IMCKColette Kenney, P.Eng.

AI Engagement Team case / Problem 1: Karbon reminders setup checklist

Practice case. Prairie Ledger CPA is a made-up firm. All names, records and numbers are fictional.

Problem 1: Karbon Automatic Reminders, Setup Checklist

PRACTICE RUN. Based on Karbon's help pages, not tested in Prairie Ledger's Karbon account. Check each step in the account before relying on it.

Client: Prairie Ledger CPA Build path: Existing software (Karbon). No AI needed. Who does it: the person with Karbon admin access, with one bookkeeper (we suggest Priya) Time: about 4 hours, plus a 2-week trial

Decisions to make first (with Dana)

Decision Suggested Why
When requests go out 1st business day after month-end Clients get the request as soon as the month closes
Due date for documents 5th business day of the month Leaves 10 days to close by the 15th
Reminder type Gentle: 7 days before the due date, on the due date, then daily once overdue Karbon's built-in option. Karbon stops after the 5th reminder.
Who emails come from The client's assigned bookkeeper Clients reply to someone they know

Setup steps

  1. Find the monthly bookkeeping work template. The Client Requests are already set up on it. Confirm the list of documents is right: bank statements, credit card statements, receipts.
  2. Turn on automatic sending. In the template's Client Requests section, open Sending Settings. Choose to send automatically, on the date agreed above.
  3. Turn on reminders. In the same place, choose the reminder type agreed above.
  4. Set the sender. Choose "from" the work's assigned bookkeeper.
  5. Apply to all future months. When Karbon asks whether to update this instance or all instances of the work, choose all.
  6. Check client emails. Each client needs a Karbon contact with a working email address. Fix any that are missing.
  7. Set up the "who to phone" list. Add an automation (Karbon calls these "Automators") that changes the work's status to "Call client" when all 5 reminders have been sent and the requests are still incomplete. Then save a view of all work with the status "Call client."
  8. Trial with 2 clients for 2 weeks. Pick 2 clients who usually send documents late. Check that the requests and reminders arrive, and that the reminder emails read well.
  9. Roll out to all monthly bookkeeping clients.

Test (from the proposal)

Test How to check Pass rate
Automatic requests and reminders scheduled for monthly bookkeeping clients Count monthly bookkeeping work items with automatic sending and reminders turned on 100% of clients
Trial clients receive the request and reminders Ask the 2 trial clients, or check the work item's activity 2 of 2
"Call client" status appears after the 5th reminder Check the trial client who has not sent documents Works for any trial client still missing documents

Not run in this practice. These need access to Prairie Ledger's Karbon account.

Sources