• What is the Portal?
• Portal Setup
• Adding Firm Users
• Adding Client Users
• Adding Administrators
• Additional Resources

What is the Portal?

The Client/Firm Portal is a secure single sign-on access point for your firm’s online tools. There are three levels of access to the portal: Firm Administrator, Firm User, and Client User.

1. Firm Administrator can create and set access permissions for form and client users and can manage the firm’s email accounts.
2. Firm Users can access a broad range of web applications and also create client logins.
3. Client Users logins can only access a select few web applications.

Portal Setup

Your portal automatically sets itself up the first time you login. Here’s how to log into the Portal…

1. Go to your firm’s website.

2. Enter your email address and password, then click on the button labeled “Go” found at the top of any page…

…or click on the link labeled “Login” at the very bottom of any page.

If you do see the “login” button anywhere on your site, please call us at (800)896-4500 for assistance.

3. Now enter the login credentials for your Firm Administrators.

Login Hint:Your Firm Administrator’s email address is admin@[yourdomain].

So, if your domain name is bauerevanscpas.com your admin login email address would be admin@bauerevanscpas.com.

Your Firm Administrator’s Password is the password we originally sent you. It’s also the same password you use to access the Site Manager. If don’t now your password, please call us at (800)896-4500 and ask for assistance.

4. Continue to follow the screen prompts until you have logged in. You will now want to add a firm user. Please follow the “Adding Firm Users” instructions below.

Adding Firm Users

1. To add a Firm User simply click on “Add/Modify Firm Users“.

Note: Only Firm Administrators can add Firm Users. For Security reasons Firm Users can not create other Firm Users.

2. Now click the “New Firm User” button.

3. Enter the Firm User’s Contact Information.

If you would like to send them a welcome message, check the “Send welcome message” box.

Set a Password for this Firm User Account.

Note: This Password can be changed by the Firm User at any time.

4.Access Rights

Set the Access Rights for the Firm User and click the “Save” button to continue.

Note: The default settings work for most Firm Users.

5. The Firm User has now been created and is now able to log into the portal using the login credentials you just created.

Note:Click “New Firm User” if you would like to create another Firm User.

Adding Client Users

1. To add a Client User simply click on “Add/Modify Client Users”.

2. Click “New Client User”.

Note: You can add a Client User when logged in as a Firm Administrator or a Firm User.

3. Enter the Firm User’s Contact Information

Enter the Client’s First Name, Last Name, Company (optional), and his/her Email Address in the fields provided.

Set a Password for the Client User.

Note:This Password can be changed by the Client at any time.

4. Set the Access Rights for the Client User.

Note:The default settings work for most Clients.

5. Set Notifications for the Client User.

Note:You can set which firm users you would like to be notified when a client uses the portal by clicking on the white box labeled “(No Notifications)”. You can then select which firm user receives the notifications.

6. The Client User has now been created. This Client User is now able to log into the portal using the login credentials you just created.

Note: Select “New Client User” to create another Client User.

Adding Administrators

1. To add an Administrator, simply click on “Add/Modify Administrators“.

Note: Only Firm Administrators can add other Firm Administrators. Firm Users can not create Firm Administrators.

2. Now click the “New Firm Admin” button.

3. Enter the Firm Administrator’s Contact Information. Set a Password for this Administrator Account as well.

Note: This Password can be changed by the Firm Admin at any time.

4.Access Rights

Set the Access Rights for the Administrator and click the “Save” button to continue.

5. The Firm Administrator has now been created and is now able to log into the portal using the login credentials you just created.

Note:Click “New Firm Admin” if you would like to create another Administrator.

Additional Resources:

Secure File Exchange

New Client Quick Start Guide

How to Lock in Clients with One Simple Step

QuickSend: The Quickest Way to Receive Client Files Securely

• Adding Firm Users (see video below)
• Adding Clients (see video below)
• Modifying Firm Users
• Deleting Firm Users
• Modifying Clients
• Deleting Clients
• Modifying Administrators
• Deleting Administrators
• Firm Administration
• Additional Resources

Modifying Firm Users

Here is a video on how to add firm users:

Here is a video on how to add Client Users:

• Client Self Registration
• How To Verify Client Registration
• Default Permissions
• Default Notifications
• Additional Resources

Client Self Registration

Clients can register themselves via the Client Self-Registration Form. The link to this form can be found
on your Portal Login Panel.

All a client has to do to sign up for Portal access is fill out their contact details and preferred password.

