There are a variety of tax research tools available, all of which aim to give you the most up-to-date tax information so you can prepare accurate returns and make informed tax decisions. But the best tax research software solutions provide a range of features that not only keep you informed, but also make your tax workflows more efficient.

Like all other areas of tax, corporate property tax teams have been facing a sea of new challenges in recent years. Not only is the amount of data they have to work with increasing at a rapid pace, but expectations for tax teams are shifting, as well. One recent study indicates that, while compliance is a necessity (and remains a top priority for 27% of companies), it’s no longer the sole priority for most organizations. Other top concerns include:

• Tax planning—22%
• Providing proactive support for the organization’s wider business and capital agenda—21%
• Managing the cost of the tax function—16%
• Positioning the tax team to provide insights—13%

By now every business leader has heard about the need to “digitally transform” to stay competitive. But not everyone is so clear as to what a digital transformation means in reality—and they’re even less clear on how to get the job done. Despite the confusion, many executives still name digital transformation a top priority.

In talking with prospective customers, we’ve heard just about every possible way property tax teams try to manage deadlines:

• Excel reports compiling dates
• Personal Outlook calendars

Depending on where your organization operates in the U.S., your team might currently be working to meet an upcoming property tax deadline. However, these days are anything but business-as-usual. The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a fair number of tax jurisdictions to close in-person offices and limit their hours to keep workers safe. Many are also encouraging businesses to submit filings and payments electronically. (Tweet this!)

Tax research is a very important part of a property tax professional’s agenda. Knowing which tools to use will improve your process, and staying up to date with the industry’s new tools is beneficial. However, some resources are better than others. The more research you do, the better you’ll get at determining which ones work for you and your specific cases—this is key to streamlining your practice and enhancing your work product.

While it might be desirable to handle all aspects of property tax in-house, it’s not always practical. In many instances, there’s a good business case to be made for outsourcing. For instance, you may be part of a corporation with limited resources to devote to the tax function or a team that lacks personnel with specialized knowledge. You may even need expert advice on tax matters if your organization is implementing new venture strategies. (What’s one case where outsourcing isn’t the best solution? If you’re simply looking for ways to improve your team’s efficiency, software can take care of that.)