My Enrolled Agent Firm Tech Stack
- Timalyn S. Bowens
- 3 hours ago
- 14 min read
Things have changed drastically since my first busy season in 2011 at a CPA firm. I worked at a firm that had gone international, and they had a lot more resources than I had when I first started my firm. In my first busy season, my tech stack wasn't too complex.
Technology has changed a lot within the past decade, and so have the tools that I now utilize. It has made the barriers to entry to starting a streamlined Enrolled Agent firm lower. That's why I want to share what I am using in my Enrolled Agent firm in 2026 with you. Hopefully, it will help you along the way.
Keep in mind that the main focus of my firm is tax representation. So I don't spend as much on tax preparation software. If you're interested in knowing what I used my first busy season, I'm happy to do a separate article.
Disclaimer: This article does contain affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you decide to use the link, in addition to you receiving a discount.
Acuity Scheduling
I use this to schedule appointments with prospects, clients, and potential referral partners. It syncs with my business and personal calendars to ensure that I am not double-booked. I am also able to limit the number of calls I take each day. It also integrates with my website. Tools that help you manage your time are essential to an Enrolled Agent Firm tech stack.
I can limit it by call type and how many I'd like to take overall. The program also offers a time blocking feature so that I only take certain types of calls on certain days and within a certain time period. Time has taught me that I have to keep designated days/times for marketing, corresponding with the IRS, and e-mails.
Acuity also allows me to pre-qualify leads when they book a call. I talk about that more in this article- Mastering Your Tax Preparation Workflow: The Initial Phone Call
I can also use it to create a paywall for certain appointments. This ensures that I'm compensated for my time before speaking with the client. I can also require someone to enter their credit card number so that if they are a no-show, their card is still charged, so my time isn't wasted. You can see how I use it here: Tax Preparation Workflow: Choosing the Right Customers for Your Tax Preparation Business
If you're interested in checking it out, you can use my referral link - https://referral.acuityscheduling.com/nf0klh49x8al and code: Partnerstack10 for a 10% off discount.
Canopy Tax
I started using Canopy in the Fall of 2024. I use this as my CRM for tax preparation clients. I wanted a software where I could do the following all in one place:
-Send a proposal
-Invoicing
-Collect client data and documents
-Share documents with clients
-Set up workflows
-Keep internal notes
-Assign internally and externally
I hired someone to set up the system for me. Note of advice, don't set up a new CRM during extension season, and definitely don't do it right before tax season. I made that mistake several years ago with TaxDome and never used it.
This time, I was being "smart" and wanted to be sure I had clients to send through so I could test it out. In the first season, I really only used the client organizer and the space for storage. There is no chat feature, but you can leave comments on client requests and tasks. I do like that it also syncs with my Outlook inbox. So I can click the communication tab and see all our e-mails in one place.
The payments feature was also somewhat clunky, and I kept running into errors. This could have absolutely been user error. I never went back in to set it up. So I do not accept payment through Canopy. Which is okay, but it would help streamline the process. I use Canopy for all of my clients except tax representation. I still use Pitbull for that.
This will be my second full season using Canopy. This year, I'm using the engagement feature to send proposals to prospects. That way, before we do the back-end work to set them up, we know if they agree to the scope and price of the engagement. This took time to set up, but it saves administrative time in the backend.
My intern, office administrator, and I can also see where we are with different clients. This internal workflow makes it clear who is doing what function of the engagement. It also lets us see what our internal deadlines are and to leave notes on the return. This is helpful when I come in to review, and if someone different works on that return for next year.
We also use the organizer so that clients can let us know what happened during the tax year. They can also upload corresponding documents that relate to the questions they are being asked. We have folders created to help keep the client and our workflow organized.
There is a client request feature that allows us to request additional documents from the client, but also lets them know where we are in the process. We have some things automated, but not all yet.
