Beyond portals the new era of client collaboration

The next step forward: CCH Axcess™ Client Collaboration

CCH Axcess Client Collaboration represents the current wave of AI-powered client collaboration tools. This unified collaboration hub is the next evolution of a secure portal for firms and their clients, going beyond traditional portals by creating a connected, end-to-end experience. It enables firms to track client workflows, send and receive engagement letters, review and deliver returns, request information, obtain e-signed 8879 forms, and manage invoicing from a single platform.

By streamlining communication, source document collection, organization, and e-signatures, CCH Axcess Client Collaboration, powered by Expert AI, delivers a frictionless collaboration experience that helps firms improve efficiency while making it easier for clients to stay engaged throughout the process.

What today’s clients are looking for

Your clients want interactivity, ease, and convenience. They are looking for a way to easily log in from your firm’s website, see their documents, and utilize robust, time-saving tools.

How can CCH Axcess Client Collaboration help?

• Interactive, end-to-end workflow: Step-by-step guidance to walk through the entire process interactively with a customizable organizer, questionnaire, and document request list.

• Document intake and data collection: Upload source documents and create automatic data connections between sources of financial data, such as W-2, 1099, and 1098 forms, and the accounting firm.

• Access and retrieval: Download any record you need, when you need it.

• Tracking and communication: Status updates and notices of any outstanding information needed.

• Review and completion: Review and sign documents through e-signature functionality.

What staff members want

Staff members want many of the things that clients do, with a few extra perks to save them time and streamline workflows.

• Engagement creation and management: Create, manage, track, and tailor engagements automatically based on client needs.

• Client tracking and workflow visibility: Track client progress.

• Reduced administrative burden: Spend less time on administrative tasks and following up with clients on missing documents, and reduce delays in communication with clients.

The next phase of collaboration

Interactive and automated collaboration solutions help firms shift to more effective client collaboration.

Features that you should look for include:

• Real-time tracking: Keep clients and staff informed about project status so they know who is assigned to each task.

• Intelligent setup and administration: Reduce time spent on administration by enabling single or batch engagements, with the ability to tailor engagements automatically based on client needs.

• Automated reminders: Minimize the amount of time staff spend following up with the client.

• End-to-end digital workflows: Digitize manual and paper-based workflows like engagement letters, e-signatures, invoicing, and payments.

• Automated data collection: Reduce the time and stress that comes along with collecting client documents by automating data collection directly from its source whenever possible.

Making collaboration easy for everyone

To fully utilize technology and help clients introduce collaboration tools to their current environments, firms need a robust solution that integrates their tax, accounting, and audit software. This includes following best practices for implementation and looking beyond traditional portals to achieve a higher level of collaboration. You need to make the most of your collaboration strategy for it to be effective. Your plan should include:

• Get your staff on board. No matter the size of your organization, technology adoption has its difficulties. Not everyone will buy in at first, and some will need to see the benefits for themselves. Look for your staff’s technology champions and ask for their assistance in rolling out new technology. Remind them that digital collaboration tools consistently improve the client’s experience and create more standardized processes within the firm.

• Choose a purpose-built solution. A solution designed specifically for accounting firms stores everything from one-off files to clients’ documents, while incorporating features like customization and role-based permissions.

Time saved, productive staff, satisfied clients

CCH Axcess Client Collaboration is more than secure document exchange and storage. It walks clients through their entire process while providing the information they need 24/7. An integrated platform helps firms connect collaboration with the broader workflows their teams rely on every day to provide better, more efficient service.