Made for CPAs
Move Client Files From Intake to Ready for Work
Also useful for: people in Finance
90 min
Advanced
Communication
Get Organized
Turn scattered engagement records, source documents, access needs, and client questions into a ranked queue with firm readiness rules and escalation paths.
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Use this when
You need to move a group of signed engagements into production, inherited files are inconsistently organized, or deadline pressure makes it risky to start work without a formal readiness check.
You'll need
- Engagement List
- Deadlines and Timing
- Readiness Policy
- Prior-Year File Status
- Source Document Inventory
- Secure Access Status
- Open Questions and Dependencies
- Escalation Owners
- Client Communication Rules
You'll get
- Every active engagement recorded in the intake register
- Every readiness gate marked cleared, unresolved, not applicable, or escalated
- Every engagement assigned a supported readiness status
- Every blocking item paired with an owner, due date, and required evidence
- Every material deadline and escalation trigger recorded
- Every client request consolidated into one clear follow-up message
By the end of this playbook
You will have:
- Every active engagement recorded in the intake register
- Every readiness gate marked cleared, unresolved, not applicable, or escalated
- Every engagement assigned a supported readiness status
- Every blocking item paired with an owner, due date, and required evidence
- Every material deadline and escalation trigger recorded
- Every client request consolidated into one clear follow-up message
Sample
This is sample data, not your prompt. Pro unlocks this higher-stakes Playbook. On Free Playbooks you can still copy the assembled prompt into any AI.
Sample input
Engagement: Client A, 2025 S corporation federal and two state returns. Engagement letter signed. Federal and state filing deadline is March 16. Internal review target is February 27. Prior returns and fixed asset schedule are available, but the shareholder basis schedule is missing. Trial balance and payroll reports were received. Two brokerage statements and pages 4-5 of the December bank statement are missing. QuickBooks access works. State portal authorization is pending. The client hasn't answered questions about shareholder health insurance or equipment placed in service. Firm policy requires a signed engagement, prior return, complete trial balance, and material source documents before production. Partial work requires manager approval.
Sample assembled prompt
Status: Escalate Decisive reason: Core engagement... Firm policy requires manager approval for... Blocking items: - Shareholder basis schedule... Release condition: Manager approval plus receipt... Queue position: High-priority recovery queue because...