A Chartered Accountant with 21 years of experience, Cheah Chun How has always been at the forefront of financial innovation. In 2014, he co-founded High Pines Training and Consultancy, envisioning a revolution in the accounting landscape. After discovering QuickBooks, its capabilities, particularly its automations and online accessibility, were a revelation. He immediately recognised its potential to simplify processes for accountants, clients, and auditors alike.
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ACCOUNTANT SPOTLIGHT
Introducing Cheah
Chun How
Learn how QuickBooks helped transform his accounting practice, empowering him to simplify operations, advise clients globally, and champion digital finance.
The practice and the vision
The strategic switch to QuickBooks
Before QuickBooks, Chun How's firm relied on traditional, desktop-based systems like SQL and UBS. A pivotal moment occurred when, stuck in traffic without his laptop, a client demanded an urgent invoice. The hour-long struggle to re-key data on a borrowed computer underscored the dire need for a mobile solution. "It was so inconvenient," he lamented.
This frustration spurred his decision. "I decided that I need something which I can issue quotation, invoice from my smartphone... And I saw QuickBooks can do that. Well, that's my choice of accounting software going forward." His broader vision was to streamline operations for everyone involved, enabling service delivery and audits remotely, efficiently, and at any time.
QuickBooks literally makes so much difference to my life as an accountant, a service provider to the client, and to the auditor.
Why Chun How chose QuickBooks
Seamless client onboarding
Transitioning clients to QuickBooks Online faced initial hurdles, mainly user resistance to changing from old, code-based systems and print-based invoicing. Data migration also proved challenging due to incomplete client records. However, compliance, especially with new regulations like Malaysia's E-invoice, became a significant motivator, pushing businesses towards modern, high-compliance software.
Cheah Chun How successfully migrated a Medical Association in Malaysia, a non-profit with numerous state-level branches using diverse accounting systems. By moving them to QuickBooks, the headquarters could instantly access and retrieve vital data, dramatically speeding up audits and eliminating the need for extensive travel.
The QuickBooks impact and tangible benefits
QuickBooks Online Accountant has profoundly transformed Cheah Chun How's daily operations, significantly boosting efficiency and adding substantial value.
"I decided I needed a solution that would let me handle quotes and invoices on my smartphone. That was the number one thing for me. When I saw QuickBooks could do it, my mind was made up. There were also a lot of other big factors that confirmed it was the right choice."
Future-proofing the practice
Chun How advises other accountants to embrace a "mindset change" and adopt cloud-based, automated processes, noting that even accounting bodies encourage this shift as fewer new graduates enter the profession. He foresees AI playing a "much, much greater role" in accounting, automating up to 90% of data entry. This, he believes, elevates the accountant's role from data entry to that of a "trusted advisor" who interprets reports and guides businesses.
Crucially, he sees cloud accounting and AI expanding market opportunities globally. "Our... market opportunity is no longer local. We can service anyone in the whole world in any country," he asserts, now confidently serving clients across Southeast Asia, Dubai, and Australia, all thanks to the flexibility of cloud-based software.
Cheah Chun How
Managing Director
High Pines Training and Consultancy
CHEAH CHUN HOW is a Chartered Accountant by profession with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance (Hons). He is also a fellow member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) and Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA). Additionally, he is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and a qualified Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Berhad (PSMB) Train the Trainer (TTT / 7204). He has more than twenty (20) years experience in both SMEs and multinational companies as Corporate Auditor, IT Auditor, Head of Finance and Operations, Consultant Senior Financial Analyst and Sales Team Lead. His relevant industrial experience includes retailing, wholesaling, financial planning, IT hardware & software, audit & accounting firm, insurance, banking, financial institution and oil & gas.
Hear from other accountants
Hear from other accountants
“I like QuickBooks because it's user friendly, it's accurate, and it's safe.”
Cecilia Tong – Singapore
Director (JJ Trusted Services)
QuickBooks Pro Advisor
Director (JJ Trusted Services)
QuickBooks Pro Advisor
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