TLDR (Summary)
The best CRM software is Plutio ($19/month).
Sales CRMs like HubSpot ($20-800/month) and Salesforce ($25-165/user/month) track leads and deals but do not connect to the work accountants actually deliver. Contact databases store emails and phone numbers but do not link to tax returns, project letters, or billing history. Plutio connects client records to proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, invoices, and prior year filings... so every client interaction builds on complete context instead of scattered notes.
According to TeamStage, 36% of professional time goes to admin tasks that could be automated through connected tools. If you're managing 50-200 client relationships, CRM that connects to project delivery reclaims hours spent reconstructing context from email threads.
For additional strategies, read our client onboarding guide.
What is CRM software for accountants?
CRM software for accountants tracks client relationships from inquiry through completed projects while connecting every interaction to work delivery, billing status, and work history.
The distinction matters: contact management stores names and emails. Sales CRM tracks leads through pipelines and measures conversion rates. Accountant CRM tracks what happens after clients sign project letters... ongoing work delivery, recurring annual relationships, entity complexity, and the context that makes each tax season faster than rebuilding everything from scratch.
What accountant CRM actually does
Core functions include storing client and entity contact information, logging every communication with searchable history, tracking project status from proposal through delivery, connecting time entries to specific clients and work types, generating invoices from completed billable work, maintaining prior year filing records, and creating one searchable record of everything related to each client relationship. Advanced platforms add client portals where clients check status and upload documents without emailing you.
Sales CRM vs relationship CRM
HubSpot and Salesforce excel at sales pipelines... tracking how leads move from prospect to closed deal. When a potential client signs an project letter, sales CRM considers mission accomplished. Accountant CRM considers signing the starting line. The real work begins after the signature: delivering the project, tracking time against budget, billing for work completed, maintaining documents for next year, and building relationship history that makes year two faster than year one. Sales CRM improves for conversion velocity. Accountant CRM improves for long-term relationship depth.
What makes CRM different
Accounting relationships span years with recurring patterns that generic CRMs struggle to handle: clients return annually for tax preparation, entities multiply as businesses grow, ownership structures change and require updated documentation, billing happens after work completes instead of upfront, and context from prior years directly affects current year work quality and speed. Without CRM that connects to project delivery and maintains filing history, every tax season starts with context reconstruction instead of building on established knowledge.
When CRM connects to proposals, contracts, time tracking, invoicing, and document storage, client relationships become compounding assets. Year two takes half the time of year one because context gets retained instead of lost.
Why you need CRM software
Accountants who grow beyond 30-40 active clients face a compounding problem: every client interaction requires context that exists somewhere in email history, prior year files, or memory... and the time spent reconstructing context scales linearly with client count.
At 10 clients, you remember everyone. At 30 clients, you remember most relationships but occasionally search email for specifics. At 50+ clients, context reconstruction becomes a tax on every interaction. Client calls about S-corp election, and 15 minutes disappear finding the discussion from last April. Returning client emails about quarterly estimates, and you dig through folders to remember what you quoted. The work compounds while the tools stay disconnected.
The context reconstruction problem
Research from Harvard Business Review shows that knowledge workers managing multiple relationships lose significant time to what they call microstress... small interruptions that individually seem minor but cumulatively drain hours. For accountants specifically, microstress means clients who call expecting you to remember their situation while you scramble to reconstruct: what entities do they have, what did we file last year, what were the special circumstances, what did we quote for additional work, what documents are they still supposed to send.
The fragmentation problem
You stack 5-8 disconnected tools: email for client communication, spreadsheets for client lists and billing tracking, practice management software for project status, separate invoicing tools, file storage in multiple locations, proposal tools that connect to nothing, and notes apps for context that should live with client records. Each tool handles one function, but none share data automatically. Client information fragments across tools, and you become the manual integration layer.
The follow-up problem
Clients who need quarterly planning disappear without systematic tracking. The business owner who should be making estimated payments does not get reminded because reminders depend on you remembering. The client who mentioned starting a new entity never follows up, and you never follow up with them, and the opportunity vanishes. Research shows 45% of CRM users say automation is the most important feature they want specifically because manual follow-ups get dropped when volume increases.
