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 surrounding tax prep, not the tax prep itself.

Which leads to the key question: What’s the real ROI of improving document management — and why do ProConnect users see uniquely high returns when they integrate SmartVault with ProConnect?

The Real Cost of Manual Document Workflows

Here are some of the highest-cost administrative tasks that drain ProConnect users every season:

1. Manually creating folders for each engagement: Many firms still build out their file structure by hand for each client and year. It’s slow, error-prone, and impossible to scale.
2. Parsing and organizing large PDF packages: ProConnect may streamline prep, but if your team is still sorting attachments manually, hours disappear before returns even begin.
3. Searching shared drives or local machines: 58% of accountants report losing important client documents because they were stored locally or misfiled.
4. Chasing missing or incomplete documents: 79% say they spend too much time tracking down files, especially during peak season.

These inefficiencies create a real financial cost:

• Hours lost to non-billable work
• Delays that erode client confidence
• Bottlenecks that slow the entire firm
• Burnout that affects retention and productivity

Without the right systems, these tasks take far more time than the value they return. And your team’s morale takes a hit — repetitive, low-impact work is a common driver of burnout.

Why ProConnect Users See Higher ROI with SmartVault — and Not with Any Other DMS

Other platforms may claim that they “work with ProConnect,” but as we outline in The Truth About ProConnect Integrations Most Vendors Won’t Tell You, these connections are often superficial.

Most rely on manual exports, basic syncing, or upload/download loops between disconnected applications. They still require users to pick folders, rename files, move documents, and fix misfiled documents… all manually.

SmartVault eliminates all of it.

SmartVault is the only DMS that has a deep integration with Intuit ProConnect. With SmartVault, you can automatically route and organize documents directly into the correct client folder, with the correct client name, engagement type, tax year, naming conventions, and permissions automatically applied.

This is a jointly developed integration with Intuit, built to support the full document lifecycle for cloud-based tax workflows. That partnership enables a level of accuracy and automation no other DMS can replicate.

SmartRequestAI extends this advantage even further. It scans the prior-year 1040 to create personalized document request lists for each client. Clients can upload documents from any device—computer, phone, or tablet—and SmartRequestAI automatically routes each file into the correct SmartVault folder. It even generates auto-compiled, bookmarked workpapers, ready for processing.

This is why SmartVault delivers a higher return on investment for ProConnect users. You are not simply improving document storage. You are automating the entire document workflow that fuels return preparation — something no other document management system can offer.

5 Higher-ROI Ways ProConnect Users Can Spend Their Time

When ProConnect users clean up and connect their document workflow — with better systems, automated intake, AI assistance, and stronger integration — the hours they regain can be reinvested in work that meaningfully grows the firm.

Here are five of the highest-ROI areas to reclaim:

1. Growing Client Relationships

   Client relationships drive retention, referrals, and long-term loyalty, yet they’re often the first thing sacrificed during busy season. When document management becomes more automated and less chaotic, ProConnect users can reinvest time in:

   • Pre-season check-ins with top clients
   • Following up with past leads
   • Quarterly advisory conversations
   • Proactive outreach before deadlines

   Why This Pays Off

   • Retention increases: proactive communication builds trust
   • Upsell opportunities appear: planning conversations surface additional needs
   • Referrals grow: 79% of firms say referrals are their strongest acquisition channel

   Success Story: As The DC Firm digitized its workflow, client relationships improved dramatically. “SmartVault has freed us up to have more meaningful phone calls and faster response times,” says Administrator Sandy Christiansen. “Clients appreciate how quickly we can respond to them.”

2. Investing in Firm Development

   Firms rarely get time to work on the business instead of just in it. Streamlined document workflows give that time back. High-ROI improvements include:

   • Fixing internal bottlenecks
   • Improving onboarding
   • Training staff on underused ProConnect features
   • Strengthening your tech stack
   • Documenting processes for scale

   Why This Pays Off

   • Compounding efficiency: small improvements save time across every engagement
   • Scalability: serve more clients without adding headcount
   • Team satisfaction: better systems prevent burnout and turnover

   Success Story: President Travis Tandy of Tandy Consulting reports: “We truly streamlined our processes. Standardized folder structures eliminated manual setup. What used to take hours is now fully automated. This saves the firm days of time.”

3. Prioritizing Revenue-Generating Work

   Strategic work — the kind that grows the firm — often gets buried under admin. When ProConnect users eliminate document bottlenecks, they make room for:

   • Advisory sessions
   • Quarterly tax planning
   • Cross-selling during prep conversations
   • Preparing proposals for prospective clients
   • Launching seasonal add-on services

   Why This Pays Off

   • Direct revenue impact: these tasks are billable or drive new engagements
   • Higher margins: strategic services command higher fees
   • Business growth: more time becomes available for sales, service, and leadership

   Success Story: Green & Sklarz LLC saves over $150,000 a year after eliminating manual document prep with SmartVault.

4. Making Time for Personal Development

   With chaotic workflows, even basic professional development becomes impossible. Reclaiming just a few hours per week can unlock:

   • Earning CPE credits
   • Exploring new service lines
   • Building leadership skills
   • Networking with peers
   • Staying ahead of industry changes

   Why This Pays Off

   • Builds internal leadership
   • Strengthens expertise
   • Increases advisory confidence
   • Improves client service
5. Taking Time to Rest and Reset

   Burnout is one of the biggest risks for tax professionals. Reclaiming time helps teams rest… without sacrificing output.
   Why This Pays Off

   • Better decision-making
   • Fewer mistakes
   • Stronger team culture
   • More sustainable careers

   Success Story: Boscia & Boscia PC doubled their client base after implementing SmartVault—while improving work-life balance. Partner Nick Boscia shared: “My fiancée and I went to Bali for two weeks, and the firm ran perfectly fine without me.”

How SmartVault + ProConnect Work Together to Maximize ROI

SmartVault is the workflow backbone behind ProConnect. SmartVault handles the “before,” “during,” and “after” of return prep:

• Before prep: SmartRequestAI automates intake, organizes documents, and eliminates client chasing.
• During prep: Auto-naming and auto-routing ensure every file lands in the exact folder where it belongs.
• After prep: E-signatures, secure delivery, client communication, and archiving all happen seamlessly.