After clicking “Register” they are directed Portal Login Panel, and notified that their request is awaiting verification.

How To Verify Client Registration

Login to the portal as an administrator. The default administrator account is admin@yourdomainname.com and the password you signed up with.

Click on “awaiting verifications“.

Click on the user to verify or delete them from the system.

After clicking “Verify User” click on “Edit Users” to make changes to the client’s contact information, password and access rights.

When you are finished click “Save“.

Default Permissions

If you have a set of Portal applications you would like to be immediatly available to every self-registering client once they’ve been verified, you can easily set it up so you don’t need to manually check off each application in the access rights section.

Start by clicking on “Firm Administration“.

It will default on the “My Account” tab. When you scroll down, you will see the Default Client User Access section just below the Portal Login Information. You can now check off the different application you want to be available by default when a client signs up.

You can also do the same for your Firm Users, whose access rights you can find directly under the clients’ section.

When you are finished click “Save“.

Default Notifications

You can also customize a pre-set email notification for the File Exchange so you don’t need to manually add one in for every client who signs themselves up for the Portal. Everytime a new client registers themselves and you verify them, the firm user of your choice will be set to get notifications of their Secure File Exchange activity.

Start by clicking on “Firm Administration“.

It will default on the “My Account” tab. When you scroll down, you will see the Default Notifications section just below the Default Firm User Access. Select the Firm user of choice from the dropdown menu that appears when you click on the notification box. That user will get emails whenever a new client uploads something to the Secure File Exchange, unless you set them otherwise in the Add/Modify Client Users section.

When you are finished click “Save“.

Additional Resources:

Client User File Vault Help

QuickSend: The Quickest Way to Receive Client Files Securely

Quickbooks–Free Off Site Backup

Free Screen Sharing Makes Helping Your CPA Clients More Efficient

• Overview
• Logging into the Vault
• Managing Client Accounts
• Organizing Files in File Cabinets
• Breadcrumbs
• Email Notifications
• Creating Folders
• Sending Files to the Vault
• Ordering More Storage Space
• Downloading Files from the Vault
• Renaming, Moving And Deleting Files
• Previous File Versions
• Pop-Up Header Icons
• Search
• Activity and Usage Reports

Overview

The Vault is the successor to the Document Manager in an effort to bring you the fastest, most secure data storage online.

The Vault provides your clients with anytime/anywhere access to vital company information like employee data, corporation papers, legal documents, tax returns, financial statements, and scanned source documents.

Any file can be placed in the Vault, including: extremely large QuickBooks Backup Files, Microsoft Word Documents, PDF Documents, Excel Spreadsheets, Video Files, Music and Audio Files. All files on the Online Document Storage System are backed up daily and archived in our secure data-center.

In addition, gold and platinum clients can upload files to the Vault right from their desktop with just one click. They can also set a backup schedule to have important documents automatically uploaded to the Vault one a schedule of their choosing.

Logging into the Vault

In order to log in to the Vault, click the “Login” button on the top of your website. If you don’t see the “login” button, click on the “login” link located on the bottom of your site. If you haven’t setup your portal yet, please see Portal Help.

Now click the Secure File Exchange button to load the Vault.

Managing Client Accounts

Both firm accounts and client accounts are given access to the Vault through the Portal’s user management. Any firm user can add or deny access to the Vault for user accounts.

For more instructions on how to setup Portal accounts, click here.

Organizing Files in File Cabinets

You can add, delete, edit, organize and view personal files, firm files, client files and public files. These files are organized on the left side of the screen under the four filing cabinet categories: My Documents, Firm Documents, Client Documents and Public Documents. These filing cabinets can hold an unlimited number of folders, subfolders and documents.

My Documents stores and organizes documents that only the individual staff member logged in can access.

Firm Documents stores and organizes documents that are available to your entire firm. This is a great place to post firm procedure documentation and firm-wide notices. Any staff member can add, edit or remove documents in the Firm Documents filing cabinet.

Client Documents allows each of your staff members to access all documents stored in each of your client’s My Documents filing cabinet. If your client wants to share a document with you, they can login to their Document Manager and upload the file. You can then click Client Documents and view the file in their respective client folder.

Public Documents are documents available to your entire firm and all clients but only the firm’s staff members can add or remove files. This is a great place to post general work-paper forms and other questionnaires that clients can print and complete.

Breadcrumbs

Right above the list of files, you will see a line that will keep track your progress as you move through the folders in the Vault. It will start off with just the basic home directory, but if you click on a folder…

…The breadcrumbs line will update to show you’ve entered a new folder location and keep track of all the folders you’ve gone through!

