A branded client portal for a tax firm goes live through a managed 30-day installation when it is deployed from a production-tested platform. Building one from scratch is a development project measured in months. The difference is whether you are configuring something that already works or paying someone to write something new.
The 30-day managed installation, step by step
The AI360 CPA installation runs in three moves. First, a 30-minute discovery call maps your current intake, document handling, and follow-up, and you see the system running on your brand. Second, the branded build: the platform is deployed into your dedicated environment, carries your firm's name and colors, and is configured to match how your returns move. Third, launch: one script tag embeds the portal on your existing website, the mobile app gets your firm's name, and workflows go live. The team stays close for the first 14 days.
What makes portal projects drag
- Custom development instead of deploying a working platform
- Integration decisions made late, after the build starts
- No single owner on the firm side to make workflow calls
- Brand assets that arrive in week six
The managed model removes the first two by design. The firm controls the second two, and the list of what you need to bring is short: logo, colors, and firm name; decisions on how returns move through your pipeline; and access to embed the portal on your site.
What is running by launch day
Launch is not a login page. By the end of the installation, client intake writes into the system, document collection runs through the branded portal, missing-document reminders go out automatically by SMS and email, and the pipeline shows every return's stage. Complex client-data migrations and unusual approval paths are handled across the installation window rather than bolted on later.
Staff see the same pipeline from day one, so training happens on the live system rather than a manual.
Timing it around tax season
The comfortable windows are summer and fall: install, run extension-season traffic through it as a live rehearsal, and enter January with the machine already proven. Installing during January is possible but compresses the decisions when your hours are worth the most. If your list needs cleanup first, see the current Database Rescue details and pricing.
One more timing note: the installation does not consume your team's calendar the way a self-serve configuration project would. The build is done for you; the firm's time cost is the discovery call and the workflow decisions, which is why in-season installs are possible at all. For the document workflow that runs through the portal, see how CPA firms handle document collection.
Can we launch mid-season?
Yes, the installation is managed for you either way. The tradeoff is attention: in-season launches compress your decision-making when hours are scarce. Firms that install in summer or fall enter January already proven.
Do we need our own developers?
No. The portal embeds on your existing website with a single script tag, and the build, branding, and configuration are done as part of the managed installation.
What do we need to provide?
Three things: logo, colors, and firm name; decisions on how returns move through your pipeline; and access to embed the portal on your site.