Like most accountancy practices, we now
use email for most client communication.
It’s quick and easy, but we do worry about
the security of sensitive data.
Recently we tried some of those online document exchange
websites, but a public file-sharing system is at odds with our aim
of providing personal client service and – like other professional
firms – we have some concerns about confidentiality.
Client portals that are designed for general use seem quite
limited and only offer document exchange and approval.
We need something that’s been specifically designed for an
accountancy practice. It needs to be totally secure and linked
to our client and contact database so we can treat our clients
as individuals and they can communicate easily with the
appropriate practice staff.
We want to be able to publish documents and other files
directly from our tax and accounting systems and add secure
messages to the files so that all client conversations are
managed from a single, central location.
A practice like ours definitely needs a portal that goes beyond
basic document exchange and approval.
client communication
CCH Portal
the solution from Wolters Kluwer
Manage client relationships
Good client relations are the foundation of any accountancy practice. That’s why it’s so important that your document exchange system understands the relationships you already have and helps you to build new ones.
n Client database – CCH Portal uses the client and employee information already set up in CCH Central,
including client associations and team security settings, so you can manage all your client relationships on a single system.
n Multiple relationships – CCH Portal recognises that each client can have a variety of relationships to other
clients – for example as a spouse, co-director or business partner – and makes it easy for you to communicate with them in all these roles.
n Personal communication – Where there are multiple contacts in an organisation you can restrict messages,
documents and even approval requests to named individuals.
n Single logon – If a client has multiple relationships with the practice – for example as both the director
of a company and a personal tax payer – they can be given a single logon to access all necessary files and documents.
n Client teams – Set team responsibilities at both a practice-wide and client level. The names of these team
members will appear in drop-downs on the client’s portal, making it easy for them to communicate with the correct individual. Team responsibilities also allow you to limit access to sensitive client data.
n Document review – Many practices have a policy of reviewing all communications before they’re sent
to clients. CCH Portal allows one employee to draft a message and forward it to a colleague for review, amendment and internal sign-off.
n Personalisation – System emails use templates which can be customised and edited for content and
appearance. Messages sent within a portal can include a photo of the team member.
n Look and feel – A “cascading style sheet” gives precise control over the appearance of your client portals
so that you can align them with the rest of your firm’s online presence.
Improve practice efficiency
Even a generic document exchange system can save you time and eliminate postal charges and delays, but when you choose a dedicated client portal you’ll find the efficiencies don’t stop there.
n Mobility – Give your clients immediate, secure 24/7 access to documents and files. Eliminate the confusion
of having multiple versions circulating by email.
n Add value – Capture all client communication in a single location for greater visibility and control. By giving
everyone in your practice a complete picture of client communication at all times, CCH Portal maximises your opportunities for offering value added services.
n Direct publication – The CCH Portal is fully integrated with the rest of the CCH software suite so you can
publish documents straight to the portal as you work on tax, accounting and practice management tasks.
n Comprehensive – You can add files – such as spreadsheets and PDFs – from any source, so that all document
exchanges can be managed in a single system for optimum security, visibility and control.
n Client approval – Request approval for any document that you send to the portal and get immediate
notification once approval has been given. The extra assurance of your client’s secure sign-off is backed up by a full audit trail.
n Instant notification – If you’re logged into CCH Central, a pop-up message will alert you whenever a client
sends you a new message or file via their portal. If you’re unavailable, you can set up an automatic out of office message.
n Simple admin – The CCH Portal simplifies the process of setting up new users by automatically emailing an
activation link. If a portal user forgets their password a fully automated ‘forgotten password’ facility enables them to create a new one. By allowing clients to self-manage their access, CCH Portal frees the practice from ongoing admin.
Integrated messaging
You wouldn’t send an email attachment without a word of explanation, so why send a file to a client without a message to put it in context? CCH Portal goes beyond basic document exchange by allowing you to add secure contextual messages to every document or file that you send.
n Personal communication – CCH Portal includes a two-way messaging facility so that conversations with
your clients can be stored in the client file and accessed from a single, central location.
n Reduce risk – CCH Portal protects client confidentiality and reduces risk by keeping all sensitive
communication within a totally secure environment.
n Client notification – When you add a message or file to a client portal, an automatic email notification is sent
to any client contacts linked to that portal so that they know there’s a message or file for them to review.
n Multiple roles – Because it uses the contact and relationship information you already hold in the CCH Central
database, CCH Portal enables you to communicate easily with your clients in any of their roles – for example as a personal tax payer or as a director of a company.
n Visibility and control – Teams within the practice can work on client communication together, accessing
conversations from a secure, central location.
n Organisation – Create your own folders within each client’s portal. Files uploaded by your clients are held in
their own, dedicated folder for you to review, move or delete.
