For a small accounting, bookkeeping or tax practice, the months from February to June decide the year. Much of that time is not spent on tax work. It goes into chasing documents, answering “where is my return?” and re-keying information clients already sent.
Professional services firms are moving fast on this. Statistics Canada found that AI use in professional, scientific and technical services rose from 13.7% to 31.7% in one year, to the second quarter of 2025. Text analytics (43.5%) and chatbots or virtual agents (31.8%) were the most common uses in that sector.
1. A secure client portal for documents
Replace email attachments with a portal where clients upload slips and receipts against a checklist. Clients see what is still missing, and staff stop searching through inboxes.
2. Automated document reminders
Schedule reminders for missing items: a friendly first note, a follow-up a week later and a final reminder before your internal deadline. Most practice management tools can do this.
3. An intake questionnaire that does the sorting
A short online form at the start of the season captures life changes such as a new job, a move, a new child, rental income or self-employment. It routes each client to the right preparer and price before anyone opens the file.
4. Status updates without phone calls
Automatic emails at key stages, such as documents received, in review, ready to sign and filed, answer the most common question before it is asked.
5. AI for first drafts, with a professional review
AI tools can summarize long client emails, draft engagement letters and explain common issues in plain language. They are a starting point, not tax advice. Keep client data out of tools that do not meet your privacy obligations.
How WIZAD can help: we map your season from intake to filing, set up the portal, reminders and status updates, and train your team before the next deadline.
Source: Statistics Canada, AI use by businesses in Canada, Q2 2025.
