Increased security, better service, and compliance in one affordable solution!

Many firms are looking for increased profits, better client service & retention, remote access and of course, security. If you could have all of this in one affordable and encrypted solutions would you want to hear more? Of course, but as accountants there is another important aspect to consider: compliance... and yes, this solutions has that covered also.
What are we talking about? Secure Internet portals that allow you to transport client data, and exchange and share information with your clients in an encrypted and compliant fashion.
A variety of vendors offer these services to accounting firms. Some are customized and hosted on your server using Microsoft Sharepoint, others are hosted by a vendor in a shared environment and some are others are very simple, easy to use and effective peer to peer applications like gotomeeting or logmein. The key is to select the services that best match the needs of your firm. The dual benefit of these products to your clients and your firm is not to be underestimated. Before we get into the options lets look at some benefits:
• Secure file sharing that meets FTC guidelines for the exchange and transport of PII and other confidential client and employee data.
• Fast access to client computers for file transfer and answering inquiries without travel.
• File transfer, remote access and remote printing capabilities for employees and clients in bad weather or emergency situations.
The options and costs vary by product and approach so please be sure to consult your IT professional and speak to some colleagues before deciding on a solution.
In addition to in house Microsoft Sharepoint servers, gotomeeting and logmein other solutions include:
• Hosted sharepoint services which restrict storage space but do not limit the number of users that can use the system. (for as little as $10 per month!!)
• SmartVault is a new service that allows you to share QuickBooks files and scanned paper documents.
• Thomson Tax & Accounting services such as GoFileRoom & ClientFlow
All of these options and the many others being used today allow you to share data without the need for large e-mail attachments which are no longer compliant without secure encrypted email.
In fact, these portals are making payroll services more attractive, cost efficient and effective. How? By creating a paperless process from beginning to end where the clients enter initial payroll information and can then receive a PDF copy of the paychecks, that they can print themselves.
Portals allow clients not only to retrieve and review financial data, but they can fill out their tax organizers, answer online questionnaires, or upload financial data so their accountants can do the processing. This reduces cost and saves time -- and if a client misses some data or has to supply more, the process is a lot easier than using postal mail or a phone interview.
Some clients, and many of you reading this piece will be skeptical or slow to adopt this technology, but it is growing in popularity and is worth discussing.