XCM Solutions — XCM Accelerated Workflow Automation

From the April/May 2008 Review
of Tax Compliance Suites

XCM’s Accelerated Workflow Automation system is a remotely hosted management
program designed to help reduce the inefficiencies of manual processes within
accounting and tax practices. By providing real-time access and control over
workflow processes to firm management, the system helps keep preparation and
review processes flowing smoothly, while also ensuring individual accountability,
enhancing client service and freeing up time that might otherwise be lost. This
automation and acceleration of information, in turn, enables staff to focus
on more productive and profitable tasking.

Just as partners, managers, preparation staff and administrators each have
varying roles in the operations of a tax and accounting firm, XCM recognizes
these roles and provides features specific to their supervision. For managing
partners, this includes access to executive dashboards that display vital business
information, with drilldown functionality and tools to enhance the measurement
of staff and process performance. This provides top-level stakeholders with
the ability to hold staff more accountable for their area of responsibility.

Instant metrics and custom reporting are available in seconds and with just
a few clicks, keeping partners fully appraised of practice activities and workflow
processes. For junior partners who oversee specific firm specialty areas such
as tax and audit services, XCM helps improve day-to-day organizational control
and enhances customer service. By providing these practice area leaders with
on-demand access to project specifics, including audit trails and historic routing,
customers can be quickly informed of the status of their work, while management
can locate and resolve any bottlenecks in the workflow process.

Through increased organization and tracking, preparation staff members are
empowered to work smarter, not harder, thus decreasing the non-billable time
that eats up the workday and pushes billable time into the late hours and weekends.
Staff become more efficient and, with the ability to access all of their workpapers
and returns from any location, can even work remotely when necessary, thereby
improving work-life balance. Firm administrative staff also can benefit through
improved distribution of assignments, enhanced reporting and rapid access to
the up-to-the-minute data they need, helping avoid workflow logjams.

The customizable system provides each staff member with a home page focused
on their specific role and tasking, providing reminders, due-date monitoring,
a detailed “to do” list and assembly instructions with the steps
required to complete tasks appropriately and efficiently. XCM also provides
customized, rights-based reporting and can be set to automatically notify staff
of new work assigned to them, while client-deliverable e-mails are generated
with reviewer comments or questions. XCM Accelerated Workflow Automation can
be a central component of a professional practice’s paperless strategy,
providing automated management of all work processes, while also offering the
benefits of a hosted, remotely accessible system that utilizes the highest levels
of security. The company’s hosting facilities, located in Boston, are
also SAS 70 audited.