Client Onboarding for Accounting Firms
Portico is client onboarding software built for accounting and bookkeeping firms with high intake volume. Accounting firms collect tax returns, engagement letters, and identity documents in one encrypted flow, then start the engagement instead of chasing paperwork. Clients complete everything from one link. No client login required.
No credit card required. Cancel anytime.
You need W-2s, bank statements, prior year returns, and ID verification. Clients send some via email, forget others, and text you a photo of their driver's license.
Clients email tax documents, share passwords in plain text, and drop Social Security numbers into unencrypted forms. You know it's a compliance risk, but your current workflow does not offer a better option.
You send the intake form in one tool, the engagement letter in DocuSign, and the fee schedule in a third. Three touchpoints for the client, three tools for you to manage.
January through April, you're onboarding dozens of clients simultaneously. The manual intake process that works for 3 clients per month collapses at 30.
Intake questionnaire, document uploads, engagement letter signature, and retainer payment in a single encrypted flow. Clients complete everything from one link, and no client login is required.
Files are encrypted with AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.2+ in transit, stored in AWS S3 with server-side encryption. A tamper-proof audit trail records every submission, upload, and signature. GDPR-ready consent flows, one-click data export, and right-to-erasure workflows are built in.
Individual filers see different questions than business entities. New clients get the full intake questionnaire; returning clients confirm what's changed.
During peak season an accounting firm onboards dozens of clients per month. Item-specific reminders chase stalled clients automatically: "You still need to upload your prior-year return and sign the engagement letter." The same flow that works for 3 clients works for 30.
Filter by status, deadline, or client type. See exactly which documents are outstanding without checking email.
How it works
The client reads and signs the engagement letter inline with a legally binding e-signature — timestamped and IP-logged. No separate DocuSign link.
Conditional logic shows the right questions for the client type — individual, sole proprietor, partnership, or corporation. New clients get the full intake; returning clients confirm what's changed.
The client uploads prior-year returns, bank statements, and identity documents against a clear checklist. Per-file approve or reject flags anything missing or incorrect before you start work.
Collect the retainer or first fee in the same flow through Stripe, with payouts direct to your account. The client signs and pays in one session.
Item-specific reminders follow up automatically until every document is in and every signature is complete. Reminders stop the moment the client finishes.
Features
Request tax returns, bank statements, ID verification, and formation documents. Type restrictions, multi-file uploads, per-file approve/reject.
Engagement letters and consent forms signed inline. Legally binding, timestamped, stored with the client record. No separate DocuSign needed.
Conditional logic shows the right questions for each client type. Individual, sole proprietor, LLC, S-Corp — one template handles all.
Item-specific follow-up emails until every document is submitted. Configurable sequences that handle seasonal volume without manual effort.
Consent flows, encrypted storage, audit trail, data export, and right to erasure. Built for professionals who handle regulated client data.
Onboard clients in 9 languages across 46 countries. Serve international clients without language barriers.
Pre-built with intake questionnaire, document checklist, engagement letter, and fee collection. Customize for your firm in 5 minutes.
Use the Accounting TemplateNo credit card required. Cancel anytime.
Start free. Send your first secure onboarding in under 10 minutes.
Start FreeNo credit card required. Cancel anytime.