What is a client portal, and why your firm needs one (Sponsored)

A client portal allows you to share documents with your clients across the internet securely. It’s a two-way solution, allowing clients to upload documents into the portal, eSign documents you request and retrieve historical documents without any input needed from your firm.

A client portal will typically sit on your website and allow clients to log in with a username and password to access, view, upload or download documents. This password-protected area is critical, enabling sensitive information to be stored and shared without any security vulnerabilities associated with sending documents over email.

Below are six benefits of a client portal and why you should implement one for your firm:

1. Never lose an email or file. Often, searching for a specific file or communication in your inbox can be frustrating. A client portal allows you and your clients to send, receive, and access documents from one, easy-to-view location.
2. Access files securely anytime, anywhere. A client portal gives you access to your files, regardless of your location. Don’t lose valuable time because a file exists only on one machine that might be temporarily inaccessible. Plus, using a portal ensures sensitive documents are sent securely and in accordance with GDPR.
3. Sign documents instantly. With eSignature integration, a client portal lets clients sign documents easily from any location, on any device. Built-in tracking enables you to see who has opened or signed a document, so you can easily view any bottlenecks.
4. Back-up files with version history. Document version history provides a backup of your files in case of deletion or errors in recent versions. Avoid hunting for an old version or requesting a copy from your client.
5. Organise files automatically. Request documents in batch from your clients, and when they’re uploaded, have them auto-routed to the correct client folder for efficient filing.
6. Automate notifications. Thanks to automatic notifications, you and your clients can be immediately alerted when a file is uploaded, downloaded, or signed. Your staff can rely on these notifications to ensure you have the information you need to begin work, and clients enjoy instant access to their documents when you’re finished.

Want to know more about client portals? Download the Definitive Guide to a Client Portal for Accountants for free: https://go.smartvault.com/client-portal-CAI

Alternatively, book a demo with SmartVault to see a client portal in action, and claim a 20% discount, plus unlimited storage and unlimited clients as a Chartered Accountants Ireland Member: https://go.smartvault.com/book-a-demo-CAI

(This article is sponsored by SmartVault.)