Chats: overview
Chats let you securely communicate with your clients in TaxDome without using third-party applications. Here are all the necessary details to familiarize yourself with the feature.
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Chats, explained
Chats are one of the built-in communication methods at TaxDome, along with email and SMS. This feature is available for you and your clients in the desktop portal and TaxDome mobile app. Using chats, you can:
- Ask questions and discuss work details
- Request missing information, such as documents (uploaded docs will be automatically put into clients' profiles and could be accessed via Docs)
- Add tasks for the clients (tasks will be displayed as to-do lists with checkboxes; you can track their progress on a separate page)
- Schedule appointments
Every chat you create is called a chat thread (or just a chat). You can create chat threads for an individual client, with several clients at once (bulk actions) or automatically. Chats can be created from scratch or using templates.
To access created chats, go to the Communication tab of the client's profile.
Chats are secure. This means that they can only be seen by:
- Clients for whom you created the chat thread
- Firm owners
- Admins
- Team members with access to the client's account or view all accounts access right
- Team members that you mention in the chat
Chats notifications
When you send messages, clients receive a notification. Unread messages are displayed in the Waiting for action section. From the firm's side, all chats are available in the Chats & tasks section (Chats in the mobile app).
As a chat thread creator, you will receive notifications in Inbox+, email or both when:
- Clients send new messages to a chat thread
- Clients or team members with access to the account reply in a chat thread
- Clients complete all tasks
- Clients upload documents
Chats managing
You can create an unlimited number of chat threads. However, to avoid clutter we recommend clarifying all details within one chat and archiving it when the matter is settled. You can reopen it at any time.
By default, clients can initiate new chat threads just like team members. It also could lead to a lot of chat threads. To keep things in order, you can disable the ability to create chats to clients in the Firm settings. This way, they can only reply to the ones you've created for them.
Automate processes with chats
TaxDome firms widely use chat messages to automate text communication:
- Warn clients about coming necessary actions (e.g., e-sign form 8879 or invoice)
- Provide instructions (e.g., explain how to complete organizers)
- Request missing documents (e.g., docs required to confirm the company's business status or tax preparation)
- Report the current status of the job (e.g., tell the clients about the reviewing of their return)
Since messages can be sent to clients via pipeline automations, you need to master the chat templates for different cases once. Then all new clients added to the pipeline will automatically receive the appropriate message.