The Real ROI of Better Document Management for ProConnect Users

Time is a tax professional’s most valuable resource, but too often, it’s spent on work that adds little value. Accountants report losing up to an hour a day just checking client data for errors. Add in time spent collecting documents, sorting through outdated versions, and tracking down missing files, and the inefficiencies start to compound.

For ProConnect users, the return prep process may be streamlined, but if the document workflow behind it is manual or fragmented, hours are still being lost to low-impact tasks.

This begs the question: Where should this time go instead, and what’s the real return on investing in a solution like SmartVault?

What’s the ROI of managing documents?

Some common examples of low-value, high-time-cost tasks include:

• Manually creating folders for each new engagement: Many firms still build out client file structures by hand for every tax year or engagement type, a process that eats up hours and is highly prone to error.
• Uploading and organizing client documents: In some cases, accountants spend time parsing massive PDFs, manually sorting attachments into the appropriate folders before work can even begin.
• Searching shared drives or desktops for client information: 58% of accountants have lost important client data because it was stored locally on someone’s machine or misfiled in a shared system.
• Tracking down missing or misfiled documents: 79% of accountants say they spend too much time locating files internally, especially during peak season when turnaround is critical.

These inefficiencies come at a real cost. Time spent on admin displaces higher-value work like client service, business development, or strategic planning. Revenue opportunities are missed when teams are buried in operational overhead. And morale takes a hit — repetitive, low-impact work is a common driver of burnout in accounting teams.

Ultimately, the ROI of manually managing documents is low. These tasks may be necessary, but without the right systems in place, the time required to complete them far outweighs the strategic value they return.

5 higher ROI tasks for ProConnect users

When document workflows are disorganized or manual, even the most powerful tax prep tools can’t operate at full efficiency.

But when ProConnect users improve their document processes, integrations, or internal systems, they gain back hours each week for reinvesting in activities that deliver far greater returns both for the firm and its clients.

Here are five high-ROI ways ProConnect users can better use their time.

1. Growing client relationships
   Strong client relationships can boost retention, but more importantly, they create opportunities for higher-value engagements and long-term loyalty. That said, this kind of proactive work is often the first to get deprioritized during peak season.

   When ProConnect users free up time from manual document management, they can redirect their energy toward connecting with the clients who matter most. That might mean reaching out to top clients ahead of deadlines, following up with past leads who didn’t engage last year, or scheduling quarterly check-ins to surface new needs.

   Why this delivers better ROI

   • Revenue retention: Staying in touch helps clients feel supported and more likely to return next season.
   • Upsell potential: These conversations might reveal additional service needs (e.g., bookkeeping, advisory, payroll support).
   • Long-term loyalty: Relationship-focused firms see higher client lifetime value and stronger referral networks, which 79% of firms say is the top way to find new clients.

   Success story: As the DC Firm moved to a more digital model, perhaps the most remarkable aspect of their transformation was how it enhanced client relationships. Administrator Sandy Christiansen explains, “SmartVault has freed us up to have more meaningful phone calls and faster response times to client questions. Everything is much more efficient, and clients appreciate how quickly we can respond to them.”

2. Investing in firm development
   Many ProConnect users pour their energy into client outcomes, but firm development often gets pushed to the margins. The hours saved by streamlining document workflows are a win for productivity and a chance to build a more resilient, future-ready business.

   That could mean revisiting workflows to reduce bottlenecks, training staff on underused ProConnect features, or setting clear goals for the next quarter. It could also involve upgrading internal infrastructure, whether that’s your tech stack, team communication, or client onboarding processes.

   Why this delivers better ROI

   • Time compounding: Small improvements today, like automating intake or standardizing folder structures, can save time across every future engagement.
   • Scalability: A more efficient team can serve more clients without adding headcount or hours.
   • Team satisfaction: Staff who feel supported by their systems (instead of buried by them) are often more engaged, productive, and likely to stay.

   Success story: Implementing SmartVault quickly proved beneficial for Tandy Consulting. “We truly streamlined our processes,” President Travis Tandy recounts. The standardized folder structure eliminated the need to create and recreate folders for each client, so what was once a time-consuming task is now a completely automated process. “This saves the firm days of time,” Tandy says.

