This custom process is designed to automatically create GST workpapers and assign a series of tasks to support GST processing requirements for your clients.
This automation is based on the Job start date of “Next Week”, therefore it is important to keep Job start dates up-to-date to ensure all relevant Jobs are included in the automation.
This custom automation has been created by the FYI team, ready to be imported to use in your practice. To download our quick reference guide, click here (or download the file from the bottom of this article).
Importing this Custom Automation
Click here to download the file used to import this example Custom Process, ready for you to test and activate or customise to suit your practice (or download the file from the bottom of this article).
Note: If you are using Chrome as your browser, the link may not automatically download the zip file. You need to right-click on the download link above, select Copy link address and paste it into a new browser tab in the browser's URL field.
When you have downloaded the file you can import the Custom Process. Refer to Importing Custom Processes and Importing Custom Processes using Drag and Drop.
Creating the Custom Automation
The following sections detail how to create this Custom Process directly, without using the Import feature.
- Setup the Templates used in the Process
- Create a View or Determine the View to use
- Add the Custom Process
- Add Step 1 - Create a Spreadsheet "GST Workpaper" from the Template
- Add Step 2 - Create a Task to Review the Tax Office Lodgements and Reports
- Add Step 3 - Create a Task to Prepare the GST Return
- Add Step 4 - Create a Task to Prepare the GST Return for Client Signing, once the GST Workpaper is Approved
- Add Step 5 - Update the Job State to "Completed"
- Testing a Scheduled Custom Process
- Reviewing the Process History
- Set the Status of the Process to "Active"
- Scheduled Process runs Automatically
Setup the Templates used in the Process
This example Custom Process uses the following Excel template:
- GST Workpaper
The following is an example of the Spreadsheet Template.
Create a View or Determine the View to use
To run the Process for GST Return Job, this example needs a view to be created that is used to trigger the Custom Process. Refer to Saving Changes to the View Layout, Modifying and Deleting Views.
In the Jobs list:
- Include the Start date column in the view.
- Filter the Start date column to include the relative date range of "Next Week".
- Type "BAS" in the Search jobs field. This will search the Job Name and only include jobs that match.
- Save the view, in this example as "BAS Jobs Starting Next Week".
If required, this view can be saved as "Automations only" so it is not included in the available views for standard users.
Add the Custom Process
- In Automation - Processes, click Add Custom Process.
- Add the Name of the Process, in this example, "GST Return Job".
- This process will run regularly therefore the Trigger is set to "Schedule".
Define the schedule according to how often the Process should run.
In this example, this is set to run every 4 hours, starting from a specific date. - The Filter Type is set as "Job - View Filters" to filter jobs based on the pre-defined, saved Job view. This is selected as the "GST Returns - In Progress Jobs" view.
- Ensure Run Only Once Per Job is selected for the automation to run once per job.
The following is an example of the Custom Process.
Add Step 1 - Create a Spreadsheet "GST Workpaper" from the Template
- Click Add Step and select Create Spreadsheet.
- Select the Spreadsheet Template, in this example "GST Workpaper”.
- Review the Filing details and rename the Subject of the email if required.
- In the Workflow section, select the Approver as the person who will approve the GST Workpaper, in this example, the client's "Manager".
- Select the Workflow Status as "In Progress".
- In the Task section, add a Task that will be linked to the spreadsheet and assigned to the client's Manager.
- Enter the Subject, for example, "Review and Reconcile Xero File".
- Add any instructions to the Task Details, for example, "Review and reconcile - Bank accounts, Payroll, Debtors and Creditors".
- Ensure Blocking is selected as “Yes”. This ensures that this step is completed before the process continues.
- Click Save.
Add Step 2 - Create a Task to Review the Tax Office Lodgements and Reports
This step creates a Task to a user to review the Tax Office lodgements and Reports. In this example, it is assigned to the Partner.
- Click Add Step and select Create Task.
- Add the Subject as “Review Tax Office lodgements & reports”.
- Select the Assignee as the person responsible for the review.
- Set a Due date for completion of the task.
- Ensure Blocking is selected as “Yes”. This ensures that this step is completed before the process continues.
- Click Save.
Add Step 3 - Create a Task to Prepare the GST Return
This step creates a Task assigned to the user who will prepare the GST Return.
- Click Add Step and select Create Task to create a task with the Subject “Prepare the GST Return”.
- Select the Assignee as the person responsible for preparing the GST return.
- Set a Due date for completion of the task.
- Ensure Blocking is selected as “Yes”. This ensures that this step is completed before the process
continues. - Include further instructions in the Task Details, for example, "Update the Workflow to Pending Approval and complete the task".
- Click Save.
Add Step 4 - Create a Task to Prepare the GST Return for Client Signing, once the GST Workpaper is Approved
This step creates a Task assigned to the user responsible for finalising the GST Return for client sign off, once the GST Workpaper has been sent to review.
- Click Add Step and select Create Task.
- Add the Subject as “Finalise return for client signing once approved”.
- Select the Assignee as the person responsible for preparing the return for signing, in this example, this is the client's Manager.
- Set a Due date for completion of the task.
- Ensure Blocking is selected as “Yes”. This ensures that this step is completed before the process continues.
- Include instructions in the Task Details to complete the task once the GST Workpaper is approved and the return is finalised.
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Click Save.
Add Step 5 - Update the Job State to "Completed"
Once the Status of the previous Task has been set as "Completed" the Process continues and runs this step to automatically update the Job State.
- Click Add Step and select Update.
- Select the Job State as “Completed”.
- Click Save.
Testing a Scheduled Custom Process
When setting up a Custom Process, it is very important to test it to ensure it is working as expected.
You can test a Scheduled Custom Process directly from the Process itself and this can be done while the Process is still "Draft".
- Click Test.
- The Select Test pop-up displays a list of the Jobs and the associated Clients based on the Filter that has been set up in the process.
Note: A Test Client is handy for testing scheduled automations. - From the Select Test, search and select a specific Job to run the test for and click Run Test.
Refer to Testing Custom Processes.
Reviewing the Process History
When a Process has run (from a Test run or at any other time) you can review the status and check what was processed. The Process can be reviewed from the Process itself, or from the Client workspace for the relevant client.
Refer to Automation History, Client Processes and Process History and Client Process History Checklist.
Set the Status of the Process to "Active"
When you are ready, set the Status of the process to "Active".
Scheduled Process runs Automatically
This example is a Scheduled Process. Once the Status is set as "Active", the Process will run automatically according to the schedule that was set. In this example the process has been scheduled to run every 4 hours.
For details of the different ways to run a Custom Process, refer to Running Custom Processes.