CCH iFirm

What CCH iFirm is

CCH iFirm is a cloud-based practice-management ecosystem for accounting professionals, organized around a centralized client database. Practice Manager tracks workflows and job status, keeps client data together, and records time spent on jobs. Capacity planning helps firms identify the staff resources needed each month and address capacity bottlenecks. The jobs and invoice modules work together so an invoice can be generated when a job is completed. Client Portal gives firms a way to share documents, data, and reports, and lets clients upload documents. The portal uses encryption to protect shared materials; cloud security controls also include data encryption, regular backups, and authentication protocols. APIs support automation involving contacts, users, and security functions, as well as data transfer between systems. The U.S. Practice Manager package integrates with ATX and TaxWise, while Client Portal integrates with any ATX package. Wolters Kluwer describes managed online updates as a way to deliver new features, and its India product page describes implementation, support, and regular training. Listed annual plans are Client Portal at $730 a year, Practice Manager at $820 a year, and CCH iFirm Suite at $1,295 a year. Each includes one user, training and support, and a one-time setup fee of $157.50.

Who it suits

CCH iFirm suits tax and accounting practices, including CA firms, that need to coordinate client information, jobs, staff capacity, time, and invoicing. Firms that want client document exchange can choose a plan that includes Client Portal.

Limits

Each listed plan includes one user, with additional users priced separately. Storage is charged in 5GB increments, and each plan has a one-time setup fee of $157.50.

Getting started

1. Visit the Wolters Kluwer CCH iFirm website.
2. Choose Client Portal, Practice Manager, or CCH iFirm Suite.
3. Budget for the one-time setup fee and any additional users or storage needed.
4. Use the included training and support to get started.

Verdict

Choose CCH iFirm if your accounting practice needs a central client database with workflow tracking, capacity planning, and linked job invoicing. Look elsewhere if you need a free plan or if the listed one-user plans and additional user and storage charges do not suit your needs.