There’s no doubt that tax season is one of the most stressful times for accountants. This is why it should come as no surprise that overwork is the main contributor to burnout. Accountants have the rest of the year to recover, right? The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) lists burnout as the number-one […]
Resource Category: Blogs & Articles
Tips to Remove Document Organization from Your List of Remote Work Headaches
Working on a remote team comes with enough headaches, from connection issues during virtual meetings to unresponsive colleagues, but managing documents shouldn’t be one of those headaches. Keeping documents organized in your business is crucial for effective collaboration and success, especially when it comes to dispersed teams. Staying organized may sound easy, but difficulties are […]
How to Attract ‘Digital-First’ Customers at Your Financial Institution with Document Management
Attracting and retaining customers at financial institutions requires meeting their expectations for convenience and tech – and their expectations are high. They want anywhere, anytime access and the ability to open accounts and apply for loans without stepping foot in a branch. This is especially true for Gen Z (born in 1997-2012). They’re the first […]
Streamline Loan Origination with Digital Documents and Portals
The loan origination process is filled with friction for your employees and borrowers. From lengthy paper applications to tracking down documents, the process feels antiquated in our digital world and often leaves people frustrated. A document management system and client portal, however, can quickly transform the clunky time-consuming process into a streamlined digital one. Download […]
How Making the Move to the Cloud Will Streamline Your Tax Practice
Although the accounting profession continues to debate adopting new tech like AI, the cloud—previously a bone of contention among accounting and finance professionals itself—has finally been accepted by the industry. More CPAs than ever are benefiting from the cloud. Although the exact numbers vary depending on which source you read, estimates suggest that at least […]
Accounting Pros Share Tips for Tech Adoption and Client Collaboration
It’s 2024, and CPAs across the United States are looking for strategies to achieve their priorities for their accounting firms while balancing the stress of tax season. For many, improving client communication remains at the top of the list of first concerns. If you’ve been thinking about how to enhance communication with clients at your […]
How to Go Digital: The Ultimate Guide for Financial Institutions
How to Protect Your Firm From the “New Client Scam” Targeting Tax Pros
Each year, it seems like fraudsters find new, creative ways to try and scam accountants and their clients out of their refunds, financial information, and, well, whatever they can get their hands on. And this year is no different: Before the tax season even started, the IRS reported an increase in a worrisome new scam. […]
Four Tips to Build a Security Culture
We know that robust cybersecurity programs are crucial. What’s equally important – and often overlooked – though, is communicating your program to your staff and clients. You can have the strongest cybersecurity program, but the simple fact of the matter is: if no one knows their roles or follows your policies, your business will be […]
How to Develop Your Infrastructure to Scale Your Firm
It’s a new year, and while that means another tax season is upon us, it also means a renewed sense of energy and interest in the goals you envision achieving this year. For many accounting firm leaders, one objective that’s top of mind is growth—that is, more clients, a bigger team, more lines of service, […]
FAQ: SmartVault Academy
Whether you’re a new user or have been a SmartVault customer for years, SmartVault Academy has something for everyone. Going through the Academy tutorials and courses is the best way for you and your team to fully leverage SmartVault’s powerful document management and workflow capabilities. Here, we’ll answer some common questions about SmartVault Academy, including […]
Six Reasons Your Credit Union Needs a Cloud-Based Document Management System
This should not be a surprise: Today’s consumers expect seamless digital banking – an experience that balances convenience with a human touch. One that brings the fellowship of your local branch into the digital age and lets you meet your members anytime, anywhere while staying true to your roots. Equally important is providing your employees […]
3 Simple Tips for Navigating Accounting Technology Noise
Picture this (likely familiar) scenario: You open your email and see that a news source you subscribe to has a story about a phone or insurance company that’s announced a data breach. The company says they’re working on cleaning it up, and that while some people’s information may be compromised, don’t worry, it’s not that […]
Streamline Tax Season: An Accountant’s Tips for Integration, Efficiency, and Consistency
Accounting professionals are constantly looking for ways to make tax season easier and more efficient. And what better source to get top tips from than another accountant? In her recent webinar with SmartVault, “Transform Your Firm with Integrated Document and Practice Management Solutions,” Dawn Brolin, Founder of Team Brolin, Designated Motivator, offered up the best […]
4 Changes Accountants Need to Know About for the 2023/2024 Tax Season
As you start sending out reminders to your clients to prepare their tax documents and send them in ahead of the beginning of the 2024 tax filing season, it’s important to also take some time to review the changes the IRS has made over the last year. By staying on top of everything that’s happened […]
Experts Provide an In-Depth Review of SmartVault’s Features and Integration Capabilities
On a recent episode of The Technology Lab Podcast, accounting experts and hosts Randy Johnston and Brian Tankersley, CPA, looked extensively at SmartVault, a secure document management and client portal solution tailored for the accounting industry. A summary of their conversation is below. The Need to Securely Share Files “I feel like I’m on the […]
4 Tips for Hiring Temporary Workers During Tax Season
Tax season is just around the corner, and, depending on your workload, you may once again find yourself considering whether you should hire temporary tax preparers to ensure your accounting firm doesn’t get bogged down by a backlog of work. Hiring temporary workers offers numerous benefits to busy CPAs. And thanks to the rise of […]
Two-Factor Authentication: What Accounting Pros Need to Know
As an accounting professional, you handle sensitive financial data and documents on a daily basis. Despite being widely available, many accounting professionals have yet to adopt multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA, which includes two-factor authentication (2FA), provides an extra layer of security beyond just a password. Why is this important? “It doesn’t matter how good your […]
Knowledge-Based Authentication: What You Need to Know
There are numerous tools you can use to protect your clients’ personal and financial data and safeguard your business against a devastating cyberattack. One of these is KBA, or knowledge-based authentication. Below, we’ll answer some common FAQs about KBA so you can use them to bolster your accounting firm’s cybersecurity plan. What is Knowledge-Based Authentication […]
Why Having a Written Cybersecurity Plan Isn’t Enough
See if this sounds familiar: While she was preparing to participate in a recent SmartVault webinar, Elizabeth Manso, CEO of progressive accounting firm Brigade, reviewed her practice’s cybersecurity measures and found something startling. "Before this webinar, I thought…we were on top of it [cybersecurity]. In preparing for this, I found out we weren’t as organized […]