The scaling tipping point
You hit a threshold around 40-60 active clients where the mental approach breaks down. At this point, memory fails, email search becomes daily routine, and you start turning down good work because adding more clients to an already overwhelming system feels impossible. The problem is not client count... the problem is that admin work per client stays constant while tools stay disconnected.
Connected CRM software absorbs the admin work that would otherwise scale linearly with each new client. Instead of spending 15 minutes reconstructing context before every call, spending 15 seconds opening client profiles.
CRM features accountants need
The essential CRM features for accountants connect client contact management with project delivery, entity tracking, billing history, and automated follow-ups while maintaining searchable records of every interaction.
Core CRM features
- Contact management: Store client details, entity information, contact preferences, and relationship notes. Tag clients by type (individual, business, referral source, annual, monthly) for filtering and segment-based communication.
- Communication history: Every email, message, and call logged automatically and searchable by keyword. Find "what did they say about rental property?" in seconds instead of scrolling through years of email threads.
- Project tracking: See all active and past projects from each client record. Status visibility shows what is in progress, what is waiting on documents, what is ready to file, and what has been delivered.
- Entity documentation: Log each entity with structure, EIN, state of formation, ownership details, and filing requirements. Builds a complete picture for multi-entity clients.
- Pipeline management: Track prospects from initial inquiry through proposal, negotiation, and signed project letter. See which opportunities need follow-up and which have gone cold.
- Task and reminder system: Set follow-ups that trigger automatically based on dates or project status. "Send Q4 estimated payment reminder" does not require you to remember in October.
Accountant-specific features
- Proposal integration: Create project proposals directly from client records. When clients accept, projects generate automatically with all client details pre-populated. Industry research shows 36% of time goes to admin that could be eliminated through automation.
- Project letter storage: Signed contracts and project letters attach to client records automatically. Reference scope during billing discussions without searching folders or email attachments.
- Time tracking by client: Log hours against specific clients and project types. See total time invested in each relationship across all work, revealing which clients are most profitable per hour invested.
- Invoice history: Complete billing record visible from client profiles. See payment patterns, outstanding balances, lifetime value, and billing notes without opening accounting software.
Platform features that multiply value
- White-label branding: Custom domain, logo, colors. All client-facing communications show your brand.
- Unified inbox: All client messages arrive in one place.
- Permissions: Control who sees what.
- Automations: Create rules that trigger actions without your involvement.
The deciding factor is integration depth. CRM software that connects with proposals, contracts, time tracking, and invoicing eliminates duplicate data entry. Contact information entered once flows everywhere automatically.
CRM software pricing for accountants
CRM software for you typically costs $20-165 per user per month for standalone tools, with integrated platforms providing complete functionality at lower total cost than stacking multiple subscriptions.
What you typically pay for CRM tools
- HubSpot: $20-800/month (sales-focused, complex for small practices)
- Salesforce: $25-165/user/month (enterprise-focused, expensive setup)
- Pipedrive: $14-64/user/month (sales pipeline focused, lacks accounting workflow)
- Zoho CRM: Free-$20/month (broad feature set but scattered across many modules)
These tools handle contact management and sales tracking but do not connect to project delivery, time tracking, or invoicing. You add practice management ($50-150/month), invoicing ($30-90/month), and document storage ($10-30/month) to complete workflow... bringing total costs to $120-400/month across 4-5 disconnected subscriptions.
Plutio pricing (February 2026)
- Core: $19/month: Unlimited CRM plus proposals, contracts, time tracking, invoicing, client portals, white-label branding, and mobile apps.
- Pro: $49/month: Unlimited clients, 30 contributors, advanced permissions.
- Max: $199/month: Unlimited team, white-label, single sign-on.
Your ROI calculation
- Tool consolidation: Replace HubSpot ($20-50/month), practice management ($50-100/month), invoicing ($30-60/month), and scheduling ($15-20/month) with one $19/month platform. Saves $96-211/month in subscriptions.
- Time recovery: 15 minutes saved per client call adds up. Across 100 client calls a year, that's 25 hours you're not spending on context reconstruction, and that time goes back to client work.