If you're interested in checking out Canopy, then you can use my referral link here: https://referrals.getcanopy.com/l/1TIMALYNBOW61/
Docusign (Discontinued)
I have used DocuSign for the past 10 years to receive signatures for clients with knowledge-based authentication. Over the years, the price of this has gone up, and I don't do as many tax returns for it to be as valuable. I believe I paid $318 last tax season for 100 envelopes.
An envelope can have more than one signature. So, for example, one couple signing their Federal 8879 and their state to give me permission to e-file it would be one envelope if I put them together. This comes out to about $3/ an envelope.
However, with me doing fewer than 100 tax returns and needing fewer than 100 KBA signatures, I am leaving DocuSign. They've been good to me. But I'm streamlining the process by taking advantage of the KBA signatures in Canopy for $1.25/ signature. This way, all the client's signed documents will be in one place in the portal for their records and mine.
I have never had any issues with them. It just doesn't make sense for me to use them anymore.
Drake Tax Software
Drake Tax Software is not the best, but it does get the job done. Please keep in mind that my practice is not tax prep-heavy.
What I initially liked about the software was that for $2,000, I could do an unlimited number of returns. Their price has since increased, but it's still one of the cheaper ones around.
That is definitely a pro of the software. If you are doing simple 1040s, including Schedule Cs and Es, this is good software. If you have more complexities with multiple states, a lot of depreciation, and K-1s, this is not the ideal software.
While they are on the lower end pricewise, the version I have is a desktop. This requires me to have a remote desktop. There are pros and cons to this as far as safety is concerned. This was a pro for me because I needed to not be able to easily access client data, so I wouldn't overwork myself. But the remote desktop does add an additional monthly cost.
Drake now offers a web version. I personally have not used it. But when softwares make big transitions like that, I don't always like to be amongst the first to use them. My thought behind that is that hopefully I'll be able to avoid some of the early issues.
Overall, Drake has been good to me. Their support has been amazing. The Drake family recently sold the company. So customer service isn't as good, with the personal touch that it used to have. But there are forums and online groups where you can find the help you need.
I think if you price your tax preparation correctly, Drake is worth the money. If you can't afford the full package or you just don't do that many returns, they also have a pay-per-return option as well.
Microsoft Office Business 365
Microsoft > Google every day, in my opinion. When I first started oen of the first investments I made was in Microsoft Office Business 365. This allowed me to have the following:
- Professional e-mail address with my domain
- Outlook calendar
- Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Sharepoint, Onedrive
- Microsoft Bookings (think Acuity by Microsoft style)
This was perfect for starting. It was $12/ month and provided a professional front and storage. I could password-protect files that I shared and stored in OneDrive. Having an Outlook calendar to help me manage my time is probably the best thing in the tech stack. Simple, but everything revolves around it. Having a great calendar is essential to your Enrolled Agent Tech stack.
It got the job done. Since that time, I've switched to Acuity for booking, but I still utilize everything else. I only share information with clients via the secure portal.
QuickBooks and QuickBooks Payments
You can't work with people's money and not have your money in order. When I first started my business as Bowens Tax & Bookkeeping Solutions, I also offered bookkeeping. So I also became a QuickBooks ProAdvisor. With an accountant account, QuickBooks was available to me for free as an accountant. I was also able to apply for and get QuickBooks Payments for free as well.
You have to have a way to invoice clients and receive payments. I enjoyed having one way to send an invoice that gave clients multiple ways to pay.
- Apple Pay
- Bank Account
-Debit/Credit
-Paypal
QuickBooks Payments also syncs with QuickBooks so that your payments and payment processing fees get recorded. QuickBook Payments gets you your money pretty quickly as well vs. some other platforms. My money typically takes 2 days at most when I use QuickBooks. They do have the option to get it instantly for an additional processing fee.
If you've been following me for a while, you know that I don't like monopolies within our space. I do believe that Intuit has somewhat of a monopoly in this space. But if you are starting out and don't have a big budget, I think QuickBooks is a good place to start.
