In a recent survey, CPA firms were asked what process related headaches they would like to reduce or eliminate. Here’s what they said:
- Bottlenecks that slow things down (mentioned by 48 percent of respondents)
- Duplication of work (46 percent)
- Poor interaction between departments (39 percent)
- Difficulty locating needed documents (33 percent)
- Lack of business process visibility (27 percent).
Sound familiar?
Now picture this:
- You know where every file is and who is working on it.
- Team members are automatically notified when they need to take action in a process.
- You know what stage every project or assignment is in.
- Every file in the office is trackable.
- When work comes in, it is automatically assigned.
- Client review process is streamlined and efficient.
Ready to jump into the deep end of the workflow pool? Hold on – all workflow solutions are not the same. Here are some things to consider:
- The workflow embedded in accounting or tax suites may not work for your firm. Keep in mind it is your process you want to set up. Not necessarily the one the defined in your suite.
- Workflow is more than task identification. Many so-called workflow solutions allow you to set up your tasks and activities but offer little more. Find a solution that allows you to set up your business logic, your way. This is where you’ll get the biggest bang for your buck and reduce your firms’ process related headaches.