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For tax advisers, auditors and lawyers

Receipts are missing, deadlines press, the phone rings. When does your firm actually get round to advising?

ivato digitalises the processes around your practice software: chasing receipts, matter enquiries, deadlines, incoming mail, assessment checks, draft pleadings and billing. Your practice software stays, and the responsibility stays with you. Your team no longer chases documents, and you gain time for clients.

Callback from an industry adviser →See the client process ↓

Your day-to-day

Do you recognise these sentences from your firm?

Firms have more work than staff. A large part of the time goes not into professional work but into chasing, querying and sorting. Whoever relieves this can serve more clients or advise more, without having to search for new skilled staff. That is exactly where we start.

You recognise 0 of 8 statements

Tap the statements you recognise from your day-to-day work.

The pattern behind it: Skilled staff spend time chasing and sorting, and advice gets left behind.

Talk about it ↓

Client process

Where does your firm lose the most time between engagement and invoice?

Click on a stage. You will see how it works in many firms today, what ivato implements there and what changes as a result. Usually two to four stages have the greatest leverage. Which ones those are for you, we clarify in the initial consultation.

Today

New client, stack of paper

Enquiries come in by phone and email. For new clients, engagement letter, powers of attorney, identification and master data are collected on paper and retyped.

With ivato

Digital onboarding

  • Online capture of master data and documents
  • Identification under the Money Laundering Act documented digitally
  • Engagement letter and powers of attorney for digital signature

What changes

New clients ready to go in days

Less paper, complete documents and a professional first impression for the client.

The descriptions show typical processes. We calculate the concrete effects in hours and euros for your firm in the business case.

Case examples

What does this look like in a firm like yours?

Four examples from tax practices and auditing, each with starting point, solution, result and calculation. What they all have in common: the practice software stayed, and after 8 to 12 weeks the solution was running in daily operations.

  • Tax practiceSaxony12 staffapprox. 380 clients

    Missing receipts chased automatically, bookkeeping on time

    Starting point
    Case handlers chased receipts by phone and email, often several times. Monthly bookkeeping was delayed, and VAT returns became tight.
    Solution
    Reconciliation of open items with receipts received, automatic chasing with list and upload link, staged reminders, status per client in the practice monitor.
    Result
    Receipts arrive earlier and more completely. Case handlers book instead of phoning around.
    Investment
    €21,000
    Payback
    6 months

  • Tax practiceBavaria40 staffBusinesses & private clients

    Client enquiries sorted and pre-answered

    Starting point
    Over 200 emails a day in shared mailboxes, many standard questions about deadlines, documents and assessments. The phone constantly interrupted case handling.
    Solution
    AI assigns emails to client and topic, creates draft replies from practice knowledge and client file, and a phone assistant takes callback requests in a structured way.
    Result
    Clients get answers faster, case handlers work more concentratedly, and qualified professionals only review technical questions.
    Investment
    €32,000
    Funding
    €12,800
    Own contribution
    €19,200
    Payback
    7 months

  • Tax practiceNorth Rhine-Westphalia25 staffFocus on mid-sized businesses

    Assessment checking with AI, objection as a draft

    Starting point
    Every assessment was checked by hand against the return. Discrepancies were sometimes noticed late, and the objection deadline was then tight.
    Solution
    Incoming assessments are read and compared with the declared values, discrepancies flagged, deadline noted automatically and an objection draft prepared for review.
    Result
    Discrepancies are noticed immediately, no objection deadline is lost, and checking effort is significantly lower.
    Investment
    €26,000
    Funding
    €10,400
    Own contribution
    €15,600
    Payback
    7 months

  • AuditingBaden-Württemberg60 staffStatutory audit of mid-sized companies

    Audit documents with portal and status list instead of email ping-pong

    Starting point
    Request lists in Excel, documents by email in parts, and audit teams lost time chasing and assigning.
    Solution
    Portal for document requests per audit area, the client uploads and sees open points, AI assigns documents and prepares working papers.
    Result
    Audits start with more complete documents, and teams spend more time auditing instead of chasing.
    Investment
    €44,000
    Funding
    €17,600
    Own contribution
    €26,400
    Payback
    9 months

