Early onboarding is a must for new tax software

Each and every tax season, tax firms are faced with the same key question: Is it time to switch to a professional tax software that is a better fit for our firm, our processes, and ultimately, our clients? The decision is never taken lightly. There are always many pros and cons to consider, but the bottom line often comes down to weighing your firm’s familiarity and comfort with your existing solution against the potential efficiencies, enhanced features, and improved client experiences that a different offering might bring.

Once firms make the courageous leap to invest in a new tax engine, often after the immediate pressure of the April tax deadline has subsided, a common pattern emerges. The crucial tasks of comprehensive onboarding and meticulous data conversion are frequently pushed to the back burner. The firm’s focus understandably shifts to pressing business returns and individual returns on extension.

While this shift seems logical from a workload perspective, it inadvertently sets the stage for potential mayhem come the following January. The compressed timeframe between the new year and the start of filing season simply isn’t enough time to thoroughly evaluate the options if you’re still undecided, make a final choice, install and rigorously test the software, convert all necessary data, and—critically—train your staff effectively.

The January scramble: A recipe for stress and errors

Postponing onboarding until the cusp of tax season can lead to several preventable problems:

• Insufficient training time: Rushed training sessions often mean tax prep staff only grasp the basics, leading to inefficiencies and an inability to leverage the software’s advanced features that likely prompted the switch in the first place.
• Data conversion nightmares: Discovering data inaccuracies, mapping issues, or incomplete conversions in January is a crisis. There is little time for methodical troubleshooting, and the pressure can lead to mistakes or lost tax data.
• Workflow disruptions: Every new software has a learning curve and its own workflow. Attempting to adapt to this under the extreme pressure of peak season can frustrate staff, slow down return preparation, and impact overall firm productivity.
• Increased stress and burnout: Forcing your team to learn a new system while managing their usual high-season workload is a direct route to heightened stress and potential burnout.
• Compromised client service: Delays and visible struggles with new software can negatively impact client confidence and satisfaction at the most critical time of year.

The strategic advantage: Onboarding during extension season

Many professional tax software providers recognize the value of early adoption, and will offer heavily discounted services or even include processing of extension returns at little to no cost for firms committing to their platform. This opportunity, while clearly ROI-positive from a cost perspective, is far more strategically important than you might realize. The best time to get your firm fully onboarded and proficient with new tax software is during the relative calm of extension season, typically May through October.

In the world of tax accounting, seasonality reigns supreme. Potential headaches such as meticulous data conversion, validating that data, customizing software settings, and learning an entirely new tax workflow should take place when your team has the mental bandwidth and capacity to address them thoroughly. This proactive approach helps avoid in-season disasters and sets your firm up for success.

5 reasons why extension season is the golden window for onboarding

1. There is ample time for thorough implementation: Extension season provides the necessary runway to not just install the software, but to truly integrate it. This includes:

• Meticulous data conversion and validation: Migrating client data is only half the battle; validating its accuracy in the new system is crucial and takes time.
• Customization and configuration: Tailor the software to your firm’s specific needs, set up templates, and integrate it with other existing tools without the pressure of imminent deadlines.
• Comprehensive staff training: Conduct in-depth training sessions. Allow staff to practice with non-critical returns—perhaps those on extension—ask questions, and become comfortable with all facets of the new system.
• Workflow adaptation and optimization: Map out and refine your firm’s processes to align with the new software, identifying efficiencies along the way.

2. You’ll have a lower-stakes learning environment: Using the software to prepare actual extension returns provides invaluable real-world experience. These returns, while important, generally have less immediate urgency than those during peak season. This allows staff to learn and even make minor mistakes without catastrophic consequences.

3. Vendor support is available: Tax software vendors are often less inundated with support requests during the off-season. This can mean more dedicated attention and quicker turnaround times for any questions or issues that arise during your onboarding process.

4. Enable proactive problem solving: Early onboarding allows you to identify and resolve any unforeseen issues, whether technical or process-related, well before they can impact your busiest period.

5. Build confidence and competence: When January arrives, your team won’t be grappling with unfamiliar software. Instead, they’ll approach tax season with confidence, proficient in the new system and ready to leverage its full potential from day one.

Making the smart move

Delaying the transition to and mastery of your new tax software until the 11th hour is a gamble that rarely pays off. By strategically using the extension season to onboard, you will transform a potentially chaotic period into a controlled, productive, and empowering process for your entire firm. You’ll not only beat the inevitable rush, but position your practice for a smoother, more efficient, and less stressful tax season ahead. Don’t just manage the next tax season; master it by making early onboarding non-negotiable.

Find out more about how Intuit® ProConnect™ Tax can make your firm more efficient.