2018 Review of Client Portals for Accounting Firms

There are few industries as paper-driven as accounting. W-2s, 1099s, bank statements, and other tax related documents all start out as paper documents. The ability to import some of these items electronically has helped reduce paper loads, but the biggest impact to accountants and CPAs has been the advent of the portal.

Designed to simplify the sharing of documents between CPAs and their clients, portals can offer a variety of features and functions including document storage, e-signature capability, as well as most importantly, the ability for clients to easily upload relevant documents directly to the portal, where firm personnel can easily access them. In turn, accountants can then share completed tax returns safely and securely with their clients, with clients able in many cases to electronically sign the completed documents and return them to their CPA, all through the portal. Portals also allow firms to share larger files or confidential emails and other correspondence securely, without the need for further encryption.

Portals also work to increase office productivity, eliminating the need to copy and file mounds of client paperwork, while eliminating the issue of lost or misplaced documents and worse, the time-consuming process of trying to locate those documents. Portals also make it much easier on your clients. No longer do they need to schedule an appointment to come into the office to sign completed tax returns and other documents. Instead, they are able to access the documents at their leisure, sign them electronically, and return them to your office, without the need to leave work in order to do so.