Designing a Centralised Platform for CA Firms

Led end-to-end UX design for a B2B SaaS platform that unified fragmented CA workflows into one system, from role-based dashboards to task and financial management. The goal of the project was to replace the fragmented excel workflows of the CA teams to an automated approach through this platform.

My role — Lead Product Designer

- Facilitated workshops with founders and Chartered Accountants to map service workflows, team structures, and role-specific responsibilities. - Conducted user interviews and usability testing across employee, manager, and client personas to validate workflows and refine dashboard experiences. - Defined the information architecture and design system, ensuring consistency across role-based dashboards. - Worked closely with product and engineering teams to ensure feasibility and smooth handoff.

The problem

Before Filing Buddy, the firm relied entirely on Excel sheets to manage operations, leaving client data fragmented across disconnected files. Even simple tasks like sending client reminders were done manually, and most processes lacked automation, significantly increasing the workload and working hours for CA teams.

Challenges

Untangling Complex CA Workflows I had to deeply understand how Chartered Accountants execute each service, including edge cases, dependencies, and decision points, and translate these layered operational workflows into dashboards that were intuitive, scannable, and easy to act on at a glance. Mapping Teams to Design Role-Specific Systems Through stakeholder workshops, I broke down the firm's structure to identify distinct teams and their responsibilities, uncovering exactly what information each role needed to work efficiently, without duplicating data or creating overlap between teams. Designing for Multiple User Roles at Scale The challenge was to create dashboard experiences for multiple user roles, each needing to see only the most relevant data, insights, and actions for their specific responsibilities. CAs, managers, sales, finance, and admins all had different priorities, and the system needed to serve each of them without noise from irrelevant information.

Objective

The goal was to transform complex and detail heavy accounting workflows into clear, structured, and intuitive digital experiences. This meant deeply understanding how each service was executed, mapping team roles and responsibilities through stakeholder workshops, and designing role-based dashboards validated through user testing. The aim was to ensure every user got relevant data, actionable insights, and prioritized tasks, enabling faster decision-making, improved efficiency, and seamless day-to-day operations across the firm.

Task Management

I designed a task management system built around clear priorities, with each task including detailed prerequisites, step-by-step checklists, and direct access to relevant government forms. Once completed by an employee, tasks follow a streamlined approval workflow before the manager, and clients are automatically notified upon approval, keeping them informed in real time.

Sales Pipeline & Team Performance Tracking

I designed a system for sales teams to create, track, and manage leads while organizing clients by conversion potential for better prioritization. Sales managers also get a real-time view of team performance, including individual contributions and region-wise insights across India, to help identify high-performing markets.

Invoicing & Payment Tracking

I designed a system that gives finance teams a clear, centralized view of all client payments, dues, and overdue invoices, removing the need to track finances across scattered sheets. The system also allows them to create and send invoices directly from the platform, ensuring accurate billing, faster follow-ups on pending payments, and timely communication with clients. This helped improve cash flow visibility and reduced the manual effort involved in reconciling payment records.

Centralized Admin Overview

I designed a comprehensive dashboard giving the Super Admin real-time visibility into all operations, including task statuses, prerequisite completion, and overdue activities. The system also centralizes information on clients, employees, and support tickets, making it easier to monitor performance, catch issues early, and make quicker decisions across the organization.

Client Portal & Service Visibility

I designed a personalized dashboard for clients, giving them clear visibility into their services, real-time progress, and the team members responsible for execution. Clients can also view revenue insights for their company, raise support tickets for any issues, and opt for new services or upgrades as their needs evolve.

Insights

Simplified Complex Workflows I converted detailed CA processes into structured, easy-to-follow workflows, reducing complexity and improving execution speed. Introduced Role-Based Clarity Designed dashboards tailored to each role, ensuring users see only relevant data and can act with focus. Unified Operations into One Platform Consolidated multiple tools into a single system, enabling smoother coordination and streamlined workflows. Improved Visibility & Decision-Making Enabled real-time insights across operations, helping teams make faster, data-driven decisions.