Make sure that you're subscribed to my page and YouTube channel to check out some upcoming software that I review as QuickBooks alternatives.
Ping Assistant
Ping is an AI assistant that's built specifically for accounting firms. Yes, that includes us as Enrolled Agents! If your focus is on advisory vs. entering data, then I believe you will find Ping Assistant to be a powerful tool for your firm. I added it during 2025, and it was game changer for me this past tax season.
To be specific, Ping automates admin work, helps you scale advisory services, and ensures your firm never loses client knowledge with turnover. It does this by creating a living knowledge base that captures context from every client interaction, e-mail, and document.
I've written a few articles to give an overview and shared some of the things I love about it on my YouTube channel. You can find the article here: Ping Assistant: AI for Accountants.
You can also check out an overview that I did about my favorite Ping Assistant feature - the Email Assistant.
In addition to that, you can book a free demo and trial. Let them know that I sent you, and use promo code: TIMALYN-BOWENS for a discount.
Pitbull Tax Software
Tax representation is not essential to a firm that is just starting out and is getting fewer than 3 cases a month. My advice to new Enrolled Agents dipping their toes into representation is not to worry about the software until you actually know how to do the work.
That means if you don't know how to manually fill out the following forms, you should get some reps in first. I've linked a video or article to each one below so you can learn how to fill them out.
With tax representation, practice makes perfect. If you are all in on representation, those reps will come in soon. A good workflow is what you truly need to be successful. Check out The Tax Representation Workflow for a head start on building yours.
As you're building and you need a secure portal to get client data and software to make you more efficient, I recommend Pitbull Tax Software.
Yes, there are other software such as Canopy, Tax Help Software, etc. But Pitbull is what I have found to be more user-friendly for tax representation. I also use it in my own firm. You can schedule a demo to check it out for yourself. Let them know you and use the affiliate link:
https://www.pitbulltax.com/pricing.html?affiliate_id=360 or promo code: GGCGXS to receive a discount.
Stripe
A lesson I learned very quickly in this business is to never keep all of your eggs in one basket. That not only goes for customers but also for how you deal with your money. I love QuickBooks payments, and it is my preferred method of receiving money. But I do use Stripe and PayPal.
One of the reasons I use Stripe is that it syncs well with Acuity and enables me to receive payments for paid consultations before the client is able to book the call. This protects my time. The fees are comparable to those of other platforms. My main complaint with Stripe is how long it takes to get my money if I'm not using it regularly. It can't take almost a week or more at times. This can be very frustrating now. So I can only imagine if I were using them when I first started, and I was a bit more strapped for cash. They do have the option to receive your funds faster by paying an additional processing fee.
I do believe that there are certain functions of an accounting firm that they no longer approve. That is why I don't use them as much, and when I do, it is for consulting work that I require payment up front before a prospect can book with me. I can use PayPal the same way. But at times forget to take money out of PayPal. Stripe streamlines the process without me having to remember to schedule payments from PayPal to my bank account.
Wix
Start with what you have, please. I didn't have a website for the first 4 years I had a firm, and I was still making money. One of the reasons I wanted a website was so that I could capture leads and also have a home for Tax Tips with Timalyn.
Wix provided something that was affordable at the time and met both of those needs. I pay less than $500/ year for my website. I paid $200 for someone to put it together initially. Since that time, I've paid more to have it updated, and I paid someone to do the copy. Yes, I get paid to write, but I needed someone else who isn't in the tax world to help me explain my services to those not in the tax world.
It was worth the investment, and this is why. It houses my online real estate. The website is where people can find out about me, book me, and pay me all in the same place. That's all your website needs to do. Tell people who you are, why they should choose you, and how to book with you.
The website alone doesn't make you money. Which is why I didn't mind using Wix. But my driving people to the website is what makes me money. So, you don't need it to make money, but it definitely will make the process easier if you can send everyone to one place.
