Every audit, tax and advisory engagement generates information that must be managed long after the work is complete.
iCompli helps your firm take control of client file retention, meet compliance obligations, reduce manual administration and cut unnecessary storage costs - while protecting sensitive client information.
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Audit documentation, tax records, working papers and advisory files can be subject to different retention obligations long after an engagement is complete.
Managing these requirements across service lines, offices and systems can create significant administrative work, particularly when records are retained indefinitely because their disposal has not been reviewed.
Firms need a consistent way to identify what must be kept, what can be disposed of and how compliance can be demonstrated.
Holding client files, working papers and other information longer than necessary increases storage costs and the time spent managing records that may no longer be required.
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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 periods, professional obligations and regulatory requirements make it difficult to know what to keep, what can be disposed of and how to demonstrate compliance.
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Manual retention reviews, chasing approvals and managing records across disconnected systems create unnecessary administrative work and delay decisions.
iCompli helps accountancy firms understand what they hold, identify information requiring action and apply consistent, defensible governance processes.
WHAT ICOMPLI HELPS YOU TO DO
From audit files and tax records to advisory documents and physical archives, accountancy firms need consistent processes for managing information throughout its lifecycle.
iCompli helps firms apply retention requirements, coordinate reviews and approvals, manage defensible disposition and reduce the administration involved in information governance.
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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.
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Apply retention policies consistently across client files, working papers and other records. Manage retention periods, automate reviews and approvals, and support compliance with professional, statutory, regulatory and contractual obligations.
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Reduce unnecessary exposure and support the controlled handling of confidential client, financial and business information.
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Maintain a clear audit trail of retention reviews, approvals and disposal decisions, helping your firm demonstrate that information has been managed in accordance with its policies and obligations.
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Identify information that no longer needs to be retained, reduce unnecessary storage costs and automate routine governance tasks to minimise administration and improve efficiency.
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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
iCompli helps accountancy firms manage client file retention, demonstrate compliance and reduce unnecessary storage costs and administration through controlled, repeatable processes.
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Client file retention
Client files, audit working papers, tax records and other engagement information are subject to different retention requirements. Keeping track of what must be retained, and for how long, can be complex.
iCompli helps your firm apply retention policies across connected systems, identify records due for review and manage approved disposal when information is no longer required.
Keep the right information for the right amount of time — and dispose of it with confidence.
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Compliance
Meeting professional, statutory, regulatory and client obligations requires more than having a retention policy. Your firm needs to demonstrate that those policies are consistently followed.
iCompli helps you manage reviews, approvals and disposal decisions through controlled processes, maintaining an audit trail of actions taken.
Apply policies consistently. Maintain accountability. Demonstrate compliance.
Storage costs
Closed engagements, duplicate records and legacy information can continue to occupy valuable storage space long after their business purpose has ended.
iCompli helps your firm identify information eligible for review and disposal, apply appropriate retention rules and reduce the volume of unnecessary information held across digital and physical storage environments.
Reduce unnecessary data. Control storage costs. Reduce information risk.
Administration
Manual retention reviews, spreadsheets, email reminders and chasing approvals take time away from other priorities.
iCompli automates routine governance workflows, coordinates reviews and approvals, and gives teams visibility of outstanding actions and progress.
Reduce manual administration. Improve consistency. Free up your teams' time.
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.
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AI READINESS
As accountancy firms introduce AI into audit, tax and advisory work, they need to understand which client information can be accessed and used, how long it should be retained and what confidentiality restrictions apply.
Outdated, unnecessary or poorly governed information can increase risk and undermine confidence in AI-enabled processes.
iCompli helps firms establish stronger information governance foundations through improved visibility, consistent retention policies and controlled disposition.
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.
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RISK TO READINESS
Uncontrolled information growth increases risk and costs.
Our 'Risk to readiness' series explores how firms can reduce the unnecessary data, strengthen governance and build the foundations for more efficient operations and future technology.
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.
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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.
