The fifth edition of the report highlights the sector’s transformation toward a more strategic, technology-driven, and client-focused professional practice
- The use of AI in the day-to-day operations of professional services firms has grown by 66% in one year
- 68% of firms consider digitalization a strategic priority, 11 percentage points more than in 2025
- Regulatory overload is the sector’s main challenge, according to 64% of consultants
- Difficulties in recruiting talent persist: 74% cite a lack of qualified candidates, and 53% identify generational succession as a risk
- 57% of advisors believe the profession is not attractive
- Most firms are not prepared to handle the legal changes in billing, according to 61% of the firms
- 54% of advisory firms’ clients track working hours manually
BARCELONA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting Spain, a leading provider of software, information, and service solutions for professional firms and businesses, has released the fifth edition of the Advisory Barometer, a report that analyzes the present and future of the sector. This year’s report paints a picture of a profession in the midst of transformation, marked by digitization and the rise of artificial intelligence, with 71% of advisors already using artificial intelligence in their daily work—66 % more than last year.
“After five years of monitoring the sector, the Advisory Barometer has established itself as a prime observatory of its evolution and allows us to view the profession with perspective at a time of unprecedented transformation. Regulatory changes, digitalization, and artificial intelligence are redefining the way advisory firms operate and accelerating their evolution toward a more strategic, technology-driven model that delivers greater added value,” said Bas Kniphorst, EVP & Managing Director of Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting Europe.
The sector is seeing growth in revenue and the number of clients
The study identifies a business landscape composed mainly of small firms (77% have fewer than 10 employees), although one that is becoming increasingly professionalized and demonstrates a clear commitment to growth. More than half (67%) increased their revenue in 2025, and 69% expanded their client base, reflecting a positive trend compared to the previous year, when 64% increased their revenue and 68% expanded their client base.
Technology is driving the transformation of the advisor’s role
The fifth edition of the Advisory Barometer shows that technological advancements are accelerating a transformation of the advisor’s role, which is increasingly oriented toward support functions and higher-value-added services. Thus, 68% of advisory firms already place a high priority on digitalization—more than 11 percentage points higher than in 2025. The majority (84%) emphasize that technology frees up time by reducing monotonous and repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on higher-value functions; 51% anticipate that their work will focus more on advisory services than on administrative tasks, while 38% believe it fosters a more consultative professional profile. At the same time, artificial intelligence is emerging as a key tool for reinforcing this strategic value of the advisor: 55% believe it improves client advisory services, and 46% believe it optimizes their own processes.
The use of AI has expanded significantly over the past year: 71% of advisors use it in their daily work, compared to 42% last year, representing a nearly 70% increase. Automation and efficiency are cited as the main benefit of AI by 71% of law firms, although respondents express concern about data quality (63%) and a lack of internal expertise and training (53%). In addition, AI-powered search and productivity solutions are cited as the top technology priority for implementation in the coming years, mentioned by 27% of respondents.
The cloud and the collaborative working model with clients continue to gain ground: 53% of consulting firms already operate using a hybrid model of cloud-based and on-premises solutions—five percentage points more than in 2025—while 74% already use or plan to implement a collaborative model enabled by cloud technology. Similarly, there has been significant progress in the digital maturity of professional firms’ clients: the percentage of companies with a low level of digitization has fallen to 22%, compared to 39% in 2025, while the average level has risen to 68% from 55% in 2025, and the number of companies with a high level of digital maturity has nearly doubled, reaching 10%.
Regulatory Overload: The Sector’s Main Challenge
Regulatory pressure remains the main challenge for professional firms, according to 64% of advisors. The majority (95%) state that regulatory changes increase their workload, and 78% turn to software solutions to manage this impact, compared to 71% in 2025. Awareness of new invoicing regulations is also on the rise: 85% say they are up to date on the Anti-Fraud Law (Verifactu) and the Crea y Crece Law (electronic invoicing), two percentage points higher than in 2025 and more than 11 percentage points higher than in 2024. However, doubts persist regarding the business community’s readiness, as 61% of firms believe that most companies are not yet prepared to handle these changes (a lower percentage than the 74% recorded in 2025).
Another regulation analyzed is the future digital time-tracking system. The majority (82%) of consulting firms are up to date on this legal development, although they acknowledge that 54% of their clients still record working hours manually. On the other hand, more than half of the firms (53%) state that they already have compatible software, and that 33% of their clients also use time-tracking software—an increase of 28% compared to last year.
The report also reveals that significant structural challenges persist in the sector, particularly related to talent: 57% of firms acknowledge difficulties in recruiting professionals—a figure similar to that of 2025 (57%)—due mainly to a lack of qualified candidates, a problem already highlighted by 74% of consulting firms. Fifty-seven percent of advisors believe that the advisory profession is not attractive, mainly due to excessive bureaucratic and administrative burdens (85%) and the profession’s lack of social recognition (58%)—factors that limit the sector’s ability to attract new talent and hinder generational succession, which 53% identify as a risk.
Note to editors
The 2026 Advisory Barometer report provides a snapshot of professional firms in Spain, based on the results of a survey conducted in March among a representative sample of the sector. It is complemented by the perspectives, insights, and experience of experts and advisors. The report delivers data and analysis on the evolution of the profession and identifies key challenges and trends.
About Wolters Kluwer
Wolters Kluwer (EURONEXT: WKL) is a global leader in information solutions, software and services for professionals in healthcare; tax and accounting; financial and corporate compliance; legal and regulatory; corporate performance and ESG. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services.
Wolters Kluwer reported 2025 annual revenues of €6.1 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 21,100 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.
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Contacts
Media Contact
Mariló Romero
Communications Manager
Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting Europe South Region
608 85 18 42
maria.dolores.romero@wolterskluwer.com
Alejandra Quintela
External Communications Manager – Europe
Tax and Accounting
Wolters Kluwer
Office: +44 7980 908385
alejandra.quintela@wolterskluwer.com
