How Tax Assist Keighley uses FuseSign to simplify client signing and save time

For most accounting firms, client signing is not where things fall apart. It is everything around the signing that quietly slows teams down.

Checking whether documents have come back. Moving files between systems. Making sure the signed version is in the right place before anything can be filed.

For Tax Assist Keighley, those small steps were adding up across hundreds of jobs each year. According to Managing Director David Forrester, the firm was not struggling to get clients to sign. What they wanted was a cleaner, more efficient process that removed unnecessary handling once the work was done.

A Growing, Community-focused Firm

Tax Assist Keighley works with a large portfolio of small businesses and individuals, with a strong focus on serving the local community. The firm operates across four towns and provides a broad range of services including accounts, tax, VAT, payroll, and bookkeeping.

The team is approaching 20 people, and as Managing Director, David is closely involved in decisions around systems and processes that support growth without adding complexity.

As volumes increased, particularly during Self Assessment season, it became more important that everyday workflows stayed predictable and easy for client managers to run.

What They Used Before FuseSign

Over the years, Tax Assist Keighley had used a number of e-signing tools. David had experience with Adobe Sign, HelloSign, and an e-signing solution built into TaxCalc, which the firm still uses for accounts production and tax work.

Each tool worked in isolation, but none fitted neatly into the firm’s wider document management approach once FYI became the central system.

Before FuseSign, signed documents often had to be saved manually into FYI after the client had completed them. That extra step might seem minor, but when repeated across hundreds of jobs, it became an unnecessary source of admin.

Why Signing Wasn't the Real Issue

Interestingly, David was clear that FuseSign did not magically make clients respond faster.

Instead of switching between systems or checking inboxes, client managers could rely on FYI to show what was still out for signing and what was ready for the next step.

Why FuseSign was the Right Choice

The decision to use FuseSign was driven less by a “this can’t continue” moment and more by alignment with the firm’s systems.

Once FYI became the source of truth for documents, it made sense to choose a signing tool that worked seamlessly alongside it.

David compared FuseSign with other FYI-integrated options, including DocuSign and Annature. While those tools had integrations, FuseSign stood out for being straightforward, competitively priced, and flexible enough to handle different signing scenarios within a single document pack.

What a Typical Signing Process Looks Like Now

The signing process at Tax Assist Keighley is deliberately simple.

Once accounts or tax returns are completed in TaxCalc, the documents are saved into FYI. From there, client managers select a predefined e-sign template within the client workspace.

That action moves the documents into FuseSign, where the sender checks that the right people are signing the right documents, adjusts view or sign permissions if needed, and sends the request.

When the client completes the signing, the team is notified by email and within the system. The signed documents are automatically returned to FYI, which then triggers the next step, whether that is filing with HMRC or completing another task.

From David’s perspective, that straight-through flow is the real win. “We just want it to be as straightforward and as quick and as easy as we possibly can get it to be,” he said.

The entire process stays with the client manager responsible for the relationship, without the need for separate administrative handling.

Visibility Without Extra Chasing

Tax Assist Keighley does not currently rely on automated reminders. Instead, outstanding signing requests are visible through FYI and FuseSign dashboards.

If something has not come back within a day or two, it is obvious to the client manager, who can follow up directly.

David noted that the firm may explore automatic reminders in future, but even without them, the clarity of seeing what is outstanding makes follow-ups easier and more deliberate. There is no guesswork, and no need to ask internally whether something has been sent or signed.

The Impact on Time and Efficiency

Across the firm, Tax Assist Keighley processes around 1,500 to 1,600 signed documents each year. Saving even a couple of minutes per document quickly adds up.

A Smoother Experience Without Extra Chasing

While the firm has not received explicit praise from clients about signing, that silence is telling.

David pointed out that when something is difficult, clients usually complain. With FuseSign, that has not happened, even among clients who are less confident with technology.

From a staff perspective, the tool is easy to pick up. New team members are shown where to find the templates in FYI and can start using the system without formal training.

The ability to control who can view or sign specific documents within a pack is particularly useful for business clients with multiple stakeholders, ensuring the right information goes to the right person.

Would They Recommend Switching?

David is clear that for firms using FYI, FuseSign is an easy recommendation.

From his perspective, the biggest win is not just digital signing, but having a single, straight-through process where documents move from completion to signing to filing without unnecessary detours.

For Tax Assist Keighley, FuseSign is not something they are looking to replace. It does what they need it to do, fits into their workflow, and supports the firm’s focus on efficiency as they continue to grow.

So the question for other firms is this: how much time is your team still losing after the document is signed, simply moving things from A to B?

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