Creating Task Templates

What's in this Video

• Create Task Templates
  • Add Automation
  • Add Subtasks
  • Add Client Requests
• Apply Task Templates

7:41

Create a Task Template

To get started, 

1. Click Templates on the primary navigation bar.
2. Click Task in the Templates menu.

When you arrive on the Task Templates page, you’ll see a couple of things:

• A list of your existing templates
• A list of Canopy pre-made templates
• And a template workflow preview bar on the right

As you select a template, the workflow preview appears on the right, so you can see the overall task, as well as the subtasks and client requests associated with it.

You can create templates for a task in two ways:

• Create a new from scratch
• Duplicate and modify an existing template

Let’s start by making a new template - select Create New.

On this page, the main pane is the overall main or parent task - so the actual job you are doing. Any Subtasks and Client Requests roll up underneath this main task.

To the left, you can see the workflow as you build it out, sorta a nice map to guide you on your quest. Above that, you can decide if this template should be shared across your team or just for you.

With all that out of the way, are you up for the task?

Let’s build one out for a simple Bookkeeping process.

Right under the name, you can select specific roles or users to assign to this task. Keep in mind, since this is a template, every time it’s used, it will assign them.

Other task details you can include: :

• Budgeted hours 
• The return type 
• Task Description

You can continue to add details including

• Add a date  by adding the date type and then select a date, either a fixed date or a relative date. 
• Add an automation rule
• Add other tools like a file or a reminder.
• Mark the task as recurring

Add Automation

Setting up automation rules within workflow templates truly unlocks multiple benefits for you and your firm. 

You can use automation rules to notify the next person when a task is completed, change a status once a task changes, notify of an upcoming date, and more. 

But we have to be honest with you - there is a bit of effort to set these up at the beginning. But once you do, it’s smooth sailing from there. It’s just like sharpening a saw!

To add an automation rule:

1. Click Add an Automation
2. Next, decide on a condition
3. Then an impending action

Once you have those setup, click Add Automation. Ok, so now when the task is approaching the due date, it will send a notification to team members automatically.

Since this new rule is part of the template, it will carry on to every task you apply to this template too. 

Add Subtasks

For more complicated tasks, you may want to add subtasks or stages of work that you want to divide up into smaller steps. 

To add a subtask, click on the Add button and Add subtask beneath the task pane. This creates a subtask! And it looks identical to the main task, coming with all the options we went through for the main task.

Let’s call this one, Upload Transactions.

You’ll see when I added this, it populated the name and the subtask in the workflow here on the left! 

It’s helpful to lay out your entire flow before adding dates, reminders or automation. So let’s do that really quick:

• Reconcile Bank Accounts
• Flux Analysis and Statement
• Balance Sheet Tie-Out
• Deliver Financial Packet to Client

So we have a basic map of our workflow!

You may also want to add a Client Request to ask for a list of transactions your client made. So let’s click that Add button once more, but this time select Add Client Request.

In a client request, you can name it, assign a due date and a reminder to complete the task. You can also add automation and files. 

If you have a template for a client request, you can apply that by selecting apply Template.

Moving Subtasks and Client Requests

You can also move subtasks and client requests around in the flow as you see fit. I might want the client request to go out to the client first to collect transactions before uploading, so click the client request for this in the workflow and drag to the top, under the main task.

Now that you have the flow down, you’ll find it easier to add due dates or automation rules, which you can add to the main task, subtasks, and client requests.

When you’re ready, click Save.

Now, you can see your new template in the menu.

Duplicate and Edit Templates

You may also use the pre-made templates below as well. You can’t edit these, but you can build on them by duplicating and copying them.

You can do that by selecting the icon on the far side of the template name.

Let’s duplicate a common template for a 1040 Return.

Once you duplicate, you’ll be asked to name the copy. You have the option now to make this template available for your team to use. You can also toggle this on later as well.

When you’re finished naming, select Copy.

This adds the newly copied template to the list above. Now, since you “own” this template, you can add your own edits to it. 

Click the three dots and select Edit.

Like before - You can modify the order of subtasks, add and edit contents at any time for these copied templates. 

Apply Task Templates

After you’ve built these templates, you and team members can apply them when creating a new task workflow.

1. Click on the global add button and select Create Task.
2. In this menu, you can choose Template. 
3. Select your template and click Apply.

This will bring in the name of the task, subtasks, and due date rules that you created in the template. Looks like a whole lot of saved time, especially for common workflows!