BDO unifies tax and accounting services with Dynamics 365 Project Operations and Copilot

Helping people thrive by leading in tech modernization

BDO USA (a Microsoft partner) is one of the nation’s leading accounting and advisory firms. With a blend of highly experienced advisors, cutting-edge technology, and a passion for innovation, BDO crafts solutions to help clients overcome challenges and ignite growth. The firm provides assurance, tax, and advisory services for both large enterprises and mid-market organizations across the US and in more than 160 countries through its global organization. 

BDO’s core purpose, “helping people thrive every day,” informs its service delivery, emphasizing the need for businesses to have robust tax strategies to succeed. The firm’s commitment to aligning clients’ tax strategies with their business objectives reflects this purpose, focusing on the success and growth of its clients. BDO also takes on a broader commitment to prioritize the wellbeing of its employees, clients, and the communities it serves. This holistic approach, emphasizing the collective thriving of all stakeholders, sets the organization apart.

Over the last few years, the accounting industry has had difficulty attracting new talent, with a noticeable shortage of individuals entering the field. This scarcity has prompted firms like BDO to explore creative solutions to fill roles, such as improving tech efficiency and expanding operations internationally. “One of the biggest opportunities is just figuring out how we can work with the resources we have and make our technology the most efficient that we can,” says Mary Williams, Tax Managing Director at BDO USA. International expansion introduces additional complexities, such as adapting to rapidly changing regulations and working efficiently across time zones. 

The firm aimed to embrace innovation through technology and streamline processes to maximize the effectiveness—and satisfaction—of its skilled workforce. It was committed to creating an intelligent, approachable, and AI-driven solution across all business lines. “If I can get AI in the hands of our people so they feel like we’re on the cutting edge as we do our work, that’s going to give me a huge advantage in terms of attracting or retaining talent,” says Matthew Becker, National Managing Principal of Tax at BDO USA.

Transforming services with revolutionary project management

BDO recognized an opportunity to better use its resources and upgrade its technology by creating a project management system that would centralize how tax professionals complete their work. The firm was aiming for a design that prioritizes simplicity and user-friendliness, which would facilitate better planning and progress tracking all on one platform. The previous system was fragmented and disjointed, consisting of various programs patched together—separate systems for workflow and document management as well as scheduling. ”Our prior system was focused on tax returns and compliance, and it didn’t account for about 40% of our business, our consulting practice,” says Dan Fuller, Tax Digital Transformation & Innovation Leader at BDO USA. “Plus, the analytics were limited and didn’t focus on a structured dataset.“ The firm also wanted a system that employees could get familiar with quickly despite the introduction of new processes. Part of the objective was to encourage quick adoption and enhance data quality.

In its advanced technology deployment, BDO uses a robust combination of Microsoft Power Platform, Microsoft Azure, AI capabilities such as Microsoft Copilot, and other digital tools to streamline and innovate its operational processes. The firm wanted to increase insights, accuracy, and efficiency while seamlessly working with its existing software and global platforms. BDO worked with Microsoft to develop a project management platform that centralizes data while improving workflow, document management, and scheduling across various service lines. The new project management system, BDO Tax UserVerse, utilizes 70% of the out-of-the-box features of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Operations augmented with a SharePoint centralized data repository, model-driven apps, and Copilot. Customized solutions account for the remaining 30%, including milestones, workflows, and specific functional needs. “Our goal with developing BDO Tax UserVerse on Dynamics 365 was to provide efficiency, insights, and accuracy and bring all the rooms of our house together under one unified platform,” says Fuller.

BDO Tax UserVerse is a pivotal tool for unifying different service lines and providing BDO access to data in a standardized format, so the firm can apply insights it learns from one client across the entire client base. Combining everything into one system, BDO Tax UserVerse provides a single dataset and comprehensive features that support modern architecture. This means that all 4,000 of BDO’s tax professionals use the same system, and although it can be customized for different needs, it has a standard foundation that everyone uses. “As we scale, client expectations for consistent service delivery increase,” explains Becker. “Using Microsoft Dynamics 365, we can both maintain and utilize our data in a more consistent fashion and in an environment that is controlled from a security perspective.”

