## Keywords
`Engager platform` `client portals` `email settings`
## Key Learnings
1. Engager Live Show Overview: The Engager Live show is a weekly live event discussing various aspects of Engager, including support, tips, and tricks.
2. Upcoming Webinars and Events: Details about upcoming webinars and events related to Engager.
3. Engager Features and Improvements: Discussion on current and upcoming features and improvements in Engager.
4. Communication and Collaboration in Engager: Best practices for communication and collaboration within the Engager platform.
5. Temporary and Permanent Notes in Job Cards: Understanding the difference between temporary notes and permanent notes in job cards, and how to manage them.
6. Managing Letters of Engagement for Additional Services: How to efficiently manage and send letters of engagement when setting up additional services for clients.
7. Reopening Completed Jobs: Steps to reopen a job that has been accidentally completed.
8. Using the Help Center: Utilizing the help center for resolving issues and finding information.
9. Managing Client Portals and Related Individuals: Understanding the management of client portals and related individuals in the system.
10. Email Communication Settings: Configuring email settings for sending and receiving emails through Engager and Google.
11. Security Concerns with Chinese AI Products: Considerations regarding the use of Chinese AI products due to potential security risks.
12. Email Settings and Configuration: Discussion on how to configure email settings, specifically focusing on clearing the last email message and setting defaults.
13. Integration of Adfen with QuickBooks: Information about the integration of Adfen with QuickBooks for payments.
14. Self-Employed Accounts vs. Self-Assessment: Explanation of the difference between self-employed accounts and self-assessment for tax purposes.
15. Tax Return Requirements for High Earners: Changes in tax return requirements for individuals earning over £100,000.
16. Directors and Tax Returns: Clarification on when directors need to file a self-assessment tax return.
17. Engage Software and Companies House: Discussion on the impact of new authorised agent requirements on Engage software.
18. Practice Login Screen Customization: Limitations on customizing the practice login screen in terms of gradients and images.
19. Tax Calculation Services: Recommendation for tax calculation services despite changes in filing requirements.
20. Letter of Engagement Customization: Customization options for the letter of engagement and related documents.
## Explanations
### 1. Engager Live Show Overview
- **Key Points**
- The show is interactive, allowing participants to ask questions.
- No updates are rolled out during tax season to avoid disruptions.
- **Explanation**
The show aims to provide support and share insights with users, especially during busy periods like tax season. Participants are encouraged to ask questions in the Q&A box to ensure they are addressed.
### 2. Upcoming Webinars and Events
- **Key Points**
- A webinar on mastering pricing in 2025 is scheduled for Thursday at 10:00 AM.
- The webinar will cover challenges of raising prices and the importance of including price increase terms in engagement letters.
- Engager Labs is a free event focused on practice management.
- **Explanation**
The webinars aim to educate users on pricing strategies and feature deep dives. Engager Labs provides an opportunity for users to learn about practice management.
- **Mastering Pricing in 2025 Webinar**
> The webinar will discuss overcoming challenges of raising prices, the importance of having a term in engagement letters for annual price increases, and pricing for MTD IT.
1. The webinar will provide strategies for explaining price increases to clients.
2. Participants can ask questions about pricing.
### 3. Engager Features and Improvements
- **Key Points**
- New improvements to time tracking reporting are being developed.
- The system will provide better visibility of profitability in products.
- **Explanation**
The improvements aim to enhance user experience by providing detailed insights into profitability and time tracking. This will help users manage their time and resources more effectively.
### 4. Communication and Collaboration in Engager
- **Key Points**
- Users are encouraged to use comments for job-related communication.
- Email and external communication tools like Microsoft Teams are discouraged for job discussions.
- **Explanation**
Using comments within Engager ensures that all job-related communication is centralized and easily accessible. This practice helps maintain a clear history of discussions and actions taken on jobs.
- **Using Comments for Job Communication**
> Comments can be used to tag team members and communicate issues or insights related to specific jobs.
