1. It engages the client in the process - preparing them for your meeting
   
2. It helps you to understand the client's position to better prepare for the meeting 
   
3. It helps you to gauge alignment between business owners
   
4. It allows you to go deeper in the meeting to address issues (rather than discover them)
   
5. It helps to maximise meeting outcomes and value gained by the client
   
   

Using pre-work

1. Navigate to the relevant pre-work.
   
2. Select the client's name from the Client dropdown.
   
3. Amend the Subject Line if required, then review and edit the email. Ensure you've attached any files mentioned in the email, e.g. the client's previous Business Plan.
   
4. All required fields will be marked in red. If you want to customise the existing questions, we strongly recommend reading the Customising pre-work questions section below. 
   
5. Click Next or Action to be taken to the email preview page.
   
6. If more than one person needs to do pre-work for the meeting, click the  button and type in their emails addresses, separated with a comma.
   
1. You can also select client Contacts from the dropdown
   
2. Each recipient will receive the same email with a unique link to their pre-work form
   
7. Additionally, you can download the pre-work by clicking Download to PDF, or File in FYI if you have enabled the FYI integration.
   
8. Click  Send.
   

Warning!

Each recipient must receive their own pre-work email from the portal in order to receive their  unique pre-work link to access and complete it.

Important Info

The Cashflow Forecast Pre-work is a Word file that you must download and attach to the pre-work email prior to sending it to your client. Add your logo, and update it to reflect your client's business. This is not a portal form as the client needs to be able to add additional rows depending on the size of their team. 

Note

Some pre-work forms, e.g. the Succession Planning Pre-work, already have an attachment loaded by The Gap, indicated by a red paperclip to the right-hand side of the subject line. Hover over the paperclip to view the filename or click to download or delete the attachment.

The portal user who sends the pre-work will receive an email notification when the client has completed their pre-work. The completed pre-work can be downloaded to PDF by all firm users from the  Navigation panel >   Working Files > Inbox tab when viewing by 'All Documents'.  For more information, see the Managing inbox notifications article.

What if the client doesn't submit their pre-work on time?

Attention

Avoid  meetings of discovery! Reschedule if a client fails to complete their pre-work.

Customising pre-work questions

Important info

If you think there is a question missing from a pre-work document that would be valuable to other users, please contact us. We regularly update our content based on user feedback.

Amending an existing pre-work question

To edit an existing pre-work question, simply click into the field and amend the text.

Creating a new pre-work template

If you are making substantial changes to a pre-work document, we recommend creating your own template in the  Navigation panel >  Working Files > Templates tab using the Pre-work template or the Pre-work with Checkboxes template.

1. Navigate to Navigation panel >  Working Files > Templates > New Template button. A New Template popover prompt will appear.
   
2. Click the dropdown and select the relevant pre-work from Generic Templates  > Delivery . If you're not sure which template to use, select any then click Preview Template.
   
3. Once selected, click the Edit Template button. A New Template page will load.
   
4. Rename the template, then select a folder and subfolder to save the pre-work to.
   
5. Edit the subject line and email body. Ensure you do not delete the 'click here' link as this is how the client will access the pre-work form.
   
6. Update the Service text field with the name of the pre-work.
   
7. Add the pre-work questions.
   
1. Fill in the Section headers with a heading relevant to the questions in that section
   
2. Click in each table to add a question above the text area; we recommend you use bold font for questions
   
8. To delete any unused headers or question boxes, click into the table then click remove table in the table toolbar.
   
9. Once complete, click the Save button.
   

The new pre-work template will live in  Navigation panel  >  Working Files > Templates > chosen folder. If you do not choose a destination folder, it will show below the last folder  in the list. Templates are accessible by all firm users.

Important info

For further information about templates, see our Managing custom templates article.

Adding a question and answer field to a pre-work form

You cannot add a question and answer field to a portal form using the editing toolbars. However, you can copy and paste an existing table that contains a question and answer field by following these steps:

Note

Please note that it is easier to copy an answer field that has question text, even if this means you need to amend the question text after copying.

1. Choose a table that contains a question and answer box to copy. You can identify answer boxes as they have two double diagonal lines in the bottom-right corner.

 

2.  Click  outside  the table on the right hand side. The cursor will show up on the  right border of the answer field.

 

3. Press Enter. A new line break with your cursor will show up  under the table.

 

4. Place the cursor on the outer box and click and drag to highlight the question and answer field. 

 

5. Right-click on the selected text, then select Copy or use your keyboard shortcut CTRL+C/CMD + C.

6. Click to place the cursor where you want the new question and answer box.

7. Right-click, then select Paste or use your keyboard shortcut CTRL+V/CMD + V. A new table with a question and answer box will appear.

8. Amend the question as desired.

Tip

Always send yourself a test copy of an amended pre-work document to review prior to sending it to your client. Make sure you can type in the answer boxes.