Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/411648
CLIENT PORTALS Reviews BEST FIT Accounting f irms that want to prov ide clients w ith interactive portals from which they can share or receive tax and fnancial docu- ments. Te system supports up to 2,500 client por tals, w hi le the Enterprise version can support an unlimited number of portals. Te system is ideal for frms using other products in the ProSystem fx Suite, since it allows professionals to push out invoices, tax returns, and docu- ments to portals from within the other applications. STRENGTHS • User-friendly interface for frm staf and clients, plus customiz- able frm branding with drag and drop f unctions into most web browsers. • Integration w ith ProSystem fx T a x , D o c u m e n t , T a x a n d Engagement. • Customizable client-side infor- mation that helps explain how to use the portal. Automated pass- word reset e-mails for clients. • F i l e s c a n b e a r c h i v e d a n d removed either by setings for an entire folder or using individual setings for each fle. POTENTIAL LIMITATIONS • ProSystem fx Portal ofers good integration with most sof ware in the CCH suite as noted above, but no i nteg rat ion w it h CCH Small Firm Services applications (A T X , Ta x W i s e) o r t h e o n - premises version of ProSystem fx Document. SUMMARY & PRICING ProSystem fx Portal is a good ft for many frms, especially those run- ning the ProSystem f x suite of applications. Plans start at $630 per year ($52.50 per month). CCHGroup.com CCH ProSystem fx Portal Read the full review and see expanded ratings for this product online at: www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com/12012566 4.75 2014 OVERALL RATING 3 Valuable Tools for Sharing Files with Clients There are several professional accounting and workfow systems that include optional portals or similar collaboration features. Tese systems may be ideal for frms already using the primary sofware. Th i s rev i e w o f c l i e n t p o r t a l s o l u t i o n s f o r accounting frms is primarily focused on systems that are technically stand-alone services that can be used with or without other programs that the vendor ofers. However, there are also several professional accounting and workflow systems that include optional portals or similar collaboration features. Tese systems may be ideal for frms already using the primary sofware. Doc.It Portals Ofce Tools Professional Client Portal XCMportal DOC.IT WEB PORTAL Te Doc-It Suite is primarily focused on providing document management tools for small and mid-sized accounting frms. It includes a Work Binder applica- tion for engagement management, an Archive for engagement and document storage in PDF format, and the Doc.It Portal, which enables frms, clients and third-parties to share fles such as fnancial and tax documents in a secure way. Te portals can be frm-branded, has no fle size limit, and includes automatic email notifcations when a client or frm adds a fle to a portal. Te folder structure can be customized to meet the frm's pre- ferred structure. Doc.IT can be hosted on the accounting frms' own servers or by a third party application service provider. www.doc-it.com OFFICE TOOLS PROFESSIONAL CLIENT PORTAL Ofce Tools Professional provides practice manage- ment and document management features for accounting frms, with built-in workfow functions and a digital workspace. An optional client portal feature is also available, providing fle storage and sharing, along with more advanced tools. Firms can also take advantage of client messaging, project management tools, invoicing functions, custom email marketing, and features that are new for 2014. The new features allow firms to accept pay ments from clients, schedule ta x or other appointments, streamlining new client intake and time and expense management. The Office Tools Professional portals can be custom branded to refect the frm's logo and website style. www.offcetoolspro.com XCMPORTAL XCM is best known for its professional, cloud-based sofware that helps accounting frms more efectively management their workfow, whether a small prac- tice, or a large frm with multiple departments and ofce locations. Te XCMportal solution is an optional add-on that makes it easy for frms to share fnancial state- ments, tax documents and forms, or other fles with clients, and for clients to do the same. Te easy-to- use interface integrates directly with the primary XCM workfow sofware, and the client side of the portal can be customized to refect a frm's branding. Features also allow frm staf to post lists of missing client documents or send questions to a client via the portal. Clients can then respond within the secure portal instead of relying on unsecure email communication. www.xcmsolutions.com SUCCESS 2014 THUR., DEC. 4, 2014 9:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M. EST Register Today at EnsuringSuccess.com/ register