If you’re a ProConnect firm, you’ve probably heard this line more times than you can count: “It integrates with ProConnect.” Document storage platforms, eSign tools, client portals — everyone seems to say it. But when you dig into what those “integrations” actually do, the story usually changes. Behind the marketing copy, firms still find themselves: […]
Resource Category: Blogs & Articles
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. 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, […]
How to Talk About AI When Your Tax Clients Think It’s Risky
The Real ROI of Better Document Management for ProConnect Users
The real slowdown happens before the return ever hits ProConnect. It happens when your team: Chases missing documents Sorts through massive PDFs Rebuilds client folder structures every season Tracks files stored across desktops, shared drives, and email Fixes inconsistent naming conventions Follows up with unresponsive clients This is because most firms struggle with the workflow […]
Paperless Document Management
The Connected Tax Workflow
A Practical Playbook for Accounting Firms Serving Gig-Economy Clients
More people than ever are earning extra income outside their 9-to-5 — selling products online, driving for rideshare services, freelancing, or monetizing content. What began as a temporary response to economic shifts during the pandemic has become a defining feature of today’s workforce. Recent studies estimate that 30% to 40% of U.S. workers now earn […]
How to Price Tax Preparation Services for 2026: 7 Steps to Audit Your Tax Practice Pricing Before January
Busy season is around the corner, and 2026 brings new challenges, from simmering inflation to rising software and staff costs. The last thing you want is to like it’s 2016 while operating in 2026. Smart firm owners use the quiet before January to audit their pricing so they don’t work overtime for 2016 rates. In […]
Building the Perfect Intuit ProConnect Tech Stack with SmartVault, Karbon, and Ignition
The way accounting firms manage their tax workflows has changed dramatically in recent years. Firms can now build a best-of-breed tech stack that integrates seamlessly across their tax prep app, client engagement, practice management, and document management. That’s exactly what SmartVault, Karbon, and Ignition explored in a recent joint webinar: how firms can optimize their […]
5 Signs Your “Modern” Intake Process Is Still Old-School
Most firms think they’ve modernized intake. The organizer is gone, replaced by digital questionnaires. Clients upload PDFs instead of mailing in packets. Staff sort files in shared drives instead of manila folders. That’s progress… right? Not exactly. If your “modern” intake still frustrates clients and burns out staff, you’ve just swapped paper problems for digital […]
Introducing: SmartVault x ProConnect Tax
Intuit ProConnect Tax users love how easy it is to prep, track, and file returns in the cloud. But outside of the return itself, many firms are still stuck managing client documents with disconnected, manual processes that slow everything down. That often means digging through long email chains to find the latest upload, chasing clients […]
The Smart Firm’s Guide to Artificial Intelligence: Solving Client Intake Problems with AI
Accounting has always been about adapting tools to manage complexity. The earliest records we have — Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets — were accountants’ way of tracking goods and labor. Fast forward a few millennia, and the challenge is the same: adopting new tools to make firms more efficient while safeguarding accuracy and trust. Artificial intelligence (AI) […]
The CPA’s Guide to Onboarding Clients in 2025
You’re not just onboarding a client. You’re guiding them toward transformation. In 2025, clients aren’t just looking for a CPA, they’re seeking peace of mind, confidence, and progress. They want to feel in control of their finances, avoid surprises, and trust their accountant to help them make smarter decisions year-round. But most onboarding workflows don’t […]
Your Clients Hate Intake (And They’re Talking About It Online)
The Hard Truth About Tax Client Intake Processes Let’s stop sugarcoating it. Intake is the first impression clients have of your firm each tax season, and for too many, it feels like homework. What they experience: Overwhelm. Dozens of questions that don’t apply, triggering “N/A fatigue.” Confusion. Tax jargon they don’t understand, forcing them to […]
Beyond the Organizer: How “Modern” Intake Still Fails — and What to Do About It
The Culprit: Firm-Centric Client Intake Most firms have already ditched the organizer — you know, those 30-page packets and static PDFs that clients dread. They now have digital questionnaires and secure portals. On paper, that looks modern. In practice? Clients are still frustrated. Staff are still burned out. And firms are wondering why “modernization” hasn’t […]
SmartRequestAI FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About SmartVault’s New AI Feature
SmartRequestAI automatically generates tailored client questionnaires and document request lists, saving firms hours per return, reducing client confusion, and keeping everything secure inside SmartVault’s platform. We’ve compiled the most common questions about SmartRequestAI to help you understand why this is the solution that finally makes tax prep intake as smooth as it should be for […]
8 Must-Have Features for Your Tax Client Intake Tool
Personalized Document Requests You’ve seen it before: a client gets a generic organizer, stares at a page of irrelevant requests, fills some of it with “N/A,” then calls you to painstakingly go through the remaining questions — “What about this one? Do I need to answer this one too? I don’t even understand what this […]
How SmartVault Solves the Biggest Document Challenges for ProConnect Users
When tax season rolls around, any roadblocks to your firm’s accounting process can mean a loss of precious opportunities and profits. From inefficient workflows to outdated technology, accounting firms face a number of challenges that can slow down business and impact their bottom line. This can even be the case for teams that use top […]
Why Your Tax Clients Aren’t Responding to Your Document Requests
It’s not that clients don’t want to get you what you need. It’s not like they woke up one morning thinking, “How can I make my accountant miserable today?” (Unless they did, and if that’s the case, fire that client. Now.) The more realistic answer? Life gets in the way. They’re juggling work, kids, errands, […]
What Are Client Portals? A Complete Guide for Accounting Professionals [2025]
Too many accounting firms and tax practices still rely on email to collect and share sensitive client documents. While I understand the appeal — email feels familiar and simple — it’s alarming that we’re having this conversation when secure alternatives have been available for years. Recent discussions on Reddit and other accounting communities show many […]