The Best Accounting Practice Management Software for Secure File Sharing

In today’s digital world, think of all the ways there are to exchange sensitive information between clients and accountants. From email to text messages to file sharing applications, accountants do it all in an attempt to get the documents they need to complete their tasks. The problem is that not all methods are treated equally, especially when it comes to safeguarding sensitive information. In this article, we’ll introduce the most common problems associated with email, text messages, and file sharing applications and introduce you to adopt the best practice method when it comes to secure file sharing. 

Problems Emailing and Texting Sensitive Information

If your clients are emailing and texting sensitive information and documents, stop right now! Most importantly, text messages and emails usually lack end-to-end encryption meaning the document is like a postcard in the cyber world. You never know how many unauthorized eyes, or bots, can scan the information and be intercepted by cyber-attacks. 

The second issue with email and text messages is limited control. When clients send information, there may be one main contact on the accountant’s receiving end. If that person is out of office, the work can come to a halting stop because others don’t have access to the information sent over. 

Problems with File Sharing Applications

If you’re not using email and text messages, you may be invested in an accountant practice management software file-sharing application or client portal. In comparison, accountant practice management software file-sharing applications are usually more secure but make sure to do your homework because all are not treated equally, especially when it comes to encryption. 

Even if accountant practice management software applications are more secure, there’s still a major flaw in the way they share sensitive information. These file sharing applications adopt folder sharing which is prone to human errors. With folder sharing, you have to remember who was invited to each folder or risk the wrong individuals gaining access to sensitive information unintentionally.

Best accounting practice management software for File Sharing - Share Workspaces, Not folders

Basil, an all-in-one accounting practice management software for tax professionals, has understood these industry problems and built a custom architecture to manage control while still making it easy to share files. Basil has introduced shared workspaces – which are like ‘digital filing cabinets’ used to store folders and files. Users sharing a workspace form a ‘group’ comprising accounting company staff members and their client users who are added to the workspace.

Workspaces are like top level folders that are shared with different groups of users. This provides visibility to who has access, and enables them to be managed, right at the top level. This method is preferred compared to creating nested folders, and sharing them directly with users, to control access. Nested methods of sharing can get cumbersome to manage, and one can quickly lose visibility to who has access to which document.

Apart from providing easy to manage workspace for an accounting practice management software that shares folders and documents, the workspace concept is extended to share other items like Tasks, Workflows, Projects, Calendar, Email, Chat, Notifications, that are available to users based on permissions. Workspace group ‘filters’ are automatically applied to these items so users view only the activities in the selected workspace.

Try Basil Today

In addition to Workspaces, Basil includes a Client Portal, Document Management, Electronic Signatures, Tasks, Workflows, Projects, Calendar and other features. 

You can create a Basil account today at www.getbasil.app. There is a 15-day free trial available for you to try out the concept of workspaces and other features. You will realize Basil is the most preferred Accounting practice management software for Tax professionals.