Accounting Client Engagement and Onboarding, Elevated

At a recent SmartVault webinar, Dawn Brolin of Powerful Accounting asked the audience of accountants about their onboarding process. A whopping 46% of them admitted something surprising: They don’t have one.

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Ft Client Onboarding The Dawn Brolin Way

Impress Clients (and Your Team) with Modern Processes

Create templated forms, engagement letters, quotes, and more that make the entire engagement and onboarding process straightforward, convenient, and impressive.

Straightforward Workflows Save Time and Money

Build engagement letters and quotes, quickly share documents, and maintain consistent folder structures, empowering your firm to deliver better, faster service.

Create Custom Engagement Letters, Forms, and Quotes

Develop an engagement letter, proposal, or form, then send it for review and signature. You can say goodbye to paper with a digital process that can be done remotely on any device.

Make Document Collection a Breeze

Simplify document collection with templated lists and let clients securely upload documents into the client portal. The documents are automatically saved to the correct folders every time.

Simplify Account Activation

Easy activation and a user-friendly interface make it super simple for clients to get into their portals, share documents, and find what they need. This paves the way for efficient document management and file sharing.

Automate Internal Workflows

Create a standardized process and templates for folder structures, document request lists, engagement letters, and forms for each project, engagement, or client type. These templates and consistent processes help your team move faster while avoiding clerical mistakes and burnout.

Share Documents Online

Share tax forms and important documents while maintaining the highest levels of security. Clients appreciate the convenience of secure document exchange through SmartVault’s intuitive portal, enhancing their overall experience.

Manage Clients Effortlessly

Manage your clients – and maintain complete visibility – from a single dashboard, simplifying invitations, setup progress, and access management. Group related clients to make managing and accessing their documents easier.

SmartVault-Powered Onboarding Process Saves This Firm $150K each Year

“I implemented SmartVault to ensure our documents are securely backed up and accessible from anywhere. But the real surprise has been the substantial productivity gains. I can quantify the impact: SmartVault has saved our firm $150,000 per year.”
Eric L. Green, Esq.
Tax Rep Network, Green & Sklarz LLC

Steal His Workflow for Your Firm

What Our Customers Say

I like to focus on the parts of my work that I enjoy - the client interaction and tricky tax problems - not practice analytics. SmartVault has reduced or eliminated a lot of the boring parts of my job - and my heavy duty stapler hardly gets used at all anymore!

Rhee Eliker Owner of Rhee Eliker, CPA, MBT

I would totally recommend SmartVault to other offices. It has so many perks for running an office smoothly - organizing client files, inviting clients to upload, getting notified of uploads. It's the first thing I sign into each morning to start working. SmartVault gets 6 stars out of 5 in my book!

Dania Amezcua One Stop Tax Service & Professional Help

We're now 100% paperless, working 100% in the cloud! SmartVault allowed us to eliminate our server and full-time IT service, saving around $1,500 per month.

Robert Paolini Paolini Financial Group, LLC

As the owner of PK Petrykowski CPA, serving over 220 clients across service businesses and individual tax clients, SmartVault has transformed the way we manage and share sensitive client data. Before SmartVault, we relied solely on email and physical mail, which was costly, inefficient, and less secure. Now, with SmartVault's document management system and client portal, we've eliminated the need for one full-time employee dedicated to sorting paper documents, saving us valuable time and resources.

PK Petrykowski CPA Prudence Petrykowski

I love using SmartVault because it’s so organized and easy to use. SmartVault’s integrated document management system and client portal helps us provide personalized services to our clients, increase client collaboration, and create stability and security in our workflows. I highly recommend SmartVault to other tax and accounting firms that are looking to securely work with clients online.

Diane Curtis Affiliated Financial Services

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an accounting client onboarding process?

A client onboarding process is the steps an accounting firm takes to welcome a new client, gather necessary information and documents, set up systems/tools, and ensure the client understands how to work with the firm. An efficient onboarding process creates a positive first impression and a smooth working relationship.

Why is having a formalized client onboarding process important?

A standardized, documented onboarding workflow provides many benefits, such as enhancing cybersecurity, reducing client churn, enabling seamless collaboration, improving workplace efficiency, and creating a consistent client experience. An organized process signals professionalism to clients.

How long should it take to onboard a new accounting client?

While some firms take 6-8 weeks, best practices show the full onboarding lifecycle can be completed in just 1-2 weeks when using technology and optimized workflows. A drawn-out process suggests disorganization.

What are the key steps in an effective client onboarding process?

Core steps include sending a new client questionnaire/intake form, holding a kickoff call or meeting, setting the client up on core systems like document management software, establishing communication protocols, and continually optimizing the process based on feedback.

How can technology improve the client onboarding experience?

Cloud-based document management systems with client portals enable digital document/signature collection, secure file sharing, automated workflows, self-serve account setup for clients, and centralized client management for staff, creating seamless digital experiences.

What are the benefits of an optimized onboarding process for accounting staff?

Standardized workflows eliminate guesswork and administrative burdens, so staff can focus on higher-value work instead of chasing missing paperwork. Clear processes increase efficiency and job satisfaction while reducing burnout