TaxFolder Best Practices

Just looking for some ideas for handling client uploaded files. Some of the files are fairly large and some clients have many MB of data they have uploaded.

Normally what we do is download to a client directory:
for example: \current t1 clients\LASFIR - First Last name\2020\

We then move PDFs to Doxcycle that will be used in preparing the return. We might move some files to a permanent file directory for the client (ie…wills, or asset purchases)

The client directory and DoxCycle directories are part of our regular server backup policy. That evening, they will be backed up to a local source and to Azure’s online backup.

At this point, I’m thinking to delete the files from TaxFolder, or waiting until the end when I click the “Complete Engagement” button. I know I don’t want to delete the files until evening backup is happening.

What are other peole doing?

What is the point of deleting it from TaxFolder? It is a great history of what you did receive. The more backups of your data the better. We do everything very similar to you in our office but we also use ShareFile as we are migrating over to TaxFolder. I do not delete anything. If I need to check that a staff member downloaded everything then I want it all there. Also there are no arguments with anymore if they forgot to send you a missing T slip. You have the original uploads as proof of what you received.

Storage costs money. I have an e-courier account as well, limited to 500GB. And every tax season, I would get very close to going over. That was with all source documents at 30 days, normal correspondence at 7 days and tax returns retained for 365 days.

Without an audit trail of the files, there is actually no way to prove that you didn’t delete a file they uploaded.