Building a Stronger Foundation for UltraTax CS: Why Document Management Should Be Your Tech Stack’s Core
Your accounting firm’s tech stack is growing. You’ve invested in tax preparation software, maybe some practice management tools, e-signature solutions, and various other applications to run your practice efficiently. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: if your document management system isn’t serving as the foundation of that tech stack, everything else is built on shifting sand.
As Chad Helmlinger, Director of Product Marketing at SmartVault, explained during our recent webinar: “Your tech stack is only as strong as its foundation. When documents are scattered across different systems, everything tends to crumble.”
The question isn’t whether you need better document management. The question is: how much longer can you afford to operate without it?
The Perfect Storm of Inefficiency
During the webinar, we heard from accounting professionals dealing with what Chad called “the perfect storm of inefficiency.” These firms are struggling with document chaos while also trying to navigate increasing compliance requirements like the FTC Safeguards Rule, meet growing client expectations for digital access, adapt to remote work environments, and scale their practices.
“When all of this is happening, you’re also trying to grow your practice and adapt to remote work environments. All of this put together creates this perfect storm of inefficiency that directly impacts your bottom line,” Chad noted.
Daniel Fritz, VP of Product at SmartVault, put it even more bluntly: “When your document foundation is really weak, everything built on top of it suffers. Finding a document — maybe it’s over here in a different system, maybe we need to put it into the portal — these simple tasks, like getting a basic eSignature, become a complete nightmare.”
The Hidden Costs of Scattered Documents
Many firms don’t realize how much their current document management approach is costing them. The statistics revealed during the webinar are eye-opening:
- Firms can save up to 10 minutes per return through proper document automation
- Up to 40% of staff time is spent on administrative tasks that should be automated
- Data breaches now average nearly $4.8 million in costs
- Client retention increases by about 35% when firms have modern document management systems
“We’re human, right? So human error is prone to that when we have these kind of things happening,” Chad observed. “Every time your staff manually routes documents, or hunts for the right version, that’s billing time evaporating.”
But it’s not just about immediate productivity loss. Fritz emphasized the human element: “When your team is working overtime, managing these documents and just going all over the place, you’re going to increase burnout. It’s harder than ever to recruit. We have fewer accountants joining the industry, which means you’ve got to work hard to make sure that your practice is marketable for being a place where these newer accountants want to work.”
What a Strong Foundation Actually Looks Like
So, what should you be looking for in a modern document management system that can serve as your tech stack’s foundation? The webinar outlined four critical areas:
- Automation Capabilities
With ongoing staffing challenges in the accounting industry, you need systems that minimize manual work through intelligent automation and seamless integrations. As Fritz demonstrated, “We have developed an intelligent document routing system that works directly with UltraTax CS.”
- Enterprise-Grade Security
Security has evolved far beyond basic password protection. Fritz made an important distinction that many firms miss: “We maintain SOC 2 Type II compliance. When we went through our SOC 2 Type II audit, we were in that audit for nearly nine months. The distinction between Type I and Type II is important — Type I is a single point in time, but Type II means independent auditors have verified that security controls work consistently over a six-to-twelve-month period.”
- Modern Client Experience
Your clients are comparing your digital experience to every other service provider they use. They expect mobile access, secure document sharing, and intuitive interfaces. “Your clients have 24/7 access to the documents that they need via your firm’s custom branded portal,” Fritz explained. “This not only improves client satisfaction, but it boosts your firm’s professionalism and client retention.”
- Scalable Architecture
You need a solution that grows with your ambitions without creating new bottlenecks. “We don’t have any storage capacity limits. We don’t charge per client. We have unlimited guest users, so that’s not going to degrade as you continue to scale and grow your firm,” Fritz noted.
Beyond Storage: Document Management as Command Center
Here’s where most firms get it wrong: they think of document management as just a place to store files. But as Chad explained, “It should really serve as the command center of your entire practice. When you make this mental shift, the benefits ripple through your entire organization.”
Fritz expanded on this concept: “SmartVault serves a lot more than just being a tool for your tax workflow. Whether you have a wealth management portion of your firm, an advisory area, all of these different facets in an accounting firm are going to need document storage. When you have a central document repository that has been built on this core philosophy, your client information stays in a single place — the single source of truth.”
This approach has security benefits too: “Your security posture is a lot better because you don’t have documents going all over the place. The most successful firms that we work with have recognized that client collaboration really depends on this solid foundation.”
Building for the Future
The accounting industry is changing rapidly. Client expectations are evolving, security requirements are tightening, and the talent shortage means you need to do more with fewer people. Firms that recognize document management as infrastructure — not just storage — are positioning themselves for sustainable growth.
As Chad concluded during the webinar: “With SmartVault at that core center of your tech stack, you’re not just upgrading your document storage, but you’re really investing in the future of your firm. This is about creating a foundation that supports growth, security, and efficiency across every aspect of your practice.”
Ready to Build a Stronger Foundation?
The firms that thrive in the coming years will be those that stop treating document management as an afterthought and start leveraging it as the strategic foundation of their operations.
Want to see exactly how this works? Watch our full webinar to see how SmartVault serves as the foundation for successful accounting practices, or schedule a personalized demo where we can show you how to build your tech stack on a foundation that actually supports your growth.