- Faster collections: Automated invoice reminders and online payment links reduce average days to payment from 45 days to 21 days, improving cash flow without added effort.
CRM software ROI comes through three channels: subscription savings from tool consolidation, time savings from eliminated context reconstruction, and revenue acceleration from faster collections. Plutio pays for itself with 1-2 hours of reclaimed time monthly.
Why Plutio is the best CRM for accountants
Plutio handles CRM as part of a complete platform where proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, invoicing, and client communication work together rather than as separate tools that need manual connection.
One client record, complete history
Click any client name and see everything: every proposal sent with acceptance dates, every project letter signed with scope details, every project delivered with completion dates, every hour tracked with work descriptions, every invoice sent with payment status, every message exchanged with full context. When a returning client calls about last year, you have full context in 15 seconds instead of spending 15 minutes reconstructing history from email searches and folder excavation. Context becomes an asset instead of archaeology.
Proposals that convert inquiries to client projects
When prospects inquire about services, create a proposal directly from contact records. Build service descriptions, scope details, pricing options, payment terms, and project expectations in a branded online experience instead of static PDF attachments. Plutio tracks when prospects open proposals, how long they spend reviewing each section, and when they are ready for follow-up. When clients accept, everything happens automatically: project letter generates for signing, project creates with tasks from scope, deposit invoice sends, and welcome email triggers. Sales CRMs call acceptance "closed-won" and stop. Plutio considers acceptance the beginning.
Project letters that establish scope
Project letters go out for electronic signature directly from Plutio... no switching to DocuSign or HelloSign subscriptions. Scope definitions, fee structures, payment terms, and deliverable expectations live in one document that stays connected to the proposal and the project. When scope questions arise mid-project, reference the signed letter without searching email attachments. When clients request additional work outside scope, the letter provides the boundary. Signed letters attach to client records permanently, building a scope history that prevents misunderstandings in future years.
Project-connected CRM
Sales CRMs track until the contract signs, then consider the job done. Accountant work begins after the signature. Plutio tracks the complete lifecycle: proposal sent, project letter signed, documents received, work in progress, review in process, the work sent, invoice paid, next year scheduled. Each year attaches to the client record. When a client returns for their fifth annual tax return, you see the complete four-year history: what you filed, what issues came up, how long work actually took, what you charged versus what work cost in time. History informs next year quotes and next year delivery.
Time tracking that reveals margin
Track hours against specific clients and specific project types. Some clients generate $15,000 in annual revenue but consume 200 hours of back-and-forth communication, document requests, and revisions. Other clients generate $8,000 in annual revenue but require 60 focused hours with clear documents and minimal questions. Time tracking connected to CRM shows you the difference. Visibility informs which relationships to prioritize, which to price differently, and which to transition away from. Margin per client becomes visible instead of guessed.
Invoicing that flows from project delivery
When project work completes, generate invoices directly from time tracked and project milestones. Send invoices through the client portal with payment links for Stripe, PayPal, or Square. Track which invoices are outstanding, send automatic reminders before due dates, calculate late fees after deadlines pass, and see complete payment history from client records. Invoices connect to the projects they bill for, so payment discussions reference specific work instead of vague memory.
White-label everything
Use your own domain. Upload your logo, set your brand colors and typography. Every client-facing touchpoint shows your brand: proposals they review, portals they access, invoices they pay, and emails they receive. Clients experience a direct extension of your practice rather than logging into third-party software with vendor branding.
Unified inbox for all client communication
When a client responds to a proposal, asks about an invoice, uploads documents, or sends a question about project... the message appears in one inbox. Reply directly without opening email. Conversation history stays attached to client records, so context gets retained. Years later when they return, all prior communication is searchable. No more "I think they mentioned a rental property in 2023 but I cannot find the email."
Granular permissions
Control exactly who sees what at the level that makes sense for your business.
No-code automations
Create rules that trigger actions without your involvement. Common accountant automations include: send welcome email when project letter signs, remind clients about missing documents 7 days after request, notify me when invoices are 15 days past due, send quarterly tax planning reminder to business clients, request annual project renewal 60 days before deadline, and log communication automatically from email sync.
