The Client Site
A client portal that answers one question: "Is there anything I need to do?"
Clients hate logging into accounting portals that look like complex enterprise file servers. When a client signs into CPA Relay, their Home page greets them by name and presents three quiet cards: their active projects, open items needing attention, and outstanding bills.
Branded with your firm's name & logo · Unlimited free client logins · Desktop & mobile ready
Unified action list
Grouped to-dos that make priorities unmistakable
Clients never have to wonder what needs to be done first. Their dedicated To-dos tab groups every pending item into clear chronological buckets with color-coded urgency chips.
- Urgency grouping: Items are automatically organized into Late (red), Ready to sign (amber), Due this week, and Coming up.
- One login for multiple entities: Business owners access their family 1040, partnership, and rental LLCs under a single login—with open items clearly tagged by entity.
- Direct action buttons: Every row features a single unambiguous action: Open to-do, Review & sign, Review & approve, or View & pay ↗.
- Secure drag-and-drop intake: Clients drop bank statements, W-2s, and PDFs directly into requested slots without confusing folder trees.
Dedicated approvals
One-tap approvals for draft returns, estimates, and extensions
Not every client decision requires a 10-page e-signature envelope. When you need official sign-off on a draft Form 1040 or an estimated tax voucher before e-filing, send a project Approval.
- Frictionless decision interface: Clients review attached draft PDFs in a clean viewer and click Approve draft or Decline or ask a question.
- Client feedback notes: If a client declines, they can leave an immediate note ("Please check line 12 charitable contributions") directly on the approval record.
- Permanent audit record: Every approval is timestamped with the exact client user, date, and decision, locking into the firm's project log forever.
Frictionless billing
Transparent bills, itemized invoices, and optional Auto-Pay
Clients can see what they owe across all of their entities on one clean screen—no buried billing menus or confusing statements.
- Immediate payment: A prominent View & pay button lets clients pay invoices via credit card, ACH bank transfer, or Cash App in seconds.
- One-switch Auto-Pay: For recurring tax prep retainers or monthly bookkeeping, clients can toggle Auto-Pay on with a saved card or bank account.
- Itemized clarity: Displays invoice numbers, issue dates, due dates, and exact balances with clear paid/unpaid status badges.
24/7 Self-Service
"Papers to keep" and controlled profile update requests
Every spring, CPA firms are buried in emails from clients asking for prior-year tax returns for mortgage lenders. The client Account page provides a permanent, self-service vault.
- Papers to keep: Every signed engagement letter, Form 8879, and shared final return is permanently archived for immediate PDF download.
- Controlled address updates: Clients don't silently overwrite your database—submitting a new address or phone number creates a clean review request on your firm's What's Outstanding board.
- Zero password resets for your firm: Modern magic-link recovery and optional two-factor email verification handle authentication smoothly without staff intervention.
Zero client confusion
A built-in 4-step quick guide so clients never get stuck
Most client portals require a 15-minute onboarding phone call. CPA Relay includes a round, floating help button on every client screen that opens an instant 4-step guide.
- 4-step orientation popover: Walks first-time clients through Find what we need, Upload documents, Review & sign, and Pay invoices in plain English.
- Full Help page (`/my/help`): Answers common questions about file formats, accepted file sizes, multi-factor codes, and spousal signatures.
- Direct firm contact: Your firm's phone number, email address, and office hours are anchored at the bottom of the help popover so clients always know how to reach you.
Strict visual privacy
What your clients never see
Clients never see your internal workpapers, staff @mentions, hourly rates, time entries, write-downs, or preparatory notes. Nothing appears in the client portal unless marked with an Amber badge.
Amber folders & shared lists
Shared folders, client checklist to-dos, final approved tax packages, and published invoices are badged in warm amber across the app.
Sky folders & workpapers
Internal tax working papers, tick-marks, carryforward notes, and review checklists are badged in sky blue with a lock icon. Completely hidden from clients.
Time entries & rates
Staff billable hours, Price Book units, internal realization rates, and courtesy write-downs are strictly internal and never exposed on invoices or portals.
Related guides & comparisons
Learn more about the client experience
Client documentation
Client Portal Walkthrough Guide
A plain-English guide you can share with clients explaining logins, to-dos, document uploads, and bill pay.
Read guideSoftware comparison
CPA Relay vs. TaxDome
Why small firms prefer a calm, clean client portal over complex multi-screen enterprise suites.
Compare portalsCompanion feature
PBC Document Requests
How shared to-dos and amber folders keep client file uploads organized without the email chase.
Explore requestsGive your clients a private site they won't need help using
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