Tax season is brutal. Between juggling dozens of client deadlines, coordinating meetings with partners, and fielding constant “when can we meet?” calls, managing your calendar becomes a full-time job.
And that’s before you factor in the missed appointments, double bookings, and endless email chains trying to find a time that works for everyone.
But here’s what I’ve learned after helping hundreds of CPA firms streamline their operations:
The right scheduling software doesn’t just organize your calendar. It transforms how you work with clients, reduces no-shows, and gives you back hours every week.
Not by adding complexity, but by automating the tedious stuff so you can focus on what actually drives revenue: serving clients and growing your practice.
The best appointment scheduling tools for CPAs help you:
- Eliminate phone tag and email chains
- Reduce no-shows with automated reminders
- Accept payments upfront for consultations
- Integrate seamlessly with your existing practice management software
- Maintain professional boundaries during busy season
I’ve personally tested dozens of scheduling platforms while working with CPA firms of all sizes. These tools work consistently well, whether you’re a solo practitioner or managing a team of 50+ professionals.
The best part?
Most of these solutions integrate directly with QuickBooks, Xero, and the practice management software you’re already using.
My Top Scheduling Tools for CPA Firms
- Calendly: Best for general meeting scheduling and client consultations
- Acuity Scheduling: Best for service-based businesses needing payment collection
- TaxDome: Best all-in-one practice management with built-in scheduling
- SimplyBook.me: Best for extensive customization and multiple staff calendars
- YouCanBookMe: Best budget-friendly option with professional features
Calendly
Best for CPAs who need simple, reliable meeting scheduling
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans from $10 per user/month
I use Calendly every single day, and there’s a reason it’s become the gold standard for professional scheduling. It just works.
For CPA firms, Calendly excels at the basics: client consultations, partner meetings, and follow-up calls. The interface is clean, clients can book themselves without confusion, and it integrates with every calendar platform you’re already using.
Set Up Different Meeting Types for Different Needs
Here’s how most CPA firms structure their Calendly setup:
I create separate event types for initial consultations (60 minutes), tax planning meetings (30 minutes), quick check-ins (15 minutes), and busy season emergency calls (15 minutes, available only during tax season).
Each event type has its own availability window. For example, I only allow initial consultations on Tuesdays and Thursdays when I have more mental bandwidth, while quick check-ins can happen any weekday.
You can also add buffer time between meetings. During busy season, I set 15-minute buffers to grab coffee and review the next client’s file.
Integrate with Your Existing Workflow
Calendly connects with over 100 tools, including the ones CPAs actually use.
QuickBooks integration lets you automatically create time entries when meetings are booked. If you bill hourly for consultations, this saves massive amounts of admin work.
The Zoom integration is seamless. Every meeting automatically gets a unique Zoom link, and clients receive it in their confirmation email. No more scrambling to send meeting links five minutes before a call starts.
For firms using practice management software, Calendly integrates with tools through Zapier. When someone books a consultation, you can automatically create a new client record in your CRM or send the details to your intake workflow.
Reduce No-Shows with Smart Reminders
No-shows kill productivity during busy season. Calendly’s reminder system is excellent.
I set up three touchpoints: an immediate confirmation email, a reminder 24 hours before the meeting, and another reminder 2 hours before. Each email includes the meeting agenda and any documents the client should bring.
The SMS reminder feature (available on paid plans) is particularly effective for clients who don’t check email regularly.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Incredibly user-friendly for both you and clients | Limited customization compared to specialized tools |
| Excellent integrations with calendar and business apps | No built-in payment processing |
| Reliable automated reminders reduce no-shows | Calendly branding on free plan |
| Round-robin scheduling for teams | Limited intake form capabilities |
Calendly Alternative: Acuity Scheduling
Acuity Scheduling offers more advanced features for service businesses, including built-in payment processing and more customization options. However, it’s more complex to set up and costs more than Calendly’s basic plans.
Calendly wins on simplicity and reliability, which is what most CPA firms need for straightforward meeting scheduling.
Acuity Scheduling
Best for CPA firms that want to collect payments and manage complex scheduling scenarios
Pricing: From $16 per month; 7-day free trial available
Acuity Scheduling is what I recommend when CPA firms need more than basic meeting booking. It’s particularly powerful if you offer paid consultations, have multiple staff members, or need detailed client intake forms.
