Skip to main content
Usage guides

Client portal experience

Show all hidden content.
This article outlines the full taxpayer experience in the client portal dashboard. The taxpayer can:
  • view and access outstanding tasks
  • upload and download documents
  • pay vouchers
  • distribute K-1s
  • update settings
Refer to our Client Experience: Client Portal on Mobile article for mobile-specific instructions and limitations.
note
The client needs to be registered in the firm's Client Portal Management dashboard to access the portal.
Access the Client Portal
The firm can send the client an invitation email to register for the client portal from their Client Portal Management dashboard. Alternatively, the firm can provide its custom client portal URL located in
Product Settings
General
.
  1. Select
    Register Now
     in the onboarding email.
Create New Account
  1. Select
    Sign Up
     or select
    Register Now
     in the onboarding email.
  2. Enter your
    Name
    .
  3. Enter your
    Email ID
    .
  4. Enter a
    Mobile Phone Number
     (optional).
  5. Select
    Verify your email
    .
  6. Enter the
    Access Code
     sent to your email.
  7. Select
    Confirm
    .
  8. Enter a 6 digit PIN into the
    Create PIN
     field (used for future sign-ins).
  9. Enter the same 6-digit PIN into the
    Confirm PIN
     field.
  10. Select
    Create Account
    .
  11. Sign in to your account.
Recover or Reset Your Email ID
You can reset your email ID from the Client Portal sign in page if you have a recovery email set up.
note
  • A recovery email needs to be set up in your Client Portal for this feature to function.
  • You can set up a recovery email in the
    Security
     section of your Client Portal account.
  • Refer to the Security Settings section for more information.
  1. Select
    Recover or reset your email ID
    .
  2. Reach out to your tax firm to recover your email ID or select
    please click here
     to reset your email ID.
  3. Select the
    Email Address
     or
    Phone Number
     radio button.
  4. Enter the
    Recovery Email
     address or
    Recovery Phone Number
     (mobile number required).
  5. Enter the
    Existing Email ID
    .
  6. Select
    Continue
    .
  7. Enter the
    Access Code
     sent to your recovery email or phone number.
  8. Select
    Confirm
    .
  9. Enter the new email ID for your Client Portal.
  10. Select
    Continue
    .
  11. Enter the
    Access Code
     sent to your new Client Portal email.
  12. Select
    Confirm
    .
  13. Sign in to your account.
Sign In To An Existing Account
  1. Enter your
    Email ID
    .
  2. Select
    Continue
    .
  3. Enter your
    PIN
     (only required when logging in from a new browser or device).
  4. Select
    Continue
    .
  5. Enter the
    Access Code
     sent to your email.
  6. Select
    Confirm
    .
Homepage
This is the main dashboard for the Client Portal. You can review recent activity, pending tasks, completed tasks, firm information, and notifications.
Recent Activity
This section displays the 5 most recent actions taken, including opening or completing tasks and downloading files. This section doesn’t display actions taken in the Tax Payments or K-1 Distribution sections.
  1. View a summary of your
    Recent Activity
    .
  2. Select the
    Name
     of the item to be redirected to it.
Send Files
  1. Select
    Send Files to CPA
     to upload documents to your tax firm.
Contact Information
  1. View the
    Contact Information
     for someone at your tax firm.
Notification Bell
  1. Select the Notification Bell to open your recent notifications.
  2. Select a line item to be redirected to that document or task.
Completed Tasks
  1. Select
    Completed Tasks
    .
  2. Review recently completed items.
Pending Tasks
  1. Review your
    Pending Tasks
    .
  2. Select
    Get Started
     to be re-directed to that task.
Documents
Review and download completed, sent, and received documents.
  1. Select
    Documents
     in the left panel.
Search & Filter
Choose which documents to display.
Search
  1. Enter a keyword into the
    Search
     field.
  2. Select
    Search
     to display related documents.
Filter
  1. Select the
    Filter
     button.
  2. Select a
    Date Range
     (optional).
  3. Select one or more
    Status
     (optional).
  4. Select one or more
    File Type
     (optional).
  5. Select
    Apply
     to save any changes made.
Sort
  1. Select
    Sort By
    .
  2. Select
    Newest First
     or
    Oldest First
     to sort by date.
View
  1. Select the arrow next to a folder to expand it.
  2. Locate the document.
  3. Review the signature
    Status
     for documents requiring signature.
  4. Select
    View
     to open a preview of the document.
