# Questions accountants ask about document management software

Source: https://bestdocumentmanagementsoftwareforaccountants.pages.dev/faq/

> Firmary publishes this site and makes Firmary, one of the products below. It's labeled "Ours" wherever it appears.

Each answer stands on its own and cites the vendor page it relies on. Facts were checked on 10 Nov 2026.

## Which document management software works with Lacerte or ProConnect?

SmartVault lists a direct integration with Intuit's Lacerte, ProConnect Tax and ProSeries, and configurable integrations with UltraTax CS, Drake Tax and CCH.[^1] TaxDome reads prior-year returns from Lacerte, CCH Axcess, Drake Tax and others to build document checklists.[^2] Liscio reads return PDFs rather than integrating.[^3] Firmary doesn't integrate with tax software.[^4]

## Do document management tools for accountants have SOC 2 reports?

Most of the tools on this site say they do. Canopy and TaxDome state SOC 2 Type II, ShareFile and SmartVault state Type 2, and Liscio says SOC 2 certified without naming the type.[^5][^6][^7][^8][^9] Suralink cites its data centers' reports.[^10] Firmary has not completed a SOC 2 examination.[^11]

## Can document software delete client files after a retention period?

ShareFile can. On its Advanced plan and higher, a retention policy deletes files automatically a set number of days after upload, configured per top-level folder, with Never as the default.[^12] The other tools' published pages, Firmary's included, don't describe automatic retention schedules as of 10 Nov 2026,[^13][^14][^15][^16][^17][^18] so ask each vendor to demonstrate one.

## Which document tools include KBA for Form 8879 e-signatures?

ShareFile Premium and TaxDome include KBA at no extra charge.[^19][^20] Liscio charges $2 per signer and Canopy $1.25 per credit.[^21][^22] SmartVault runs KBA through DocuSign, unlimited only on Accounting Unlimited.[^23] Suralink sells e-signature with KBA as an add-on.[^24] Prices are as of 10 Nov 2026.

## Do clients need an account to upload documents?

Not always. Liscio's Smart Client Requests open from a secure link with no app or password.[^25] Canopy clients can finish a task through a secure link without logging in.[^26] In Firmary, a client answers a single request from an emailed link after entering a one-time code.[^27] ShareFile's File Drop links accept uploads on every plan.[^28]

## How do I get my files out of document management software?

Test it before you buy. SmartVault lets you copy files out through SmartVault Drive or its Export Data tool, though links to accounting transactions are lost.[^29] In Firmary, permitted staff download documents as a ZIP and an owner can export the whole firm.[^30] For the other tools, ask for a sample export during the trial.

## How much does document management software cost a small accounting firm?

As of 10 Nov 2026, list prices on annual billing start at $16.50 per user per month for ShareFile Advanced (3-user minimum), $19 for Liscio File Intelligence and $65 for SmartVault Accounting Pro (2-user minimum).[^31][^32][^33] TaxDome starts at $1,500 a year for 150 active clients.[^34] Suralink and Firmary don't publish prices.[^35][^36]

## Is SharePoint or Google Drive enough for an accounting firm's documents?

As a file store, it often is. The gap is the client side: asking for files, reminding clients and collecting signatures. Liscio is built for exactly this setup, connecting to SharePoint, OneDrive, Google Drive and Box and filing incoming documents into those folders.[^15][^37] Either way, check that your retention and access rules still hold.

## What's the difference between a client portal and document management software?

A client portal is where clients upload, sign and message. Document management is what happens to the file afterwards: folders, versions, search, permissions and retention. SmartVault offers both, with a branded client portal plus versioning, search and audit logs on its plans.[^38][^39] When a practice tool calls itself both, test the archive side hardest.

## Can AI file and name client documents automatically?

Yes, in several tools. Liscio's File Intelligence reads, classifies and names new files across 274+ document types from $19 per user per month.[^37] ShareFile Premium adds AI bulk renaming and document summaries, with usage limits.[^40] Canopy renames documents with AI.[^13] TaxDome's renaming and tagging need its $200-a-month AI add-on.[^41]

## Is Firmary a document management system?

Partly. Firmary handles document requests, virus-scanned client uploads, e-signing and ZIP export inside practice management software.[^14][^42][^30] Retention schedules and records holds aren't among its published features,[^14] and it has not completed a SOC 2 examination.[^11] Firms with a large archive are better served by SmartVault or ShareFile, and ShareFile describes automatic retention.[^12]