BDO is currently exploring Copilot in BDO Tax UserVerse and assessing its impact on the industry. For example, specialists can use Copilot during Microsoft Teams calls to focus on the conversation rather than note-taking. Copilot generates notes, action items, and emails, streamlining the post-meeting process. In BDO Tax UserVerse, a national tax office consultation folder is created for each client, centralizing documentation. Using this setup, others can easily access information and track document changes, enhancing collaboration and knowledge transfer. ”BDO Tax UserVerse on Dynamics 365 allows us to deliver that extremely consistent service delivery model, and that helps clients very clearly see the competitive advantage that working with BDO presents,” explains Becker.

BDO’s adoption of the BDO Tax UserVerse technology is also a strategic move toward standardization, which boosts efficiency and scalability in client services. For consistent data management and metadata tagging, BDO Tax UserVerse uses SharePoint and Copilot for real-time data and task management. With advanced AI, the centralized data system improves analytics and risk management while standardizing operations across BDO to ensure consistent task execution and resource optimization. “Organizations that fail to focus on bringing AI solutions to life are going to be left behind because we need a more uniform application of the tasks we perform for clients, and we need to be able to do those things more efficiently,” Fuller says. “Copilot and AI facilitate that in a way that no other technology in my experience has.”

Unifying tax management with technological innovation

BDO Tax UserVerse, built on Project Operations, has helped BDO’s tax practice to achieve faster, higher-quality results through consistent service delivery. By centralizing its tax solution, BDO offers a comprehensive platform adaptable to any project size with dashboards that enhance visibility, collaboration, and efficiency. The firm has achieved up to a 20% faster workflow creation and execution and anticipates cutting approval time by 50% and improving collection rates and customer relations through Copilot efficiencies. “One of the huge benefits of Dynamics 365 and using this platform is that everything is in one spot, so we can see it all connected,” Williams says. “We know we’re not out of sync with our scheduling platform, our documents, and our workflow management.”

The framework has improved management oversight and project assessment, enabling targeted problem-solving. BDO has found that a data-driven approach has enhanced intervention accuracy, boosting project management and easing workload spikes. Proactive use of key performance indicators (KPIs) has reduced end-of-season stress through early identification and resolution of delays. In BDO Tax UserVerse, and with established milestones for each phase, BDO can track progress and manage schedules efficiently, leading to improved outcomes and a more satisfied workplace. The firm notes that by using model-driven apps and Copilot to get its insights, which are surfaced within Teams, employees feel familiar with the platform and can self-serve what they need. “All of that happens within Teams, which is an environment our professionals are familiar with and has a ton of power across the platform,” says Fuller.

By bringing together model-driven apps and Copilot with Teams, BDO has streamlined its operations within the Microsoft ecosystem for real-time access to the latest technologies. This unified system often contrasts with competitors’ disjointed systems and data issues, providing BDO with a clear competitive advantage. “Microsoft Copilot is the conduit to bringing all of our data and our systems together in a natural language model,” says Fuller. “It makes it easier for our people to access the analytics and get the insights to be able to ask the right questions.”

Fuller also talks about how working with an innovative system within a Microsoft environment is appealing to new hires who expect AI tools and advanced technology in their work environment. “This generation that’s coming in right now is very tech-forward,” Fuller explains. “We’re going to be able to show them something that’s on the cutting edge.”

Creating a new project management system built on Dynamics 365 has improved decision-making, productivity, and employee satisfaction. BDO Tax UserVerse, built on Project Operations, provides up-to-date data reporting and a better user interface. The system improves management and accountability, especially during busy times for CPA firms. “When I look to our partnership with Microsoft, I’m very excited about what the future holds, given that we’re in this age of AI and technology,” concludes Fuller. “I couldn’t ask for a better partner to be able to help people thrive.”

Find out more about BDO USA on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.