As we migrated from a manual to an all digital environment on the tax side of our practice, it was only natural that we moved into the area of tax document automation.  Tax document automation is viewed as the ability to populate tax preparation software, automatically (with little or no human intervention) from a digital image of a source document such as a W-2, 1099, K-1, 1098, etc.

We evaluated the use of this technology for our 2007 tax season, but with poor vendor demos and test runs and lackluster recommendations, we opted not to deploy the technology at that time.

For our 2008 tax season we looked at new vendor in this space. We were very pleased with the test runs and quite frankly extremely impressed with the performance of the technology. After following up on some encouraging recommendations, we contracted for a certain minimum number of returns to run through their process. At WS+B we chose two of our profit centers to test the technology before full firm-wide deployment.

The test was a complete success. A key to the success was the vendor’s knowledge of our tax application and the vendor’s continued hands-on involvement throughout all of tax season. Whenever we did have a problem or blip in performance, the vendor was engaged and extremely helpful in bringing a quick resolution to the problem.

Our key to successful implementations at WS+B is our “top down” approach to deployment of new technologies. Whenever we contemplate deployment of new technologies, we form a task force. That task force is comprised of a representative from every discipline and profit center within the firm. Once the new technology has been vetted through that process and approved at that level, contract terms are negotiated and then the entire package is brought to our management committee.

When buy-in has been secured from the management committee, obtaining buy-in from the remaining stakeholders (directors and shareholders) is also critical to the success of the deployment. Once the management buy-in process has been completed, the rest is easy.  I have learned over time that the masses will accept a new process so long as they don’t get a mixed message from the management team. When management gives a mixed message to the masses you run the risk of having the deployment and implementation fail miserably.

The bottom line is that when a decision has been made to move forward, there is no looking back. We encourage all of our shareholders to be supportive of the group decision once made.