Tired of Tracking 1040s in Spreadsheets? You Are Not Alone

If you’re still managing tax season in Excel, you’ve probably felt the pain: missed deadlines, unclear ownership, endless status updates and team members asking, “Who’s got that return again?”

Many solopreneurs and smaller firms don’t need a full-blown practice management system to fix this — they need a better way to track workflow. That’s where TaxFlow comes in.

It’s a lightweight, intuitive solution designed specifically for tax pros drowning in spreadsheets but not ready to rip and replace their whole tech stack. Created by someone who’s been there — Ben Vickery, a former accountant turned developer — TaxFlow is the simple, powerful upgrade firms have been waiting for.

Here’s how it started, and why so many firms are making the switch.

Because One More Color-Coded Excel Sheet Was One Too Many

Ben began his tech dev career while working at a local accounting firm in his home state of Colorado. While he started out studying accounting, he quickly realized that technology was his passion, so he changed his major to computer science, never realizing he would one day create a solution that solves a major pain point for firms.

While at the firm, Ben noticed the inefficiencies of organizing and managing data in spreadsheets. Wanting to help solve this issue, he started by building python scripts to automate bookkeeping tasks. However, the real pain point was workflow and tracking hundreds of 1040 tax returns in a spreadsheet. The firm did have a good system for document intake and management, but the actual workflow — who was working on what and project status — was a hot mess of manual updates and missed details.

Ben’s search for a new tool kept leading him back to one place: Full-scale practice management solutions. It was overkill for the firm, which already had parts of its tech stack dialed in. So, he set out to build something simpler — a dedicated workflow tool that would enable team members to ditch the spreadsheets without a full tech stack overhaul.

The result was TaxFlow, a lightweight, real-time workflow solution for firms. Because most just don’t need all the bells and whistles that come with a full practice management solution.

How TaxFlow Works

TaxFlow centers around an “active return list” that gives accountants a live snapshot of all their work. Here’s how it helps firms move beyond spreadsheets to automate workflow within a simple, intuitive platform:

• Entity mapping: Firms can map multiple entities (e.g., 1040, 1120, 1065) to a single client. This is handy for individuals who also have businesses or trusts because everything gets tracked together. Most users set up the main client as an individual, then map related businesses or estates under them.

• Custom fields: Fields like “type,” “year” and “owner” are customizable. Firms can track any kind of return or project, not just standard tax forms. The owner field helps firms with multiple partners or managers keep tabs on their specific workloads.

• Customizable statuses: You can create statuses like “requested,” “review” or “stuck” (for those shoeboxes of receipts that slow everything down). This level of flexibility means you’re not locked into a rigid workflow. You can adapt it to how your firm actually works.

• Task management: Each return has a task list, generated from templates you create. Tasks can be assigned to team members, and as they’re completed, people drop off the outstanding list. You always know who’s responsible for what.

• Tags and filtering: Tags let you group returns by priority, extension status or anything else you want to filter on. Think “high priority” or “extension list.”

• Date tracking: Standard fields like “due date,” “receive date” and “extended date” help you stay on top of deadlines. More custom date options are in the works.

Percent complete: A visual indicator shows how much of each return’s workflow is done, so nothing falls through the cracks.

The Value of TaxFlow

TaxFlow is a game changer for accounting and tax firms that are tired of wrestling with spreadsheets but don’t want to rip out their tech stack and start over. Here are a few real-world examples of how firms are using TaxFlow:

• Simplifying complex client relationships. Imagine you’re handling tax returns for Claire and Joe who have an individual return, a trust and a company. With TaxFlow, you can map all three entities to the same client, track each return’s progress and make sure nothing gets lost in the shuffle. Most users do this at the individual level and map related businesses or estates under that person, making it easy to see the whole picture at a glance.

• Custom workflows for every firm. One firm might use custom statuses like “requested” for missing documents, “review” for manager sign-off or “stuck” for when a project hits a roadblock like waiting on clients for outstanding receipts. These statuses are fully customizable, so each firm can tailor TaxFlow to match their unique process.

• Task assignment and accountability: Each return has a task list generated from a template. For example, a 1040 return might have tasks for document intake, data entry, review and e-filing. Each task can be assigned to a specific team member, and as tasks are completed, the system automatically updates who has outstanding work. This keeps everyone on the same page and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

• Easy filtering and prioritization: Tags like “high priority” or “extension” let you quickly filter and group returns. During busy season, you can instantly pull up all high-priority clients or see which returns are on extension, making it easier to manage deadlines and workload.

Firms love that TaxFlow is fast to implement, flexible and focused on the real-world needs of small to midsize practices, especially those with a heavy 1040 workload. By giving teams a clear, real-time view of all their work, the tool reduces errors, keeps everyone accountable and helps firms handle busy season chaos with less stress.

Even better, TaxFlow doesn’t force firms into a one-size-fits-all workflow.

Built to Solve a Real Issue

Ben’s been running TaxFlow full-time for less than a year, after three years of refining the product based on user feedback. The user base has doubled since he went all in, and he’s now focused on expanding TaxFlow’s capabilities, like handling more complex entity relationships and adding more custom date fields. He also plans to add more bulk operations and a robust notification system.

Ben’s approach is to keep listening to accountants and tax pros, iterate quickly and make sure TaxFlow stays simple and practical as it grows. That sounds like a winning plan.

TaxFlow evolved out of real-world frustration and a desire to make accountants’ lives easier. By focusing on workflow — not full practice management — Ben has created a tool that helps firms finally move out of spreadsheets and into streamlined, automated workflows.

As TaxFlow continues to evolve, it’s clear that sometimes the simplest solution is the one accountants have been waiting for all along. And we do love simple!

Original Article: https://substack.com/home/post/p-166347967