AI Tax Return Preparation: Save 30+ Hours Monthly with Soraban's Automated Workflow
Soraban streamlines your tax workflow from client intake to final delivery. Its three modules — Collect, Connect, and Deliver — automate document collection, data extraction, and return assembly, freeing your team from repetitive tasks. Most firms save 30+ hours per admin team member each week during tax season and achieve ROI in under 30 days.
The platform integrates directly with UltraTax, Lacerte, Drake, and CCH Axcess. AI-powered data extraction delivers 95 to 100% accuracy, reducing errors and manual entry so your team can focus on completing returns and advisory work efficiently.
The challenge: Manual tax prep doesn't scale
Staff spend hours chasing missing documents, renaming files, matching uploads to client accounts, and manually entering data. A single missing W-2 or 1099 can stall an entire return, forcing accountants to handle administrative work instead of preparing taxes.
Traditional portals often make the problem worse. Logins are confusing, instructions are unclear, and uploads get lost or misfiled. Your team ends up juggling multiple tools that don't communicate, creating bottlenecks and limiting firm growth.
AI changes the workflow. Soraban combines intake, data extraction, and delivery into one platform, allowing your team to complete returns and serve clients efficiently without relying on disconnected systems.
What does AI do for tax prep?
AI automates the steps that normally slow tax preparation: reminding clients to send in documents, reminding them again and again, organizing documents from clients, extracting the data, pushing it into the tax software, and assembling final returns for delivery with payment and signature details.
Instead of manually typing a W-2 into your tax software, AI recognizes the form, reads the data, validates it, and maps it to the correct fields. You're not replacing your tax software — AI eliminates the repetitive work before you even open your tax program, letting your team focus on the technical work that adds value.
This is different from traditional tax software, which still relies on manual data entry. AI gets rid of that step entirely, saving time and reducing errors.
How Soraban works: Collect, Connect, Deliver
Collect: Get documents without the chase
Collect sends each client a personalized checklist based on their prior-year return, showing only the questions relevant to them. Clients upload documents through a secure link — no password or app required — from any device.
Next, Soraban's AI scans, sorts, names, and matches files automatically, tagging W-2s and organizing 1099s by type, removing the need for manual handling. Automated email and SMS reminders notify clients of missing items, while your team monitors progress from a single dashboard, tracking who's complete, who needs follow-up, and what's outstanding.
This streamlined approach can save more than 20 admin hours per team member each week.
Connect: Turn documents into tax returns
Connect extracts data from tax forms with 95 to 100% accuracy and automatically validates Social Security numbers, dates, and amounts before pushing the data into your tax software.
The entire extraction, review, and export process takes under an hour. Lead sheets are generated automatically, eliminating manual 7216s. With one-click export to UltraTax, Lacerte, and Drake (CCH Axcess coming soon), data maps to the correct fields and files route to the appropriate preparer without redundant entry or transcription errors.
Deliver: Close out returns fast
Deliver lets admins send complete return packages without requiring an accountant to assemble them. The system auto-tags signatures and IDs for IRS requirements and provides a review screen before sending.
Clients can review, sign, and pay in a single flow with built-in Stripe verification — no separate links needed. Meanwhile, real-time status tracking keeps clients informed, reducing "where's my return?" inquiries and allowing your team to focus on more important work.
What ROI can firms expect?
Most practices see ROI in under 30 days. Firms handling 250+ returns each year tend to benefit the quickest, while lower-volume practices should weigh whether the time savings fit their workload. Pricing is based on active clients through a credit-based annual license, so costs don't rise as your team grows.
Features that speed up preparation
- Prior-year data: Historical client information pre-fills questionnaires so returning clients only answer what's changed, shortening intake and reducing back-and-forth
- Real-time validation: Quality control occurs during extraction. Soraban flags missing or inconsistent data before it reaches preparers, helping avoid late-stage corrections and prevent filing errors
How Soraban compares to traditional methods
- Document intake: AI-powered checklists with automated reminders ensure clients know exactly what to send, removing the need for follow-up emails or spreadsheet tracking
- File organization: Uploaded documents are scanned, sorted, named, and matched automatically, eliminating manual organization
- Data entry: Data is extracted with 95 to 100% accuracy in under an hour, removing the need to type information into tax software
- Return delivery: Complete return packages are assembled in one click, with e-signature and payment handled in a single workflow
The Unportal: A mobile-first client experience
As clients upload documents, built-in messaging and SMS notifications keep them informed, while real-time status updates let them track progress on their own, reducing check-in calls and improving satisfaction.
