I currently use email Liz, but I'm getting concerned just how secure things really are. Thinking about developing a client area, but just at the thinking stage right now, as I'm not really sure how to go about it yet. I was just looking for some ideas.
The ICB was going to build a client area thing like you describe due to members requesting such a service.
However, having received such good feedback on DropBox we now just point people that way. No sense in re-creating the wheel as they say.
Ideas to do it yourself would be:
Secure FTP: pretty much what Drop box offer, probably would cost around £250-£350 per year to do it on your own server. Client could download some free software like FileZilla or something.
Build application: Secure website with user interface. This could be expensive to build and host, but on the plus side you could have it in your colour scheme etc.
I was thinking about building a secure interface. But it would mean transferring from shared hosting which I currently use to virtual or dedicated hosting and hiding behind an SSL.
From a data protection point of view, what is the ICB view on sending sensitive financial documentation to clients via email? Obviously they are responsible for what they send me, but I though a secure area could increase client confidence. I'm not at the stage that it's desperately necessary yet, but I can see a time in the future it'd be a huge bonus so I suppose I'm building for then. I can also see other things that it could do as well.
One way I suppose I could make it less expensive is to allow the system to be sold to other bookkeepers too.
Kris
-- Edited by kjmcculloch83 on Friday 5th of August 2011 10:40:29 AM
Annoyingly it is a bit of a grey area, only saying you have to be responsible with personal data.
So sending bank account details via email is a definite no no, but other bits like receipts is only frowned apon but wouldn't necessarily get you in trouble (unless you emailed it to the wrong client).
I guess if you are going to build something yourself you have to offer more than Drop Box does, which for you is easy as it could be personalised and on your website. However, to resell it when DropBox is free, and you would need insurance in case of server failure etc...
