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Professional Services — Client Intake, Portals, and Billing Flows | Envision360
Industry

Professional services

Client intake, portals, and billing flows that cut email and missed handoffs. For firms that sell time and expertise in Canada and the U.S. Law, accounting, bookkeeping, advisory, engineering/architecture, creative/marketing, research, and specialist consultancies. Keep your practice tools and accounting. Add the missing digital layer that helps clients see status and helps your team finish work without chasing files.

Who this helps

  • Law practices with conflict checks, engagement letters, and document exchanges
  • Accounting and bookkeeping firms closing monthly files and year-ends
  • Advisory and fractional CFO teams managing rolling deliverables
  • Architecture/engineering practices sharing drawings, RFIs, and approvals
  • Creative and marketing studios shipping proofs and change requests
  • Research and compliance shops with multi-step reviews and sign-offs
Client intake and onboarding flows with conflict/KYC and engagement e-sign

Problems we hear from firm owners and PMs

Intake & engagement

  • Intake arrives by email; conflict/KYC is missed or retyped
  • Engagement letters sit unsigned while the clock is running
  • Clients upload the wrong version across channels

Status & scope

  • “What’s the status?” triggers a hunt through threads and drives
  • Change requests aren’t logged; scope creep appears at invoicing
  • Time is tracked but not tied to deliverables or value

Reporting & reviews

  • Month-end packs rebuilt from scratch
  • Partners want a clear view without exporting CSVs
  • Records exist, but the working layer leaks time

What we build for professional services

1) Intake & onboarding

  • Guided intake with conflict/KYC prompts and required docs
  • Engagement e-sign; versions stored on the matter/client
  • Service checklists (bookkeeping setup, discovery, RFP, permit pack)
  • Secure file requests with due dates and “done” definitions
  • Welcome page with next steps and contacts

Examples: Law (conflict + ID + scope + trust); Accounting (bank feeds, payroll, prior period, tax); Creative (brand assets, fonts, approval matrix).

2) Client portal

  • Status board with dates, owners, blockers
  • File cabinet—latest version only
  • Structured requests vs vague emails
  • Approvals and sign-offs with history
  • Invoices, retainers, receipts in one place

3) Work management

  • Templates by service line/tier
  • Ownership and cadence-based due dates
  • Linked time entries (bridge your time tool)
  • Change request flow with impact notes
  • Weekly roll-up—what moved, what needs help

4) Proofs & versions

  • Proofing/compare without email chaos
  • RFIs tied to items, not inbox threads
  • Document stamps: draft/review/final
  • Audit trail on views, changes, approvals

5) Billing & collections

  • Retainer/trust thresholds & requests
  • Invoice packet builder (time + deliverables + approvals)
  • Dispute/hold queue with outcomes
  • Payment links & reminders by preference

6) Compliance & audit

  • KYC/AML artefacts with retention rules
  • Engagement versions & scope changes
  • Access logs for sensitive docs
  • Export packs for audits/partner reviews
Professional services panoramic — intake, client portal, approvals, billing

Building blocks (add in the order that pays back fastest)

  • Intake forms with conflict/KYC and file requests
  • Engagement e-sign and stored versions
  • Client portal with status and approvals
  • Templates for recurring work
  • Change requests + impact notes
  • Weekly partner roll-up by client/service/deadline
  • Invoice packet builder and payment links
  • Search across clients, matters, files, comments
  • Mobile-friendly uploads for clients on the go

Under the hood: SSO if you use it, roles by client/matter/team, encryption in transit and at rest, audit logs, and data residency options for Canada and the U.S.

Client portal status board, approvals, and invoice packet preview

Fits your stack

Practice & project tools

  • Clio, PracticePanther, Actionstep (law)
  • Xero/QBO, Dext, Hubdoc, Caseware (accounting)
  • Asana, Monday, ClickUp, Jira, Wrike (project/creative)
  • AutoCAD/Revit export flows (A/E) when needed

Accounting & payments

  • QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite
  • Stripe, Moneris, Elavon
  • CPA-friendly exports and packets

Docs & e-sign

  • Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Box, Dropbox
  • DocuSign / Adobe Sign

Messaging & identity

  • Twilio/SendGrid for notices and reminders
  • Teams/Slack bridges for internal alerts
  • Entra / Okta / Google for SSO
  • Role-based access by client, matter, team

Where APIs are weak, we set safe scheduled syncs with clear field mapping and retries.

Results firms can expect

  • Faster file openFrom enquiry to signed engagement
  • Fewer status emailsClients see progress and approvals
  • Scope clarityChanges captured before invoicing
  • Weekly visibilityPartners get a clear roll-up without new sheets
  • Perceived valueClients see decisions and deliverables

Typical starting points

Intake + engagement + portal

One service line (e.g., monthly accounting, contract review) with clean onboarding and a usable client hub.

Proof/approval hub

Creative or A/E deliverables with version stamps and a proper approval trail.

Monthly close checklist

File requests, due dates by client, and an invoice packet tied to time entries and deliverables.

Pilot plan

Weeks 1–2

Pick one service line and one metric (time to onboard, time to approve, WIP to bill). Map your fields and screens.

Weeks 3–6/8

Build and connect. Run with a small client group or one practice area. Tighten templates and wording based on real work.

Week 8+

Roll to more clients and add the next module. No rebuild—add lanes once the first is steady.

Security and privacy

  • Role-based access with least privilege
  • Encryption at rest and in transit
  • Change history on key records and documents
  • Consent and retention policies by client or matter
  • Data location options for Canada and the U.S.

Talk to a lead strategist Send one process that drains hours—intake/engagement, status/approvals, or invoice prep. We’ll map a first release that fits your tools and gives clients a portal that cuts email.