I have a practice with approx. 600 clients and I am starting to find it hard to remember all of the filing dates etc. for each client, knowing exactly what my staff are up to and the stage of each client’s job. I therefore believe that I need a practice management software.
I have looked at all of the previous threads on this subject and I have spent many hours looking at the different recommendations however I don’t really appear to have found the exact product that I am looking for.
Therefore I was hoping that someone may be able to help me.
Key features I would like:
Be able to check client’s records in – when they are received in the office, this will allow us to make sure that jobs are completed in order. (Prioritising jobs which have been in for a longer period of time)
Be able to assign clients to different members of staff
Be able to allocate workloads to the team depending on the jobs in etc. e.g. produce weekly/monthly calendars for each member of staff.
Print reports of different tasks which are becoming due (e.g. file tax return, annual return due, complete payroll etc.)
Be able to print reports on the work being completed by members of staff.
Things which are not needed but may be helpful are:
Mail merge on mass
Timesheet recording and billing
I would be grateful if anyone has come across any systems like this and if they could point me in the direction.
Many thanks
Replies (12)
Please login or register to join the discussion.
Practice Manager
I have used this in two practices and have always thought it a really good product: http://www.mbpracticemanager.com/
Booking in
Thanks Steve,
I have looked at that one but I cannot see, from their website, if it has the function of being able to book records in and allocate different jobs to members of staff.
I will however contact them as I believe they offer a free trial.
Thanks
You can indeed and it shows you on various reports the clients who records you hold by a little book next to the name and it has a full scheduling module which works well once you get to grips with it.
With 600 clients ...
... IRIS would do well for you. Each job has stages, of which booking in and out can be one. You can allocate staff tasks which will appear on their dashboard. With Automail you can mailmerge what you like and they also have a staff planning module for allocating time to staff. They also have time recording and billing.
It all works off a single SQL database so client data needs only be held once.
It also has excellent facilities for communication tracking, including e-mails, can handle scanned documents and you can make notes of all conversations and telephone calls with clients.
APS
I know APS (Advanced Practice Solutions) will be able to do all and also integrates with the Interwoven document managment solution, but may be a bit overkill and the price would be quite high.
Visual Planning can do all you ask and more e.g. will update staff's outlook or google calendars automatically. Have a look at the website.
http://www.visual-planning.com/en/
It is "drag and drop" software so very easy to use.
Iris seconded
Iris PM (+ Time & Fees) as been doing all of that, and more, for over 10 years now and the job planning & management is completely editable, so you can set up whatever job stages you want from chasing the client for their books, logging them in, chasing for missing info, doing the work, reviewing, approving & submitting.
As OGA says Automail is fully integrated and we use it not only to generate stuff to send out eg checklists & letters of rep but also internal docs, like planning & review sheets & money laundering checks, all of which are linked to and generated by the relevant job stages.
You can also set up your own internal jobs, like new client take up, with tailored terms of engagement, old client get rid-ofs (aka disengagement) quoting/billing routines etc.
I'm now down to 60ish clients and wouldn't be without Iris PM, how on earth have you managed without something like this with 600?? Do you have any hair left?
IRIS definitely...
We have clients using all the main solutions available. Your shopping list is extensive and whilst you can spend days cobbling together a system, IRIS (although not the cheapest) is the best you will find right now.
You get what you pay for......
CCH Practice Management software allows partners and managers to plan ahead, assigning work to avoid bottlenecks and meet deadlines. Here is link to CCH Practice Management and they really are making a difference to a lot of firms, sole practitioners and bigger, way of working efficiently. http://tinyurl.com/crh7h9y
PaulWK?
Given your post above, on other threads and the WK in your name, am I right in thinking you are connected with CCH in more than a user capacity?