march2021 - 9

FROM THE TRENCHES
excited to review most of them in our
new podcast, The Technology Lab.
Other portals are integrated with
DMS systems like Wolters Kluwer
CCH Document and CCH Portal, CCH
Axcess Document and CCH Axcess
Client Collaboration Portal, Doc.It
Web Portal, and Conarc's iChannel
Client Portals. You can also use
utilities like Citrix ShareFile and
Microsoft SharePoint.
However, more familiar to CPA
firms, when Practice Management,
DMS, and utility methods are not
used, is to use a tool specifically
designed for the profession with a
focus on tax, audit, or some specific
capability. TaxCaddy, SafeSend
Returns, Suralink, and Liscio are
examples of products built for the
accounting profession's purpose.

WHAT ARE WE TRYING
TO ACCOMPLISH WHEN
EXCHANGING DOCUMENTS WITH CLIENTS?
So, what are we trying to accomplish with your client document
exchange? How do you get what you
need? What techniques do you use?
■ Prepared by Client (PBC) list?
■ Portal?
■ Organizer?
■ Monthly checklist for bookkeeping
services?
■ Email?
■ Calls (sometimes as a desperate
last resort)?

And how do you keep track of it all?
■ Document Management System
(DMS), document storage system
(DSS), DIY
■ Workflow
■ Spreadsheets
■ Task lists in practice management
What do you want the client
experience to be?
■ Provide the firm what they have
■ In the format they have
■ Firm requests that are easy to do
■ Legal eSignature easy to do
■ Sign off on new projects
■ Complete requ i rement
paperwork
■ One place to track everything
And how do you want your
clients and your team to use
the documents?
■ Right content, right format,
right time
■ Complete, correct, concise
■ With these attributes
■ Easy to read
■ Easy to find
■ Can perform Optical Character
Recognition (OCR) where needed
■ Easy to collaborate
■ Easy to distribute
■ Retained by engagement or policy

SO, WHAT CAN WE DO
TODAY?
Outside your busy season is a great
time to focus on the relationship
between " making things easy " and
" getting things done " for your clients
and your team. To get through the
busy season and not go crazy, you
need the following things to be true:
■ Clients need to send you documents
on time
■ The staff has complete visibility across
clients
■ Who owes us what?
■ When did we
request it?
■ Did they send that
document?
■ These things
need to be true in
ta x season and
throughout the year
It would be
best if you look for
a secure, invite-

MARCH 2021 ■

only tool where no one else but
your firm and your invited clients
can access the platform. Look for
a clean, organized workspace with
every message, client task list, and
all files feeding into one place where
everyone can find them without being
cc'd on anything. Make sure everyone
in your firm can see all the files and
messages. That way, no matter who
interacts with the client, every
authorized person in the firm can
see the documents and transactions,
enabling proactive client service.
Clients use cell phones frequently
today, so consider obtaining a fully
featured mobile experience that lets
you be in contact with your clients
wherever they are at so that you are
never stuck waiting to get work done
again.
2021 and beyond is a time of
improved document exchange, client
collaboration, and client experience.
What type of experience are you
going to create for your clients? ■

www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com

9
http://www.Doc.It http://www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com
march2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of march2021
