. Here’s what you need to know about these tools and how to start using them right away.
New Financial AI Tools Built for Small Businesses
BILL introduces agentic AI for back‑office workflows. BILL, a leading financial management platform, launched its suite of AI agents to automate routine financial tasks. These agents autonomously collect and validate W‑9 forms, reconcile receipts, accelerate user onboarding and handle other back‑office chores. According to BILL, collecting W‑9s is one of the most painful administrative tasks; more than 90 % of businesses struggle with it. The new W‑9 Agent eliminates over 80 % of the manual steps by requesting and pre‑validating forms on behalf of businesses. BILL expects the agent to help 170,000+ businesses, saving an estimated 650,000 hours.
The Reconciliation Agent automatically codes transactions and matches receipts, providing full expense visibility and helping finance teams stay organised. During early testing, AI‑processed transactions increased by 533 % at 92 % accuracy. BILL’s AI platform has already processed more than 1.3 billion documents and accelerated billions in payments, stopping millions of fraud attempts in the process. Additional features include an agentic‑powered onboarding flow that tailors setup for new users and a forthcoming BILL Assistant that will answer questions, suggest actions and complete tasks across the platform.
Quicken focuses on the self‑employed. Quicken Business & Personal, a hybrid personal and business finance app, announced new features designed specifically for the 27.6 million Americans who work as full‑time independent professionals. The app provides a right‑sized, cost‑effective solution for managing both personal and business finances without juggling multiple tools. The latest update introduces tools to help businesses get paid faster, improve cash flow and stay tax compliant:
- Estimates and sales receipts. Users can create, send and manage estimates through a client portal with approvals and change requests. A forthcoming sales receipts feature will document non‑invoice payments received at the point of service.
- Mileage tracking. Built‑in mileage tracking records trips automatically, ensuring that entrepreneurs maximise tax deductions for vehicle use.
- Quarterly tax planner. The planner calculates estimated tax obligations and sends reminders when quarterly payments are due, reducing the risk of penalties.
Quicken CEO Eric Dunn noted that financial software has historically been designed for established businesses rather than kitchen‑table entrepreneurs. By bringing personal and business finances under one roof, Quicken Business & Personal aims to simplify money management and deliver a holistic view of net worth.
Tools You Can Start Using Today
Both platforms offer accessible entry points for solopreneurs. Here’s how to get started:
- Enable BILL’s W‑9 Agent. If you already use BILL for payables or expense management, go to the compliance or vendor management section and activate the W‑9 Agent. Upload a list of vendors and let the agent automatically request and validate forms. Monitor the dashboard to see progress and follow up only when necessary.
- Automate reconciliation. Turn on the Reconciliation Agent in your BILL settings. Connect your bank and credit card feeds, and start uploading receipts. The agent will code transactions and match receipts; review any flagged exceptions to ensure accuracy.
- Onboard new employees with AI. Use the new agentic onboarding flow to set up spend and expense users. Provide basic details and let the system tailor permissions and categories to your business type.
- Set up Quicken Business & Personal. Download the app or sign up online. Connect your bank accounts and credit cards to sync transactions. Use the Estimates tool to generate professional quotes and share them through the client portal.
- Track mileage automatically. Enable GPS tracking in the app and log business trips as they happen. The mileage log will appear in your tax planner at quarter‑end.
- Plan quarterly taxes. Enter your estimated earnings into the tax planner, review the calculated obligationsns and set reminders for due dates. Use the planner to project cash flow and avoid surprises.
The Impact on Solo Businesses
These tools don’t just save time— they directly improve cash flow and compliance. With the W‑9 Agent, companies avoid delays in payments to contractors and reduce the risk of penalties for incorrect tax filings. The Reconciliation Agent ensures expenses are recorded accurately, giving entrepreneurs up‑to‑date financial statements. By automating onboarding, businesses shorten the time it takes for new team members to start spending responsibly.
Quicken’s updates close a longstanding gap for micro‑businesses. Independent professionals often manage personal and business finances separately, leading to errors and missed deductions. By unifying accounts and adding features like mileage tracking and quarterly tax planning, Quicken helps users see the full picture. Estimates and sales receipts features speed up invoicing and encourage quicker payments, improving cash flow.
These platforms also show how AI is becoming more agentic: rather than offering static automation, they take initiative to request forms, categorize transactions or remind you of deadlines. Case studies highlight significant benefits. Hiline’s technology head reports that the W‑9 Agent saved them an entire quarter of work by chasing, validating and organising forms. Another accountant notes that handling hundreds of vendors became much easier, saving time and allowing them to focus on delivering value for clients.
Actionable Takeaways
- Audit your back office. Identify which manual tasks consume the most time—such as W‑9 collection or receipt reconciliation—and prioritise automating them with BILL’s agents.
- Sync your finances in one app. If you’re still using separate tools for personal and business finances, migrate to Quicken Business & Personal to gain a unified view.
- Get paid faster. Use the Estimates tool to send professional quotes. When the Sales Receipts feature rolls out, adopt it to document on‑the‑spot payments and accelerate cash inflows.
- Maximise tax deductions. Turn on automatic mileage tracking now so you’re ready for next quarter’s filing. Review the quarterly tax planner every month and adjust payments as your income changes.
- Plan your next automation. After enabling the W‑9 and Reconciliation Agents, explore BILL’s upcoming AI assistant for personalised recommendations. Likewise, watch for new Quicken features that further integrate business and personal finances.
Conclusion
BILL and Quicken are showing that small businesses deserve sophisticated tools every bit as much as large enterprises. By automating compliance tasks, reconciling transactions and unifying financial data, these platforms let solopreneurs reclaim time and reduce stress. Whether you’re a freelancer balancing multiple gigs or a growing micro‑business hiring your first employee, these AI agents and features can streamline your operations and give you greater confidence in your finances. Embrace them now to focus on strategy, sales and the work you love.
