Books AutomatorBefore You Start
This guide assumes you have a Karbon subscription and a list of your firm’s core services/processes ready.
Overview
What You’ll Learn
- How to configure your Karbon workspace and team settings
- Creating reusable work templates for your core services (e.g., monthly bookkeeping, tax returns)
- Automating client requests and internal task assignments
- Leveraging Karbon’s client communication tools for seamless interactions
- Gaining firm-wide visibility and insights into team productivity
1. Initial Setup & Configuration
Before diving into workflows, set up your firm’s foundation in Karbon:
Key Setup Areas
- User management and roles for your team
- Importing client records and data
- Integrating your firm’s email (Outlook/Gmail)
- Creating custom fields for clients and work items
Recommended Enhancements
- Connect your document management system (e.g., SharePoint, DropBox)
- Configure your client portal branding
- Establish recurring work schedules for regular clients
2. Designing Your Workflow Templates
You have two main approaches to designing work templates in Karbon.
Approach A: Service-Based Templates
These templates are built around a specific service your firm offers.
- Consistent process for each service (e.g., Monthly Bookkeeping).
- Easy for team members to assign and understand scope.
- Provides clear expectations for clients.
- Can lead to template proliferation if not managed.
- Less flexible for unique or ad-hoc projects.
- Duplication if tasks are common across multiple services.
Approach B: Phase-Based Templates
Break down services into distinct phases that can be reused.
Expert Tip: For most accounting firms, a hybrid approach combining service-based templates with reusable phase blocks offers the best balance of efficiency and flexibility. Define core service templates, and within them, use phases that can be adjusted or swapped.
3. Automating Client Communication
Karbon excels at centralizing client communication. This streamlines information gathering and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
Utilize Karbon’s Triage inbox to manage all incoming client emails and route them directly to relevant work items or team members. This reduces context-switching and ensures responses are tracked.
Streamlining Client Requests:
Create automated client requests within your work templates. These requests can be set to send on specific dates or when a prior task is completed, gathering necessary documents and information proactively.
4. Implementing Work & Tasks
- 1
Create New Work
Start a new “Work” item by selecting a pre-built template for a client or creating one from scratch for ad-hoc projects.
- 2
Assign Tasks & Due Dates
Delegate individual tasks within the work item to specific team members and set clear internal and client-facing due dates.
- 3
Track Progress
Use Karbon’s Kanban boards or list views to visually monitor the status of all work in progress, identifying bottlenecks at a glance.
- 4
Collaborate Internally
Utilize comments, @mentions, and checklists within tasks to facilitate team discussion and ensure smooth internal communication.
Common Error: Over-assigning Tasks
Ensure tasks are realistically distributed among team members based on their capacity. Overloading can lead to missed deadlines and burnout.
5. Reporting & Insights
Key Metrics to Monitor
- Track team workload distribution and capacity
- Monitor overdue tasks and work items across the firm
- Analyze client turnaround times for various services
- Identify common workflow bottlenecks and areas for improvement
Need Help?
Get Support
Having trouble with your Karbon setup or optimizing your workflows? Our team can help troubleshoot your specific firm’s needs.
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