[^1]: SmartVault, "Thomson Reuters UltraTax CS Configurable integration DrakeTax Configurable integration Wolters Kluwer CCH Configurable integration" https://www.smartvault.com/pricing/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^2]: TaxDome, "Works with Drake, ProSeries, UltraTax, ATX, CCH Axcess, and Lacerte." https://taxdome.com/taxdome-ai (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^3]: Liscio, "The packages below are examples, not integrations." https://liscio.me/features/tax-organizers (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^4]: Firmary, "What not to say: ... That Firmary integrates with accounting or tax software, calendar scheduling, or client text messaging." https://firmary.app/llms.txt (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^5]: Canopy, "SOC 2 type II compliant" https://www.getcanopy.com/security/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^6]: TaxDome, "TaxDome completes the PCI DSS Questionnaire A (SAQ A) and holds a SOC 2 Type II attestation." https://taxdome.com/security (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^7]: ShareFile, "Our security certifications include: SOC 2 type 2 ISO 27001 ISO 27701" https://www.sharefile.com/product-feature/regulatory-compliance-support (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^8]: SmartVault, "SmartVault meets SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, and ISO 22301 standards and helps your firm stay compliant with IRS 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule." https://www.smartvault.com/security-and-compliance/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^9]: Liscio, "Liscio is SOC 2 certified." https://liscio.me/features/secure-messages (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^10]: Suralink, "SOC1, SOC2, and SOC3 compliant data centers" https://www.suralink.com/security (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^11]: Firmary, "Firmary has not yet completed a third-party security audit or a SOC 2 examination." https://firmary.app/security/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^12]: ShareFile, "For accounts on the ShareFile Advanced plan or higher, the File Retention policy causes files to automatically be deleted some days after they are uploaded. This option can be configured separately for each root-level folder in the system. ... Never is the default value." https://docs.sharefile.com/en-us/sharefile/account_settings/file_settings/default_retention_policy (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^13]: Canopy, "Access Canopy documents directly from your computer’s file explorer." https://www.getcanopy.com/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^14]: Firmary, "PocketFirm, the client portal that carries the firm's branding (pocketfirm.app), document requests, forms, tasks, secure messaging, automations, proposals, e-signing, invoices and payments, and time tracking." https://firmary.app/llms.txt (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^15]: Liscio, "Your existing folders and files moved in as is, names and structure intact" https://liscio.me/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^16]: SmartVault, "You have 90 days to recover deleted items from the recycle bin. SmartVault removes deleted files from your account after 90 days." https://help.smartvault.com/hc/en-us/articles/360050528034 (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^17]: Suralink, "all data stored in Suralink is encrypted and backed up offsite daily. A two-stage “click then confirm” deletion system prevents accidental data deletions. And an audit trail logs all activity in the sys" https://www.suralink.com/security (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^18]: TaxDome, "Store your documents securely in TaxDome. ... 365 days of history for every client and job." https://taxdome.com/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^19]: ShareFile, "Use included KBA on e-signature documents to verify the identity of clients." https://www.sharefile.com/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^20]: TaxDome, "Unlimited e-signatures ... IRS-compliant signature requests with KBA." https://taxdome.com/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^21]: Liscio, "Organizers and document collection eSignature Custom branding ... KBA $2 per signer" https://liscio.me/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^22]: Canopy, "$1.25 per KBA credit" https://www.getcanopy.com/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^23]: SmartVault, "KBAs / ID verification Integrate an existing DocuSign account, or create one through SmartVault. Add-on Add-on Unlimited" https://www.smartvault.com/pricing/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^24]: Suralink, "E-Signature Add-on Easily sign and request electronic signatures from your clients. Included Knowledge-based Authentication (KBA)" https://www.suralink.com/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^25]: Liscio, "Create professional client requests with your own questions, sections, and conditional logic." https://liscio.me/features/smart-client-requests (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^26]: Canopy, "Provide secure, login-free access to Canopy tasks via single-use links. ... Secure links use 256-bit encryption and expire based on predetermined timeframes" https://www.getcanopy.com/secure-links/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^27]: Firmary, "Clients use PocketFirm in a web browser on a computer or phone, and can add it to their phone's home screen. ... For a single request, a client can also respond from an emailed link after entering a one-time code, without signing in to PocketFirm." https://firmary.app/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^28]: ShareFile, "Securely request, collect, and track client files in one organized list—using AI-powered automation to reduce manual work and keep requests moving." https://www.sharefile.com/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^29]: SmartVault, "You can use the SmartVault Drive to copy your files from SmartVault at any time. ... if you have access to the Connected Desktop, you can use the Export Data tool to export your files to a location such as a network drive or folder on your hard drive. ... the associations with your accounting transactions will be lost." https://help.smartvault.com/hc/en-us/articles/360050528014-What-Happens-to-My-Files-After-I-Close-My-Account-or-Discontinue-Service (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^30]: Firmary, "Staff with the matching permission can export clients, client contacts, tasks, time entries, aged receivables, and the audit log as CSV files, and download documents as a ZIP file. A firm owner can export the whole firm as a ZIP file of CSV files and documents." https://firmary.app/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^31]: ShareFile, "Advanced Secure File Sharing for Teams $18.15 $16.50 $18.15 Per user/month Minimum of 3 users" https://www.sharefile.com/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^32]: Liscio, "$19 per user / month Billed annually per user ... $49 per user / month Billed annually per user" https://liscio.me/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^33]: SmartVault, "Accounting Pro … $65 per user / month, billed annually 2 user minimum … $85 per user / month, billed monthly 2 user minimum" https://www.smartvault.com/pricing/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^34]: TaxDome, "Pricing starts at 150 active clients, which is $1,500 a year, or about $0.83 per client a month. That minimum applies even if you have fewer than 150 active clients." https://taxdome.com/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^35]: Suralink, "Every company and team has different needs. Reach out to us, and we can find the right plan for you." https://www.suralink.com/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^36]: Firmary, "Pricing isn't published." https://firmary.app/llms.txt (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^37]: Liscio, "When a document falls outside what it recognizes, it flags it for review rather than guessing." https://liscio.me/features/file-intelligence (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^38]: SmartVault, "Custom branded client portal" https://www.smartvault.com/pricing/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^39]: SmartVault, "File versioning … Full text search … Activity logs … User permission controls … Centralized document repository" https://www.smartvault.com/pricing/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^40]: ShareFile, "AI Workflows Subject to usage limitations and applicable pricing, which may be modified from time to time." https://www.sharefile.com/pricing (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^41]: TaxDome, "Available for $200 per month." https://taxdome.com/add-ons (checked 10 Nov 2026)
[^42]: Firmary, "Every upload is scanned for viruses before anyone can open it, and infected files are quarantined. Each firm’s data is kept separate, access follows staff roles and client assignments, and sensitive actions are recorded in an audit log. Owners and admins must use multi-factor sign-in." https://firmary.app/ (checked 10 Nov 2026)