Client Portal for Accountants

For accountancy firms, one of the biggest operational costs is client communications. Extensive back and forth with clients can quickly lead to a large burden on admin teams. In turn, this undermines profitability.

One solution is to give clients a secure and efficient platform for managing files, information, and data. This streamlines communications and empowers customers to take control over their own admin needs.

What is a client portal?

A client portal is a secure, private platform, where clients can manage key admin tasks. Users can edit their details, submit information, and view documents that have been shared with them.

Beyond this basic functionality client portals often have more specific features, depending on the business’ specific requirements. Given that accountants handle sensitive information, the core requirement of a client portal is securely storing and sharing files.

Why do accountancy businesses use client portals?

Accounting firms use client portals to reduce operational costs, cut admin time, and provide better client experiences. As accountancy companies grow, it quickly becomes necessary to centralize admin and communication workflows, to remain profitable.

Additionally, digital portals provide improved client experiences. Rather than needing to contact your team, clients can simply access all of their documentation in one convenient location.

What should a client portal for accountants contain?

Client portals for accountants are primarily used for secure file transfer and document management. They should also streamline key admin and communications processes.

This includes:

• Submission of documents,
• Information requests,
• Changes of details,
• And more.

Client portals are most effective when they closely match your existing internal processes.

Our client portal for accountants

Our client portal for accountants is designed to reduce admin time, and provide incredible client experiences.

Our template offers:

• Customizable design.
• Client service workflows.
• Automations.
• Intuitive UI.
• Tiered permissions.
• External database support.
• Responsive design.
• Flexible hosting & deployment.
• Third-party integrations.
• Secure file transfers.

Use our open-source, low-code platform to build deployable client portals, in minutes.

Self-service admin tools

Our client portal template empowers users to take control of their own accounts. The template is built around three data sets, for document submissions, document requests, and client information.

Users can manipulate and query each of these databases, through intuitive and user-friendly app screens.

Allow your clients to view project files and change their information, anywhere, at any time.

Document storage, transfer, and requests

Document management is one of the major challenges for accounting firms. One element of this is security. Countless firms rely on unsecured file-sharing tools, with many simply using email attachments to send documents.

Beyond this, there’s the challenge of centralizing information. Any accountant will tell you that clients often request the same information, time and time again.

Using a client portal for file management solves both of these problems. Our portal template allows your clients to send, receive, view, and request different kinds of documents, in a single, intuitive location.

Workflow automation

Client portals enable accountants to automate key workflows. These days, accountancy is a heavily automated field. Creating an effective client portal is the first step towards creating efficient, automated admin processes.

Budibase offers a vast library of built-in automations for querying and manipulating data. Automations can be triggered from any action within our template. Use third-party integrations to trigger automations in external tools.

Our low-code platform also offers a built-in JavaScript editor. Build custom automations, to perfectly match even the most complex internal processes.

Streamlined communications

A client portal for accountants is a powerful tool for streamlining communications. Our portal template eliminates most common client interactions, providing a secure platform to send and request documentation.

Add your SMTP credentials to send email notifications to your clients when their project changes or a new file is added.

Our template also offers a convenient platform for your internal team to find and contact clients. Under the admin panel, each client’s contact information is detailed. We’ve even provided functionality to quickly email clients, using the mailto command.

Check out our call-back form template , for a standalone contact form app.

Access control

Of course, it’s vital to control the data and features that different portal users can access. Your clients and your internal team have very different needs within your client portal. For instance, it’s crucial that clients’ information can only be accessed by authorized users.

Internal users need to access additional functions, to carry out more complex admin tasks.

Our client portal for accountants template uses two access tiers, providing a clear and secure UI for clients and internal teams alike. Budibase also offers full customization of permissions, allowing you to add additional tiers as and when you need them.

Dedicated admin panel

We’ve provided a dedicated admin panel within our client portal template. This allows internal teams to view and edit client information, as well as quickly email the client’s nominated point of contact.

Within the admin panel, users can view clients’ document requests and submissions. They can also upload and send documents to clients, quickly and securely.

