Each time a tax return changes stage on the office's practice management board, the client gets a short WhatsApp message in plain language. It says what just happened, what the client needs to do, if anything, and the typical wait.
Typical results
≈6 hrs/wk
Preparer time freed at peak season
5 stages
Each with its own plain-language message
Same day
Clients told when they need to act
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
In tax season, the phones ring all day with the same question: where is my return? Each call pulls a preparer away from returns to look up a file and explain the stage. Clients who need to sign or send one more document often learn it late, which pushes filings toward the deadline.
Before and after
Status calls per week at peak season
−50%Preparer hours per week on status calls
−60%Days a return waits at ready to sign
−67%The automation
The automation watches the stage column on the practice management board. When a return moves to documents received, in review, ready to sign, filed or refund issued, a Make scenario sends the client a WhatsApp message written for that stage. The message says what was just done, what the client must do next, such as sign the return or send a missing form, and the typical wait at that stage. Each message sent is logged on the item.
How it works
- 01
Return changes stage
A preparer moves the return on the practice management board, as they already do.
- 02
Stage message chosen
Each stage, from documents received to refund issued, has its own short message template.
- 03
Next action included
When the client must act, the message says exactly what is needed, such as signing or sending a missing form.
- 04
Sent on WhatsApp
The message goes to the client's number on the item, together with the typical wait at that stage.
- 05
Logged on the return
Each message sent is recorded on the item, so anyone answering the phone sees what the client was told.
Starts from
- Practice board stage change
Delivers
- WhatsApp status update
- Next action for the client
- Message log on the return
The impact
Status calls during tax season drop by about half, which frees roughly 6 preparer hours a week at peak. Clients who need to sign or send documents hear about it the same day, so fewer returns stall at ready to sign as the deadline approaches.
Questions about this automation
Which practice management boards does it work with?
Any board or system that records a stage per return and can send an update when it changes, such as monday, Airtable or a dedicated practice management tool. The office keeps working exactly as before, moving returns between stages, and the messages follow automatically.
Can clients reply to the status message?
Yes. Replies arrive in the office's WhatsApp inbox like any other chat, linked to the client's number, so a preparer can answer a question or receive a missing document. Each status message says whether a reply is needed, which keeps most of them one-way.
What if a return is stuck waiting on the client?
A waiting-on-client stage can be added with its own message that names the missing form or signature. If the item stays there for five days, the client gets one follow-up and the preparer sees it flagged on the board. Simple automations like this are usually live within days, and the wording can be edited at any time.