What FAB 2026 Told Us About the Future of Accounting Technology

FAB 2026, the UK's biggest finance, accounting, and bookkeeping show, wrapped up at NEC Birmingham on 11 and 12 March. Over 80 software vendors, 100+ speakers, and thousands of accounting professionals came together for two days of demos, debates, and a fair amount of coffee.

If you didn't make it (or if you did and want a clearer picture of what it all means), here are the key technology takeaways that matter most for UK accounting firms heading into the rest of 2026.

AI Is No Longer Optional, But Trust Is Still Being Earned

AI dominated the conversation at FAB 2026. The new AccountingWEB AI Labs with Sage was the headline addition this year: a hands-on space where firms could experiment with practical AI workflows rather than just listen to presentations about what AI might do someday.

The mood has shifted. More than half of UK accounting professionals now use AI regularly, with 36% using it weekly and 24% using it daily. But the industry isn't blindly enthusiastic. When surveyed, accountants ranked hallucinations and inaccuracy as their top concern, followed closely by data security worries about client information leaking into training datasets.

The practical use cases getting the most traction right now include:

• Data capture and receipt processing with tools like Dext, AutoEntry, and the newly launched EazyCapture
• Anomaly detection to flag unusual transactions before they become problems
• Narrative drafting for management accounts and year-end reports
• Routine client Q&A handled by AI assistants, freeing staff for complex queries

If you're evaluating data capture tools specifically, our Dext vs AutoEntry vs HubDoc comparison breaks down the key differences.

MTD for Income Tax: The Clock Has Finally Run Out

After years of delays and false starts, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax goes live on 6 April 2026. That is weeks away. If you attended FAB, you heard this message loud and clear across multiple sessions.

The first phase affects sole traders and landlords with qualifying income above £50,000 for the 2024/25 tax year. From April, these clients must:

• Keep digital records using MTD-compatible software
• Submit quarterly income and expense summaries to HMRC
• File a final year-end declaration instead of the traditional Self Assessment return

The thresholds will lower to £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028, so this will eventually affect the vast majority of your self-employed clients.

For a full breakdown of what your firm needs to do, read our MTD for Income Tax guide. You can also run our MTD Readiness assessment to see where gaps remain.

FRS 102 Changes: Why Spreadsheets Won't Cut It Anymore

The updated FRS 102 standard was another hot topic at FAB, particularly the sessions on ditching spreadsheets for compliance. Two major changes are landing:

1. New revenue recognition model: Based on a simplified version of IFRS 15, FRS 102 now requires a five-step process for recognising revenue. This includes identifying distinct goods or services and recognising revenue when those goods or services transfer to the customer.
1. New lease accounting rules: Most leases must now appear on lessees' balance sheets, bringing greater transparency but also more complexity in how you prepare accounts.

For firms still relying on spreadsheets to handle accounts preparation, these changes add significant manual overhead and increase the risk of errors. Modern accounts production software handles the new standards automatically, and the cost of not upgrading is starting to outweigh the cost of change.

Tools like Silverfin and TaxCalc have already updated to reflect the new FRS 102 requirements. If your current software hasn't, that's a red flag.

The Shift from Compliance to Advisory Is Accelerating

This theme came up in nearly every session at FAB, from the main stage to the Boardroom Debates. The message is clear: basic compliance work is becoming commoditised, and firms that don't evolve will struggle to maintain margins.

Advisory services, including cash flow forecasting, pricing strategy, operational efficiency reviews, and proactive tax planning, are where the growth is. But you can only offer advisory work if your compliance processes are efficient enough to free up capacity.

This is where technology becomes the enabler rather than just a tool. Firms using integrated tech stacks reported:

• Faster turnaround on compliance work
• More capacity for client-facing advisory
• Higher average revenue per client
• Better staff retention (people prefer interesting work)

If you're not sure where your tech stack stands, our full accounting tech stack guide covers every category from bookkeeping to practice management.

Staff Retention Is a Tech Problem Too

One statistic stood out at FAB: 58% of accountants are considering looking for a new job in 2026. Better career progression and flexible working were the top motivators, but outdated technology was a recurring frustration.

Staff don't want to spend their days on manual data entry, chasing clients for paperwork, or wrestling with software that should have been replaced five years ago. Firms with modern, cloud-based tech stacks find it easier to offer remote working, automate the tedious bits, and let their people focus on work that actually requires professional judgement.

Practice management tools like Karbon and Senta can centralise workflows and reduce the admin burden, while proposal tools like Ignition streamline engagement letters and billing. Our Karbon vs Senta vs TaxDome comparison can help you pick the right fit.

What This Means for Your Firm's Tech Stack

Whether you attended FAB or not, the themes are clear: AI adoption, MTD compliance, FRS 102 readiness, advisory capacity, and staff satisfaction all point back to the same thing. Your technology needs to be working for you, not against you.

Here's a practical checklist to work through this quarter:

1. Audit your current tools. Are they MTD-compatible? Do they support the new FRS 102 requirements? Are they cloud-based?
1. Identify gaps. Data capture, practice management, reporting, and client communication are the areas where firms most commonly have weak spots.
1. Evaluate AI readiness. You don't need to adopt every AI tool at once, but you should have a plan for where AI fits in your workflows over the next 12 months.
1. Talk to your team. Ask what frustrates them most about current processes. Their answers will point you to the highest-impact improvements.
1. Get external perspective. Sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes to see what's working and what isn't.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was FAB 2026?

FAB (Finance, Accounting and Bookkeeping) is the UK's largest annual show for accounting professionals. The 2026 event took place at NEC Birmingham on 11 and 12 March, featuring 80+ software vendors, 100+ speakers, and the new AccountingWEB AI Labs with Sage.

When does Making Tax Digital for Income Tax start?

MTD for Income Tax goes live on 6 April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income above £50,000. The threshold drops to £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028.

What changed with FRS 102 in 2026?

FRS 102 now includes a new five-step revenue recognition model based on IFRS 15 and new lease accounting rules that require most leases on lessees' balance sheets. These changes affect how accounts are prepared and may require updated software.

How can AI help my accounting firm today?

The most practical AI use cases for accounting firms in 2026 are automated data capture, anomaly detection in bookkeeping, drafting management account narratives, and handling routine client queries. Our AI tools directory lists the options worth considering.

How do I know if my firm's tech stack needs updating?

Run our free Tech Health Check for an instant assessment. Warning signs include reliance on desktop software, manual data entry, inability to work remotely, and client complaints about slow turnaround.

Need Help Making Sense of It All?

FAB 2026 made one thing clear: the pace of change in accounting technology is accelerating. Between MTD deadlines, new accounting standards, AI adoption, and the shift to advisory, there's a lot to navigate.

At NerdNumbers, we help UK accounting firms choose, implement, and integrate the right technology. Whether you need a full tech stack review or advice on a specific tool, we're here to help.

Book a free discovery call to talk through your firm's priorities, or browse our pricing options to see how we work.