  • Employment & traffic lawSaxony6 lawyersmany legal expenses insurance matters

    Online matter intake with automatic coverage request

    Starting point
    Enquiries by phone and contact form, documents by email in parts. Coverage requests were worded by hand, and follow-up questions from insurers cost days.
    Solution
    Online matter intake with questions on the facts and upload, pre-qualification by area of law, coverage request prepared and sent automatically, status visible to client and firm.
    Result
    Matters start with complete documents and quick coverage confirmation. The secretariat spends significantly less time phoning around.
    Investment
    €22,000
    Funding
    €8,800
    Own contribution
    €13,200
    Payback
    6 months

  • Commercial law firmBavaria25 qualified professionalsHourly fees

    Incoming mail assigned, deadlines suggested, times more complete

    Starting point
    beA, email and paper mail were assigned to files by hand, deadlines entered. Time recording was patchy, and many short activities were never billed.
    Solution
    Items are read and assigned to the file, deadlines suggested with source reference for confirmation by two people, activities from emails, calendar and file suggested as time entries.
    Result
    Less assignment work, double-secured deadlines and noticeably more billable time.
    Investment
    €36,000
    Funding
    €14,400
    Own contribution
    €21,600
    Payback
    5 months

  • Consumer lawNorth Rhine-Westphalia40 staffsimilar proceedings in large numbers

    Similar matters handled efficiently, clients informed

    Starting point
    Hundreds of similar proceedings, each with its own documents. Capturing the facts, adapting pleadings and informing clients about the status tied up a lot of staff.
    Solution
    Documents are read and the case data captured in a structured way, draft pleadings from verified building blocks, client portal with automatic status messages.
    Result
    More proceedings with the same team. Lawyers review and decide, and status enquiries fall sharply.
    Investment
    €48,000
    Funding
    €19,200
    Own contribution
    €28,800
    Payback
    7 months

  • Corporate law & M&ABaden-Württemberg12 lawyersMid-market transactions

    Data room pre-checked, clause list in hours instead of days

    Starting point
    For every due diligence, associates read hundreds of contracts and transferred clauses into tables. Tight timetables, high pressure.
    Solution
    AI reads the contracts in the data room, extracts terms, termination rights, change of control and liability provisions with source reference and flags anomalies for legal review.
    Result
    Associates review instead of copying, the report is ready earlier, and the firm can support more transactions.
    Investment
    €32,000
    Payback
    6 months

More case studies from Services & consulting · Funding programmes

Solutions

Which tools does ivato use in firms?

Proven building blocks around your practice software, adapted to your client structure. The professional work and responsibility remain with the qualified professionals. The AI takes care of sorting, chasing, reconciling and preparing.

  • Automatic receipt chasing

    Open items and missing documents are recognised, and clients receive a clear list with upload link and staged reminders.

    To Scaling with AI →

  • Online matter intake

    Facts, opponent, documents and legal expenses insurance captured in a structured way, pre-qualification by area of law, conflict check prepared.

    To Sales & CRM automation →

  • AI inbox & phone assistant

    Client enquiries are assigned, standard questions answered with drafts, callback requests taken in a structured way.

    To Reducing costs →

  • Coverage requests automatic

    Coverage request to the legal expenses insurer prepared from the matter data, requests for further information recognised, confirmation assigned to the file.

    To Scaling with AI →

  • Assessment checking & deadlines

    Assessments are compared with the return, discrepancies flagged, deadlines noted and objection drafts prepared.

    To Implementation →

  • Incoming mail & deadline suggestions

    beA, email and scans are assigned to the file, deadlines suggested with source reference and confirmed under the four-eyes principle.

    To Implementation →

Practice software & client portal

Do we have to replace our practice software?

