The problem
Clients have to approve their return before you file it, and chasing paper or emailed PDFs takes time. If you file 180 returns a year and each approval takes 12 minutes of sending and chasing, that's 2,160 minutes, 36 hours a year, 3 hours a month.
What the AI does
TaxCalc's eSign Centre sends documents for signing, with automatic reminders, tracking of which are signed or outstanding, and an audit trail. The page says you can attach documents from Tax Return Production, Accounts Production and VAT Filer. It offers Advanced Electronic Signatures and charges per envelope. The page shows documents attached from TaxCalc's return, accounts and VAT products; check with TaxCalc whether eSign can be bought without them.
A worked example
A tax adviser in Bristol files 180 Self Assessment returns a year using TaxCalc Tax Return Production, which she already uses; it isn't part of the £20 a month below. She sends each client the draft for online approval, instead of emailing a PDF and waiting for a reply.
Before
12 minutes to send and chase each of 180 approvals: 2,160 minutes, 36 hours a year (3 hours a month)
After
About 5 minutes: 900 minutes, 15 hours a year (1.25 hours a month)
What it's worth
About 21 hours a year saved (7 minutes x 180 returns = 1,260 minutes), roughly 1.75 hours a month, worth around £70 a month if your time is worth £40 an hour. Cost is 250 envelopes for £245 (about £20 a month over a year), excluding VAT; your TaxCalc return software is extra.
How to set it up
- Check with TaxCalc whether eSign can be bought without its return software, since the page shows documents attached from its return, accounts and VAT products.
- Take the free trial, which includes one free envelope, and send yourself a test.
- Decide which clients can sign online and keep a paper route for the rest.
- Send the return only after you've checked it and recorded the filing deadline in your primary diary.
- Filter outstanding approvals weekly and chase by phone as filing deadlines near.
What goes wrong
- Online approval doesn't make a return right. You check the figures before it goes to the client and before you file.
- The reminders are no substitute for your deadline system. Unsigned returns still need chasing before the filing date.
- The page doesn't say where data is hosted. Ask TaxCalc, and check it for UK GDPR.
- Envelopes are pay as you go; an unused pack stays on the account, but a high-volume season can use them faster than you expect.