3. Prioritizing revenue-generating work
   Not every task contributes equally to firm growth. Strategic, revenue-generating work (think advisory sessions or business development) is what ultimately drives the bottom line. But too often, it gets pushed aside in favor of urgent admin.

   When ProConnect users streamline their client document management, they create room in the day for higher-value work. That might involve offering quarterly tax planning for business owners, preparing proposals for prospective clients, or cross-selling during routine prep conversations.

   Some firms also carve out time to launch seasonal offers (such as audit support or year-end planning packages) designed to deepen engagement and boost revenue.

   Why this delivers better ROI

   • Direct revenue impact: These tasks are either billable or lead directly to new client engagements.
   • Margin expansion: Strategic services tend to command higher fees than basic prep and compliance.
   • Business growth: Reinvesting time into sales and service helps build a more stable, scalable pipeline.

   Success story: For firms like Green & Sklarz LLC, the payoff from using SmartVault has been substantial. Managing Partner Eric Green used to regularly receive 300-plus-page PDFs from clients, with manual organization taking up hours of valuable, billable time. With SmartVault, his firm saves over $150,000 annually.

4. Making time for personal development
   Growth doesn’t just happen at the firm level, but at the individual level, too. However, it’s easy for personal development to slip off the calendar in the middle of tax season. Between managing documents, answering client emails, and racing through deadlines, there’s rarely space to pause, learn, or lead.

   Reclaiming even a few hours a week can open the door to long-term career growth. That time could be used to earn CPE credits, explore a new service area, or sharpen leadership skills. Many professionals also use it to connect with peers, whether through LinkedIn conversations or by attending in-person conferences and industry events.

   Why this delivers better ROI

   • Professional advancement: Skill-building expands what the firm can offer and strengthens internal leadership pipelines.
   • Competitive edge: Staying up to date makes it easier to advise clients with clarity and confidence.
   • Visibility and growth: Networking builds reputation, opens referral channels, and helps position the firm as a leader in its niche.
5. Taking time to rest and recover
   The pressure you feel as an accountant is real, and so is the cost of ignoring it. A recent study found that 51% of accounting team leaders report symptoms of professional burnout. When stress runs unchecked, even the best systems can’t compensate for the toll it takes on decision-making, team morale, and client service.

   That’s why reclaiming time from manual admin work is so important. That could mean stepping away for a real lunch break, blocking time for a walk or workout, or even just setting aside an hour to reflect, reset, or mentor a junior team member.

   Why this delivers better ROI

   • Better output: Rested professionals make fewer mistakes, think more clearly, and handle client interactions more effectively.
   • Team culture: Modeling boundaries shows staff that rest is part of how strong firms operate.
   • Sustainability: Regular recovery time helps prevent burnout and builds a healthier, longer-lasting career.

   Success story: The risk of burnout was looming for Nick Boscia, a partner at Boscia & Boscia PC and founder of The Balanced Firm. “We were getting new clients, but then I was working a million hours and spearheading every process from client onboarding and on,” he remembers. With SmartVault, Boscia & Boscia managed to double their client base while improving work-life balance. “My fiancé and I just went to Bali for two weeks, and our firm ran completely fine without me there,” Nick shares.

SmartVault helps you reclaim your time

When ProConnect users integrate with SmartVault, they eliminate hours of repetitive document tasks, freeing up time for the work that actually moves the needle.

SmartVault takes care of the time-consuming, low-value pieces of document management so firms can stay focused on higher-return work. That includes:

• Manual document intake and renaming: Auto-filing and naming based on standardized templates synced with ProConnect.
• Endless client email follow-ups: Clients upload directly into SmartVault’s secure portal, reducing back-and-forth.
• Version confusion and misfiling: Documents are centralized and automatically tied to the correct ProConnect client record.
• App switching and disjointed workflows: SmartVault embeds directly in the ProConnect workflow, keeping everything in one place.
• Review bottlenecks: Built-in tools for e-signature, commenting, and approval streamline the entire return process.

And that’s the real value of SmartVault. When document bottlenecks disappear, ProConnect users gain back time that they can reinvest where it counts most: serving clients, expanding services, and strengthening the firm’s foundation for the long term.

Try the SmartVault x ProConnect integration and see how much time your firm could save.