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Your first live job as a partner or senior, start to finish

A twenty-minute orientation through the four stages of a live job - Planning, Records intake & agreement, Work and Completion - and where your decisions fall.

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Written by Steven Briginshaw

Quick answer

A live job runs through four stages in order. You set it up and request the records; you upload and agree the records when they arrive; you run the seven Work steps and answer the decision cards; you review, sign off and send the client pack. This article walks the route once so the screens make sense.

Before you start

Add the client, or pick an existing one, and create the job from the Jobs tab. Choose A live job - records still to come so the job parks in "awaiting records" after Planning. See Creating a job.

Stage 1: Planning

The Planning panel lists six steps under the banner "Set the year up, then request the records":

  1. Set the job up - the details screen. For a continuing client, confirm the directors, software, VAT set-up and figures that carried from last year. See Confirming the details carried from last year.

  2. Action the points from last year - tick off each point carried from last year's completion. See Actioning the points carried from last year.

  3. Complete the planning schedule - allocate a staff member, review the records to request and the timetable. See Completing the planning schedule.

  4. Send the records request + standing queries - tick the standing queries that go out, then compose the email from the Communication tab. See The records request and the standing queries.

  5. Call before accounts prep - the Before call: deadlines, profit intent, expectations, the records-list heads-up and the standing queries asked up front. See The Before call.

  6. Planning outputs - AllDone runs the engagement setup and produces the planning schedule and the client information pack cover note for you to review.

The job then parks as "Awaiting records" until the records arrive.

Stage 2: Records intake & agreement

When the records come in, click I have the records now or go straight to the Files page and upload them into the slots. The Records panel then runs in order: Records in, Check the records (AllDone runs), Review the findings, Chase what's missing - the pushback call, and Your verdict - proceed or stop. The findings appear as cards in four lanes: Ask the client, Approve, Your call and In hand. Anything missing or disagreeing goes onto the pushback call's agenda. See The Records intake & agreement stage.

Stage 3: Work

The Work panel lists the seven steps and runs them in three groups: Run steps 1-2 (Profit & loss review and Balance sheet recs), then the During call with the client, then Run steps 3-4 (Year-end adjustments and Specialist checks) and Run steps 5-7 (The tax computation, Final figures & notes and Working papers). Before each run, the decisions due first show on the card, each with AllDone's evidence and a recommended option; every choice is written to the register. See The Work stage: the seven steps.

Stage 4: Completion

The final analytical review, the completion checklist, the second review where a junior did the work, and the four sign-offs. Then the client output: the accounts approval pack, the tax computation and CT600 transcription, the value report, the emails and the exports for your filing software. See The Completion stage.

If something looks wrong

  • Blocked in the header. Hover the badge for the reason. A block in Planning is a missing engagement letter, AML evidence, independence confirmation, or an audit exemption that cannot be assessed.

  • You cannot find the next thing to do. The Next chip in the header always names it.

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