Quick Start

This guide walks you through your first document workflow in TidalForms, from upload to export. Complete these steps to see how the platform handles tax documents end to end.

Who this is for

This page is for new users who want a hands-on introduction to TidalForms. If you have login credentials and at least one tax document ready to test, you can follow along. Account administrators setting up their firm should also complete this flow before inviting team members.

Before you begin

Make sure you have:

• A valid TidalForms account with firm-level access
• At least one tax document to test (W-2, 1099, 1098, or a multi-document PDF)
• A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari)

If you need to create an account or configure your workspace first, see Account Setup.

Your first document workflow

Follow these steps to process your first document from upload through export.

1. Log in to TidalForms

   Navigate to your TidalForms URL and sign in with your credentials. After authentication, you land on the dashboard showing your firm's document queue and processing metrics.

   Expected result: You see the main dashboard with navigation options for Upload, Review Hub, and Export.

2. Open the Upload page

   Click Upload in the main navigation bar. This opens the document upload interface where you can add files to your queue.

   Expected result: The upload page displays a drag-and-drop zone along with a file browser button.

3. Select your tax documents

   Drag and drop your tax document files into the upload zone, or click Browse Files to select them from your computer. TidalForms accepts single PDFs, multi-document PDFs (which it splits automatically), and common image formats.

   Expected result: Your files appear in the upload queue with file names and sizes visible.

4. Submit documents for processing

   Review the Terms and Conditions checkbox, then click Submit Documents for Processing. This triggers the intake workflow. TidalForms stores your files in firm-scoped storage and queues them for OCR analysis.

   Expected result: Each document shows a status change from "uploaded" to "processing," and you see a confirmation message.

5. Wait for OCR completion

   The platform runs Azure Document Intelligence OCR on each document, classifies the form type (W-2, 1099, etc.), extracts field data, and creates review cases. Processing time varies by document complexity, typically 30 seconds to 2 minutes per page.

   Expected result: Documents move to the Review Hub with extracted data ready for verification. Status indicators show progress.

6. Review extracted data in the Review Hub

   Navigate to Review Hub to see your processed documents. Click on a document to open the review panel. The left side shows the original document image, and the right side displays extracted fields with confidence scores. Verify each field, make corrections as needed, and mark the document as reviewed.

   Expected result: You can see extracted fields, edit incorrect values, and approve the document for export.

7. Export your verified data

   Open Review Hub, select your completed documents, and click Export. Choose your output format (CSV, Excel, or JSON), then click Generate Export. TidalForms creates a downloadable package with your verified data.

   Expected result: You receive a downloadable file containing structured data ready for your accounting software or records.

What to do next

Now that you have completed a basic workflow, explore these topics to get more from TidalForms:

• Uploading Documents for details on supported formats, batch uploads, and upload troubleshooting
• Review Hub for field validation rules, exception handling, and review best practices
• Exporting Data for format options, export scheduling, and verification procedures