practice management

[sdtaxman]

Now that tax season is over and I am evaluating the last season, it has become apparent to me that I may need some practice managment software to better track projects, assign and delegate them better and maintain accurate time records. What do you use for this purpose? Does anyone have experience with a software package that they like and helps with all of these functions? Any feedback is appreciated.

I am looking at a product called Office Tools Pro and wondering if any one has used that in the past?

Thank you,

[Snaggletooth]

How Big Are You?

This is not the answer you want, but unless you have a very large practice, you will spend more time filling out the software than using your own knowledge. Here are some items that come to mind:

1. Looking back, you probably are remembering a few "snags" in a few returns that really gummed up you or your staff. Or it could have been poor procedure planning on the part of one of your people. Some of the tar-baby returns that caused the problems may have been really unique in nature. Would procedural software address the processing of that one-in-a-thousand freak return? Probably not -- if it does it may be sacrificing the largesse.

2. I was a member of a 6-man proposal team, and the manager began using Microsoft Project. He spent more time nursemaiding the software input than he did reviewing and managing the people. When the proposal had to be submitted, only the manager was late in his submissions.

3. If there are people performance problems, your people probably know more of the solution than you do. Ask them.

4. These software solutions are often sold by salesmen who purport that the software will manage people and procedures. Small business owners and managers jump at the opportunity, only to find out their own common sense solutions work better than "the box."

I'm not suggesting that organization and procedure is not important, but unless you have an absolutely huge practice, organization and procedure solutions are vested in yourself and your staff -- and are free.

[erchess]

I hate to disagree with Snags but

I managed a medium sized tax business at one point before I went out on my own. I had I think 20 Tax Prep Workstations, a front desk,, a station where returns were efiled,, and a table where we matched client checks that were printed elsewhere and brought in with client files. I had all told about 30 preparers and three Receptionists, all of whom were part time. This office cranked out around 32K returns (mostly simple) per season.
I used software to keep up with most of the work flow other than receiving checks from across town and matching them to client files. Now that I am on my own my tax prep software has all the practice management tools I need but I can't imagine not having all there is to know about the work of an office not being on its computer network

I have to assume that if snags has other preparers who work with him he has some system other than memory and scratchpaper for keeping up with who is doing what for which client.

[Nashville]

32,000 returns

I don't know that Snags has a disagreement if you were preparing 32,000 returns.

[erchess]

Good Point

I don't know that Snags has a disagreement if you were preparing 32,000 returns.

I am now at th other end of the spectrum working by myself and of course I don't need all the software tools I once had.

[Lion]

Software

Having evaluated tax prep software just last off-season, attending seminars and webinars and talking to salesman and reading catalogs, etc., I found that most tax prep software capable of handling complex returns or large volumes of returns also have a "practice management" module available for sale. They have lots of different names for it, and sometimes it's several smaller modules. But, I'd start with the tax prep software you know and love to see what that company has to offer. See if they have a web demo. Tell us what tax prep software you use and ask if anyone uses that company's practice management software.