How accounting firms can reduce tax season stress with AP automation

The last few years have been challenging for tax practitioners with extended tax seasons, ongoing staffing shortages, an ever-changing tax code, and a decreased bandwidth for IRS support.

Despite these known challenges, tax season doesn’t have to be quite so … well, taxing. There are opportunities to enhance overall tax workflows. And when you do, you can significantly increase efficiency, keep staff happy, and ensure a positive client experience.

A great place for accounting firms to start is with automated bill pay.

The road to a smoother tax season 

The road to a better tax season doesn’t have to be long and bumpy. In fact, there are things you can do now to ensure a manageable busy season.

For starters, moving your accounting firm clients to an automated bill pay platform can significantly cut down on the time your staff spends sifting through disorganized and incomplete AP documentation. When this function is automated, many of the common tax season pain points can be quickly resolved. Consider the full value of bill pay automation:

• No more last-minute and incomplete AP documentation from clients that your already-overburdened staff have to sift through
• Reduction in errors when you do away with manual scanning of source documents and data entry
• Elevated efficiency across the entire tax workflow, which can open the door to significant time savings and the ability to put saved time toward higher-value work
• Heightened convenience because you and your clients can view and approve bills online and from the device of choice (e.g., phone, tablet, laptop)
• The ability to build a strong CAS practice and enjoy year-round recurring revenue while elevating client relationships to a whole new level

Does your firm have AP automation technology?

It’s highly likely that your firm already has the technology in place to improve your tax workflow. Ask your CAS practice or those that offer AP services about BILL.

BILL allows you to digitize, organize, and streamline the AP process. It also provides a clear audit trail for tax preparers with full visibility into bills, payments, dates, workflows, notes, reviewers, approvers, dates, and codes.

In fact, this is a win/win for everyone involved. According to the CAS Benchmark Survey from CPA.com and AICPA, CAS practitioners say tax practices are their top lead source.

AP: after-the-fact vs. automation

Here’s how after-the-fact AP compares to AP automation from BILL:

Get your tax clients on BILL

The time is now to get started on automating AP for your clients. When you do, you set yourself up for a much smoother tax season. And when you remove tax season friction via automation, it leads to noticeable efficiency gains, happier staff, and satisfied clients. And don’t forget all that time savings and the ability to grow a CAS practice.‍

Request a demo.

75% of accounting customers surveyed find with BILL they are much more prepared at tax time for their clients.*

Footnotes:

* Based on a 2021 survey of over 500 BILL accounting firm partners