1. Tagging a team member in a comment notifies them of the issue.
2. Comments are linked to specific jobs, providing a history of communication.
### 5. Temporary and Permanent Notes in Job Cards
- **Key Points**
- Temporary notes are cleared when a job is completed and are not carried forward.
- Permanent notes can be added in the general remarks section and will carry forward to future jobs.
- To add permanent notes, go to the client, then to service details, and save the information in the general remarks box.
- **Explanation**
Temporary notes are used for the current occurrence of a job and are cleared upon completion. If you want notes to persist across jobs, they should be added to the general remarks section. This ensures that important information, such as login details, remains accessible for future jobs.
- **Rachel's Use of Comments for Self-Assessment Clients**
> Rachel uses comments to write down allowances for self-assessment clients, which carry forward to the next year.
1. Comments can be used to leave instructions or reminders, such as capital allowances or payment account reductions.
2. These comments will carry forward into the next job, ensuring continuity of information.
### 6. Managing Letters of Engagement for Additional Services
- **Key Points**
- Create an additional service document or amend the existing letter of engagement.
- Use templates for additional services to streamline the process.
- Advancements in proposal tools are expected in the coming months.
- **Explanation**
When a client requests additional services, you can either amend the existing letter of engagement or create a new document outlining the new services and their costs. Templates can be used to simplify this process, and future updates to proposal tools will further enhance efficiency.
### 7. Reopening Completed Jobs
- **Key Points**
- Access the help center for guidance on reopening completed jobs.
- Change the date in the service detail to reverse the completion.
- Follow the step-by-step article in the help center for detailed instructions.
- **Explanation**
If a job is completed by mistake, you can reopen it by changing the date in the service detail. The help center provides a detailed article on how to perform this action, ensuring that you can undo the completion and continue working on the job.
### 8. Using the Help Center
- **Key Points**
- Search for keywords related to your issue in the help center.
- The help center is constantly updated with new articles based on user searches.
- If no results are found, new articles are created to address the gaps.
- **Explanation**
The help center is a valuable resource for resolving issues. By searching for relevant keywords, users can find articles that provide solutions. The help center is regularly updated based on user searches, ensuring that it remains a comprehensive resource.
### 9. Managing Client Portals and Related Individuals
- **Key Points**
- Clients can only see files marked with green boxes.
- Set yourself up as a client to understand the layout.
- Linking clients with Zama and creating records efficiently.
- **Explanation**
Clients have restricted access to files, only viewing those marked appropriately. To understand the client view, set yourself up as a client. When linking clients with Zama, create records directly from the system to ensure efficiency and accuracy.
### 10. Email Communication Settings
- **Key Points**
- Connect your Google account to Engager for seamless email integration.
- Choose the default outbox to ensure emails appear in your Google outbox.
- Be cautious of using BCC to avoid email overwhelm.
- **Explanation**
To ensure emails sent from Engager appear in your Google outbox, connect your Google account and set it as the default outbox. Be mindful of using BCC, as it can lead to a large volume of emails in your inbox.
### 11. Security Concerns with Chinese AI Products
- **Key Points**
- Chinese companies may be required to share information with the government.
- Be cautious about using AI products that could be subject to such regulations.
- Consider alternatives like Microsoft's Copilot for reliable AI solutions.
- **Explanation**
Chinese AI products may pose security risks due to regulations requiring companies to share information with the government. Users should be cautious and consider alternatives like Microsoft's Copilot, which provides reliable AI solutions with cited sources.
### 12. Email Settings and Configuration
- **Key Points**
- There is a setting to default to clear the last email message.
- The setting is located in the email configuration, but its exact location was initially unclear.
- The process involves opening a compose window and selecting the option to show an empty subject and email body.
- **Explanation**
The speaker initially struggled to find the setting to clear the last email message. After some searching, it was found in the email configuration settings. The process involves opening a compose window and selecting the option to show an empty subject and email body, then saving the changes.
