Where can technology make the biggest difference in your tax practice?

You probably know there are ways technology could help you work more efficiently. The harder question is figuring out where to start.

You don't need to overhaul your entire practice or adopt every new tool. Instead, look at the processes you already have in place and identify where a change could make a significant difference.

With another filing season approaching, now is a good time to take a closer look at what's working and what could work better.

Start with what takes your time

Think about the tasks you repeat throughout the day or week.

Maybe you're entering the same client information in multiple systems, manually updating return statuses, or spending hours organizing documents and following up on missing information.

Individually, those tasks may not seem like much. Repeated throughout filing season, they can add up to hours of unnecessary work.

Look for repetitive, time-consuming tasks that follow a predictable process and don’t require significant professional judgment. Those may be good candidates for automation or other technology solutions that reduce manual work.

Find where work gets stuck

Not every opportunity is about saving time on individual tasks. Sometimes the bigger issue is spotting the gaps and bottlenecks that slow down your workflows.

Think about the delays that consistently happen in your practice. Are returns sitting idle while you wait for client documents? Does work stall between preparation and review? Are you spending too much time tracking down information or checking on the status of a return?

A recurring bottleneck can affect more than one task. For example, an inconsistent document collection process can delay preparation, create additional follow-up work and leave less time for review.

Identifying where work slows down can help you understand what's causing the problem and whether a change in your process or technology could address it.

Pay attention to client friction

Your own workload isn't the only place to look. Make note of processes that regularly create confusion or extra steps for clients. Maybe they aren't sure which documents to provide or how to submit them. Perhaps they frequently contact your office for status updates or clarification about what happens next.

Those interactions can create additional work for your team while making the process more frustrating for clients.

Look for opportunities to make communication clearer and more consistent. Secure document portals, automated reminders and status updates are a few ways technology might help clients stay informed while reducing the need for manual follow-up.

Choose where to focus first

Once you've identified areas for improvement, decide which ones to prioritize. You don't need to solve every problem at once. Start with the issues that cause the biggest disruptions to your workflows, consume the most time or create the most friction for clients.

Next, think about what a better process would look like. Could you eliminate a step? Make information easier to access? Reduce the need for manual follow-up?

With a clearer picture of what needs to change, you can determine how to make those improvements. Maybe you can make better use of tools you already have or adjust an existing process. In other cases, a new technology solution, such as an AI-assisted tool, may be the answer.

Take the next step with technology

Leveraging technology effectively doesn’t mean adopting the latest or most expensive tools. It’s about identifying where it can deliver the greatest value, whether that’s improving workflows, freeing up capacity for higher-value work or creating a better client experience.

For more guidance on evaluating and implementing technology responsibly, join us at TaxCon 2026, Dec. 1-3. You'll learn how other tax professionals are using these tools in their practices and what to consider when applying them to your own.