why client portals fail: understanding file transfer ... · 90 minutes (education, demo, q&a)...

Why Client Portals Fail: Understanding File Transfer Solutions and Alternatives

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Administrative Items

cPaperless, LLC

Paperless tools for the tax & accounting industry Products

Adobe Acrobat Plug-In Next Generation Client Portal & File Sharing E-Signatures for Accountants (First to Market) 2,500+ Customers and 20,000+ Accountants Steve Dusablon

President & CEO (800) 716-2558 x 110 Steve.Dusablon@cPaperless.com

Our Clients Experience with our Client Portal

Sharing Our Research Project

Options for secure file exchange and encrypted email CPA SafeMail and CPA SafeSign

Q&A

Webcast Agenda

Our Companies Story and our Clients Experience

Client Portals

Tax Vendor Client Portals • cPaperless, CCH, Thomson Reuters, Creative Solutions, eFileCabinet,

emochilla, etc. Broad Based File Transfer Solutions

Market Research: Accounting Industry

• Interviewed over 2,500 firms • Surveyed 100 firms

The Bottom Line

• Shocking truths revealed about Client Portal adoption rates

The Research Project

Sharing Our Research

Taxpayers Experience 1. History of file exchange 2. Document types and sizes 3. Frequency of transfer

Staffs Experience 4. Document exchange workflow

The Research Project

PROBLEM STARTS: • Fact: Accounting firms report that less

than 35% of their clients adopt their Client Portal or File Exchange Solution.

Massachusetts 201 CMR 17.00 • Identity theft on the rise • Breach of privacy laws are clearly

defined • Client confidentiality and document

security becomes a big issue

Can’t Email These Files Anymore

THE BOTTOM LINE • Firms are buying portals for secure file

exchange & online storage • Less than 35% of clients will adopt • Remaining 65% use email • Your firm needs to use email for secure file

exchange

Accounting Document Types

Transfer Solution

Research Item #1: History of Secure File Exchange

Poll #1: Firms are purchasing Client Portals primarily for secure file transfer and online storage

Poll #2: Less than 35% of your clients will adopt your Client Portal or File Exchange Solution

Understanding why 65% don’t adopt 1. Document type and size 2. Frequency of transfer 3. Login required 4. Impact of the above three on the users experience

Easy to profile successful vs. unsuccessful adaptor's

Evaluating Polling Results

Document Type % of Transfers

Document Formats

Frequency Of Transfer

Encryption Required

Signature Required

Large Files • QuickBooks

Small Files • Tax Returns • Power of Attorney (2848) • Fed e-file Authorization (8879) • State e-file Authorization • Extensions (4868) • Payroll Reports • Attestation Reports • Client Organizers • Various Word & Excel files • Contract & Transaction docs

Signature Required • Engagement Letters • Client Consent Forms

12%

88%

Monthly

No

Yes No

Annually Yes Some

Annually Yes

Research Item #2: Evaluating Document Types

Most firms are using a solution designed for 12% of their files to send 100% of their documents

Firms should focus on the 88% of documents • Typical tax Client: For 75% of your clients, you only send them a

copy of their tax return and Form 8879 once a year

Firms should understand how Frequency of Transfer impacts the taxpayers experience

File Size & Frequency of Transfer

Research Item #3: Frequency of Transfer

Client Staff

File Drop Off • If No Login • Minimal issues

Large Files (12%) • Bookkeeping & payroll • High Frequency • Client is familiar • Minimal issues

Small Files (88%) • Typical tax client • Low Frequency • Client is NOT familiar • Numerous Issues • Circle of Frustration and

Inefficiency

As simple as it sounds,

this process causes problems….

Circle of Frustration & Inefficiency

1) Staff sends a client small file(s) with a large file transfer solution

4) Client Forgets password & sends e-mail back to staff

5) Staff is in middle of tax season and sends email to IT to handle

6) IT Staff has to resend password to client

7) Client logins in, but can’t figure out how to download file(s)

2) Client receives email notification

3) Client clicks a link to login and download files

8) Why can’t they just email it to me?

9) Staff spends 5 – 10 minutes converting files to PDF, adding watermarks & manually adding password and encryption

10) Client receives PDF files, but wants to save or forward to their banker and needs to remove the password

11) Client sends email to staff asking for unencrypted file

12) Staff is at a loss, and emails the file without encryption

Circle of Frustration & Inefficiency

Defining the Next Generation File Exchange Solutions…

Research Item #4: Document Exchange Workflow

Client

Staff

Gather Documents

Request Documents

Process Transfer

Convert to PDF

Format

Change Documents

Add Password & Encrypt

Add Signature

1)Login & Download 2)Storage

Print Documents Sign

Scan & Email or Fax Back

Mail Back

Scan Mailed

Copies To PDF

Store in DMS

Send Documents

1)Login & Download 2)Storage

Client Portal / File Share

CPA SafeMail

Print Documents Sign

Scan & Email or Fax Back

Mail Back

Scan Mailed

Copies To PDF

File Preparation

Convert to PDF

Format

Change Documents

Add Password & Encrypt

Add Signature

Client Portal or File Share System Sign Documents

Rename Files

Rename Files

Add Watermark

Add Watermark

CPA SafeSign

Send Documents

1)Login & Download 2)Storage

Research Item #4: Document Exchange Workflow

Options for Secure File Transfer

What are your options?