Collect Payments Before Meetings Happen
One of Acuity’s standout features is payment processing. You can require clients to pay for consultations upfront, which eliminates the awkward conversation about fees and ensures you get paid for your time.
I’ve worked with several CPA firms that charge $200-300 for initial consultations. With Acuity, they set up the booking page to require payment through Stripe or Square before the meeting is confirmed.
This is particularly valuable during busy season when you’re turning away new clients. Instead of losing that revenue, you can offer paid consultations for urgent questions or quick reviews.
Handle Multiple Staff Calendars
If you have multiple partners or staff who meet with clients, Acuity handles this beautifully.
You can set up round-robin scheduling so new client consultations automatically go to whoever is available first. Or you can let clients choose their preferred team member from a list.
Each staff member can have different availability, different meeting types, and different pricing. This is perfect for firms where partners charge higher rates than associates.
Create Detailed Intake Forms
Acuity’s intake forms are much more robust than Calendly’s basic questionnaires.
Before busy season, I help firms create intake forms that gather all the information they need: business structure, previous year’s return status, specific questions or concerns, and which documents the client should bring.
This preparation makes the actual meeting much more productive because you’re not spending the first 10 minutes figuring out what the client needs.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Built-in payment processing eliminates billing hassles | More expensive than basic scheduling tools |
| Powerful intake forms improve meeting preparation | Steeper learning curve than simpler alternatives |
| Excellent for managing multiple staff calendars | Can feel overwhelming for small firms |
| HIPAA compliance available for sensitive client data | Limited integrations compared to Calendly |
Acuity Alternative: SimplyBook.me
SimplyBook.me offers similar payment and multi-staff features at a lower price point, starting at €8.25/month. However, Acuity provides better customer support and more polished integrations with accounting software.
TaxDome
Best for CPA firms wanting an all-in-one practice management solution with built-in scheduling
Pricing: From $700 per user annually (with 3-year plan)
TaxDome isn’t just a scheduling tool. It’s a complete practice management platform that includes client portals, document management, workflow automation, and appointment scheduling all in one place.
For firms looking to upgrade their entire tech stack, TaxDome offers the most comprehensive solution.
Unified Client Experience
What I love about TaxDome is how everything connects. When a client books an appointment through the scheduling system, it automatically appears in their client portal alongside their tax documents, invoices, and communication history.
This eliminates the confusion of juggling multiple systems. Clients have one place to schedule meetings, upload documents, and track the status of their return.
Workflow Automation Beyond Scheduling
TaxDome’s scheduling integrates with its workflow automation features. When a client books a tax planning meeting, the system can automatically:
- Send them a pre-meeting questionnaire
- Create a task for the assigned team member to review their prior year return
- Schedule follow-up tasks based on the meeting type
- Generate an engagement letter if it’s a new client
This level of automation is what separates TaxDome from standalone scheduling tools.
Built for Accounting Workflows
Unlike general scheduling tools, TaxDome understands how CPA firms work. The scheduling system includes templates for different meeting types: tax planning, review meetings, bookkeeping consultations, and business advisory sessions.
Each template can include specific intake questions, document requests, and follow-up workflows that match your firm’s processes.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Complete practice management solution in one platform | Significantly more expensive than standalone scheduling tools |
| Deep integration between scheduling and client management | Can be overkill for firms happy with their current systems |
| Automated workflows save substantial administrative time | Longer implementation time compared to simple tools |
| Built specifically for accounting and tax professionals | Learning curve for teams switching from other systems |
TaxDome Alternative: Jetpack Workflow
Jetpack Workflow offers project management and scheduling features specifically for accountants at $30-45 per user/month. However, it focuses more on internal workflow management and doesn’t include the client portal and document management features that make TaxDome comprehensive.
SimplyBook.me
Best for CPA firms needing extensive customization and multiple location support
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans from €8.25 per month
SimplyBook.me is the most customizable scheduling platform I’ve tested. If you have specific workflow requirements or need features that other tools don’t offer, SimplyBook.me can probably handle it.
Customize Everything
The level of customization in SimplyBook.me is remarkable. You can modify the booking page layout, add custom fields for any information you need, and create complex booking rules.
