Sachetta & Callahan, LLC needed to accomplish more work without adding staff. Utilizing CCH Axcess – the professions first modular, cloud-based tax preparation, compliance and workflow solution – has allowed the firm to become more efficient and even reduce the need for temporary staff, thereby increasing profits. To learn more visit CCHGroup.com/Axcess today.

1. Tax & Accounting
Sachetta & Callahan, LLC
Uses CCH Axcess™
to
Compete with Larger
Firms and Stand Out
from Competitors
Case Study:
Digital Tax
Workflow
When you have to be rightWhen you have to be right

2. Sachetta & Callahan, LLC Uses CCH Axcess™
to Compete with Larger Firms and Stand Out from Competitors2
Challenge: Sachetta & Callahan, LLC needed to accomplish more work
without adding staff.
Solution: CCH Axcess has allowed the firm to become more efficient and
even reduce the need for temporary staff, thereby increasing profits.
Revolutionizing the Tax Workflow
The 15-staff firm uses many of Wolters
Kluwer’s cloud-based software solutions,
including CCH Axcess™
Tax, the tax
preparation and compliance module,
CCH Axcess™
Document, the document
management component, and CCH Axcess™
Practice, the practice management
and time-tracking software.
The firm also uses CCH Axcess™
Portal,
a secure repository for exchanging client
documents, and CCH®
ProSystem fx®
Scan
with AutoFlow Technology, which takes
scanned source documents and 1040
workpapers and sorts and converts them
into a comprehensive PDF — organized,
bookmarked and ready to seamlessly flow
into a tax return. In addition, the
AutoFlow Wizard made linking extracted
source documents to the correct tax
return fast and easy for Sachetta &
Callahan, LLC, and automatically matched
their current year source documents
with prior year pro forma data.
Superior software technology is what
allows Sachetta & Callahan, LLC, a CPA
and wealth management firm serving
the greater Boston area, to distinguish
itself, says Partner Joe Sachetta.
Overall, Sachetta is astounded at the
efficiency made possible with Wolters
Kluwer’s integrated software solutions
and by how technology has entirely
revolutionized the accounting world.
“I have been doing this for
35 years, and I can’t even
imagine operating today the
way we did when I started
and how we would make
any money. We are so much
more efficient now, and
every year even more so
because of the technology.
It’s mind-boggling.”
— Joe Sachetta,
Partner, Sachetta & Callahan, LLC
Joe Sachetta,
CPA/PFS, CFP, MBA, MST
Partner
Sachetta & Callahan, LLC
Boston, Massachusetts

3. Sachetta & Callahan, LLC Uses CCH Axcess™
to Compete with Larger Firms and Stand Out from Competitors 3
Higher Efficiency Results in Higher
Profitability
The firm, which was founded in 1984,
had been using Wolters Kluwer’s
on-premise CCH®
ProSystem fx®
Tax and
CCH®
ProSystem fx®
Document software for
25 years. When it moved to the cloud, the
firm staggered its implementation — starting
with CCH Axcess Tax for two seasons before
implementing the rest of the software.
All of the software works together
seamlessly, and Sachetta explains that
CCH ProSystem fx Scan and CCH Axcess
Document were key components to going
paperless and optimizing the tax preparation
process. They ensure a uniform presentation
of clients’ tax documents and automate data
entry tasks, which improves efficiency.
Additionally, CCH ProSystem fx Scan with
AutoFlow Technology allowed the firm to
eliminate the use of temporary employees
who manually entered data, saving more
than $20,000 a year. Plus, not hiring people
eliminates the need to interview people
and provide office space to them, as well
as the time spent on payroll administration
in relation to their employment.
“How do you measure all of
the costs? It’s hard to wrap
your arms around the total
cost of employing someone.”
Another benefit of the software is the faster
practice management and time tracking
that CCH Axcess Practice delivers. Because
of it, the firm has been able to eliminate
paper time sheets. And, authorized staff
members can access information about each
project online, which helps the firm more
quickly and easily invoice for services.
“It all works together. From
CCH Axcess Tax, we can print
to CCH Axcess Document,
send the invoice to CCH
Axcess Practice, e-file the tax
return and upload the client
copy to CCH Axcess Portal.”
That integration has resulted in major
time savings.