Verito
One of my main concerns, always, has been keeping client data secure.
Information being in the cloud is great for access, but not so much for work-life balance. Not for me anyway. Maybe I'm not disciplined enough.
So when I switched from cloud-based software to a desktop a few years ago, I needed to find a good remote desktop to use. Another fear of mine has always been, what if my computer gets into the wrong hands? In addition to the encryption, etc., having a remote desktop is just another added layer to protect my client's data.
I just started using Verito within the past 5 months, and it was good for tax season. There were some issues with Drake and Verito as far as the Drake updates. That could be frustrating, but that was a Drake issue.
Customer service was pretty quick. They have different tiers that you can choose from with a certain amount of space, and these are at different price amounts. This makes it affordable for smaller firms. These are two things I can't say for my previous provider who I was with almost 5 years. As of now, I don't have any complaints. If you're interested in learning more about Verito, let me know. I'm happy to do a video and or article on different features and my experience.
If you're interested in checking Verito out, you can set up a demo on their website. Let them know it was me who sent you, and you can use my affiliate link: https://support.verito.com/aff.php?aff=93
Zoom
You're on mute! I've heard those words more times than I can count since the pandemic. In this virtual world where we can meet with people remotely to work, my preferred method is via Zoom.
With a paid Zoom account, I can meet as long as I want, when I want, and control who has access to my meeting room. If you want to do an event via Zoom, most platforms connect with it. You can set up a registration page on Zoom so that you can capture people's information and details if you don't have a website for them to register on.
Zoom also integrates with my website, booking page, Pitbull, and Ping. This makes setting up virtual meetings easier because that's one additional step that I don't have to take.
I pay an annual fee. This includes limited storage space for me to save recorded meetings. But I have 1 TB of space on OneDrive with Microsoft, so storage isn't too much of an issue. Zoom also has a notetaker of its own, but of course, it's no match to Ping because it's not building a client intelligence database.
I use this for paid consultations, case updates, and also to do screenshares when I go over engagement letters and representation paperwork with new clients.
In Conclusion
My Enrolled Agent Firm tech stack isn't perfect, but it's what works for me right now. As you grow, your needs will change, and so will your tech stack. I remember a time when I thought Canopy was way too expensive. When I first started, I would have never purchased a separate scheduling platform because I had Microsoft Bookings with my Microsoft Office Business 365 subscription. But then I grew, and what I needed in a booking site changed.
My point is, don't feel bad if you need to make certain changes to your tech stack later down the line. Your firm should always be growing - if not in clients, in revenue, or in efficiency. You can't always compare yourself and your firm to others as a sign of where you should be. You can take a look at where they are to learn lessons to make yourself better and create the firm that YOU want to run.
Now It's Your Turn
1 - What does your current tech stack look like? Is it non-existent? Writing your workflow out on paper can help you see where you can use technology to streamline your process. What area would you like to streamline?
2 - Does your firm focus on tax preparation, representation, or advisory? This will affect your tech stack. This will affect the communication and encryption tools that you use to interact with your clients.
3 - Once you have a solid workflow and process to handle your clients, then you can focus on marketing to get more clients in. What area of marketing do you struggle with?
Timalyn S. Bowens EA, is America's Favorite EA and Tax Expert who will work hard to find a customized legal solution for you! As an Enrolled Agent licensed through the Internal Revenue Service, Timalyn is able to fight the IRS for taxpayers in all 50 states. As the host of Tax Relief with Timalyn Bowens and a YouTube content creator, she empowers taxpayers to make educated decisions about their tax situation.
When you are facing questions regarding your personal or business taxes, working with a professional makes all the difference. At Bowens Tax Solutions, we serve our Louisville-area neighbors by providing the tax services and knowledge needed to succeed. We are here to assist you with your tax issues and preventative care. Visit our website at www.bowenstaxsolutions.com for more information.
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