Security Dilemma Secure file exchange is not easy! Numerous encryption types, levels & methods of application As security increases, ease of use decreases

• Buy the best encryption & security, but none of your clients will use it Clients will forget their passwords

• For 75% of your clients you only send them information once a year

Important Take Away • You can’t control all the client variables (sophistication, OS, firewalls, etc.) • No solution is perfect, none will provide 100% adoption

What’s my password?

Options for Secure File Exchange

Client Portals • Files uploaded to a server, email with link sent to client • Password authentication

Broad based solutions

• Files uploaded to a server, email with link sent to client • Password authentication

Fact: Less than 35% of your clients will adopt these systems

• File type & size, frequency of transfer • Password authentication

Encrypted Email - For 65%

• Using encrypted email is the only way to get 90% adoption

Options for Encrypted Email

Your clients know how to use Email Server based encrypted Email

• ZixMail, Smarsh, Ziptr, Secured-Accountant • Email text body and attachments go to a web server instead of email • Client receives an email notification to login and read message / download files • Password authentication

Outlook security certificates

• No passwords • Requires Outlook, purchase certificates and public key transfer • Expensive & impossible to deploy in the tax & accounting industry

Still no answer. This isn’t easy! Encrypted PDF files in Email attachments

• Very effective if done properly, achieving 90% adoption • Join webcast on how PDF Encryption Works

The Power of PDF Encryption Encryption

• Anyone can manually apply with Acrobat Standard or Professional, or Acrobat alternative

• Encrypts all document contents with RC4 or AES password based encryption • 40-bit, 128-bit or 256-bit encryption available • Application is time consuming, cumbersome & error prone (can be automated)

Files sent through regular email as attachments Decryption

• Client only needs Adobe Acrobat Reader (FREE Version) • One of the most widely distributed FREE software applications in the world • Pre-installed on most computers & devices, and easily downloadable

Your firm can leverage this to your benefit

• Easy to use - clients are familiar with it • Most people already have the software • FREE

The Power of PDF Encryption

Low High

Adoption 100% 50% 0%

Security

The Power of PDF Encryption

Low High

Adoption 100% 50% 0%

Email

Outlook Security

Certificates

Client Portal & File Share

Encrypted PDF Files Send as Link

ZixMail, Smarsh or Ziptr

Security

Why do 35% adopt? Monthly, frequent or savvy users (trained) Large files Bookkeeping, payroll, business management and Corporate

Why do 65% not adopt?

Annual, infrequent & non-savvy users Small files Typical 1040 tax client

So what do you do? Send unencrypted files Use an encrypted email solution Manually encrypt PDF files Train the remaining 65%?

Full time job - does it make sense to invest in this? A process that 75% of clients only use once a year for 2 minutes

Does secure file transfer have to be complicated?

Summary

Acknowledge CPA SafeMail is a Portal Our Portal has the same issues. Understand them and educate the market Profile the Portal users

Unlock the Power of Adobe Acrobat

Automate the PDF encryption process Leverage the widespread distribution of Acrobat Reader Most taxpayers already have Reader installed

Simplify file sharing for the 65% you send a copy of tax return

and 8879 once a year Secure E-Mail attachments No login is required!!! Minimize taxpayer training

Automate all 13 steps of the workflow process

Strive for 90% adoption rates

What We Did

Moving From 35% to 90% Adoption

Client Staff

File Drop Off • Minimal issues

Large Files (12%) • High Frequency • Minimal issues

Small Files (88%) • Send as Encrypted email

(PDF files) • Minimal issues

E-Signature • First and only to market

Bonus • Automate 13 workflow steps

Not once in this demo will the client or staff have

to login to a portal or file transfer system!

Next Generation File Sharing!

Ease of Use – No Login Required

PRODUCT DEMONSTRATION

Q&A

System Requirements

System Requirements

Staff • Microsoft Outlook 2007 or 2010 • Microsoft Office 2007 or 2010 • Internet Connection • Adobe Acrobat Reader (Free version)

• Standard or Professional required to modify a PDF file before sending • Citrix or Terminal Server compatible

Clients

• Internet Connection • Any Email System • Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0 or higher (Free version)

What do we do next?

Next Steps

FREE 30 Day Trials Available to all members of your firm! Contact Us:

Web: www.cPaperless.com

Email: sales@cPaperless.com

Phone: (800) 716-2558 x 100