Turn Client Intake into Organized Tax Work — Automatically

SmartRequestAI combines two key inputs: the prior-year tax return already stored in SmartVault and linked to the correct client record (referred to as a tagged return) and your firm’s customizable questionnaire template. By analyzing what appeared on last year’s return, it automatically generates a pre-populated questionnaire unique to each client. No more generic checklists that don’t match their situation.

You can still use SmartRequestAI. If a prior-year return is not stored in SmartVault for a client, you have three options:

1. Generate a SmartRequest directly from your firm’s questionnaire template. The request will be based on your firm’s standard questions rather than that client’s prior-year data, so the client answers from scratch.
2. If you have access to the client’s prior-year return, you can upload it directly into SmartVault and tag it to the correct client record. Once tagged, SmartRequestAI can read it and generate a personalized pre-populated request.
3. If the return was prepared in your tax software, you can print it into SmartVault using your existing integration or SmartRouting. Once it lands in the correct client folder with the correct tag, SmartRequestAI can use it.

All three options are valid. The right choice depends on what you have available and your firm’s preference.

It is simple and fast as clients receive a secure email link or can log into the SmartVault portal to complete their Smart Request. They’re guided step-by-step through a clean, personalized questionnaire, making it easy to know exactly what documents to upload.

SmartVault’s Automated Reminders handles follow-up automatically. When you send a Request Doc or SmartRequestAI request, a reminder cadence starts. Clients receive email reminders at the intervals you set until they complete the request. The moment the document arrives in SmartVault, the reminders stop. You can use the default cadences out of the box or customize the timing and message to match your firm’s communication style.

Absolutely. SmartVault is fully mobile-friendly, and clients can complete their Smart Request from any device. With built-in SmartScan functionality, they can even snap photos of documents with their phone and automatically upload them as high-quality PDFs. No more blurry photos, HEIC files, or unusable scans.

Yes. Firm users can update answers or upload documents directly on behalf of clients. This is particularly helpful when clients need assistance or when you receive documents through other channels and want to keep everything centralized in SmartRequestAI.

SmartRequestAI is built inside SmartVault’s SOC 2 Type 2–compliant environment, so your firm stays audit-ready and in control of sensitive data. Clients complete requests through the same secure portal they already know and trust, giving them peace of mind while protecting your compliance requirements.

Never. SmartRequestAI uses private AI models that don’t train on your data. Your firm’s information is never used to improve the model, never shared with others, and never exposed to public internet traffic. It’s designed specifically for accounting firms who need AI that respects data privacy.

Full control. The SmartRequest template allows firm admin users to:

• Show or hide questions – Hidden questions are automatically excluded from AI data extraction and won’t be prefilled
• Add custom questions under the “Other” section to tailor questionnaires for your specific workflows
• Navigate easily through sections (Basic Info, Income, Deductions, etc.) with clear labels and descriptions

This ensures every SmartRequest reflects your firm’s specific engagement needs and information requirements.

Documents automatically flow into the Doc Requests folder within the client’s tax engagement in SmartVault for the relevant tax year. Each source document is saved individually, so your team can access any file on its own, and everything is also compiled into a single consolidated source documents workpaper with automatic bookmarks for easy navigation. No manual sorting, no hunting for files across different systems.

Firms typically save 60–90 minutes per return, time you can reinvest into higher-value work or serving more clients without adding staff. For clients, it means fewer back-and-forth emails and faster turnaround on their returns, which builds confidence in your process.

The key difference is integration, security, and cost. SmartRequestAI is built directly into SmartVault’s SOC Type 2 compliant environment, meaning your firm and your client’s data are protected by a platform that undergoes a rigorous 12-month security audit every year.

Since SmartRequestAI lives inside SmartVault, the documents clients submit flow directly into the correct client folder with no manual handoff and no exposure to additional third party systems. With standalone tools, documents collected during intake still need to go somewhere, which means another vendor, another portal, another system touching sensitive client data.

Standalone intake tools charge per returns with minimums and separate storage costs. SmartRequestAI is built inside the platform where your documents already live.

SmartRequestAI requests are purchased in bundles of 50 and added to your existing Accounting Pro or Accounting Unlimited subscription. Once purchased, requests never expire and carry forward year to year.