TaxWorkFlow Review: Features, Pricing & Alternatives for 2023
This article is part of a larger series on Accounting Software.
TaxWorkFlow is a tax and accounting practice management solution that helps tax firms and professionals speed up their accounting and internal and client-facing communication processes. It’s a unique hybrid solution that combines the speed of desktop software and the accessibility of a cloud-based app. In addition to basic accounting tools, like invoicing and time tracking, it offers specialized features, like customer relationship management (CRM) and document management. TaxWorkFlow charges an annual fee of $1,500 per firm.
Pros
- Combines the speed of desktop software and accessibility of a cloud-based app
- Includes CRM features, including the ability to create email marketing campaigns
- Supports an unlimited number of users
- Has a convenient client-facing tax portal
- Strong project management features, including the ability to set up recurring projects
- Integrates with several accounting solutions, including QuickBooks
Cons
- More expensive than most other similar providers; doesn’t offer monthly plans
- Desktop software requires installation
- Bookkeeping software must be purchased separately and then integrated
- No direct access to your client’s books
- Limited mobile app; can’t be used to send invoices
- Tax firms providing ongoing services, such as tax filing: TaxWorkFlow, as the name suggests, is designed to help tax firms improve their tax and accounting-related processes through customized workflow templates. This makes it our best accounting practice management software for tax firms.
- Tax and accounting firms seeking a hybrid desktop/cloud solution: TaxWorkFlow uses a native Windows interface, with the option to store your data in the cloud or in-house. This means you can work on your data with the usability and speed of desktop software while having online access to your data.
- Accounting firms seeking an effective CRM system: TaxWorkFlow organizes client contacts, documents, emails, notes, tasks, projects, and billings for each client, providing you with an immediate snapshot of their status, pending tasks or problems, and historical records.
- Firms that require assistance with staff management: TaxWorkFlow uses templates to automate the tasks involved in a project, and you can assign these tasks to your employees. The software micromanages your workflow by using workflow rules to fill up your team’s to-do lists along with deadlines and priorities.
- Accounting firms that work with clients using QuickBooks Online: If any of your clients use QuickBooks Online, then QuickBooks Online Accountant is necessary to access their files.
- Accounting firms that serve clients using Xero: If you have clients using Xero, then you should use Xero Practice Manager.
- Accounting firms that manage QuickBooks Desktop clients and offer full-service payroll: TaxWorkFlow has no payroll management features. A good alternative is QuickBooks Desktop Accountant, which offers full-service payroll.
- Small accounting firms: If you want a budget-friendly monthly plan with similar features, check out Jetpack Workflow, which we ranked as one of the best accounting practice management applications. Prices currently start at $45 a month, per user, with unlimited jobs, documents, and clients.
TaxWorkFlow Deciding Factors
Supported Users | Tax firms and professionals who want the ability to select where to host data (in-house or in the cloud) |
Pricing | $1,500 per year |
Standout Features |
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Free Trial | Free trial period through a webinar; the TaxWorkFlow team will set up and customize the system to your needs, and you’ll only pay if you’re satisfied with the setup |
Customer Support | Phone and email, quick start guides, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) |
TaxWorkFlow Alternatives
Best for: Firms with clients using QuickBooks Online | Best for: Firms that serve QuickBooks Desktop clients | Best for: Firms seeking an affordable monthly plan |
Cost: Free with enrollment in the QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor program, which is also free | Cost: Free with enrollment in the QuickBooks Desktop ProAdvisor program, which is $799 per year | Cost: Starting at $45 per user, per month |
TaxWorkFlow Pricing
TaxWorkFlow is available at a flat annual fee of $1,500, which includes free support and unlimited access to all features. The annual fee remains the same as long as you’re a client, and it allows for unlimited users. You’ll also receive free training to help you maximize the benefits of TaxWorkFlow.
Tip:
New users can sign up for TaxWorkFlow for free for six months without subscription fees or initial deposits. This limited-time offer is an effort by TaxWorkFlow to help businesses stay productive during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you choose TaxWorkFlow to manage your firm, you’ll also need to choose a separate bookkeeping software. Check out our review of the best small business accounting software for help.
TaxWorkFlow Features
The software incorporates many powerful capabilities, allowing every step of the tax preparation process to be managed and completed in an accurate and efficient manner. Here are some of the highlights.
This gives you access to your client’s files, and it integrates with the document management system. Your clients can use the portal to upload documents securely to the TaxWorkFlow database, which you’ll be able to access. Client appointments, documents that need to be signed, and invoices to be paid can also be viewed from the client portal.
TaxWorkFlow Client Portal (Source: TaxWorkFlow)
You can look up your clients quickly with a keyword search, and the dashboard itself is customizable. You can add or remove columns or group clients by various criteria, such as by state or entity type.
When you open a client’s record, on the left navigation bar, you’ll see all the relevant information about various aspects of the client record. You can take notes for the client with an embedded timestamp, which can be used as a historical record of the information you have updated.
TaxWorkFlow’s client management system (Source: TaxWorkFlow)
The ability to store emails inside TaxWorkFlow enhances your productivity because you can assign emails to a task or create projects from the email easily. The built-in email integration feature captures emails from your client so that you can retain correspondence for historical purposes and reply directly within the software.
Another feature of the workflow is problem-solving, in which email communications can be used to solve those problems. There are different email templates available for different situations like birthday or holiday greetings. These can be customized to be used for a certain context so that you don’t have to type the same information repeatedly.
From the email management dashboard, you can execute several tasks, such as Edit Email Reply, Reply All, Forward, Assign Email to a Client, Assign Email to a Project, and Assign Email to a Task:
Edit Email form in TaxWorkFlow (Source: TaxWorkFlow)
TaxWorkFlow enables you to create a task and assign it to a team member and track the status until it’s completed. You can create a new task, such as interview client, review file, or print tax return, from the Create task page under the Workflow menu. You can specify the deadline and priority level and add instructions or attach notes if needed.
