A Better Way to Work
and Serve: CSH Enhances
Audit Efficiency and Client Experience with Circit

Clark Schaefer Hackett (CSH) is a top 100 accounting and advisory firm dedicated to delivering results through accounting, tax, and consulting services. With a strong focus on innovation and client service, CSH supports a wide range of clients across various industries and markets.

Increased Efficiency 
and Time Savings

Improved Client Experience and Accountability

High Internal Adoption
and Scalability

''It was not always apparent based on the file name or content how items being provided related to the items we were requesting. This disconnect often led to an inefficient loop where clients believed they had satisfied a request, but we couldn't find the file because it wasn't what we needed or accidentally wasn't provided."
David Rich, Senior Manager, Assurance Services, CSH

Before Circit: A Manual, Frustrating Process

Before implementing Circit, CSH relied heavily on static Excel-based PBC request lists and manual tracking. Requests were shared via email, with clients uploading documentation to a secure file-sharing platform.
Staff then had to cross-reference each file manually, often struggling to identify whether requests were fulfilled, leading to repeated follow-ups and confusion.
The firm sought a more efficient, transparent, and client-friendly solution.

Choosing Circit: A User-Friendly and Secure Solution

In search of a new PBC management platform, CSH evaluated several options. The team prioritized:

- Ease of use for clients and staff
- A clean, intuitive user interface
- Comprehensive feature set
- Data security and compliance
- Responsive and collaborative vendor relationship


After starting conversations with Circit in August 2024 and trialing the platform with real clients, the verdict was clear. "After just a couple of months into the trial, we knew Circit was the best fit. They scored highest across all our key criteria. The product and the people stood out.” — David Rich.

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Implementation: Rapid Adoption Across the Firm

From trial to full adoption was a smooth process. CSH ran several trainings in December 2024 and rolled Circit out across hundreds of engagements within just a month. "Circit has been one of our most well-adopted technology platforms—adoption levels exceeded our expectations from the start.” — David Rich.

Internal Circit champions now lead training sessions for their respective teams, further driving success.

Results: Better Client Experience and Faster Turnarounds

CSH’s experience with Circit has been overwhelmingly positive. The platform has streamlined the request process, eliminated manual back-and-forth, and given clients a more transparent and organized experience. “One client told me Circit is the best PBC platform they’ve used.” — David Rich

''Our firm has lost critical bids due to inefficiencies in PBC list management—manually updating prior-year data, chasing missing requests, and relying on fragmented systems led to delays and miscommunication. On top of that, we constantly faced issues with clients claiming they had already sent items that were never received, or stating they had never seen requests we sent multiple times. The transition to Circit marks a new era of streamlined collaboration, ensuring accurate request tracking, reducing errors, and improving responsiveness—giving us a competitive edge in winning engagements."
Luke Downing, Shareholder

While audit quality remained consistent, CSH saw gains in speed, accountability, and client satisfaction—all leading to cost savings for the firm.

Key features loved by the CSH Team:

- In-app messaging for specific requests, reducing email clutter
- Clean, modern UI that’s intuitive for users
- Engagement portfolios for tracking by industry or office

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Partnering with Circit: Constant Improvement, Real Support

From day one, the CSH team was impressed by the responsiveness and collaboration of Circit’s team. Frequent product updates and feature enhancements have continued to improve the experience.

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What’s Next

Having transformed its PBC management, CSH is now looking to extend its use of Circit to support audit confirmations—bringing further automation and transparency to audit workflows.

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“The Circit team is a big reason we chose the platform.
We’ve already recommended it to peers at other firms.”
David Rich, Senior Manager, Assurance Services, CSH

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