Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/599790
6 November 2015 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com CLIENT PORTALS Reviews Client Portals Increase Effciency, Provide Greater Convenience By Mary Girsch-Bock I f you're one of the 42 percent of frms currently ofering client portals, then you probably don't need to read any further. But for the 58 percent of accounting frms that currently do not ofer client portals, or perhaps need a litle convincing, here are some things to think about: • A portal can increase customer service efciencies. Using a portal, frms can ofer their clients 24/7 access to tax returns and other sensitive documents. Accountants can upload completed tax returns and related data, with clients able to download the docu- ments at their convenience. For frms using Quick- Books, some portals also ofer access to QuickBooks fles as well. • Portals ofer a secure way to exchange documents, eliminating the transfer of sensitive information via email. All data is securely encrypted, providing a level of security so that both accounting frms and their clients can be assured that sensitive and confdential information will remain secure. • File size is no longer prohibitive if using a portal. If you've ever tried to email a large fle, you'll know that many private mail servers simply cannot handle them. Portals allow both accounting frms and clients to exchange fles easily, no mater what size they are. • Many of the client portals available today ofer more than a place to exchange documents. Tey also fre- quently double as a document storage option, allowing frms to place fles in the portal for clients to access at their convenience. Once those files are no longer needed, they can be removed from the portal if desired, or continue to be stored in the cloud. • Website access by your clients will increase with the use of a client portal. By linking a client portal directly to your website, your clients are always viewing the latest version of your website, where you can continue ofer additional products and services. While portals have been around for a while, their features have evolved over time. No longer just a place to exchange documents, portals offer a variety of related tools including the ability to be notifed when a client accesses a document in the portal. Accounting frms can also set up notifcations that will send an email to a client when a document has become avail- able in the portal. Integration with popular tax sofware products has also increased efciencies, with frms able complete a tax return and simply upload the fle to the integrated portal. Another advantage of using a client portal is that the portal can be custom designed to match your frm's website – allowing clients to simply login on your website and access the portal without having to leave the website. In fact, tax software vendors such as Accoun- tantsWorld, Ofce Tools, XCM, Doc-it, and others ofer integrated portals in the sofware products. Tese portals are part of their suite of applications and are not designed to be used as a stand-alone solution, but are a necessity for sofware vendors when they are ofering cloud-based applications. Te products reviewed in this month's issue can be used in conjunction with related tax and software applications, or as a stand-alone solution that is suit- able for accountants no mater what tax sofware is currently being utilized. Portals are also convenient for frms ofering payroll services; allowing clients and their employees to access payroll related data such as paystubs and W-2's. All of the products included in this review ofer a free trial, so users can take some time and try out a few products to see what suits their needs and the needs of their frm. All of the products also ofer complete information on encryption levels, pricing structure, and additional tools and functions available. ● Mary Girsch-Bock Mary Girsch-Bock began her career as an accountant in the property management and healthcare industries. She is now a feelance writer special- izing in business and technology issues and is the author of her frst book, several HR handbooks, training manuals, and other in-house publications. She can be reached at mary.girsch- bock@cpapracticeadvisor.com .