Enhance Your Workflow with Client Portals

What Are Client Portals?

A secure client portal is a kind of extranet, that provides the client’s access to certain resources on a company’s network. A client portal software makes it easy for employees and teams to collaborate with clients, partners, and vendors, and for all related entities to access the information they need. It is a unique platform where data can be stored and leveraged through innovative solutions.

Workflow with client portals automates tax preparation by organizing everything; from receiving files securely from the clients to the printing and sharing of final tax returns. Cloud-based technologies are a necessity for every business nowadays. Whether it is online banking, or having a customer-facing website, cloud-based services are being used by all firms and businesses. It not only improves your security but also, your compliance posture. Cloud-based services are now in demand by all clients.

Importance of Client Portals

About 50% of all corporate data is stored on cloud servers. The focus has shifted on cloud capabilities, particularly after COVID-19, as businesses have found ways to thrive in a remote environment. Due to the efficiency of cloud technology, it has become an essential part of continuing business. Worldwide spending on cloud services has grown 20% in the year 2021.

Workflow with client portals is made easier and more efficient. Operational efficiencies have been accelerated in all aspects of the accounting industry due to the adoption of cloud technologies. Professionals who realize that workflow with client portals can be made much more efficient know that this can help them:

• Increase the productivity and efficiency of their firm
• Workflow with a client portal can help accounting professionals move away from high transactions to higher-value services.
• It can also help them gain a competitive advantage over other businesses that are reluctant to use technology to advance
• It can reduce costs without having to cut fees
• It can implement the work smarter, not harder rule

Client portal workflow saves a lot of time due to some of its following features:

1. You Can Access Your Files Anywhere, Anytime

A client portal allows you, your clients, and your team to access your important documents and files at any time, regardless of where you physically are. You do not lose valuable time looking for a file on a machine that might be temporarily inaccessible or might even have gotten lost or stolen.

2. Safe and Online Document Storage

The adoption of a paperless workflow has been the most significant shift due to cloud-based technologies. Conversion of documents from paper to digital files in an instant. The software not only provides access to data files, anywhere but also provides professional security that helps safeguard documents that contain sensitive or confidential information. Security features and encryption along with trained staff can increase security management.

3. You Do Not Have to Worry About Losing an Email or A File

It is an extremely frustrating and time-consuming process to look for a file or a communication thread in your inbox. Emails can sometimes get deleted, moved to the spam or junk folder, or accidentally stored in the wrong folder. A client portal saves you time by allowing you to send, receive and access documents back and forth with your clients in a single easy-to-view location that saves you, and your client, both your time and mental energy. It not only reduces manual labor, but also the cost that takes to adopt an end-to-end paperless workflow.

4. You Can Back Up Your Files with Version History

Client portals have a feature of document version history that includes backups of your files in case they are deleted or there are any errors in their recent versions. It allows you to recover your files and revert to an older version. It helps you avoid having to hunt for older versions or request copies from the client. There is a built-in disaster recovery plan that stores the files and data offsite for safe recovery.

5. eSignature Integration

You can sign your documents instantly with the signature integration feature of the client portals. You can also request the clients to sign documents on any device via the portal making the workflow much more efficient, organized and timely. It also includes a built-in tracking system that allows you to see who has opened and signed a document so the client portal workflow can easily view any bottlenecks in the organization.

6. Notification Automation

You can turn on your notifications which can immediately alert you and your client when a file is uploaded, downloaded, or signed. You and your team can stay updated on the information received which is required to begin working for a client, and the clients can also get instant alerts when their work is done, and their documents are ready to be accessed.

7. Enhancement of Client Relationship

As some businessmen fear, technology does not replace the human interaction between firms and their clients. Technology only provides you with the best tools to serve your clients. Technology gives you a choice of making your work hassle-free while also facilitating your client. Instead of asking your client to come to the office personally every time a document needs reviewing, you can make it easier for your client by using a client portal that can allow your client to access the files from anywhere, anytime according to his/her feasibility. Technology helps you increase the value of your service to the clients. By using effective communication, you can avoid any missed deadlines that might be harmful to the expansion of your company.