Naturally, the admin panel is restricted to users with higher levels of access. This section of our portal template allows users to view and edit data relating to all clients. As such, it is restricted to your internal team.

Responsive design

Our client portal template for accountants works perfectly across all kinds of devices. Like all Budibase tools, our template is fully mobile-responsive. Different design elements automatically scale and resize to fit all kinds of screens.

All Budibase tools are also fully tested for common accessibility standards.

It’s crucial that your portal works properly for all users, to ensure high adoption. With a client portal for accountants built with Budibase, you’ll have a secure, functional tool, that clients love using.

Infinite customization

Our template is completely customizable. With the open-source, low-code Budibase platform, you can quickly and easily implement custom features and workflows. Budibase gives you total control over your client portal.

We also offer simple and intuitive customization of our template’s design. Choose from four built-in app themes, or add branding and color schemes to create your perfect client experience.

Budibase makes it easy to build fully customized client portals for accountants, in minutes.

You might also like our free customer account portal template .

Why build a client portal with Budibase?

At Budibase, we’re building the world’s largest suite of business tools. Say goodbye to expensive custom developments, or subscription fees for off-the-shelf solutions.

Budibase is the smart way to build client portals for accountants, with features including:

• Open-source & low-code.
• Scalability.
• Fast deployment.
• Access control.
• Flexible hosting.
• Advanced security.
• Process automation.
• Third-party app support.
• Conditionality.
• External database support.
• Customization.
• Proprietary JavaScript editor.
• Auto-generated screens.
• Responsive design.

Open-source, low-code portals

Our open-source, low-code platform is the fast and cost-effective way to build feature-packed client portals. With Budibase, you can create incredible client-facing apps, in a matter of minutes.

Budibase is free, forever. Self-host as many tools as you need. We do offer premium support and SLAs for enterprise customers. Check out our pricing page for more information.

Self-hosting & cloud deployment

With Budibase, you’re in control of how you deploy your business apps. Choose from self-hosting or our new Budibase Cloud platform. Budibase offers the flexibility to deploy tools internally as web apps.

Self-host your client portal using Kubernetes, Docker, Docker Compose, Digital Ocean, and more. Self-hosted Budibase portals offer unrivaled security.

Connect to existing data sources

Budibase is designed to work seamlessly with your existing software stack. Connect your client portal to existing data sources, using MySQL, S3, Postgresql, CouchDB, MongoDB, Airtable, and more.

Use our client portal for accountants as a front-end interface to manipulate and query existing data, or as a standalone tool with our built-in BudibaseDB.

Third-party app integrations

Budibase also offers support for a wide range of external app integrations , using Zapier, Webhooks, and more. Connect your client portal to CRMs, invoicing tools, communications software, project management apps, and more.

Use any in-app action to trigger automations in third-party apps. Create streamlined and efficient client experience using third-party automations with Budibase.

Conditional UIs

Our low-code app builder offers conditionality for all design elements. Hide or display any part of your app, based on client information, form data, or user behavior. You can use conditionality to create intuitive UIs, for even the most complex of admin tasks.

Conditionality also allows you to display different design elements, based on a user’s device. Add truncated, or multi-step forms for mobile users, helping to provide truly optimized user experiences.

Security

Security is at the core of Budibase. We offer free SSO and support for common authentication standards, including OpenID and OAuth. Combined with fully custom permissions tiers, you have total control over who accesses your client portal.

With optional self-hosting, Budibase is the most effective way to build secure client portals. Deploy to your own infrastructure, for complete flexibility over the security standards you implement for your portal.

Scalability

Budibase tools are built for scalability. As your business grows and changes, our client portal for accountants will evolve with it.

With our intuitive, low-code builder, you can quickly add new functionality to your client portal, without the need for excessive downtime, or additional development costs.

You might also like our free invoice approval software template .

Start using our client portal template today

At Budibase, we’re changing the way businesses develop custom software tools. With our open-source, low-code platform, you can build effective business apps , at a fraction of the cost.

To start using our free client portal for accountants, simply click below.