CK2 Financials
× Canopy.
Fully Built.
From an empty platform to a complete, automated client lifecycle — in one engagement.
Before this work,
Canopy was empty.
The Platform Before
- 0 tasks — open schedule with no active workflows or assignments
- No document templates — staff chased docs by phone and email
- No structured intake — every new client onboarding started from scratch
- Flat/ad hoc pricing — no tiered engagement structure or packaged services
- 2 of 15 experimental features active — most of the platform's power unused
- ~0 hours/week recovered from automation — everything was manual
What Was Built
Templates
Questionnaires
Templates
Templates
4–8 hrs/staff/week recoverable now. Projected 8–15 hrs/week when workflow is fully live — replacing email chains, manual intake, and ad hoc follow-up.
8 Document Checklist Templates — Live.
Every client gets a professional, itemized list of exactly what to upload — with a client-facing description for each item. Secure link access — no client login required.
Templates → Document Checklists → Team. All 8 templates are saved as Team templates and ready to deploy immediately via secure client link.
Smart Questionnaires
+ Client Portal Config.
6 Questionnaire Templates
Client Portal — 3 Key Settings Active
Clients upload documents without creating an account — just click the link and upload. Zero friction.
Every file uploaded is automatically renamed and categorized. No more messy file names or manual sorting.
Email threads auto-summarized — your team sees key points instantly, not a wall of back-and-forth.
7-Stage Client Workflow —
Fully Built & Wired.
CK2 Financials — Master Client Workflow is a parent template containing all 7 stages in sequence. Apply to any new client → all stages generate automatically → team gets notified. Nothing drops.
When Stage 5 status = In Progress → auto-sends "Your Tax Return Is Ready for Review" to client via portal. Reply-to: financials@ck2financials.com
When Stage 7 status = In Progress → auto-sends "Your Tax Return Has Been Filed Successfully" with next steps. Reply-to: financials@ck2financials.com
to all 7 stage templates
Capacity Planner is live
4 Engagement Templates —
Good / Better / Best.
Every service line priced with a 3-tier structure. The Best Value badge on the middle tier is intentional — clients naturally gravitate toward it, driving a 20–30% average revenue lift per engagement.
All 4 templates include: branded welcome message, Terms of Service (6 clauses), correct billing type, Best Value badge, and e-signature workflow. Saved as Team templates — available firm-wide.
4 active before.
11 of 15 active now.
Newly Activated (7 New)
Already Active Before
Not Enabled (Optional/Blocked)
Team workload —
visible in real time.
The Capacity Planner is live with a drag-and-drop board view. Every open task is visible across team members — no spreadsheets, no guesswork.
Budgeted hours are now assigned to all 7 stage templates (6.5 hrs total per 1040). Capacity bars will show real workload vs. available hours — no more 0/0 placeholders.
What This Replaces
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Manual spreadsheets to track who has what | Live drag-and-drop board — one screen, full picture |
| No visibility into team overload or idle time | Capacity bars show workload vs. available hours per person |
| "Who should I assign this to?" guesswork | Drag a task to any column — reassign in two seconds |
| Missed deadlines discovered after the fact | All tasks with due dates surface before they slip |
Tasks → Board View (grid icon, top right). Or click the Capacity Planner icon in the sidebar.
What Canopy can't do —
and how we worked around it.
Confirmed Platform Limitations
Canopy cannot auto-send a Client Info Sheet when a new client is created. Automations are task-based only.
Canopy has no drag-and-drop workflow stage module. Workflows are managed via task templates and engagement templates, not a visual flowchart tool.
No native "if X happens → trigger Y" rules (like Zapier). Automations are time-based and role-based only.
Must be assigned per client at send time. This is by design, not a bug.
Workarounds Implemented
Three checklist items added directly to the Stage 1 — Engagement Sent task template: send the form, confirm receipt, upload to Canopy Documents. Manual but trackable and repeatable — fires every time.
All 7 stages built as individual task templates with descriptions, assignees, relative due dates, and budgeted hours. The Master Client Workflow template bundles all 7 — apply to any client and they all generate.
The Claude AI portal project (Deliverable 2) can be designed to auto-send the Client Info Sheet via Zapier webhook on new client creation — eliminating the manual step entirely in a future phase.
Before vs. After.
| Area | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Document Collection | Staff requested docs by email/phone | 8 AI-powered Document Checklist Templates live; auto-rename on upload |
| Client Intake | No structured process | Full checklist library covering all major service lines |
| Smart Questionnaires | None | 6 templates + flagship 2025 Organizer with conditional logic |
| Engagement Letters | Basic templates, no tiered pricing | 4 Good/Better/Best templates across all service lines |
| Pricing Strategy | Flat/ad hoc | Good/Better/Best across 1040, Business, Bookkeeping, IRS Resolution |
| Workflow Automation | Basic task creation, manual handoffs | 7-stage pipeline + Master Workflow template + 2 auto client emails |
| Capacity Planning | No visibility into team workload | Drag-and-drop board live; 6.5 budgeted hours assigned per engagement |
| AI Features | 2 of 4 active | 4 of 4 active — added AI eSign Placement + eSign Checkboxes |
| Experimental Features | 4 of 15 enabled | 11 of 15 enabled |
| Time Savings / Week | ~0 hrs from automation | 4–8 hrs/staff/week now → 8–15 hrs when fully wired |
The system is built.
Use it today.
Immediate — No Setup Required
- Send a 3-Tier Engagement Letter — Client record → Engagements → Select CK2 1040 template → packages appear with Best Value badge → client selects, signs.
- Request Documents from a Client — Client record → Documents → Request → choose checklist template → client gets a secure link → files auto-renamed on upload.
- Send the Smart Intake Questionnaire — Templates → Questionnaires → Send 2025 Smart Tax Intake Organizer → conditional logic adapts automatically.
- View Team Capacity — Work → Tasks → Board View → drag tasks between staff columns to rebalance in real time.
- Use AI Email Summaries — Open any email thread in Canopy — summary is already at the top.
Short-Term — CK2 Action Items
The automation backbone is fully in place. Every stage of the client lifecycle has workflow, budgeted hours, and client-facing communications wired and ready to fire.
CK2 Financials
runs on automation now.
From 0 templates and 0 workflows to a complete client lifecycle system — intake, engagement, workflow, pricing, capacity planning, and automated client communications — all live in Canopy.