Paperless is the word of the decade for the accounting industry. However, few companies can achieve this lofty goal, with only about 18% of businesses today considered truly paperless. This modern push just isn’t possible for every business, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to change completely. Even if you transition to paperless, it’s unlikely that […]
Resource Category: Blogs & Articles
Using AI to Cut Tax Prep Time in Half: Key Insights from Industry Experts
In a recent webinar, industry experts shared valuable insights on how accounting firms can leverage AI and automation to significantly reduce tax preparation time while maintaining accuracy and compliance. The session featured Dave Hasse, CPA and founder of TruePrep AI, Sergio Bustamante of MSB Tax and Accounting, and Daniel Fritz, VP of Product at SmartVault. […]
4 Client Portal Best Practices
Portals have gone from clunky, limited beginnings to having a long list of bells and whistles. But having the right client portal features is only half the equation. You have to implement them in ways that enhance both client experience and operational efficiency. Over two decades of real-world implementation have revealed clear patterns in what […]
10 Must-Have Client Portal Features
Whether you’re a healthcare provider sending intake forms, a university handling application documents, or a lawyer managing case files, the right client portal can make sharing, collecting, and organizing all your business and client documents easier. Think of the client portal as your digital command center – it’s a secure, organized space where you and […]
TOA Global and SmartVault: Keeping data secure with offshore teams
We’re excited to announce a new partnership between TOA Global, the leader in offshore staffing solutions for accountants, and SmartVault, the preferred cloud-based document management platform. Together, we’re empowering accounting firms to scale smarter, faster, and more securely. This partnership brings together TOA Global’s expertise in providing highly skilled offshore accounting teams with SmartVault’s secure, […]
Why Your Accounting Firm Needs a Centralized Document Repository: Insights from Industry Expert Dawn Brolin
“Need my W-2 for loan application by 4:00 pm or my approval is delayed. We found the house of our dreams. I cannot let it slip through our fingers!” No problem, you think. It’s only 2:30. Samantha (your staff accountant) can handle this. Then it hits you: Samantha’s on PTO today, visiting her mom in […]
How “Linking Clients” Makes Client Management 100x Easier
Imagine you’re doing work for Client A, but you need something from Client B’s folder. Maybe Client B is a business partner, spouse, dependent, or a separate entity fully or partially owned by Client A. So you track down Client B’s files. Perhaps that involves opening a new window, doing a completely new search, having […]
Say Goodbye to FileCabinet CS + NetClient CS and Hello to SmartVault + Liscio
Tired of suffering through tax season with unreliable software that crashes and disrupts your workflow? As an UltraTax CS user, you may feel stuck using Thomson Reuters’ single-ecosystem platforms – FileCabinet CS and NetClient CS – simply because they integrate with your tax software. But you don’t have to settle for subpar tools that hinder […]
Building a Global Accounting Team: Proven Strategies from Industry Expert Nick Sinclair
In a recent webinar on building self-sustaining accounting firms, industry expert and founder of TOA Global, Nick Sinclair, shared invaluable insights on this very topic. Nick – having run his own firm for over 12 years – understands the pain points accountants face all too well, including: Difficulty scaling operations to meet growing demand Struggles […]
Building a Self-Sustaining Accounting Firm: Insights from Industry Leaders
What if there were things you could do that’ll let you step back from day-to-day operations while still running a successful, growing business? This was the central question addressed in a recent webinar hosted by SmartVault and Financial Cents, featuring industry thought leaders Nick Boscia, CPA, EA, and Nick Sinclair. Their insights paint a picture […]
The Competitive Advantage of Choosing an Accounting Niche
What Are the Advantages of Choosing an Accounting Niche? By becoming experts in a focused niche, you can provide clients with tailored services, charge premium fees, and build a formidable brand reputation – all leading to these top seven advantages: Better Client Service: When you deeply understand the intricacies of an industry or specialty service, […]
Reduce Admin Tasks by 60% with Liscio and SmartVault Integration
It started with manual, paper-based processes. Years ago – or perhaps even today – you’ve passed hardcopy documents back and forth between clients and teams. Played phone tag or sent documents or flash drives in the mail. Now, why do these challenges still exist in the ‘digital age?’ Many firms rely on outdated, unreliable software. […]
The Future of Accounting: Technology, Security, and Empowering Clients with Dawn Brolin, CPA, CFE
Summarized Video Transcript How do you see technology shaping the future of the accounting industry? Dawn Brolin: It’s been fascinating to watch over the last five years. Accountants are finally embracing the technology we’ve been advocating for over the past decade. Now we’re in a phase of filtering through the many options and apps available. […]
Eric Green’s Tips for Managing Clients, Documents, Deadlines, and Pricing
Are your staff spending countless hours dealing with clients’ disorganized documents? Having to find, sort, and file hardcopy or electronic documents increases overhead costs that can cost firms thousands (and annoy your team, too). Tax attorney Eric Green recognized his team was doing just that – investing hours of time before projects could truly start […]
New Integration: Streamline Your Firm’s Workflow with SmartVault and Ledgersync
We get it – collecting client source documents feels like a never-ending game of phone tag. You have to remind clients for their bank statements and receipts month after month, and even once you get them, trying to locate a specific item often means digging through huge email threads and various desktop folders. Then there’s […]
The Accountant’s Guide to Secure File Sharing
The average accountant’s office used to be buried under paper, killing thousands of trees every year to file returns and comply with document-retention regulations. Going “paperless” is understandably appealing, but in the age of multibillion-dollar cybercrime, security is a real issue. A lot of paper in an accountant’s filing cabinet has sensitive information on it. […]
The Great Accounting Exodus – Part 3: Solving the Accounting Hiring Crisis – Attract and Retain Top Talent
Part 1 and Part 2 of this blog series outlined the dire hiring and retention challenges facing the accounting profession. Hundreds of thousands of accountants have fled the profession, thanks to long hours, lagging compensation, career stigma, and more. Many firm leaders may resign themselves to simply weathering the great talent storm. But savvy firms […]
The Great Accounting Exodus – Part 2: Why Are Accountants Fleeing Public Practice?
In Part 1 of this blog series, we covered the staggering statistics behind the great accounting talent drain. Over 300,000 CPAs left the profession from 2019-2021, exacerbating an already-concerning shortage of new grads entering the field. But why exactly are so many experienced accountants choosing to pivot away from their careers in public practice? The […]
The Great Accounting Exodus – Part 1: Why Over 300,000 CPAs Left the Profession
The accounting world is facing a talent crisis of epic proportions. Over the last few years, a staggering 17% of the CPA workforce in the United States has left the profession, according to the Wall Street Journal. That’s over 300,000 qualified accountants that have resigned, retired early, or jumped ship to other careers between 2019-2021 […]
A Closer Look: Dawn Brolin’s Starting Lineup of Accounting Apps
Dawn Brolin, CPA knows a thing or two about managing a successful accounting firm. Not only is she the CEO of a successful practice, Powerful Accounting, but she’s also a well-respected educator in the industry. Known as the Designated Motivator, Dawn teaches accounting professionals how to better run their practices, including how to use accounting […]