Automated workflow software leverages the power of project transparency

Moving from paper to digital processes, standardizing communication, leveraging data-rich dashboards. These are all ways workflow automation software can help your tax and accounting firm maximize efficiency and minimize mistakes. But there's another essential step firms can take to optimize their workflow: improving visibility.

Visibility, where management and staff can instantly gain insight into every project, is a true superpower for any size firm. It gives junior staff the ability to take control, not just take orders. And it means managers can allocate their greatest assets – staff – to where they can do the greatest good for the firm.

Our eBook, "5 Ways Workflow Automation Supports Firm Goals," does a deep dive into five changes that can help create efficiencies and increase productivity, including gaining more visibility into your firm's workflow. 

Download the eBook to learn all five ways, or keep reading to dive into the power of automated workflows and project transparency.

Drawbacks of fragmented project management

Before automated workflow software introduced the benefits of project transparency, someone had to micro-manage the big picture and the minute details of job assignments. To maintain some type of visibility into who was working on what and where in the process every project was, managers had to assign work manually. Assignments were rigid without true visibility into staff workloads or insight into staff skillsets. They often didn't match the right person to the right project at the right time—and forget about reassigning on the fly. Many managers find that fragmented project management often:

• Results in under- or over-utilization of staff and resources because tasks are assigned without understanding availability or skillsets.
• Creates uncertainty because junior staff members are left guessing about their next duties and project assignments.
• Leads to a lack of engagement because task management is just another duty for already busy managers.

With great visibility comes great accountability

An integrated automated workflow solution provides clear visibility into both project status and each staff member's current and future workload. Armed with that knowledge, managers can take into account changing priorities as they plan projects, plus they can empower staff to choose their next tasks from the "project pool" based on their strengths and schedule.

Project transparency has other benefits, too, including:

• Tasks can be assigned and adjusted dynamically according to available resources.
• Managers can easily hold their staff accountable whether they are working remotely or in the office.
• Highly trained staff can focus on higher-value work without worrying about day-to-day tasks falling through the cracks.

Automated workflow software takes the guesswork out of project management

In the tax and accounting profession, the goal is to minimize surprises—for both clients and staff. Manual project management processes leave too much guesswork. Automating your workflow increases transparency into every project so managers can keep everyone focused on productivity and profitability.

That's just one way Wolters Kluwer's automated workflow software can help firms manage internal resources and engage with clients.

Visit our website to learn more about how workflow solutions from Wolters Kluwer can help your firm rethink its routing sheets, minimize email fatigue, create consistent processes, use dashboards to drive decisions and promote accountability through visibility.

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