How to use XyloDocs with Drake Software: zip export integration

XyloDocs now exports client-uploaded documents — W-2s, IDs, receipts, and supporting schedules — as zip files structured for direct import into Drake Software. If your firm collects documents through XyloDocs' AI-powered intake (SMS, WhatsApp, email-to-upload, or client portal) and prepares returns in Drake Tax, this integration eliminates the manual file-sorting step between intake and preparation.

The problem this solves

Most firms that use a client communication platform alongside a desktop tax engine hit the same friction point every season: documents arrive in one system, but returns get prepared in another. Staff downloads files from the portal, renames them to match Drake's folder conventions, and manually imports them. Multiply that by 500 or 1,000 clients and you have a full-time data-entry task that adds no value to the return itself.

The zip export feature closes that gap. XyloDocs handles client-facing intake and communication; Drake handles tax preparation. The zip file is the bridge.

How the zip export works

1. Collect documents through any XyloDocs channel. Clients upload W-2s, 1099s, IDs, receipts, and other supporting documents via SMS, WhatsApp, email-to-upload, secure links, or the client portal. XyloDocs' AI auto-categorizes each file as it arrives.
2. Open the client profile in XyloDocs. Navigate to the client whose documents you want to export.
3. Click Export and choose Drake format. XyloDocs packages all collected documents into a zip file organized to match Drake Tax's expected import structure — correct folder hierarchy, file naming conventions, and document grouping.
4. Download the zip and import into Drake. Open Drake Tax, use the standard document import, and point it at the zip. Files land in the right places. No renaming, no reorganizing, no second-guessing which folder a receipt belongs in.

What gets exported

The zip includes client-uploaded documents collected through XyloDocs:

• W-2s and wage statements
• 1099 series forms (1099-NEC, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, etc.)
• Government-issued IDs and identity documents
• Receipts and expense documentation
• Prior-year returns and supporting schedules
• Any other files the client uploaded during intake

Documents are organized into Drake's expected folder structure so the import recognizes them without manual intervention.

Why this matters during tax season

During peak season, every minute spent on file management is a minute not spent on billable return preparation. For a firm handling 800 returns, even 3 minutes of manual file sorting per client adds up to 40 hours of unbillable labor across the season. The zip export turns that into a two-click operation per client.

Combined with XyloDocs' AI-powered document intake — where clients send documents via SMS, WhatsApp, or email and the system auto-categorizes them — the full workflow looks like this: client sends documents through their preferred channel → XyloDocs organizes and categorizes → preparer exports as Drake-ready zip → imports into Drake → starts the return. No portal training for clients, no manual sorting for staff.

How it fits with the rest of XyloDocs

The zip export is one piece of a broader AI client communication workflow. XyloDocs also handles:

• Automated status updates — proactive SMS and WhatsApp messages that reduce "where's my return?" calls by up to 50% (Alianza Tax case study)
• Bilingual communication — real-time auto-translation across voice, SMS, and WhatsApp so monolingual staff can serve Spanish-speaking clients (bilingual software guide)
• AI voice calling — AI agents that answer status calls, collect documents, and work in English or Spanish (AI calling guide)
• E-signatures and secure document exchange — built into the same platform where documents are collected

Drake stays your tax engine. XyloDocs handles everything before and after the return: intake, communication, document delivery, and now the handoff into Drake itself.

Getting started

The Drake zip export is available on all XyloDocs plans. If you already use XyloDocs for client communication, the export option appears on each client profile. No additional setup or API keys required.

If you're evaluating XyloDocs for the first time, see pricing for per-agent costs and included features, or request a demo to see the Drake export workflow live. For firms also comparing practice management tools, the XyloDocs vs TaxDome comparison covers how XyloDocs' communication layer complements a broader tax prep stack.