Wolters Kluwer Tax and Accounting unveiled new enhancements to its cloud-based tax workflow solution suite CCH Axcess and to its on-premise solution CCH ProSystem fx to begin its 2017 CCH Connections User Conference in San Francisco this week, while sharing some key trends influencing those advancements and the expectations of accounting firm clients.
Jason Marx, CEO of Wolters Kluwer Tax and Accounting, North America, shared five major industry trends, focusing on: the smartphone, and the accompanying expectation for fast results and answers; built-in intelligent assistants; more self-service; data integration; and efficiency in an “always on” culture.
Marx also shared a high-level view of some of the work CCH is doing to meet these new opportunities, including AI automation, blockchain, predictive intelligence and drone technology for audit documentation.
While some of these tools are currently available overseas or are still in the process of experimentation, Wolters Kluwer also shared specific updates that are available to clients today.
The CCH Axcess Portal now includes a two-step verification feature, available to customers using the stand-alone portal, and with that capability coming for customers using CCH Axcess Portal integrated with CCH Axcess Document or CCH ProSystem fx Document in November. CCH Axcess Practice has also been enhanced for efficiency, with new billing options, easier navigation in the billing process, and advanced editing capabilities.
The company also announced a new integration between CCH Axcess Workstream and CCH IntelliConnect Tax Calendar, so Workstream’s library of approximately 2,500 forms will update within two business days of an update on the tax calendar.
Also, on the integration front, CCH Axcess Document now integrates with CCH Axcess Tax, CCH ProSystem fx Tax and Global fx so users can easily attach PDF files from Document to client tax returns. CCH My1040 users can also take advantage of a new integration, as the electronic organizer now links to 10 of the largest brokerage houses, enabling them to electronically download annual tax documents directly into My1040.
Coming soon
Wolters Kluwer also announced product updates that customers can expect in the November/December 2017 releases.
For CCH ProSystem fx Tax and Global fx:
- The ability for users to mark diagnostics as “signed-off,” and also to un-sign off
- Usability enhancements to the CAPTCHA requirement
- The ability for users to check a box to automatically create extensions for all taxing authorities in the return
For CCH ProSystem fx Tax and Global fx Tax:
- Users can print PDF attachments on the print dialogue, whether or not the return is selected to e-file
- The ability to preview and print selected/multi-selected K-1 packages
- Users can hit “all” to multi-select to the print estimates print package
- A 1040 Import from QuickBooks, targeted for December
- For tax year 2017, the ability for users to import 1040 data from QuickBooks, provided through the G/L Direct feature
Wolters Kluwer also touched on its open integration platform for customers and vendors to seamlessly integrate their applications and solutions with the cloud platform, announcing that new APIs will enable firms to access more information and that CCH will continue to add new OIP partners and build their own integrations.