Who should use Soraban?
Soraban is ideal for firms processing 500 to 2,000+ returns annually, especially those looking to grow without adding staff. It handles high-volume 1040 preparation, S-Corp and partnership returns — including K-1 processing — as well as year-round Client Accounting Services (CAS) like bookkeeping and payroll intake, serving firms throughout the US and Canada.
If your team spends tax season chasing documents or entering data manually, Soraban streamlines these workflows and eliminates common bottlenecks.
What do you get with Soraban?
- More predictable pricing: Soraban uses a credit-based annual license where each credit equals one client return (Nov 1 to Oct 31), so your costs remain consistent as your team grows without per-user fees
- A year-round platform: You can use Soraban for tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, and planning engagements, with bundle discounts available for multiple modules
- Onboarding included: A one-time setup fee ($1,000 to $4,500) covers training, data import, client setup, and workflow alignment, ensuring your team is ready before the first client logs in
- A user-friendly client experience: Your clients interact with a branded, mobile-friendly portal that shows real-time progress, reduces back-and-forth communication, and speeds up turnaround
I’m not a fan of my current tax organizer, but clients still ask for it, so I send it out even though many clients don’t bother filling it out.
I don't want people to feel like they're having to do their own return.
Frequently asked questions:
1) What is AI tax form vision, and how accurate is it?
Soraban uses AI to recognize and extract data from tax documents with machine learning. Built-in validation ensures 95 to 100% accuracy, reducing manual data entry and potential errors in client returns.
2) Does Soraban work with my tax software?
Yes. Soraban exports directly to UltraTax, Lacerte, and Drake, with CCH Axcess coming soon. It integrates with your existing tax software, complementing workflows without replacing your current tools.
3) How long does prep take with AI?
Data extraction, validation, and export are completed in under an hour, compared with several hours manually. Soraban accelerates tax return preparation, reduces bottlenecks, and minimizes repetitive data entry tasks.
4) What size firm benefits most?
Firms processing 250+ returns annually see the greatest time savings and ROI, typically within 30 days. Smaller firms may benefit, but larger-scale practices experience the most efficiency gains.
5) Can clients use this on mobile without an app?
Yes. Soraban's mobile-first portal works on any device without requiring downloads or passwords, giving clients secure, branded access to upload documents, track progress, and communicate year-round.
6) What if AI misreads something?
Soraban flags inconsistencies and missing information for manual review before finalizing returns. This prevents errors, ensures data accuracy, and allows accountants to focus on high-value work instead of rechecking entries.
7) Does Soraban handle complex returns, like partnerships?
Yes. Soraban processes K-1s, partnerships, S-Corps, and other complex returns with 95-100% accuracy, extracting data automatically and mapping it correctly into your tax software for efficient preparation.
8) How are lead sheets automated?
Connect generates lead sheets directly from extracted data, eliminating manual 7216 creation. This saves preparer time, ensures accuracy, and streamlines workflows for both standard and complex tax returns.
9) Can admins send returns without a CPA?
Yes. Deliver allows admins to send complete return packages independently after review, including e-signatures and payment collection, freeing accountants to focus on technical preparation and advisory tasks.
10) How is tax data protected?
Soraban protects tax data with SOC 2 compliance and a fully managed AWS environment built for sensitive financial information. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest, with role-based access and multi-factor authentication guarding both user accounts and internal systems.
The platform is continuously monitored, backed by cross-region backups and disaster recovery support, and validated through annual third-party penetration testing. Combined with secure development practices and ongoing audits, firms get a reliable, well-protected system for handling client information year-round.
Take the hassle out of tax season with Soraban
Soraban puts your tax workflow on autopilot. From automated document collection to AI-driven data extraction and one-click return delivery, your team spends less time on manual tasks and more time on high-value work.
The platform comes with 30-day white-glove onboarding, including client setup, workflow configuration, and notification management, plus ongoing support year-round. See how Collect, Connect, and Deliver streamline your process in action — schedule a demo today.