Every audit, tax and advisory engagement generates information that must be managed long after the work is complete.
Without consistent governance, growing volumes of client and engagement information increase costs, confidentiality risks and the challenge of meeting retention and regulatory obligations.
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Audit files, tax records, working papers and advisory documents often remain long after an engagement is complete.
Some must be retained. Some need protecting. And some should have been reviewed or disposed of long ago.
Managing this information consistently across systems, offices and storage locations is essential to reducing risk, cost and unnecessary work.
Unnecessary information continues to consume storage, resources and administrative time.
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Sensitive financial, commercial and personal information remains in systems where it may no longer be needed.
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Different retention requirements, confidentiality obligations and regulatory expectations make consistent governance harder to manage and demonstrate.
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Manual processes, disconnected systems and unclear responsibilities delay decisions and create unnecessary work.
iCompli helps accountancy firms understand what they hold, identify information requiring action and apply consistent, defensible governance processes.
WHAT ICOMPLI HELPS YOU TO DO
Information governance requires more than policies. Your firm needs the visibility, controls and processes to put them into practice.
iCompli helps you manage information consistently - from understanding what you hold to defensible disposition, ongoing protection and preparation for AI.
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Gain visibility of physical and digital records across your firm's systems, offices and storage locations. Identify legacy client information, understand what needs reviewing and make informed decisions about what to retain.
Apply retention and disposition policies consistently, manage reviews and approvals, and account for professional, statutory, regulatory and contractual obligations.
Reduce unnecessary exposure and support the controlled handling of confidential client, financial and business information.
Maintain evidence of reviews, approvals and governance actions to demonstrate compliance, consistency and accountability.
Reduce unnecessary information, minimise manual administration and improve the efficiency of governance processes across the firm.
Understand what information your firm holds, where it resides and what restrictions apply, supporting informed decisions about information access and use by AI.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Information governance shouldn't depend on spreadsheets, email chains and repeatedly chasing people for decisions.
iCompli helps turn governance requirements into controlled, repeatable workflows.
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Seamless integration
Govern information across the systems your firm uses.
Client and engagement information is spread across document management systems, cloud platforms and physical records.
iCompli connects with supported systems, including Microsoft SharePoint, iManage and NetDocuments, to help firms manage information through consistent governance processes.
Govern efficiently
Different records. Different retention requirements. One consistent approach.
Audit, tax, advisory and business records can have different retention obligations.
Apply the right policies, coordinate reviews and manage authorised disposition, with evidence of decisions and actions.
Efficient processes
Closing an engagement doesn't end your information responsibilities.
Identify completed engagement information, manage retention reviews and coordinate permitted disposal through controlled, documented processes.
Clever workflows
Take manual chasing out of governance.
Automate routine reviews, approvals and notifications.
Reduce administration across records, IT, risk and compliance teams while maintaining clear accountability and visibility of progress.
Multiple offices. Multiple systems. One consistent approach.
Apply governance across offices, systems and service lines while accounting for different client and regulatory requirements.
As your firm grows or acquires practices, maintain control of legacy information, retention obligations and increasingly complex information estates.
You don't need a dedicated governance team to take control.
Replace manual processes and disconnected spreadsheets with clear responsibilities, consistent policies and workflows that reflect your firm's resources.
AI READINESS
AI is creating opportunities across audit, tax and advisory services. But poorly governed information can introduce confidentiality, compliance and security risks.
Before expanding AI access, firms need to understand what information is available, what restrictions apply and whether it is appropriate for use.
Trusted AI starts with governed information.
INFORMATION GOVERNANCE STEP BY STEP
Recognise the need for information governance but unsure where to start?
Explore how to assess your firm's risks, establish priorities, build a practical strategy and secure the support needed to put governance into action.
CONTROLLING THE INFORMATION ESTATE
Acquisitions, new systems and growing client information create complexity across accountancy firms.
Explore how better governance helps manage legacy records, apply consistent policies, reduce risk and maintain control as your firm grows.
Explore practical advice from information governance specialists on building an effective strategy, managing information risk and improving governance processes.
Accountancy firms manage large volumes of sensitive client, financial, personal and business information. Without consistent governance, unnecessary retention, fragmented systems and manual processes can increase costs, security exposure and compliance risk.
Information governance helps firms understand what they hold, apply appropriate retention policies, protect confidential information and manage records throughout their lifecycle. It also supports operational efficiency, client trust and future technology investment.
How can accountancy firms manage client information after an engagement closes?
Closing an engagement does not necessarily mean that the associated information can be deleted.
Audit documentation, tax records, working papers and advisory information may be subject to different retention periods and obligations.
Information governance helps firms identify completed engagements, apply appropriate retention requirements and manage the review and permitted disposal of records through controlled processes.
iCompli supports these activities by helping firms apply policies, manage approvals and maintain evidence of governance decisions.
How does information governance help accountancy firms meet retention and regulatory obligations?
Accountancy firms must account for a range of professional, statutory, regulatory and contractual obligations when retaining and disposing of information.
Effective information governance helps translate these requirements into policies and repeatable processes.
iCompli supports the management of retention schedules, reviews, approvals and disposition, helping firms demonstrate that information has been managed according to their approved policies.
Not necessarily.
While larger firms may have dedicated records, information governance or compliance functions, smaller firms can establish effective governance through clear responsibilities, appropriate policies and practical technology.
iCompli helps reduce reliance on manual processes and supports consistent governance workflows, allowing firms to manage information according to their size, resources and priorities.
AI tools can process and analyse substantial volumes of information, creating opportunities to improve efficiency and service delivery.
However, using poorly managed, outdated or confidential information without appropriate controls can introduce additional risks.
Information governance helps accountancy firms understand what information they hold, apply retention and confidentiality requirements, and make informed decisions about which information AI systems should be permitted to access and use.
Yes. iCompli helps firms govern both physical and digital records, supporting consistent information management throughout the lifecycle.
From electronic client and engagement files to original documents and offsite archives, iCompli supports records tracking, retention and disposition, including barcode and RFID capabilities for physical records.
This allows firms to manage information under a common governance framework, regardless of where records are held.
Yes. iCompli integrates with supported document and information management platforms, including Microsoft SharePoint, iManage and NetDocuments.
These integrations help firms apply governance processes across connected systems without replacing the applications they already use.
Integration requirements and supported functionality can be discussed with the LegalRM team.