Plus, you can click on any of the folders it mentions to instantly travel back to that folder quickly and easily.

Email Notifications

When a file is sent to the Vault by a client, you can have it notify a firm user of this activity. To do so, first log in to the Portal as the Firm Administrator, using your CPASiteSolutions Control Panel Username and Password.

Click on “Add/Modify Client Users” in the Portal menu.

Select a client from the drop down menu. You can then go to the Acess Rights and set what firm user is notified when a client uses the “Secure File Exchange”.

Creating Folders

To make a new folder, first select the filing cabinet you wish to make the folder in. For this example we’ll use Firm Documents. Click the Firm Documents button on the left side of the window.

Now, click the button at top that says New Folder

It will pop-up a new window asking you to give the folder a name and a description (optional). When you are finished, click Create Folder to commit.

Sending Files To The Vault

To send files to the Vault, first browse to the filing cabinet and folder you wish to send the file to. In this example we’re in “My Documents.”

To send a file here, click the Upload button in the top toolbar.

Click the Browse button and find the file you wish to send.

Select the file you want to send, click “OK” and it should appear in the Upload window.
At this point you are ready to send. If you wish you can add a description to the file or check off the “Version Control” checkbox, which will allow you to upload an updated version of the same file after some changes without replacing the original file. When you are ready to send click “Upload.”

The file now appears in the “My Documents” folder.

Ordering More Storage Space

Now let’s say that you want to add a file but your Document Manager is full. In order to request more storage space in the Document Manager, simply click the “Order More Space” button and follow the instructions for requesting more space.

Downloading Files from the Vault

There are two ways to download a file from the Vault. The first is simply to double-click on the file. The other is to right-click it. This will pop-up a context menu. From that menu select Download.

Both ways will pop-up a new window asking if you want to Open or Save the file. Choose Save and choose where on your computer you wish to save the file.

Additionally, if you wish you can View a file without downloading it by right-clicking on it and selecting View.

If you have several files you want to download you can download them all at once.

Why download all your files?

Logically, you know your clients’ files are 100% secure in the Client Portal. They are backed up daily and we employ numerous redundancies for ultra security.

Emotionally, though, it feels better to keep copies of your client files on your hard drive – one zip file with all that critical data. It’s a local backup, and it gives you peace of mind.

Here’s how to download all your files…

Firm Users:

Click on “More”

Click on “Download Files”

Select either “My Documents” or “All available files” and then click “Request Download”

You then get an email with the files when they are done being processed.

Client users use the same process except they don’t have the choice of any folder. Instead their “My Documents” folder is automatically processed for them and an email sent when done.

Renaming, Moving and Deleting Files

To rename a file, simply browse to the file you wish to rename, right-click it and select Rename.

This will pop-up a new window. Give it a new filename and description (optional) and click Save.

To move a file, right-click on it and select Move.

This will pop-up a new window where you can select the folder to move the file to. Click on a folder to select it, or click on a filing cabinet to move it there. Once you have selected the folder you want to move to click the Move button at the bottom.

This is a useful function if you have a document you are working on for a client and want to move it into their “My Documents” folder.

To Delete a file, right-click on the file, and select Delete.

This will pop-up a new window asking for confirmation. Click Delete again to delete the file.

Previous File Versions

If you have accidentally overwritten a file on the Vault with one from your computer, or simply want to look at a past version of a file, you can access the older version from within the Vault.

To do so, right-click on the file in the Vault, and select Version History.

Then, find the version of the file that you wish based on the date and select Download.

Finally, click Save and choose a location on your computer to save the file to.

Pop-Up Header Icons

Whenever you open up a pop-up window inside the Vault (like, for instance, when you go to upload a file), you will notice several icons in the upper right corner of the header.

Each of these icons serve a unique purpose.

• The Pin Icon will hold the pop-up window in place so it won’t move around.
• The Rotation Icon will refresh the pop-up window.
• The Line Icon will minimize the pop-up window.
• The Box Icon will maximize the pop-up window.
• The X Icon will close the pop-up window.

Search

You can search all your files easily by clicking the “Search” bar in the toolbar.

Simply fill in the field with the term you want to search for and click the button to the right. This will bring up a list of all the files that match the search term. You can verify what you searched for in the breadcrumbs section above the list.

You can see exactly where the file you searched for his located in the Description column; it will give you a breakdown of the file location, mentioning each folder it is in.