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VFF can be your BFF! Click "View Files and Folders" and feel the love
VFF stands for "View Files and Folders," and it's our mantra this Valentine's Day. If you get lost inside your SmartVault, remember: VFF.

(Like BFF -- Best Friends Forever -- VFF can be your best friend in SmartVault.)

On the Home dashboard, click "View Files and Folders" in the left-hand sidebar, and double-click into the folder tree for your household or business. Start with the Introduction and Engagement Letter in your Client Tax Organizer folder. There you will also find your household's Tax Organizer with prior-year numbers.

Upload your completed Individual Questionnaire (or Business Checklist) and all your tax forms to your Client Tax Data folder. Simple as that!
 
View / Download our Step-by-Step Instructions for SmartVault
Introducing Megan Eisenman, our new Tax Preparer!

Megan joined our team at the end of January, just in time for tax season. She is wrapping up her Accounting degree and is excited to be part of our tax team. Megan lives near Kala Point with her husband, three children, two cats and one dog.
Top Tips for SmartVault this tax season
#1: Ask us to invite your bookkeeper.
Did you know your bookkeeper could upload your business financials in SmartVault? We just need your authorization to grant access for your contract or staff bookkeeper. One of the fantastic features of SmartVault is the ability to add multiple users to one vault. (Your bookkeeper will not have access to your personal household vault, only the business vault(s).) Email Kim or reply to this e-newsletter with their name and email address. You can request access for a spouse or business partner, too!

#2: Create shortcuts to your upload folders.
One of SmartVault's most useful features is the Shortcuts bar—located at the top of your screen when you're logged into your portal—for adding shortcuts to your favorite folders. We recommend doing this for your upload folders for your household and your business(es). Simply click "+ Add shortcuts" and navigate through the folder tree to select one of your Client Tax Data folders. Then rename it, something like "ABC Co. Tax Data" or "Household Dox" vs. "Business Dox." This will avoid the confusion of tax data for one entity going into the other's folder. Here is a step-by-step explanation with screenshots on how to set up Shortcuts.

#3: Tell us you're DONE.
When you're ALL DONE with a particular vault, and your "complete data" is ready for us to review, here's how you let us know you're DONE in SmartVault.

You have two options:

1) Upload a file (any file) to your tax folder with the filename "DONE" -- that word is searchable by us in our daily notifications list.

2) Email Kim to say you're DONE, and we save a copy of that email to your tax folder on our end as documentation.

You can tell us your household vault is DONE before the business vault is DONE or vice versa. We do need a separate notification for each vault.

Don't wait to activate!Screenshot of email header


Still need to activate your SmartVault account? Do it now, so we may assist you with any issues before the deadline crunch.

Check your inbox or spam/promotions folders for an email titled Tax Portal Invitation from The Business Guides (Sign up for SmartVault).

It was sent in the Jan. 21-23 window from The Business Guides' Shelly Randall via notify@my.smartvault.com to the primary email address we have on file for your household.

Take 3 minutes and follow the prompts to create your user account. Find step-by-step instructions on our website.

We can resend your invitation upon request.

Every Thursday at noon: SmartVault Office Hours
Woman on computerDrop in during this weekly virtual "office hour" and get your questions answered about how to use SmartVault or what we need from you to prepare your tax returns. We'll use the same meeting link each week.

Office hours continue through March 10th to get you ready for our internal data deadline of March 15th.
Weekly SmartVault Office Hours

Every Thursday
January 27th through March 10th, 2022
12:00 - 1:00 PM (PST)
Facilitated by Shelly Randall, Education Director
~~~~~~~
Join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://www.gotomeet.me/TheBusinessGuides/webinar

You can also dial in using your phone:
(571) 317-3122
Access Code: 900-715-045

New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/
Browse SmartVault how-to's and FAQs on our website
When's my tax data deadline?

Either February 15th or March 15th, for an on-time filing. Click to find out which one applies to you:

TAX YEAR 2021 DUE DATES & DEADLINES
View / Download a checklist of tax data for your individual return
"Something New in 2022" Snapshot

As you know, The Business Guides has purchased a new office space in downtown Port Townsend. In our newsletters, we'll share snapshots from the renovation and move -- which will not fully take place until after the April 18th tax deadline!

Here, staff member Shelly Randall takes a seat in her new office. We are excited about the number of private office spaces!
If you have questions, don't hesitate to contact us. 

Simply reply to this email or give us a call at
(360) 385-6961.
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Copyright © 2022 The Business Guides. All rights reserved.
1005 Lawrence St., Port Townsend, WA  98368
Phone: (360) 385-6961

These e-newsletters contain important and timely information for our clients that is not replicated in other communications. We appreciate your attention to them!

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The Business Guides · 842 Washington St. #104 · Port Townsend, WA 98368 · USA

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