For today's accounting firms,the importance of having some form of dedicated workflow system has become nearly on par with data security and document management.

For everything a firm does, whether it's dealing with tax forms or audits and engagements, there are processes and numerous electronic documents that go along with them. Having some tool to manage and track them has become even more essential.

While workflow management as a software tool is somewhat new to the CPA world, it has grown in use and necessity far beyond tracking tax processes.

Cloud-based workflow management software provider XCM has targeted CPAs for the past several years. Their goal has been to automate workflow for every process that a firm has, and as more firms begin their journey towards becoming completely paperless, having some form of workflow system is absolutely essential, according to XCM chief executive Mark Albrecht. He stressed that the need for a good workflow system is, for a CPA firm, all about efficiency equaling profitability.

"In the years before XCM, people never would focus on process in a CPA firm. Everyone focused on driving more business, and now there's a change in that firms are starting to say if the top line isn't growing as much as I'd like, you have to look at how efficient you are and becoming paperless is a big key for that," said Albrecht. "Even for the smaller [firms], they need a central repository of information. I may be a two-person shop, but I have people who administrate the tax returns and now you don't have paper and you have the information in front of you. Everyone can benefit from a consistent, repeatable process." Last year XCM conducted a survey of 500 clients and asked them during the busy season how much time XCM saves. They reported saving an average of 85 minutes per person per day.

THE FIRMS WEIGH IN

Woburn, Mass.-based DiCicco, Gulman & Co. has two offices and an 85-person staff. They have always had some form of workflow process, though it was not automated until 2003 when the firm began using XCM. The firm has since expanded its use of workflow tools as the tools have become more available for the products and services the firm uses, according to principal Laura Barooshian.

"Whether it's your tax software provider or document management software, they need to be making those changes [adding workflow]. We always ask how we can improve what we do and does a program improve the processes we have," said Barooshian.

In addition to XCM, DiCicco Gulman uses CCH Document as its document management software, which features the built-in workflow solution Workstream. "I like the fact that it's built in the program, and ... I like where it's going. Sometimes programs come out and aren't quite ready," said Barooshian.

Carmel, Calif.-based BBR LLP also has two offices and recognizes that workflow has become an essential part of the software it uses as it has moved toward a paperless environment. The firm utilizes GoFileRoom from Thompson Reuters for its document storage. The product features FirmFlow, a digital process that lets users monitor activity from start to finish.

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