Reduce risk
In order to feel comfortable using a client portal, your clients need to feel confident that their sensitive, private information will be safe. Practices are well aware that any data breach could have a catastrophic impact on their reputation as a trusted adviser.
n Security – CCH Portal uses the highest available, military grade 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard, giving
you and your clients complete peace of mind.
n Reassurance – We also apply the same security protocols used by internet banks and similar websites to
provide your clients with the visible reassurance of the familiar closed padlock and https website address.
n Personalised logins – The CCH Portal makes the process of setting up new users as easy as possible with
system-generated emails, activation codes and an activation link.
n Client passwords – You control the minimum length and complexity of the passwords that clients have
to set up. For complete security, neither the practice nor Wolters Kluwer holds a record of any client’s password.
n Server security – The servers which host the CCH Portal service have reached the highest security standards
and are fully protected against power failure, physical intrusion and network outages.
n Team access – Access to the CCH Portal is administered separately from access to other parts of the
CCH software suite, so you have complete control over who can use it.
CCH Central
delivering a competitive advantage
CCH Portal is part of the CCH software suite.
At the heart of this integrated software suite is CCH Central which combines
information from multiple applications on customisable ‘home pages’.
CCH Central redefines the meaning of
‘integrated software’. Data from across
the practice can be extracted, reported on
and used for CRM, business development
and practice management.
The intuitive, browser-style interface
makes it easy for everyone – even
occasional users – to use the software.
Because CCH Central operates across
the entire software suite you only have
to learn a function once to be able to
use it anywhere.
Data management
CCH Central eliminates wasted effort and eradicates errors
with a single, central database so you only have to enter and
update information in one place. And because CCH Central
works across your software suite, you get a complete picture
of your clients and your practice without constantly swapping
Reporting
Using CCH Central Reporting, even non-technical users can construct complex reports, simply by
dragging and dropping fields. Data can be drawn from multiple CCH applications and presented in
a single report. Simplified cross-client and cross-application reporting enables rapid data mining,
opening up new markets and opportunities.
CRM and business development
CCH CRM powered by Workbooks is integrated
with CCH Central so you can grow your practice
and engage with your clients using the information
and skills you already have. The cloud-based CRM
system improves the efficiency of the entire
marketing and business development process,
from running events and capturing web queries
to managing your new business pipeline and
measuring the return on your marketing spend.
Managing KPIs
CCH KPI Monitoring enables you to manage
business-critical events, deadlines and
tasks occurring across all your applications.
When a trigger condition – such as overdue
information, excessive WIP or a completed tax
return – is met, the software sends out an alert
email which can include a report on the exact
status of the key performance indicator being
monitored. You can also use it to automate the
production and distribution of regular practice
reports.
Workflow
CCH Workflow allows you to manage tasks across your entire software
suite. Workflows can be triggered by an event – such as setting up a
new client – or by the completion of another workflow, and can be
extended to interact with third-party systems. CCH Workflow helps you
monitor deadlines, avoid resource bottlenecks and focus on managing
Wolters Kluwer is one of the world’s largest providers of tax, accounting and audit
software, information and services.
As a global market-leader with annual revenues of over
€
3.5 billion, operations in
40 countries and more than 18,000 employees worldwide
*, our software, information
and services deliver smart tools, vital insights, timely training and the guidance of
subject-matter experts.
In the UK our products and services – supplied through the CCH and Twinfi eld brands
– support more than 20,000 professionals. We work hard to help you improve effi ciency
and reduce compliance risks so you can use more of your time to build stronger
relationships with your clients.
The Wolters Kluwer difference
97%
of
the top 100
accountancy
fi rms use a
Wolters Kluwer
product
54%
of FTSE 350
companies use a
Wolters Kluwer
product
Call:
0844 561 8181
*
Email:Visit: www.cch.co.uk/software
Find out more about
CCH Portal
For more information about the CCH software suite:
