AAFCPAs signs with Digilence to Power the Digital Firm

Loren Eckart
Loren Eckart

AAFCPAs, a leading CPA and Consulting firm based in New England, signs on with Digilence, a cloud-based software platform that helps accounting firms digitize processes, automate repetitive tasks, and modernize firm delivery.  The platform uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, and intelligent document processing, and fully integrates with legacy systems.

“AAFCPAs remains committed to innovation and working smarter,” said Carla McCall, CPA, CGMA, AAFCPAs’ Managing Partner. “We continue to invest in tools and skills development to enable productivity and to engage our team members with higher valuework.”

The Digital Firm Journey with Digilence                                    

Our journey with Digilence advances as we add more “digital intelligence” with Digilence document management and electronic engagement letters. We're collaborating to broaden the scope of returns they handle, and we're also exploring opportunities across various areas within the firm where we may leverage the broader Digilence Cloud Platform, potentially phasing out other systems.

Significant Results:  AAFCPAs Releases Tax Returns Using Digilence Automation

Digilence increased our firm’s processing speed, and significant staff time has been reclaimed as our team members now only focus on exceptions. We eliminated significant overtime hours that were typical of previous deadlines and elevated our teams brain power to more meaningful work.

AAFCPAs introduced the Digilence subscription platform in September 2021. As part our Digilence roadmap, we utilize their “Last-Mile Tax” product to automate the manual steps to validate signed tax returns (8879s) and e-release the following returns: 1120, 1120S, 1040, 1041, 1065.

We experienced the following benefits:

  • Digilence successfully integrates with our software critical to our tax return workflow process, including CCH Axcess and e-File system, our XCM workflow platform, SafeSend Returns™, and our email inbox.
  • Digilence syncs with SafeSend Returns™ and XCM hourly to identify returns ready for validation and filing. Digilence AI examines all pages and deliverables (8879s, State forms, FBARs, etc.) for issues and provides an “Exception Report” that identifies errors, such as lack of signature verification and state form mismatch. This provides opportunities to enhance procedures and data quality in our systems.
  • Digilence automatically releases returns within our e-File system. On deadline day, the release frequency is increased. Once released, it updates the XCM task to “E-file - Awaiting Government Acceptance.” Through automation, Digilence monitors the Government’s site to confirm the return has been accepted and then moves the XCM task to “Completed”, and separately manages workflow for rejected returns.

 

Leave a Comment