Native integrations for accounting workflows
Connect Stripe and PayPal for payments. Sync Google Calendar or Outlook. Use Zapier to connect 3,000+ other apps.
Everything runs from one app with your branding, your terminology, and your workflow logic. Client records become complete histories instead of scattered fragments.
How to set up CRM in Plutio
Setting up CRM in Plutio takes 2-4 hours for initial configuration, then 5-15 minutes per client after templates and integrations are in place.
Step 1: Configure default settings (30 mins)
Set firm details, upload logo, configure brand colors using the theme builder, connect domain for white-label portals if using Max plan, and set default email templates for common communications. Test the client-facing experience by creating a test client and viewing their portal.
Step 2: Create templates (1-2 hours)
Build 3-5 templates covering common project types. For accountants, recommended templates include:
- Individual Tax Preparation: 1040 return scope, standard document checklist, fixed pricing tiers based on complexity, annual recurring structure.
- Business Tax Preparation: Entity-specific scope (1120-S, 1065, 1120), complexity-based pricing, quarterly review options, extension timeline handling.
- Monthly Bookkeeping: Retainer-based project, recurring invoice automation, hour allocation versus actual tracking, scope boundaries for included versus additional work.
- Tax Planning: Advisory project structure, hourly or project-based pricing, deliverable expectations, recurring quarterly or annual cadence.
- Entity Formation: One-time project, deliverable checklist, fixed pricing, timeline expectations from inquiry to filing.
Step 3: Connect integrations (20 mins)
Link Stripe and/or PayPal for payment processing. Connect calendar for scheduling. Sync email for automatic message logging. Test each integration with a test client before using with real projects.
Step 4: Import existing data (30 mins)
Export client lists from current CRM, spreadsheet, or email contacts as CSV. Import to Plutio, mapping columns to the right fields. Add tags and custom fields for entity tracking, service types, or referral sources.
Step 5: Test with one real project
Run through the complete workflow with an actual client rather than a test account: create client record, send proposal, collect signed project letter, track time against the project, generate invoice from time tracked, and collect payment through portal. Real interaction reveals friction that test scenarios miss.
Common setup mistakes to avoid
- Over-customizing too early: Start minimal and refine based on actual use. Build templates for 80% cases first.
- Ignoring mobile: Download the mobile apps during setup and test key workflows. Mobile access matters for client meetings and working away from your desk.
- Skipping automation setup: Configure automatic reminders and follow-ups during initial setup. Automations save the most time when they run from day one.
Build templates for the 80% cases that cover most of your work. Customize edge cases individually when they arise.
CRM organization for accountants
Organizing CRM creates clarity and enables efficient project management across dozens or hundreds of client relationships.
Client segmentation for accountants
- By service type: Individual tax, business tax, bookkeeping, advisory, entity formation, audit support. Enables service-specific communication and targeted follow-ups.
- By project frequency: Annual (most tax clients), quarterly (planning clients), monthly (bookkeeping retainers), one-time (specific projects). Determines automation timing and renewal reminders.
- By entity complexity: Individual/sole prop, single entity business, multi-entity structures, complex ownership. Informs pricing and time estimates for similar future work.
Project lifecycle stages
- Inquiry: Prospect asked about services, proposal in development or sent, awaiting decision.
- Signed: Project letter signed, waiting for documents or deposit payment.
- In progress: Documents received, work actively happening, hours being tracked.
- Review: Work complete, internal review in process, awaiting final client approval.
- Delivered: Deliverables sent, invoice generated, payment pending or complete.
- Complete: Payment received, project closed, set for renewal reminder next period.
Information to track
- Client contact details and communication preferences
- Entity information with EINs, formation dates, ownership structures
- Prior year filing history with completion dates and issues encountered
- Time tracked by project type revealing actual cost versus quoted price
- Document submission patterns showing which clients send materials early versus late
- Payment behavior tracking average days to payment and follow-up requirements
- Referral sources identifying which clients send the most valuable referrals
Proven methods
- Tag clients by service type, entity type, and project frequency for segment-based communication
- Use custom fields for entity-specific tracking (state of formation, fiscal year end, ownership percentages)
- Set up saved views for common filters (all active projects, overdue invoices, renewal reminders needed)
- Create templates for standard communications (welcome emails, document requests, invoice reminders)
Organized CRM enables pattern recognition. After tracking 50-100 projects, you see which entity types take longest, which clients are most profitable, and which service offerings generate the best returns on time invested. Structure serves insight.
