Skip to content
6 Features ProConnect Users Should Expect from Their Document Management Systems

6 Features ProConnect Users Should Expect from Their Document Management Systems

Most industries have seen huge leaps in software design and automation over the past decade. But in accounting, one massive category has been left behind: document management.
Published: May 29, 2025

Somehow, in the age of AI-everything, accountants are still dragging and dropping PDFs into old folder systems full of clunky interfaces, manual steps, and zero flexibility. In fact, 31% of the market relies on solutions that are 10-plus years old.

And with client expectations rising and firms becoming more tech-savvy by the day, the gap between what accountants need and what their systems deliver is becoming impossible to ignore. It’s not that innovation isn’t possible; many platforms simply haven’t kept up.

Why is tax software stuck in the past?

Despite the increasing complexity of client work and the shift to digital collaboration, many firms still rely on tools built for a different era. Here’s why progress has been slow:

  • Legacy foundations run deep: Many accounting document management systems were originally designed for desktop environments, and rather than being reimagined, they’ve been patched over time. This leads to cluttered interfaces and rigid workflows not built for how firms work today.
  • Regulatory complexity slows innovation: With tax law always shifting and audits a real risk, vendors tend to prioritize compliance and security updates over innovation in usability, integrations, or automation.
  • Most firms don’t have dedicated tech strategy personnel to push change: Only 11% of mid-sized firms and just 2% of small firms report having roles focused solely on technology or IT. Without someone responsible for tech strategy, it’s easy for firms to continue using what’s familiar.
  • The risks of switching can feel too high: Even firms that want to modernize may hesitate to make changes, especially during busy season. So, firms keep duct-taping workarounds onto the same old system just to avoid disruption.

How accountant and client expectations have changed

The tools may be stuck in the past, but the people using them? Not so much. Here’s why:

  • Accountants are actively on the hunt for smarter tech: For example, about 66% of firms say they’re either exploring or seriously considering generative AI.
  • Digital-first collaboration is a priority: Whether fully remote or hybrid, most firms no longer operate in a single office, yet many systems still assume they do. Teams need tools that work across devices, locations, and time zones without compromising security or speed.
  • Client expectations are changing: Nearly half of firms say clients have asked for cloud-based services. File portals, real-time updates, and easy document uploads are becoming standard expectations, not just “nice to haves.”
  • Consumer tech has set a higher bar: People use tools like Dropbox, Slack, and Google Drive every day. When document systems feel decades behind, it slows the work and reflects poorly on the firm.

It’s clear: While ProConnect has modernized the tax prep experience, many of the systems surrounding it still lag behind. These tools often lack the structure, automation, and integration needed to keep up with high-volume, ProConnect-driven tax workflows. The result is a process that’s digital on one side and disconnected and frustrating on the other.

6 modern features most document management software lacks

Here are six features that are standard in most consumer and business tools but are still surprisingly rare in most document solutions in accounting, whether it’s a legacy DMS or a practice management system with lightweight file storage.

Feature #1: True customization and interface flexibility

ProConnect may give firms flexibility in handling returns, but most document platforms used in accounting offer little to no customization. Firms are stuck with rigid layouts and dashboards — no drag-and-drop modules, flexible folder structures, adjustable views, or quick-access widgets that reflect individual priorities or workflows.

Meanwhile, modern platforms are built to adapt to the way people actually work, making it easier to stay focused and in control, even in fast-moving, document-heavy environments.

This kind of flexibility is essential. Every firm works differently, and even within a firm, each team member has their own way of staying organized. Being able to surface the right information at the right time is a major time-saver and a stress-reducer.

Feature #2: Integrated client portals

In many legacy systems, clients are forced to email sensitive documents, navigate clunky upload links, or wait for someone on the firm’s side to manually send files back and forth. There’s often no centralized place where clients can view, sign, or retrieve documents on their own.

But with tools like online banking and cloud storage setting the standard, clients now expect that same level of simplicity and control when working with their accountants. And for firms already preparing returns in ProConnect, the lack of a modern client portal makes that contrast even more obvious.

With a well-designed client portal that allows for document uploading, engagement letter eSigning, past return reviewing, and straightforward file access, it doesn’t just benefit clients. It saves firms from chasing documents, digging through inboxes, and piecing together file histories, freeing up more time for high-value client work.

Feature #3: Seamless file management

Document uploading — whether into a document system or directly into ProConnect — is typically just the first step in a long manual process. ProConnect may handle the return prep, but it doesn’t automate how documents are named, routed, or organized.

This kind of hands-on file management eats up valuable time and opens the door to mistakes. During the busiest times of the year, it’s all too easy for documents to go missing, land in the wrong folder, or sit untouched in someone’s inbox.

Feature #4: Cross-tool integrations

Many legacy document platforms operate in isolation. APIs (if they exist at all) are often limited, difficult to implement, or locked behind enterprise-level pricing. That leaves firms manually uploading documents, re-entering client info, or switching between tools just to complete basic tasks.

For ProConnect users, that gap is even more frustrating. If your DMS doesn’t connect to your eSignature platform, billing system, or CRM — let alone ProConnect itself — even basic tasks become repetitive and error-prone, slowing down work and increasing the chances of something slipping through the cracks.

Feature #5: Mobile-first access

Many accounting document management software solutions were built for desktop, and it shows. On mobile, even basic tasks, like reviewing files, approving a document, or checking on client uploads, can be clunky or outright impossible.

That said, accounting work doesn’t always happen at a desk. Whether reviewing documents between meetings, sending reminders while traveling, or working remotely, professionals need tools that keep up. In an era where nearly every other business app works seamlessly on mobile, document systems should too.

Feature #6: Workflow automation and pre-built templates

ProConnect may be a game-changer in streamlining tax prep, but many firms still rely on spreadsheets, static checklists, or long email threads to manage everything that comes before and after: tracking client intake, collecting documents, and tracking task progress.

Legacy DMS platforms don’t offer much help here. There’s little in the way of smart workflows, task automation, or built-in templates for common processes, like document requests, engagement letters, and filing checklists.

This means every client engagement becomes a one-off, with your team spending hours repeating the same steps for every return.

Luckily, there’s a better alternative: SmartVault x ProConnect

From missing integrations and rigid workflows to the lack of a client-friendly portal, many of the tools firms rely on still fall short of what modern teams need. These aren’t futuristic wishlist features — they’re already standard across industries.

The good news? Change is possible — in fact, Intuit officially recommends SmartVault to ProConnect, Lacerte, and ProSeries users moving off Intuit DMS. That’s because SmartVault x ProConnect addresses many of the gaps that legacy accounting document management software options leave behind:

  • Smart document collection: Clients can upload, view, and retrieve documents through a secure portal.
  • Automatic organization: Files are named, sorted, and stored using smart rules, so teams don’t have to manually move documents into place.
  • Workflows that scale: Use templates and automation to request documents, track progress, and keep returns moving without juggling spreadsheets or email threads.
  • Accessible from anywhere: Whether teams are remote or hybrid, SmartVault offers mobile-friendly access and integrates seamlessly with the Intuit ecosystem, making it easy to stay connected and in control.
  • Exclusive deep integration with ProConnect: SmartVault is the only document management system and client portal built specifically to integrate at this level with ProConnect.

Ready to see it in action? Schedule a demo: SmartVault x ProConnect.