### 13. Integration of Adfen with QuickBooks
- **Key Points**
- Adfen is ready to integrate with QuickBooks for firms using it for bookkeeping.
- The integration has been tested and is working well.
- Adfen will be publicly available next week, but firms can contact them now for early access.
- **Explanation**
Adfen has completed testing for integration with QuickBooks and is ready for firms to use it for payments. Although the public launch is next week, firms can contact Adfen this week for early access.
### 14. Self-Employed Accounts vs. Self-Assessment
- **Key Points**
- Self-assessment is required for all clients, but not all need self-employed accounts.
- Sole traders may need self-employed accounts if desired.
- Partnerships must complete an SA800 but are not legally required to have a set of accounts.
- **Explanation**
Self-assessment is a tax return required for all clients, while self-employed accounts are a set of annual accounts that may not be necessary for all. Sole traders and partnerships have specific requirements, with partnerships needing an SA800 but not necessarily a formal set of accounts.
### 15. Tax Return Requirements for High Earners
- **Key Points**
- Previously, individuals earning over £100,000 needed to file a self-assessment tax return.
- From April, those on PAYE with no other income will not need to file a tax return.
- Most high earners have additional income, so they may still need to file.
- **Explanation**
The requirement for individuals earning over £100,000 to file a self-assessment tax return is changing. From April, those whose only income is PAYE will not need to file. However, many high earners have additional income, so they may still need to file a return.
### 16. Directors and Tax Returns
- **Key Points**
- Directors need to file a tax return if they earn income outside of PAYE.
- Dividends are a common reason for directors to file a tax return.
- **Explanation**
Directors are required to file a self-assessment tax return if they have income outside of PAYE, such as dividends. If their only income is PAYE, they do not need to file a return.
### 17. Engage Software and Companies House
- **Key Points**
- Currently, Engage is not affected by new Companies House requirements.
- Future changes may require adjustments when filing confirmation statements.
- **Explanation**
Engage software is currently unaffected by new authorised agent requirements from Companies House, as it only pulls publicly available information. Future changes may necessitate adjustments when Engage begins filing confirmation statements.
### 18. Practice Login Screen Customization
- **Key Points**
- Users can change colors but not gradients or use images.
- The customization options are limited to colors and predefined gradients.
- **Explanation**
The practice login screen allows for color changes but does not support altering gradients or using images. The customization options are limited to predefined settings.
### 19. Tax Calculation Services
- **Key Points**
- Even if not required, filing a tax return can ensure accurate tax calculations.
- PAYE system errors can lead to significant underpayments or overpayments.
- **Explanation**
Despite changes in filing requirements, it is recommended to use tax calculation services to ensure accuracy. Errors in the PAYE system can result in significant discrepancies, making it beneficial to file a tax return for verification.
### 20. Letter of Engagement Customization
- **Key Points**
- The title text for the cover page can be changed.
- Other section titles are currently not customizable.
- **Explanation**
While the title text for the cover page of the letter of engagement can be customized, other section titles are fixed and cannot be altered. Users can suggest changes through the ideas list for potential future updates.

> **AI Suggestion**
> - The core of this lesson is understanding the management of client portals and related individuals. It's recommended to start with setting up a mock client portal to grasp the management of client portals and related individuals through hands-on practice.
> - Core content of managing client portals and related individuals: Understanding the management of client portals and related individuals in the system.
> - The core of this lesson is applying email settings and configuration. It's recommended to start with configuring your email settings in Engager to grasp email settings and configuration through practical application.
> - Core content of email settings and configuration: Discussion on how to configure email settings, specifically focusing on clearing the last email message and setting defaults.
> Additionally, here are some extracurricular resources:
> - Practical application of managing client portals and related individuals: [Link](https://www.example.com/client-portal-management)
> - Alternative perspective on email settings and configuration: [Link](https://www.example.com/email-configuration-guide)
> - Other resources: [Link](https://www.example.com/engager-resources)