About
Having started as a sole practitioner, Frank Heesen's team now includes five additional tax advisors across three locations (Mönchengladbach, Düsseldorf, Kempen). Innova serves both smaller clients and large corporations in the national and international sectors.
Location
Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia
Founded
2001
Team Size
25
Usage since
October 2024
Challenge
Through the proprietary cloud solution, only client data can be stored and exchanged. The transfer to DATEV is cumbersome.
Solution
A solution that offers functionalities beyond data sharing and integrates an interface with DATEV.
Results
smoother workflow processes
rapid communication channels
easy upload of Receipts and documents for clients
Desire for Optimization
"Steuerboard combines cloud functionalities with chat and messaging features and is, with its DATEV interface, a true asset and relief in daily work routines. Collaboration with clients is simple and seamless."
From the beginning, Frank Heesen placed emphasis on technological advancement in his tax firm. The tax advisor implemented a dedicated server with a cloud solution early on, through which client data could be centrally stored and exchanged.
The digital solution supported day-to-day operations at the firm, but its functions were limited to mere data sharing. Receipts and data first had to be downloaded or copied from the cloud and then entered into the DMS.
With the DATEV interface at Steuerboard, cumbersome download and upload processes are eliminated. Receipts that clients upload in the Portal can now be exported by employees directly into the DATEV programs with a single click.
Seamless integration into the daily operations of the tax firm
Both the employees and the clients are already accustomed to working digitally. Collaboration with our clients runs much more smoothly via Steuerboard, says Frank Heesen. Especially in the case of annual financial statements and financial accounting, the Portal is intensively integrated into work processes.
Receipts and documents can be easily uploaded and managed in Steuerboard. Folder structures and categorization through labels provide clarity. Even clients who only require assistance annually for their income tax return are effortlessly set up and processed in Steuerboard, according to Frank Heesen.
Instead of communicating via different channels, employees and clients use the chat function for swift subject-related resolutions. The task feature further reduces inquiries and accelerates exchanges. The comment section and checklist allow the current status to be documented, creating transparency for both parties.
Through the digital signature, signatures in the tax firm are not only standardized, but waiting times are also minimized. In the Portal, the tax firm can now "[…] simply quickly obtain approval for the disclosure of an annual financial statement."
Acceptance by both parties
"DATEV and Steuerboard operate in parallel for us. However, DATEV mainly runs in the background. Clients use Steuerboard because the application is more intuitive and has greater acceptance."
With the use of Steuerboard, client-side usage of DATEV has shifted, says Frank Heesen. Especially smaller and medium-sized clients no longer store Receipts and documents online via companies but exclusively in Steuerboard.
On the one hand, it is more cost-effective if the embedding of the data into DATEV is done by the firm and not actively by the client themselves. On the other hand, the upload in the Portal is easier because the user interface of Steuerboard is designed more intuitively.
For his employees and his clients, Frank Heesen has found the right tool. The tax advisor recommends comparing different market providers and considering your own requirements in the decision-making process. The solutions are structured similarly in their basic framework, but they apply different focuses to their features.
With Steuerboard, the price and the suitable integrations are convincing. The firm benefits from seamless processes and an acceleration in everyday operations. Clients appreciate the documentation during exchanges and easy upload options. "And once a system is established, it is not easily replaced."