Organizations often have a need to request and or share documents with their clients, partners or other stakeholders. While there are many great document management solutions available, they fall short when it comes to requesting specific documents, allowing users to track which documents have been uploaded and providing a secure, professional portal to access the files. For most this process is achieved through a cumbersome process of emails, attachments, upload links or invitations to multiple platforms.

Ideally organizations may need to be able to do the following:

• Create a secure, branded portal
• Request a specific list of documents
• Automate document submission and folder management
• Upload, view, and download documents through the portal
• Facilitate client engagement and support through the portal

Typically these actions take place in the middle of a client engagement or process. The challenge becomes creating a single system that smoothly integrates the ability to request docs, allow a user to upload docs and track what has been uploaded while also alerting their account manager when all the docs are ready for review and triggering internal workflows. So what’s the answer for businesses looking to have one affordable consolidated system that integrates internal workflows? Enter ZPortals with Workdrive extension for Zoho’s CRM.

ZPortals allows an organization to invite a client to a secure branded portal where clients can view lists of requested docs, upload them directly through the portal and submit them through to the organization when ready. This submission can in turn notify their account manager, trigger workflows or blueprints and send the docs to the appropriate folders in WorkDrive. The Workdrive extension for CRM allows for a smooth Interface (UI) for employees to quickly reference WorkDrive files from within the CRM. 

The integration of Zoho CRM, WorkDrive and Zportals brings the best features of each product into a seamless, professional workflow that can be adapted to many use cases as shown below.

Use case 1: Tax preparation documents

Accounting and financial service consulting firms require unique file sharing capabilities that enable clients to selectively share products with their clients. Some examples include:

• Providing comprehensive document request lists to clients
• Robust file management software to store and retrieve documents across multiple accounts with redundant contacts
• Functionality to control which documents clients have access to at different points throughout service processes 
• Secure file transfer service to send and receive confidential documents

Use case 2: Employee Onboarding

 Any business with turnover must grapple with the task of onboarding new employees. Common onboarding processes include:

• Automated system to provide new hire with onboarding materials
• Employer visibility of employee’s onboarding progress
• Secure file transfer for employee uploading of confidential documents
• Secure file retrieval from Workdrive through Zoho CRM
• Employee UI to view outstanding document submissions

Use Case 3: Client Onboarding

For B2B organizations client onboarding can be a monumental task, from requesting and receiving client branding and marketing material for a marketing agency to the transfer of case files and legal documents for a law practice. Key functional requirements in these transactions include:

• Ability to upload, view and store large quantities of client information in a highly  functional file management system
• All files easily viewed, shared or downloaded from the CRM
• Automated folder creation for new client accounts
• Flexible folder structure 
• Employee access to upload updated documents via CRM
• Ability to clearly and concisely display document requests, messages, and announcements to clients on the client 
• portal

Use Case 4: Mortgage and Lender Document Management

Central to financial service firms is the ability to request, transfer and share financial documents through a secure and organized process. Common pain points in file management in this industry are:

• Automation of client folders and file management hierarchy upon creation of a new account
• Individual clients can be registered contacts for multiple accounts
• Supports secure document signing 
• Secure customer portal supported viewing of permissive documents
• Client portal file submission to Workdrive folder path via CRM

Use Case 5: Marketing Agency:

Marketing agencies, as with most professional service businesses, require an easy and reliable way to receive client submissions and deliver client solutions. Some key functionality for this industry is:

• Automated Workdrive file creation upon creation of a new account
• Streamlined client submissions of branding information, industry insights, value propositions, etc.
• Document sharing from Workdrives secure file management system to client-facing UI
• Real-time or permissive client visibility of in-progress projects from client portal to projects located in WorkDrive file management system
• Secure storage of completed projects until desired release to clients

Use Case 6: Premium Content Portal 

Websites that offer premium content– be it instructional videos, certifications, or any other form of digital content– need a platform that allows subscribers to view their suite of content without having access to it until payment is complete. Here are some of the benefits Zportals with Zoho CRM and Workdrive can provide for these organizations:

• Customer portal through which users can view products and interact with customer support
• Permissive access to premium content from user portal hosted on Workdrive
• Permissive access to certifications or training materials
• Host documents securely with the ability to selectively share as needed

Use Case 7: Medical

Medical service companies have a tremendous burden to their clients to balance system functionality with client privacy. This unique problem set is defined by several critical functions:

• Efficient and organized file structure for housing Patient data
• Patient portal that provides client access to medical records, scheduling, refill requests, etc.
• File storage with the flexibility to control what information is viewable by the client, health care professionals, receptionists, etc.
• Client portals designed to grant parent/guardian access to dependants under the same account

Use Case 8: Independent Contractors

Independent contractors from construction to IT services experience some of the same workflow needs and contractor/client business relationships. Some of the functional requirements common to independent contractors are:

• Invoice management
• Document transfer via a CRM to share project proposals, legal documents, SOWs, etc. 
• Client portals that enable clients to upload and view documents, schedule jobs, review plans, etc.