Key facts
| Who it suits | CA firms, tax consultants and bookkeeping practices with 3–30 staff |
|---|---|
| First Build | Client master, recurring task tracker, document requests, client upload portal |
| Typical range | ₹1.9L–₹2.9L for a portal with reminders |
| Timeline | 3–4 weeks for a first version |
| Not included | Tax computation, return filing and advice; those stay with you and your tools |
Where does a practice lose time every month?
The work repeats on a calendar: monthly GST data, quarterly TDS, annual returns and audits. For each client, the firm needs documents, and clients send them late, in pieces, on WhatsApp, by email, or as a photo of a bill.
Staff then sort the pile, ask again for what is missing, and keep a due-date sheet that is updated by whoever last remembered. Partners ask the same question daily: what is pending, and with whom?
What exactly is broken in the spreadsheet and WhatsApp set-up?
- Missing-document chasing is manual, so juniors send the same message to thirty clients.
- A file sent on WhatsApp belongs to the phone that received it, not to the client's folder.
- Due dates sit in a sheet with no owner and no reminder.
- Workload is invisible, so one staff member is overloaded while another has slack.
- Clients ask for status by phone because there is nowhere to look.
This is a workflow and communication problem. Your accounting package already handles the books. What is missing is the layer around the books.
What would a first Build contain?
- A client master with the services each client takes, and the staff member responsible.
- Recurring task templates that create next month's work automatically, with due dates you set.
- A document checklist per task. Clients get a link, upload files against each item, and the firm sees what is still missing.
- Automatic reminders to clients by email or WhatsApp, with limits so nobody is spammed.
- A staff board: my tasks, overdue, waiting on client, ready for review.
- A partner view with workload by person and pending items by client.
- A status page per client, so they check progress instead of calling.
Documents are stored in your cloud account, with access limited by role. You set who can see what and how long files are kept. A client portal guide covers the portal side in more detail.
What should a firm not build first?
Do not build tax computation or return preparation inside your own tool. Government utilities and established filing software change often, and the responsibility for filing is professional, not technical. Do not build an AI that answers tax questions for clients. And avoid billing and full accounting in version one: your existing package does that.
An AI helper that reads an uploaded bill and fills in a few fields can be a good second step, with a person checking every result. We scope it separately, as in AI agent development.
What does it cost in INR?
| Scope | What it covers | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build: task tracker | Clients, recurring tasks, due dates, staff board | ₹1.7L–₹2.4L | 3–4 weeks |
| Build: with client portal | Adds uploads, checklists, reminders and a client status page | ₹1.5L–3.5L | 3–4 weeks |
| Platform | Multiple branches, time tracking, billing export, document reading with AI | ₹3.5L–8L | 5–8 weeks, then phases |
WhatsApp message charges go to the messaging provider; check their current pricing. For comparison with ready-made practice tools, see custom CRM versus off-the-shelf.
How do you roll it out to a busy practice?
Do not start in the middle of a filing month. Pick a quiet week, load ten clients you know well, and let two staff use it for a cycle. Add the rest after the checklists have been fixed with real use. The sequence is on how we build: scope in writing, prototype in week one, live previews, acceptance with your data.
Frequently asked questions
Does it connect to Tally or Zoho Books?
Possibly, through exports or APIs. It is scoped as an integration and priced in the written scope.
Is client data safe?
It sits in your own cloud account, with role-based access. A formal security or compliance review is separate and is your call.
Can it file returns?
No. It tracks the work and documents around filing. Filing stays with you.
Can clients sign in with a phone number?
Yes, with a one-time code, so no passwords to forget.
Can we start with only the task tracker?
Yes. It is a good first slice, and the portal can follow.