Most tax-time IT disasters can be avoided by sorting out five things before the busy period starts: tested backups, computers and software that are up to date, an internet connection you can rely on, phones that work, and a support provider you can reach quickly when something goes wrong. No provider can promise an outage will never happen. The aim is to make one far less likely, and far less painful if it does. Outages are rarely a mystery. They come from something that was ignored for months and then fails at the worst possible moment. This guide covers where the pressure points are and what to check now.

Why tax time is different for your IT

For most businesses, a slow IT day is annoying. For an accounting firm in lodgement season, it can mean a missed deadline for a client.

It also isn’t one week a year. Self-lodgers have until 31 October. Clients of a registered tax agent often get a later date under the ATO’s lodgment program, commonly out to mid-May, but that depends on eligibility and on being on the agent’s client list in time. BAS dates depend on whether a business reports monthly or quarterly, and lodging through an agent or online can change the date. Employers also finalise payroll data in July. So the pressure comes in waves across the whole year, and the dates differ from client to client. Check the ATO website for the ones that apply to yours.

What IT downtime during tax time actually costs

Picture four staff who can’t open client files for half a day, in the last week before a deadline. That’s lost billable time, people sitting idle, clients ringing to ask where their return is, and a lot of stress for everyone. The IT problem itself might take an hour to fix. The knock-on effects take much longer.

The usual suspects

• Ageing computers. They cope fine most of the year, then crawl when everyone is running heavy spreadsheets and tax software at once.
• Backups nobody has tested. The backup says it ran. Nobody has ever tried to restore a file.
• Internet that struggles under load. Clients sending documents, staff on cloud software, and updates all at the same time.
• Software updates left too late. Updating your tax or practice software in the middle of the rush is asking for trouble.
• Phones. A phone system that drops calls or can’t handle a busy day costs you client confidence.
• Lockouts. A staff member who can’t sign in because of a forgotten password or a phone that no longer has their authentication app.
• Ransomware. Accounting firms hold sensitive financial and personal information, which makes them attractive targets for cybercriminals. A successful attack can lock staff out of client files and stop work at a critical time. Our guide on ransomware protection explains how to prepare.

A simple pre-season checklist

• Restore a real file from backup, and time how long it takes
• Update computers and software well before the busy period, not during it
• Check your internet at the busiest time of day, and decide what you’d do if it dropped
• Test your phones, including forwarding and voicemail
• Write down who to call for what, and make sure every person on the team knows
• Check that multi-factor authentication recovery works for everyone
• Set up seasonal and temporary staff early, and remove their access when they finish

None of this is exciting. That’s the point. The firms that get through tax time calmly are usually the ones that did the boring work in advance.

Plan for the bad day, not just the busy day

A backup is only half the answer. The other half is knowing what you would actually do if your systems went down tomorrow. How long could your firm cope without them? Where are your backups stored, and who restores them? How would staff keep working if the office wasn’t available? A simple one-page plan that answers those questions is enough to start with, and it takes the panic out of a bad day.

What good IT support for accounting firms looks like in your busiest weeks

Ask your provider how fast they respond during the rush, and whether cover is available after hours when your team is working late. A support team that knows your setup will fix things much faster than one that has to work out how your network is put together while you wait. And it helps to have one provider looking after the whole environment: your computers, Microsoft 365, internet, phones, security and backups. That way nobody can say the problem belongs to someone else.

How we help at Hyetech

We’ve looked after Victorian businesses since 2007, and we see ourselves as a long-term technology partner for accounting firms, not just someone you call when something breaks. We can look after the whole environment: computers and Microsoft 365, business internet, phone systems (we’re a 3CX Platinum Partner), cybersecurity, backups, and the network and firewall that tie it all together. Having one team responsible means fewer suppliers to chase and fewer places for things to fall through the cracks. We plan support around busy periods like BAS and end of financial year, and we have a local team that can come to your office when a problem can’t be fixed remotely. Support hours depend on the package you choose, and after-hours cover is available for firms that work late in busy periods. You can read about the whole service in our post on managed IT for accounting firms, or on our finance and professional services IT support page.

“We’ve been working with Hyetech for over 10 years… John and his team assist with everything from hardware ordering to tech support…”

Matt, R J Sanderson & Associates

Questions to ask your provider before the next busy period

• When did you last test a restore of our backups?
• How quickly will someone respond during our busiest weeks?
• Is after-hours support included, or an extra?
• What’s our plan if the internet goes down?
• Can you check our computers and software before the rush starts?
• Do we have a simple plan for getting back up and running if our systems go down?

Frequently asked questions

What causes most IT downtime in accounting firms?

Usually something that was known and ignored: old computers, untested backups, missed updates, or an internet connection that was never big enough. Problems tend to appear when the load is highest.

When should we do IT maintenance around tax time?

Before the busy period starts. Updates and changes during a rush add risk, so the best time is when the office is quiet.

Do we need a backup internet connection?

If your work depends on cloud software and online lodgement, it’s worth considering. A backup connection can take over if your main one fails, so staff keep working.

How often should we test our backups?

Regularly, and always before a busy period. A backup that has never been restored is a hope, not a plan.

Can you help with seasonal staff?

Yes. We can set up logins and equipment for temporary staff quickly, and remove their access when they finish so client data stays protected.

Want to go into the busy season with confidence?

Talk to the Hyetech team for a free IT review. We’ll check your backups, internet, computers and phones, and tell you what to fix before the rush. Book a free review.