Cloud technology - easy implementation, anywhere access
Because CCH Axcess Engagement Essentials is a true cloud application, there’s no installation required for CCH Axcess™ customers. For non-CCH Axcess customers, only one install instance is required. That means firms can adopt CCH Axcess Engagement Essentials at any time and immediately enjoy a more efficient–and profitable–tax season.
Data storage also costs less in the cloud. With Wolters Kluwer maintaining secure cloud storage, firms eliminate infrastructure costs, software updates, and server maintenance. Further, CCH Axcess Engagement Essentials is secure to use any time and from any location, allowing team members to work efficiently and be productive from anywhere.
Trial balance - accurate, automated
With CCH Axcess Engagement Essentials simply upload your client’s data and see your financials and lead sheets automatically create for you. As data imports , the application intelligently maps accounts to groupings for tax returns and financial statements. Then, simply send balances to CCH Axcess™ Tax after making any needed adjustment. By automating what are normally manual, time-intensive steps to create a trial balance, CCH Axcess Engagement Essentials frees up staff to make better decisions on the data itself, giving back time to build even stronger relationships that create increased client service excellence.
“I would say an average tax return, if the trial balance was good, would take 45 minutes in the on-premise version of Engagement. Now, it probably takes 15 minutes with Engagement Essentials.”
Jason and Bernie Ackerman, BNA CPAs & Advisors
Software integration – QuickBooks® Online, Xero®, CCH Axcess™ and CCH Axcess™ Tax
Getting needed client data tends to be one of the most time-consuming tasks in the business tax preparation process. Typically, many firms export their client’s data from QuickBooks, rework it in a spreadsheet, and then import it into the tax software - a manual process that not only presents struggles but is also prone to data entry errors.
CCH Axcess Engagement Essentials automates the process through software integration that dramatically boosts efficiency. Needed client data is simply imported directly from QuickBooks Online or Xero. Once the trial balance is ready you can link the data directly to CCH Axcess Tax.
"Now our focus gets put back on the client, since we're saving 30-60 minutes per return. With CCH Axcess Engagement Essentials, there's no data entry. Plus, we use Xero so the solution directly pulls the ledger. It does the same with QuickBooks Online, too. Then, all we do is review for accuracy and simply push a button to send it to CCH Axcess Tax. The tax team gets to start with a draft tax return! All of that creates a huge time savings for improved productivity. The quality of our work is also improved." - Pat Generis, CPA, EA and Owner, Generis & Associates
Equally valuable, because the solution is part of the CCH Axcess common platform, client list and staff login credentials reside in the common cloud database. Multiple staff can work simultaneously within the same engagement and staff can see changes made by others in real-time. This seamless workflow empowers team collaboration and creates confidence that the entire team is working on the most current trial balance and reports at all times.
Even more, save additional time with CCH Axcess™ Knowledge Coach content, trial balance and workpapers all available together in CCH Axcess Engagement. Start each of your engagement by answering tailoring questions. Then, add and remove forms as needed, improve colleague communication with notes to the forms, review and update the risk summary, complete program steps, sign-off on sections of forms or the entire form as prepared or reviewed, and lock the final engagement. CCH Axcess Engagement provides an entirely collaboration workflow for your audits, preparations, compilations and reviews.
Conclusion
With direct imports of client data, automation that reduces manual steps and dynamic views of tax summary reports, financial statements and lead sheets that further increase efficiencies, CCH Axcess Engagement Essentials provides the easiest, fastest and most secure way to produce a trial balance. It’s affordable too. Save money with licensing options where you pay for what you need at the engagement level, versus paying a higher price across the board for all engagements. Pick from two levels, Essentials and Pro – where Pro includes more features related to workpapers, such as sign-off and notes.
That’s a win-win for firms looking to increase profitably on their business tax clients while also delivering them increased client service excellence. Start taking advantage of that today.
