I recently took stock of all of the apps we use to streamline and improve our workflow, and also reviewed this Intuit® Tax Pro Center article on apps that had feedback from my colleagues, to see how we could complement that list.
As any professional knows, tax season can simultaneously feel like a never-ending marathon and a breath-stealing sprint. Whether you’re in the middle of season or any other time during the year, I hope these apps will help you and your staff improve your firm’s efficiency.
Receipt Bank – Nancy Xiong, our tax accountant, likes Receipt Bank; it extracts information from bills, receipts, and invoices, and records the data within your software. Incorporating Receipt Bank has been a great timesaver, helping us focus on providing more strategic, value-added focus areas for clients.
MileIQ – Another one of Nancy’s recommended apps, MileIQ, automatically logs personal and business mileage. One of our favorite features is the ability to generate reports at the end of the year for our clients’ taxes in Intuit ProConnect™ Tax Online. I also know that one of the newest features in QuickBooks® Online is the ability to track mileage, so you might check that out as well.
Ruby Receptionist – I’ve greatly appreciate Ruby Receptionist for our firm. We use it to handle all of our inbound calls, which lets us screen callers (especially those tricky solicitors) and ensure our direct lines are never clogged for clients. We use the app to efficiently schedule our status (at lunch, in a meeting or out of the office) when we’re not available to take calls. We also use the texting feature to text clients from our business number.
LastPass – Password security is a critical part of making sure we protect our client data, while also preserving our clients’ trust in us. LastPass lets me and my staff remember all of our passwords by merely memorizing one secure passphrase. LastPass also provides the option to secure our password vault with two-factor authentication. The program’s cross-platform capabilities mean that we can also securely access it from any of our work devices.
Calendly – My team and I use Calendly to quickly and easily schedule 15-, 30- or 60-minute meetings with our clients, vendors, prospects and each other. As everyone figures out each other’s availability, Calendly eliminates all of the typical inbox-suffocating, back-and-forth emails.
Wunderlist – Riccardo Vallejo, our bookkeeper, recommends we use Wunderlist to help keep track of tasks during long, tax-season workdays. He also uses this in his personal life as well, sharing various lists with his family so they can stay on top of life’s daily routines. Note: Wunderlist transitions to Microsoft To Do in May 2020.
Stitcher – Riccardo also uses Stitcher to listen to podcasts and stay current on what’s going on in the world. Continual learning is something we prioritize in our firm, since it’s such an integral part of ensuring we always deliver value to our clients.
Editor’s note: This article first appeared on the Intuit® Tax Pro Center.