No. Your practice software remains the leading system for bookkeeping, payroll, closings and returns. We start alongside it: communication, receipts, deadlines, onboarding and analyses. Data is taken over via existing interfaces and exports.

Your systems stay

  • Connection to common practice software and receipt portals
  • Client data under professional secrecy, service providers bound to confidentiality under § 62a StBerG
  • AI services without training on client data
  • Data stays on servers in Germany
E-invoicing2025 · 2027 · 2028

Are your clients and your processes ready for e-invoicing?

Since 2025, businesses must be able to receive e-invoices in B2B transactions. From 2027, businesses with prior-year turnover above €800,000 must issue e-invoices, and from 2028 all businesses. For firms this means: new questions from clients, new receipt routes and the chance to automate bookkeeping further.

As of: 10/2026 · simplified presentation, not legal advice

Clarify in a conversation ↓

Process & prices

How do we start without deadlines suffering?

With a 30-minute conversation. After that you decide step by step. Your effort is a few appointments with firm management, the secretariat and a case handler. We take care of the rest, gladly outside the main deadlines.

  1. Step 1

    Initial consultation

    30 minutes with an adviser who knows firms. We discuss where things get stuck and tell you honestly whether and where digitalisation pays off.

    free of charge

    Request a callback ↓

  2. Step 2

    Strategy

    We look at the client process, communication and software, calculate the business case in euros and hours and set a roadmap.

    Fixed price depending on scope · eligible for funding

    To Strategy →

  3. Step 3

    Implementation

    We implement the most effective building blocks, connect your practice software and train your team until it runs.

    from €20,000 net · 8-12 weeks

    To Implementation →

Estimate your funding

Funding rate
Funding
€12,000
Your contribution
€18,000

Simplified calculation. Rate and maximum amounts depend on the programme, federal state and company size. Consulting can additionally receive a grant of up to €5,600.

projects successfully supported
1,000+
projects successfully supported
years of experience with mid-sized companies
25+
years of experience with mid-sized companies
funding for implementation
up to 60%
funding for implementation
dedicated contact person on the project
1
dedicated contact person on the project

Frequently asked questions

Questions from tax advisers and lawyers

Your question is not here? In the initial conversation we take 30 minutes for your specific topic.

Tax advisers may involve service providers if they are bound to confidentiality (§ 62a StBerG). We conclude the corresponding agreements, use AI services that do not use client data for training, and assign access by role. For auditors, the professional rules apply accordingly.

Lawyers may involve service providers if they are bound to confidentiality (§ 43e BRAO). We conclude the corresponding agreements, use AI services that do not use client data for training, and assign access by role and file.

No. The AI sorts, reconciles and prepares drafts. Professional assessment, advice and signature remain with the qualified professionals. Every draft is checked before it leaves the firm.

The AI suggests, the human decides. Deadlines are suggested with source reference and confirmed under the four-eyes principle, never entered by the AI alone. Pleadings are drafts from your own verified building blocks. Review and signature remain with the lawyer.

Yes. Anyone who sends receipts by post or shuttle folder can carry on doing so. The chasing then arrives as a letter, and scanned documents are assigned in the same way. Many clients switch once they notice that the upload link is easier.

In most cases yes, via existing interfaces or data exports. We check this in the initial consultation, before you commit.

Often precisely then, because every missing person is felt immediately. If one building block saves a day of chasing and sorting per week, it pays for itself quickly. The business case shows this before the investment.

Often precisely then, because every missing legal assistant is felt immediately and the lawyers organise a lot themselves. If one building block saves a few hours of secretarial work per week or makes additional time billable, it pays for itself quickly. The business case shows this before the investment.

Read on

Contact

Exchange ideas with one of our specialists from your industry.

30 minutes, free of charge. You describe where things get stuck, and we tell you openly which two or three points are worthwhile for you and roughly what that costs.

  • Callback within one working day
  • Appointments also outside peak deadline periods

Request a callback

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