Bolster Client Collaboration With These Five Caseware Features

Audits, reviews and compilations involve multiple people, a lot of back and forth and the collection and analysis of many different documents and files. 

Therefore, effective collaboration among team members and with clients is crucial to providing a smooth, accurate and speedy service. Unfortunately, many firms are still working with a mishmash of outdated methods to communicate and collaborate. These involve email, pen and paper, files saved in different formats and the passing of multiple versions of the same document. 

Inefficient communication can seriously slow down processes and it won’t come as a surprise that this is bad for business. If firms want to stay competitive, they must adopt new methods to streamline their working processes. With 70 percent of employees reporting that digital technology improved their collaboration, it’s clear that firms must embrace new tools to make workflows more efficient. 

Read on to discover how specialized accounting software can help you gain back time, make the auditing process much smoother and attract and retain more clients. 

Traditional collaboration methods are no longer effective

With quickly changing work landscapes and technological advancements, past methods are no longer as effective as they once were. Clients are thus seeking more accuracy and transparency than ever — without extra costs.

Recent moves toward remote and hybrid work models also call for more effective communication tools. In one study, 54 percent of HR leaders cited poor technology as the primary barrier to effective remote work. 

So, why could failing to update your accounting firm’s collaboration methods be harming business? Here are some of the top examples:

• Inefficient communication – Relying on email can lead to lost information in endless threads and delays of days or weeks waiting on responses. 
• Lost files – Working with paper documents can end in lost files and clunky transfers. 
• Multiple versions of files – Working with varying versions of documents often leads to redundancy, errors and confusion. 
• Miscommunication – Having many contact methods can easily lead to miscommunication and errors.  

5 Caseware benefits that will revolutionize your communications 

So, what can you do to make collaboration in accounting easier, faster and more accurate? Auditing software like the Caseware Audit & Assurance solution simplifies and streamlines the whole process. Here are five key ways you can benefit. 

1. Streamlined communication 

Stop managing requests manually and start doing so through one centralized and secure system. Rather than juggling countless individual email threads where you can easily lose important data, you’ll be able to track and locate all communications with ease and transparency.

Collaborate on documents with your clients in real time, too, with no more confusion and sharing of outdated versions and sending updates to each other. Instead, view and track everything as it happens and gain peace of mind knowing that all information is updated and tracked automatically.

An online platform also allows people to access it from any device at any time. This means communication is easy regardless of time zone or location, even if you are dealing with busy professionals who travel or work remotely. Cleaning up your communication will allow you and your team to spend time on higher-value tasks. 

2. Accurate request tracking

Have you ever wasted time manually requesting information and documents? Following up, keeping track and storing documents can be tedious and time-consuming. This can easily lead to errors, missing files and precious time spent waiting on others. 

Caseware Audit & Assurance makes tracking so much easier. It automatically records requests and their status and makes it simple for clients and colleagues to respond. You can see when messages are sent or received — so you can easily follow the progress of a project. 

You will have peace of mind and transparency, as every move is logged and traced. Find actions and transactions by simply using the search function. This thorough digital engagement trail ensures you can always stay compliant. 

3. Easy information-gathering and workflow 

Information-gathering is a key part of an audit or financial review. However, it is also one of the most time-consuming tasks. Busy accounting professionals are often very inefficient when completing this phase, which can cause delays in the audit process. 

Caseware simplifies the gathering of information. Any data entered by the client will save automatically in the system. It can then be used multiple times throughout an engagement, boosting efficiency and saving you from repeating work. You can request and upload documents all in the same place — and store them there, too.

Guided workflows then allow you to easily follow engagement processes while customizing any aspects you need to. You can even create personalized templates for your teams, saving everyone time and increasing accuracy. 

4. Central repository of documents

A key benefit of using a platform like Caseware is having access to all your documents in one place. Firms can finally go paperless and streamline accounting collaboration like never before. No more scrabbling around to find lost documents. Also, say goodbye to lengthy file transfers. Simply upload directly to the platform. The repository is accessible to all authorized users, so transparency and security couldn’t be easier. 

Of course, one of the best things about having all your documents in one place, along with clear tracking of all advancements, is that you’ll get a complete overview of audit and assurance activities. You can access files, supporting materials or other components. 

5. Strong security

One main concern of navigating digital audit and assurance is the risk around sensitive client data. Email is not the most secure way to send information. Caseware’s client portal, though, meets stringent security standards, so you and your clients can breathe easy knowing that data is always protected. You can control which users can access data, ensuring sensitive documents are safe from unauthorized access. 

So, if you are ready to improve your firm’s collaboration and save time and energy on audits for your whole team, Caseware can help. Automating and simplifying many of the time-consuming and monotonous parts of auditing will not only help you achieve higher-quality audits: it will also help you better use talent and resources, saving money for you and your clients. 

Caseware’s audit and assurance software is already helping many top accounting firms differentiate themselves in the market. Don’t fall behind — check out how it can help you today.