This is how modern software development works: the two Hamburg-based software companies, hsp Handels-Software-Partner GmbH and TrustStone Software GmbH, will support their customers in future on the subject of procedural documentation even more targeted.

Process documentation: Unpopular, but necessary

This is required by the Principles for the Proper Management and Retention of Books, Records and Documents in Electronic Form and for Data Access (GoBD) and applies to all taxable businesses, regardless of their size. With the specialist software Opti.Tax (hsp) and the client platform Steuerbüro.online (TrustStone), tax advisers, auditors and law firms will in future be able to create cloud-based procedural documentation for their clients more easily and quickly.

Procedural documentation is not a popular topic – it involves a great deal of effort, and the guidelines leave considerable scope for interpretation, leading to uncertainty within companies and organisations. „Everyone needs it, but few have it,“ says Paul Liese, Managing Director of hsp Handel-Software-Partner GmbH. The partnership between hsp and Steuerbüro.online could change all that. In just a few weeks’ time, the first version of the joint project will go live and the interface will be released in Opti.Tax version 19.2.

„We have focused on combining the strengths of both products. In doing so, we are creating a product for our customers that is unique on the market,“ says Philip Hellmig, Managing Director of TrustStone Software GmbH.

With Opti.Tax, it is now possible to produce technically sound procedural documentation based on predefined structures and Creating sample texts. The Steuerbüro.online platform enables direct, digital communication and collaboration between tax firms and their clients.

This collaboration has resulted in a powerful product that enables accurate procedural documentation to be created collaboratively, quickly and securely. Using the taxonomy developed by hsp for the creation and maintenance of procedural documentation, clients are provided with a comprehensive specialist questionnaire via the Steuerbüro.online platform. The client can complete this within the system – thereby eliminating the need for the tax adviser and their team to carry out the time-consuming task of entering master data. This allows them to focus on what matters most: reviewing and documenting tax-relevant processes.

A partnership that works in tandem

Beyond the interview, the integration of the two systems provides users with a task and deadline management system: clients can check at any time which tasks they still need to complete and submit to their tax adviser. They can simply attach the necessary documents. Once the procedural documentation has been drawn up, the digital approval process takes effect without the need to send emails or print documents.

However, the partnership between hsp and Steuerbüro.online is not just of interest to tax practice firms. Service providers who specialise in the preparation of procedural documentation and support tax consultancy firms are provided with an innovative tool that significantly reduces the effort involved in creating and maintaining procedural documentation.

About TrustStone Software GmbH

TrustStone Software GmbH, based in Hamburg, was founded in 2015 and has been developing software and processes for tax practice firms ever since. With STEUERBÜRO.ONLINE, the company offers its clients a unique and highly customisable client platform.

STEUERBÜRO.ONLINE therefore not only facilitates the secure exchange of data and documents, but can also be used as a simple communication solution between clients and accountancy firms. It is compatible with all standard accountancy software products (e.g. DATEV). The platform was originally developed by a Hamburg-based firm to address common problems. As many firms were able to relate to these and other issues, STEUERBÜRO.ONLINE was made available to other tax consultancy firms in early 2016.

TrustStone Software GmbH’s clients benefit from extensive process expertise gained through collaboration with numerous tax consultancy firms and their clients. In the context of ongoing digitalisation, STEUERBÜRO.ONLINE is designed to enable secure, transparent and cost-effective management of practice processes.

Further information: www.steuerbuero.online