4. 4
“I know it’s faster. I would
think it’s more than five
minutes faster per return —
and we did 2,200 tax returns
last season, so you’re talking
about a lot of time. And,
for a return with brokerage
statements, the automation
can save an hour or more for
each one. That means that we
can do more work without
adding staff members (and
in fact reducing the need for
temporary staff), and that
makes for higher profits.”
Secure File Transfers
Sachetta says that CCH Axcess Portal
has extended the firm’s paperless office
from the client perspective. Clients
can upload documents and access
their tax returns 24/7, and all data is
protected and exchanged securely.
Additionally, CCH Axcess Portal saves
the firm money that used to be spent
on paper, printer toner and postage.
“I can’t put an exact
number on it, but it’s
thousands of dollars saved
in postage and printer ink
toners per year because
of CCH Axcess Portal.”
Sachetta & Callahan, LLC Uses CCH Axcess™
to Compete with Larger Firms and Stand Out from Competitors
Sachetta’s Tips for Other Firms
1. Use three monitors for the most efficiency.
Staff members use three screens to do the
work, and also have a TV set hooked up to
the computer so that clients can see their
return virtually as it’s being completed.
2. Consider using VoIP for phone and fax.
“Because our VoIP displays the office
number as the caller, I can return a call
without giving out my cell phone number.
That may seem like a small thing, but I only
want my wife or kids or a friend to have my
personal cell number.”

5. 5Sachetta & Callahan, LLC Uses CCH Axcess™
to Compete with Larger Firms and Stand Out from Competitors
More Accuracy and Reliability, No File
Cabinets, Protected Data
It’s not just the time savings that pays off for
the firm, but also Wolters Kluwer’s accuracy.
Sometimes someone would accidently input
wages as state withholding taxes or make
transposition errors.
“If you didn’t catch those
things, you certainly had a lot
of explaining to do to clients.
The reliability and accuracy
that Wolters Kluwer’s
automation features deliver
are better than possible when
humans input raw data.”
Moreover, the software is reliable. It doesn’t
get sick. It always comes to work.
“How do you quantify
reliability? Technology doesn’t
have bad days; it doesn’t
bring personal problems to
work. Don’t get me wrong,
I really like people, but the
less people you have to
provide a desk and computer
for (who also don’t call in
sick), the simpler it is.”

6. 6 Sachetta & Callahan, LLC Uses CCH Axcess™
to Compete with Larger Firms and Stand Out from Competitors
A Higher Standard for Customer Service
Even though clients expect an immediate
response, Sachetta says that the firm’s
response time can still wow a client.
“I can sit in the chair the
entire day without getting
up. Everything’s all there.
The data. The answers. Our
responsiveness is impressive
to clients and something that
makes us stand out.”
Another savings from being fully digital
is the elimination of the firm’s file cabinets
and rented storage space.
Finally, Sachetta points out that the ability
to securely store documents electronically
protects the firm because Wolters Kluwer is
watching over client data so that documents
don’t get lost, stolen or corrupted.
“I think Wolters Kluwer’s
cutting-edge technology sets
us apart. Our clients and
potential clients know that
we’re operating our practice
in an efficient and effective
way. This translates into
better service and lower fees.”

7. 7Sachetta & Callahan, LLC Uses CCH Axcess™
to Compete with Larger Firms and Stand Out from Competitors
Path to a Better Software Implementation
1. Make sure that upper level management
champions the conversion.
“In many firms, it’s the younger staff trying
to convince the older decision-makers to
buy in. In our practice, it was management
that adopted the plan, leading the way.”
2. Ensure that everyone embraces the
new technology.
“The benefits of the technology can’t
fully be realized until every member of
the staff is using it, and using it correctly.”
3. Implement new technology in the
off-season.
“This allowed us a chance to get
familiar with the programs when not
under the gun. By the time tax season
rolls along, we’re at least somewhat
familiar with the new programs.”
4. Value training and ongoing communication.
The firm uses Wolters Kluwer’s Professional
and Client Services to train staff, then
keeps an open line of communication
about the software from there on out.
“We have a staff lunch meeting once a
week to make sure everyone is on the
same page. As programs are being
upgraded with Wolters Kluwer’s updates,
it’s important that everyone be kept
abreast of changes. Each of the programs
can be somewhat customized based on the
preferences of the firm. Our firm meetings
help us sort out these preferences
and guarantee that we’re all using the
programs in a consistent fashion.”
Higher Staff Retention
Because of the software, staff members have more flexibility and can work from home,
which they appreciate.
“This came in handy last winter when many of us worked
from home during numerous snowstorms. And staff
members are more satisfied because they’re not doing the
administrative tasks automated by the software. Our staff
retention is very high, and I think that’s partly due to the
superior software.”

8. When you have to be right
© 2016 CCH Incorporated and its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Contact information:
Wolters Kluwer
2700 Lake Cook Road
Riverwoods, IL 60015
United States
800-739-9998
Please visit CCHGroup.com/Axcess
for more information.
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