Client portals for accountants: CRM connection
Client portals connect CRM data to client-facing access, creating smooth self-service where clients find project status, documents, and billing information without emailing you for every question.
Portal as project hub
Clients access complete relationships through branded portals. Active projects, past filings, documents uploaded and received, invoices outstanding and paid, and message threads all appear in one place. CRM data powers what clients see. When you update project status from "waiting on documents" to "in review," clients see change immediately in portals. Self-service visibility reduces "where are we?" interruptions significantly.
Consistent experience
Portal presentation reflects the organized data in CRM. Clients see professional, consistent experience across all interactions: proposals they review, project letters they sign, document upload requests they receive, invoices they pay, and status updates they check. Your brand appears everywhere, not the software vendor brand.
Self-service access
Clients find documents, check project status, and pay invoices themselves. CRM organization enables client self-service without administrative burden. Instead of fielding "can you resend my project letter?" emails, clients access portals and download letters themselves. Instead of answering "what is the status of my return?" calls, clients check portals and see current stage.
Two-way visibility
Portal interactions feed back into CRM. When clients upload documents, notifications appear in your inbox with documents attached to client projects automatically. When clients view invoices, activity logs in CRM records. When clients send messages through portals, conversations thread in the unified inbox. Complete picture from both perspectives.
Annual continuity
Portals maintain relationship continuity across tax years. Returning clients log in and find history: last year return, documents they submitted, invoices they paid, and communication they exchanged. Connection maintained between annual projects instead of starting fresh every January. Prior year context speeds current year work.
Portals make CRM client-facing. Internal organization translates to external experience. Clients get transparency and self-service. Accountants reclaim time previously spent answering status questions and resending documents.
How to migrate CRM to Plutio
Migration from another CRM software typically takes 3-5 hours of active work spread over a weekend, with the best time to switch being after tax season rather than mid-January through April.
Step 1: Export from your current tool
Most CRM software provides CSV export. Here is what to export from common tools:
- HubSpot: Contacts > Export > All contacts. Download deals separately if you track project pipeline in deals.
- Salesforce: Reports & Dashboards > Create contact report > Export. Custom fields require field mapping during import.
- Spreadsheets: Export as CSV directly. Clean up column headers to match Plutio expected format (Name, Email, Phone, Company).
Step 2: Build templates in Plutio (2-3 hours)
Use exported content as reference to create new project templates. Focus on forward-looking workflows for future projects, not historical archives. Build templates for 3-5 most common project types first.
Step 3: Set up integrations (30 mins)
Connect payment processing, calendar sync, and accounting software. Test each integration with a test client before relying on real projects. Verify Stripe or PayPal processes payments correctly, calendar sync creates events in both directions, and accounting software receives invoice data automatically.
Step 4: Import data (30 mins)
Upload CSV to Plutio. Map fields appropriately: client names to Name field, emails to Email field, entity details to custom fields you created. Import and review a small batch first (10-20 contacts) to verify mapping before importing complete list.
Step 5: Run parallel for new work
Use Plutio for all new client inquiries and new projects while keeping the old system active for work already in progress. New prospects never knew your old system, so there is no transition friction. New projects give you real experience with workflows before migrating active work.
Step 6: Phase out the old tool
Once all active work on your old system completes (typically 30-60 days if you switch after tax season), cancel that subscription. Keep read-only access or export historical data for archival reference.
Common migration pitfalls to avoid
- Trying to migrate everything: Focus on active clients and forward-looking workflows. Historical data older than 2-3 years can stay in archives.
- Switching mid-tax season: Finish in-progress returns on the old system. Start the next tax season in Plutio.
- Not testing integrations: Verify payment processing works before sending your first invoice. Test calendar sync before scheduling your first client meeting.
The investment in migration pays back in time saved on every future client interaction. Context reconstruction that used to take 15 minutes per call drops to 15 seconds per click.