  5. Use the
    Navigation Bar
     or
    Bookmark
     panel to review the document.
  6. Select
    Download
     to save a copy.
Download
Individual File Download
  1. Select the arrow next to a folder to expand it.
  2. Locate the document.
  3. Select
    More
    .
  4. Select
    Download
     to save a copy.
Bulk or Large File Download
  1. Select one or more documents to download.
  2. Select
    Download
    .
    • A message tells you the files were downloaded to the
      My Downloads
       section.
  3. Select
    My Downloads
    .
  4. Select
    Download
     to download a ZIP file containing the files.
View Message
  1. Select the arrow next to a folder to expand it.
  2. Locate the document.
  3. Select the
    More
     button.
  4. Select
    Message From CPA
  5. Select
    View Message
     to see a note from your tax firm.
  6. Select
    OK
     to close the window.
Upload
Upload documents to your tax firm.
  1. Select
    Send Files
     to be re-directed to the firm's upload page.
  2. Follow the steps in our Upload Documents guide (access code is not required when uploading from the Client Portal).
Tax Payments
Review your tax payments and pay your vouchers.
  1. Select
    Tax Payments
    .
  2. Vouchers are separated by
    Due Date
    .
View
  1. Select
    View
    .
  2. Review a summary of your payments due for that due date.
  3. Select
    Ok
     to close the summary.
Pay
  1. Select
    Pay
     to be re-directed to your Make Payments dashboard.
  2. Follow the steps in our Make Voucher Payment article.
Distribute K-1s
Review K-1 delivery status and distribute K-1s.
  1. Select Distribute K-1s in the left panel.
  2. Review the delivery Status.
  3. Select Distribute.
  4. Follow the steps in our K-1 Distribution article.
Security Settings
Update security settings related to your Client Portal account.
  1. Select
    Security Settings
    .
Merge Emails
If you have had documents delivered to multiple email addresses, you can merge those into your existing account. Each email address can only be linked to 1 Client Portal.
note
Merged email addresses cannot be used to log in. Any documents associated with the merged email will be available in the main Client Portal, but the merged email address can't be used to create a separate Client Portal or login to the main Client Portal.
  1. Enter an email address into the
    Add another email ID
     field.
  2. Select
    Add
    .
  3. Enter the
    Access Code
     delivered to that email address.
  4. Select
    Verify Code
    .
Update PIN
Update the PIN used to sign in to your Client Portal account.
  1. Select
    Update
    .
  2. Enter your
    Current PIN
    .
  3. Enter your
    New PIN
    .
  4. Enter your new PIN to
    Confirm
    .
  5. Select
    Update
    .
Update Email ID
  1. Select
    Update
    .
  2. Enter the
    New Email ID
    .
  3. Select
    Update
    .
Grant Third-Party Access
Grant a third-party access to your client portal to review documents and perform actions like distributing K-1s. These people only receive access codes via mobile for security reasons. Third-parties can't access tasks requiring a signature that haven’t been signed by the main portal user. This access is only granted for 48 hours.
Grant Access
  1. Select
    Add
    .
  2. Enter the third-party's
    Name
    .
  3. Enter the third-party's
    Email ID
    .
  4. Enter the third-party's
    Mobile
     number.
  5. Select
    Page Access
     options to determine which areas/documents the third-party can access.
  6. Select
    Add User
    .
  7. The third-party needs to authenticate:
    1. Select
      Send Link
       to send a Client Portal access link to the third-party.
    2. Select
      Edit
       to edit their details and permissions.
    3. Select
      Delete
       to remove third-party access.
Third-Party Authentication
The third-party receives an email notification from noreply@safesendreturns.com to verify their access.
  1. Select
    Verify Your Access
    .
  2. Select
    Send Code
    .
  3. Enter the code sent to your mobile device.
  4. Select
    Confirm
    .
  5. Client Portal user must
    Send Link
     to the third-party.
  6. Select
    Access Client Portal
     in the new email.
  7. Follow
    Send Code
     steps outlined above.
Add Recovery Email
  1. Select
    Update
    .
  2. Select the
    Email Address
     radio button.
  3. Enter a
    Recovery Email
     address.
  4. Select
    Update
    .
Add Recovery Phone Number
  1. Select
    Update
    .
  2. Select the
    Phone Number
     radio button.
  3. Enter a recovery
    Phone Number
     (mobile number required).
  4. Select
    Update
    .

This article applies to:

  • Product: safesend
  • Audiences: Client