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 […]
Resource Category: Blogs & Articles
4 Free or Inexpensive Ways to Protect Yourself Against a Cyberattack
Do you currently have a well-defined, well-thought-out cybersecurity plan in place at your accounting firm? A decade or so ago, protecting yourself against a cyberattack wasn’t a requirement for a healthy, well-functioning accounting and finance practice. Today, however, in the words of SmartVault CISO and former cybersecurity law enforcement officer Luke Kiely, having a cybersecurity […]
4 Harmful Misconceptions About Cybersecurity Held by Accounting Firms
Cybersecurity. It’s hardly a new concept, especially in the profession of accounting, which has long been a favorite target of cybercriminals due to the valuable sensitive personal and financial data accounting and finance professionals manage on a daily basis. And yet, it’s still an area in which many accounting firms are lagging far behind where […]
The Cyber Kill Chain: The 7 Stages of a Ransomware Attack (& Why Accountants Should Care)
For three months, the thieves spent time learning about the business—-casing the joint, in movie parlance. They learned the names of key employees, their backgrounds, and where they lived. They knew who worked in which department and who might present an easy target. They built websites that looked just like the legitimate ones that belonged […]
Eric Green’s Tips for Reconstructing Records and Overcoming Difficult Auditors
Navigating an IRS audit — already a stressful process for many — can quickly become a nightmare when clients’ records are destroyed or they’re assigned an unreasonable auditor. In a recent SmartVault webinar, veteran tax attorney Eric Green shared past audit horror stories and offered tips to handle some worst-case scenarios. Here’s a summary of […]
The Future of Accounting: Four Tips to Add CAS and Meet Modern Client Needs
The accounting profession is undergoing a major transition as client expectations change. “Clients are more knowledgeable, aware, and demanding today,” Bill Carlino, Managing Director of Whitman Transition Advisors LLC, says. “They want the firm they work with to provide as many services as possible.” This includes client advisory services (CAS), something the accounting industry has […]
What Documentation? How I Discovered SmartVault.
I still remember the moment five years ago when I realized that my ‘routine audit’ engagement would no longer be routine. My client just received an Information Document Request from the IRS examiner with a lengthy list of documents they needed to supply. As we were reviewing the list, my client told me about the […]
Are You Meeting Your Clients’ Expectations?
What exactly do your clients expect? We’ve compiled a list of the most common things below. We also encourage you to contact your clients directly; most are willing to share their expectations and how your firm is meeting them or missing the mark. Take the information you learn here, coupled with feedback, and re-evaluate your […]
How Accountants Can Protect Against Growing Cyber Threats
Cyberattacks aimed at stealing data and holding systems hostage are increasing across all industries, and accounting firms and individual practitioners are not immune. Recent surveys indicate many accountants lack basic cybersecurity protections, putting highly sensitive client information at risk and threatening the viability of their practices. On a recent Tax Rep Network Podcast, host Eric […]
How Dawn Brolin Streamlines Client Onboarding at Her Firm
Onboarding new clients is a critical process for accounting firms. An efficient process sets the stage for a smooth relationship and allows you to get client work done quickly. But many firms struggle with having a consistent system. When it comes to onboarding new clients at her firm, Dawn Brolin, CPA, CFE, has a major […]
SmartVault Helps UltraTax CS Users Unlock Higher Levels of Efficiency with New SmartRouting Feature
Read the original article on Newswire. HOUSTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES, July 11, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — SmartVault, a leading provider of an integrated, cloud-based document management system (DMS) and client portal platform, is excited to announce SmartRouting, a feature that creates logical, effortless organization between Thomson Reuters® UltraTax CS* tax application and SmartVault. This seamless integration enables users to print and […]
Unleash the Power of SmartVault’s Client Portal for Seamless Collaboration
Our previous blog explored the benefits of SmartVault’s client portal for accounting professionals. Today, we’ll share how you can create seamless collaboration with your clients by using our client portal. 5 Ways SmartVault’s Client Portal Leads to Better Collaboration SmartVault helps over 3 million users collaborate better online, from document sharing to digital signatures. Here’s […]
Enhancing Efficiency and Security with SmartVault’s Client Portal for Accounting Professionals
Accounting professionals know just how important it is to have efficient document management and secure communication with their clients. The reality is that many professionals still rely on manual processes that slow everyone down, make collaboration cumbersome, and expose data and sensitive information to unnecessary risks. That’s where SmartVault’s client portal comes in. 5 […]
5 Cornerstones of a Consistent Client Experience that Delivers Maximum Efficiency
Guest Blog By Dawn Brolin, CPA, CFE Clients are the lifeblood of any accounting practice, of any business for that matter! Ensuring that you have the most efficient and consistent client experience possible will make your firm more productive and profitable now and in the future. For me, locking down my client experience and leveraging […]
Protect Your Data: Complete a Risk Assessment for Your Accounting Firm
What is a risk assessment for accounting firms? Simply put, it’s an appraisal of your practice’s ability to keep itself from falling prey to cybercrime. The risk assessment will help you identify, evaluate, and prioritize areas where your cybersecurity measures are leaving you vulnerable to an attack. Know What Data You Have The first step […]
What is the FTC Safeguards Rule for Accountants?
There is a myriad of good reasons to ensure your accounting firm’s cybersecurity measures are as sophisticated as possible. By protecting your clients’ data, you maintain your reputation, protect their privacy, assuage their concerns about safety, and, of course, uphold the law. While cybersecurity might have been left to individual accountants to deal with at […]
eSignature for Accounting Firms Saves Time, Letting You Focus on Other Tasks
eSignatures for accounting firms have a host of benefits. They’re extremely convenient and can be used across industries and countries; they ensure you get paid faster; they’re safer than their pen-and-paper counterparts—and the list goes on. So, what can you do with all the time and money using e-signature technology saves you? We’ve come up […]
What is a Document Management System for Accountants?
It’s well known that most accounting and finance practice owners have a major goal: to grow their businesses. These owners have also realized that their client’s needs have changed, and they want new services like financial reporting. On top of all this, the ever-present issue of recruiting and retaining top talent seems to come down […]
Introducing SmartRouting: Automated Document Filing and Management for Accountants
Tax season is a real test for any accounting practice, and you likely noticed more than a few things about your accounting firm’s document and filing management processes that need improving. This summer, many professionals are looking for accountant file management automation. Why? One of the most common frustrations accounting professionals and their teams deal […]
Three Ways Consistency Eliminates Frustrating Document Management Tasks for Accountants
Do you find yourself drowning in an ever-growing volume of documents? If you’re like most accounting professionals, the answer is yes. From emails and reports to invoices and W2s, managing all these documents can be a daunting task. And if you don’t have consistent processes, document management often leads to wasted time and frustration for […]