8. A to-do list of tasks

A vast list of jobs is always present in an accounting workflow, and these task lists are crucial. There is a great risk of losing them if you retain them on paper or other tangible materials. You can ensure that the relevant task lists are recorded and made available to the appropriate personnel, including those working remotely, by using a workflow management tool.

9. Business management 

Keep in mind that the hours on your work lists can be analyzed for improvement. You must wisely deploy your resources or manage your time in order to properly manage your business. You may find process bottlenecks or an uneven distribution of project steps among team members by tracking the steps of your task lists. You can get assistance from a client portal with all of these chores to ensure the long-term success of your business.

My CPA Dashboard: Enhance Workflow with Client Portals

A client portal software that fulfills all your potential needs. Workflow with My CPA client portal can provide better results due to its following features:

1. High Collaboration

My CPA allows you to provide authentic reports to your client by the end of the week or month. Collaboration is an essential requirement of accounting firms that can help accountants piece together the final pieces of their financial puzzle. Accountants and bookkeepers can provide clients with reports consisting of all the required financial information that can come in handy in future financial strategies.

2. Ease of Access

Client portals are well-connected with both the clients as well as the service providers. If your firm wants access to the client’s financial documents, and receipts, this client portal software can help you access data within both firms. In case of any mismanaged information, troubleshooting, or queries, accountants can provide you with the necessary details if they have access. This accounting software allows accounting professionals to use the correct information and assign tasks to the respective people.

3. Work Management

Workflow with this client portal software allows you to grow and sustain yourself without having to overwork, and give in late hours. It takes a lot of effort and time to manage the workload. In order to achieve greater efficiency and support, this accounting software provides the work automation mode.

4. Workflow Transparency

My CPA client portal provides the accountants with transparency for the whole team so they can automate their workflows accordingly. You no longer have to keep nagging a team member to follow up on a draft or ask them about updates on a particular work deadline. Workflow transparency is maintained by an easy-to-use dashboard that allows all the team members and the clients to view any updates, and be eye-to-eye on the completion of tasks.

5. Team Accountability

A team’s accountability increases drastically with the increase of transparency within the firm. An added benefit of this client portal software is that it allows the accountants and bookkeepers to stay in contact with each other with the help of reminders, notifications, and emails. The information is available round the clock for all members, so nobody can make an excuse about any incomplete tasks. This makes sure that every team member is accountable for their share in the completion of a task.

6. Track of Records

The client portal shows the performance of all tasks on the dashboard whether they are completed or not. It helps us navigate through financial statements, reports, tasks progress and also allows evaluation of the accountants’ and bookkeepers’ performances. Tracking client portal workflow allows accountants to build strong relationships based on trust with the clients. Communication is key for accounting firms and can also help the clients review the performance of the accounting team by viewing their track records.

7. Delegation

Workflow with client portal software is regulated by highly organized instructions and detailed descriptions of work that are delegated efficiently in order to reduce the workload on accountants and bookkeepers. It helps their skills and services to pay off. Work autonomy also improves due to delegation and promotes streamlined productivity and documentation.

8. Cost-Effective

An accounting firm has to be very responsive to provide around-the-clock client portal access to customers. My CPA dashboard provides a very affordable and exclusive option to accountants and especially small businesses that might be too reluctant to invest elsewhere. This accounting portal software can help you become a highly collaborative and efficient team of accountants on a very friendly budget.

Conclusion

My CPA Dashboard is a client portal software that automates your financial statements, streamlines the cash flow, and allows access to their projects, contracts, accounts, and services to the clients that help improve transparency. Clients are provided with on-demand access to all the services done for them.

My CPA Dashboard is one of the best portals for smaller businesses that may be cautious about investing their money into accounting software.

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