For example, I worked with a CPA firm that needed different booking procedures for individual vs. business clients. SimplyBook.me let them create completely different workflows: individual clients could book immediately, while business clients required approval before confirmation.
Handle Multiple Locations and Services
If your firm has multiple offices or offers different types of services, SimplyBook.me excels at managing complexity.
You can set up different booking pages for each location, with different staff, availability, and pricing. Clients can book appointments at their preferred location without confusion.
The system also handles resource booking. If you have conference rooms or specific equipment that clients need for meetings, you can include that in the booking process.
Advanced Payment and Marketing Features
SimplyBook.me includes features that other scheduling tools charge extra for: gift certificates, package deals, membership programs, and affiliate tracking.
For CPA firms, the package feature is interesting. You could offer tax planning packages that include multiple meetings throughout the year, with clients booking individual sessions as needed.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extremely customizable to fit unique workflows | Can be overwhelming with too many options |
| Affordable pricing even for advanced features | Customer support quality varies |
| Handles complex multi-location scenarios | Interface feels less modern than competitors |
| Built-in marketing and package features | Setup requires more technical knowledge |
SimplyBook.me Alternative: Acuity Scheduling
While Acuity costs more, it offers a more polished experience with better customer support. Choose SimplyBook.me if customization is your priority; choose Acuity if you want something that works well out of the box.
YouCanBookMe
Best budget-friendly option with professional features
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans from $10 per month
YouCanBookMe strikes an excellent balance between features and affordability. It’s more capable than basic scheduling tools but costs significantly less than premium options.
For small CPA firms or solo practitioners, it provides everything you need without the complexity or cost of enterprise solutions.
Professional Features at Startup Prices
What impressed me about YouCanBookMe is how many professional features are included in the lower-tier plans.
You get customizable booking pages, multiple calendar integrations, automated email and SMS reminders, and time zone handling. The booking pages look professional and can be embedded directly on your website.
Simple Setup, Powerful Results
YouCanBookMe’s setup process is straightforward. You connect your calendar, set your availability, and you’re ready to accept bookings within minutes.
But it also includes sophisticated features when you need them: custom intake forms, payment collection through Stripe, and different booking rules for different meeting types.
Team Scheduling Without Enterprise Costs
The team features in YouCanBookMe are well-designed for small firms. You can set up round-robin scheduling, collective availability (where multiple team members need to attend), and individual booking pages for each team member.
This makes it perfect for CPA firms with 2-5 professionals who need coordinated scheduling without paying enterprise prices.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent value for money | Fewer advanced features than premium tools |
| Quick setup with professional results | Limited customization options |
| Good team features for small firms | Smaller ecosystem of integrations |
| Responsive customer support | Interface could be more modern |
YouCanBookMe Alternative: Calendly
Calendly offers more integrations and a more polished interface, but YouCanBookMe provides better value for firms that don’t need extensive third-party connections.
Other Tools We Use in Our CPA Workflow
Managing a successful CPA practice requires more than just scheduling software.
Here are the additional tools we integrate with appointment scheduling to create a complete client experience:
Google Workspace for email, document collaboration, and video meetings. The calendar integration with scheduling tools is seamless, and Google Meet links are automatically generated for virtual appointments.
QuickBooks Online for time tracking and billing. Many scheduling tools can automatically create time entries when meetings are booked, eliminating manual data entry.
DocuSign for engagement letters and document signing. After a consultation meeting, we can immediately send engagement letters for e-signature.
Slack for internal team communication about upcoming meetings and client issues. Most scheduling tools can send notifications to specific Slack channels when appointments are booked or canceled.
Zapier connects everything together. We use it to create automated workflows between scheduling software, practice management tools, and communication platforms.
Wrapping up
The scheduling tools I’ve covered here solve different problems for different types of CPA firms.
If you just need reliable meeting scheduling with excellent integrations, start with Calendly. It’s the safest choice and works well for 90% of situations.
But if you charge for consultations or have complex scheduling needs, Acuity Scheduling provides the advanced features that justify its higher cost.
And if you’re ready to upgrade your entire practice management system, TaxDome offers the most comprehensive solution for firms committed to automation and client experience.
Whatever you choose, the key is getting started. Even a basic scheduling system will save you hours every week and make your firm look more professional to clients.
During busy season, that time savings becomes invaluable.
