Improve efficiency, client service, and performance with integrated client data

Streamlined operations through unified client data entry

Your firm administrator updates a client's address, and instantly everyone in the firm sees the change — from the tax preparer working on the tax return, to the audit team doing fieldwork, and the partners signing off on everything. A client calls with a new phone number, and it automatically appears in the billing system, tax software, trial balance and document management system. The accounting manager adds a new contact person for a business client, and that information immediately flows to everyone who works on that account.

Most firms know how different this reality is from their current experience. Usually, each change means someone has to remember to update multiple systems — and inevitably, someone forgets. Staff end up working with outdated information, clients get frustrated repeating details to different team members, and simple updates turn into time-consuming headaches.

CCH Axcess works differently because everything runs from one unified client database:

• Client demographics, contact information, and identifiers go in once and flow automatically to all modules, ending the cycle of re-entering the same data across different systems.
• Changes to names, addresses, or other details immediately appear across CCH Axcess™ Tax, CCH Axcess™ Practice, CCH Axcess™ Workstream, CCH Axcess™ Engagement, and CCH Axcess™ Document, so everyone works with current information.
• New clients entered automatically populate in the Practice, Tax, Engagement and other modules without additional steps, creating seamless handoffs between departments.

You get back thousands of hours that used to disappear into data entry and fixing errors, which means you can devote more time to advising clients and growing your business. It works beautifully with your existing setup too — add a new client once and the system handles the rest, automatically updating everything across your tools. Your current CRM and bank feeds can plug right in through Open APIs and the CCH^® Axcess Marketplace, so you keep what's working and lose what isn't.

 

Complete client visibility with the integrated dashboard

Most firms know this frustrating routine all too well: a client calls asking about their account status, and suddenly three different people are checking three different systems. One person logs into the tax software to see where the return stands, another checks the billing system for payment history, and someone else digs through emails for recent communication. Everyone has part of the story, but nobody has the complete picture. 

CCH Axcess changes this completely. Instead of hunting through separate systems or playing detective with client information, the integrated Client Dashboard puts everything you need on one screen:

• Open engagements and upcoming deadlines from Workstream appear alongside current project status, so you can see what's due and when.
• Billing status and accounts receivable aging through Practice show up right next to client contact details, making it easy to address payment issues during regular conversations.
• Linked documents, correspondence, and client portal activity create a complete communication trail that anyone on the team can access.
• Return statuses and compliance deadlines keep tax workflows visible to the entire service team, not just the preparer.
• Current accounts receivable balances, recent invoices, and last payments update automatically, giving you real-time financial information without manual updates.

Now, when clients call with questions, whoever picks up the phone has everything they need right there. No more "let me check with someone else" or "I'll have to call you back." The person answering knows precisely where their projects stand, what invoices are outstanding, and when their next deadline hits. Audit partners, tax preparers, and account managers all see the same complete picture instead of hunting through separate systems to piece together bits of information.

Yet, the real payoff goes deeper than the day-to-day client-serving tasks and involves 360° client visibility. When your team can see everything about a client relationship at once, they catch problems before they blow up. Someone notices an overdue payment during a routine call and can address it right then, rather than discovering it weeks later. Staff spend their days solving client problems and offering strategic advice instead of playing detective with scattered information. You also start seeing opportunities that used to slip through the cracks — like realizing a tax client could use bookkeeping help or catching potential scheduling disasters before busy season hits.