Document gathering

TaxCaddy uses proforma data from your tax software to automatically generate a custom Document Request List (DRL) for each client. For new clients, TaxCaddy can extract the proforma data it needs from a prior-year return PDF.

The DRL is an easy way for both taxpayers and tax professionals to see which documents still need to be provided. When a new document arrives, whether through client submission or Smart Link retrieval, the DRL updates automatically.

TaxCaddy’s Document Request List feature comes with predefined categories that cover most needs, but firms can add custom categories to accommodate their unique practices.

Think of TaxCaddy as your client’s electronic organizer, and the DRL as both a helpful index and to-do list.

Some documents require taxpayers to fill in fields, such as self-reported income on a Schedule C, E, or F. For these types of documents, firms can enable Fillable Organizer Templates, which allow taxpayers to fill in the forms directly on their electronic devices.

Your client will see a Fillable Form icon () on the fill-enabled DRL items. When your client clicks or taps on the item, a fillable PDF will load on their screen. The file auto-saves every time your client completes a field, so their progress is never lost. Fillable forms can be password protected.

TaxCaddy’s optional Smart Links feature automatically retrieves tax documents on a taxpayer’s behalf.

Your client will see an option to connect their financial institutions to their TaxCaddy account. Your client authorizes connections by providing log-in credentials for the external accounts they select. No matter what device is used—smart phone, tablet, or desktop browser—your client’s personal data is always sent using 256-bit SSL encryption. Smart Links are compatible with leading financial institutions, including banks, brokerages, and payroll servicers.

Once a connection is established, TaxCaddy performs daily checks and automatically imports tax documents the same day they become available. When a new document arrives, both taxpayer and tax professional receive a notification, and the DRL self-updates.

Smart Links reduce workload compression by ensuring timely access to taxpayer documents, and improves client happiness by taking one more task off their plate. With Smart Links, you have access to retrieved documents the day they’re issued by the financial institution.

TaxCaddy’s photo-scan feature turns your client’s smartphone into a smart scanner.

Many clients already snap photos of their tax documents with their smartphones and send the files via unsecured email. This is a point of frustration for tax professionals.

Rather than resist taxpayer behavior, we built our solutions around it. When your client snaps a picture in the TaxCaddy app, intelligent software ensures proper image focus, alignment, and lighting. If you’ve ever deposited a check with your banking app, you’ve already experienced this technology from the end-user perspective.

Once your client taps to confirm, the image is automatically saved to their DRL in a standard 8.5 x 11 PDF, correctly formatted for OCR. Your client’s sensitive information never leaves the secure TaxCaddy app.

Sometimes, taxpayers already have tax documents in local storage. The traditional browse-and-upload method is available on all devices. On desktop computers, taxpayers can browse to file locations with their default navigators (e.g. Mac’s Finder or Window’s File Explorer). The browser version of TaxCaddy also supports drag-and-drop. On mobile devices, taxpayers can use the Share function to send files directly from local storage to the TaxCaddy app. Mobile iOS users can also upload files from iCloud.

In addition to uploading from local storage, TaxCaddy users can import files from their Google Drive or Dropbox accounts. As long as a Google Drive or Dropbox account is connected to the device, it will appear as a browsable option when your client taps Upload Files. Mobile users can also use the Share or Export functions inside the Google Drive or Dropbox apps, respectively, to send files directly to the TaxCaddy app.

If your client has an amount to report without an accompanying document, they can respond to items on their DRL with the Reply with Amount function. Choosing this option presents your client with a simple dialogue that asks for an amount, a description, and an optional comment. Your client can provide multiple amounts per DRL request. For example, your client may have made multiple donations to the same non-profit within the same tax year.

TaxCaddy transforms the responses into a clean document that you can include in your client’s binder.