Creating a new task in TaxWorkFlow (Source: TaxWorkflow)
If you have multiple tasks to manage, then you can organize them into projects. Projects in TaxWorkFlow are a group of tasks that include a predefined set of instructions in sequential order. Projects are useful if you use the same sequence of steps for different clients.
To add a new project, click on Workflow and then select Create project. You can create a project from a template, assign it to a client or project manager, and add deadlines. You can also set up recurring projects or duplicate them if you need to use the same instructions in your existing project as well as attach files, including expense reports and bank statements.
Creating a new project in TaxWorkFlow (Source: TaxWorkflow)
The workflow is a combination of the project, task, and problem. It’s driven by templates, just like emails or documents. There are templates for your projects, your tasks, and your problems, and they describe how it operates.
For example, a sequence of steps created by your staff in a certain order would comprise one workflow. These steps can be customized, and you can also define the rules and how you would like to route tasks to different people. Essentially, you can delegate task management to TaxWorkFlow using workflow rules.
Workflow management system in TaxWorkFlow (Source: TaxWorkFlow)
You can add new staff users to TaxWorkFlow by sending them an email invitation. You can customize their data access based on their roles in the company. The system also allows you to create a task, track how much time your staff uses on a project, adjust priorities as needed, and create productivity reports based on their performance.
Document management is very similar to email syncing because you can set up TaxWorkFlow to sync a folder or many folders that contain your client’s documents. It gives you more syncing options because you can sync multiple locations into one single database.
There are many ways that you can put documents into TaxWorkFlow. You can attach these documents to tasks or projects, and they’ll end up in the document management system. You can drag and drop them or attach files from your local file system. The system is flexible enough to accommodate various acquisitions and delivery of documents to and from your clients, which are organized into folders.
TaxWorkFlow’s document management system (Source: TaxWorkFlow)
TaxWorkFlow lets you automatically track billable time by using the time tracking buttons in the toolbar. Click the “Begin work” button to start tracking time and click “End work” to finish recording. Alternatively, you can add time entries manually by clicking the “Add work” button.
When entering a work time, you need to select the user for whom you want to record a time entry. You can specify the duration, change start and end work data and time, and mark the billing status as billable.
Adding a time entry manually in TaxWorkFlow
Time entries can be converted into an estimate or invoice, which can be emailed to your clients. To view work time by your staff, click on the Billing menu and select View User Work Time:
View work time in TaxWorkFlow (Source: TaxWorkFlow)
You can create an invoice quickly in TaxWorkFlow using the invoice wizard. Before you use the wizard, you need to add prices for the services you offer. Once the prices are set, go to the Billing page and click on Services Invoice Wizard.
The invoicing form lets you add details, such as work time item, invoice credit item, and referral credit. Unfortunately, TaxWorkFlow’s invoices aren’t as professional and customizable as other solutions like QuickBooks Online and FreshBooks.
Sample invoice created in TaxWorkFlow (Source: TaxWorkFlow)
TaxWorkFlow integrates with QuickBooks Online to provide more accounting features, such as improved invoicing and bank reconciliation. This connection also lets you upload your QuickBooks clients automatically using predefined templates as well as import and export data, such as invoices and estimates.
Tip: Before importing your client information from QuickBooks, ensure that QuickBooks and QBFC13.0 are installed on your computer. If you’re using TaxWorkFlow 2.0.0.41210 or a later version, then the QBFC13.0 file is already included in your package. Otherwise, you need to download QBFC13.0 and then install it separately.
The TaxWorkFlow mobile application allows you to view the list of your tasks, projects, and problems. From the mobile dashboard, you can access quick links to execute different tasks. You can also navigate the app from the menu. The mobile app is available on Google Play and the App Store. To connect the mobile app to your TaxWorkFlow database, click on the File menu on your desktop app, select Connection Settings, and then scan the quick response (QR) code that shows up using the app.
TaxWorkFlow mobile app (Source: TaxWorkFlow)
TaxWorkflow Customer Service & Ease of Use
TaxWorkFlow’s intuitive native Windows interface makes it very user-friendly and offers enhanced data storage capacity in the cloud. You’ll enjoy the fast processing speed and ease of use that you get from a PC desktop platform, plus the advantages of collaboration, sharing, and productivity that come from working in the cloud.
When you get stuck with something, you can send an email for support or talk to an agent over the phone. Also, during the trial period, the TaxWorkFlow team will train your staff and customize the system to your needs. This means there’s no need for you to learn how to install or set it up.
TaxWorkFlow User Reviews
As of this writing (January 2023), there are no TaxWorkFlow user reviews on third-party websites.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Does TaxWorkFlow back up my data?
TaxWorkFlow replicates clients’ data in real time and stores them off-site to ensure that they’re immediately available in case an unexpected event, such as disasters or power outages, happens.
Can I get my data if I stop my subscription?
Yes, you can, and the TaxWorkFlow team will even help you migrate your data to your new system.
How can I migrate my data from TaxWorkflow to another platform and vice versa?
TaxWorkFlow enables you to import or export your existing data using Excel spreadsheets.
Bottom Line
TaxWorkFlow provides a complete tax and accounting practice management solution for tax firms and professionals who want to improve their profitability and productivity. The pricing structure isn’t as flexible as other software, but it offers a robust set of features that you won’t find in most accounting practice management solutions.
Also, the ability to store your data in-house or in the cloud lets you choose your storage option based on your compliance and security preferences. TaxWorkFlow’s powerful CRM system is also useful to enhance internal and client-facing communication.