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Weekly Live Session - August 6, 2025

This Weekly Live session was a free-ranging Q&A, with questions covering setting up a software pricing service without warning prompts, e-signing several documents in one email, the standard client folder structure, customising jobs board priority emojis, the FreeAgent integration, page breaks in generated PDFs, Stream Deck shortcuts, and using AI tools to get up to speed on tax changes.

Key Takeaways

  • From Monday's release, a service with no deadline (such as a software pricing service) can be set in Settings to stop warning you about missing due-date information before you save a client, removing an unnecessary click. (4:49)
  • One e-signing request covers one document. To send several documents in a single email, request e-signing on each file individually, then word the covering message so the client knows to check the red e-signing icon for further documents once they have signed the first; for less tech-savvy clients, send one email per document instead. (6:52)
  • Every client of the same type (sole trader, limited company) shares the same default folder structure. Individual folders, such as Payroll for a client with no payroll, can be hidden for that client via permissions rather than deleted, so the structure stays consistent across clients and for your team. (10:53)
  • The jobs board's priority icons (exclamation marks by default) can be swapped for any emoji per priority level in Settings > Jobs, and these are visible only to your own team. (16:55)
  • The FreeAgent integration is set up in Settings using your firm's FreeAgent subdomain. Once a client is linked, address and contact changes sync automatically between the two systems, invoices can be raised and tracked from Engager, and the FreeAgent practice dashboard brings in a snapshot of profit and loss, balance sheet, and (for MTD VAT clients) the most recent VAT filing. (23:00)
  • When preparing text to paste into the PDF generator, avoid Word, which has its own text-editing quirks; a plain tool such as Apple Notes or Google Docs copies across more cleanly, though some reformatting is usually still needed. The PDF editor is designed for letters rather than heavily designed documents, and generated PDFs can have manual page breaks added where a section should start on a new page. (33:16, 41:21)
  • Changing the first part of an Engager URL for a firm rebrand is possible, but needs to be scheduled with the Engager team rather than done by the firm, since bookmarked client portal links will stop working; clients and team members both need advance notice of the new URL and when it takes effect.
  • Self assessment questionnaire reminders cannot currently be resent in bulk, but the pending forms widget on the dashboard lets you work through outstanding ones quickly one by one.
  • Stream Deck users can program a button with any Engager URL, such as a specific client's record or the dashboard, to jump straight to that page, or to paste frequently used text such as a standard email acknowledgement. (37:18)

Full Transcript

The session opened with a round of greetings as attendees confirmed they could see and hear, before moving into a small product update rolling out the following Monday night: in Settings, you can now choose, per service, whether Engager warns you about incomplete data (such as a missing deadline) before saving a client. For a service like software pricing that has no deadline, this lets you turn that warning off so it no longer prompts you every time you save a client with that service turned on.

Bev asked whether an e-signing request is one document or several. It is one document in theory. In Files, you request e-signing per document; to send four e-signings in one email rather than four separate emails, you request signing on each document individually, but hold off sending until the last one, then compose a single email explaining that several documents are ready to be signed, that the first will appear once logged in, and that the red number icon under e-signing will reveal the rest once the first is signed. This works well for more capable clients, but for less tech-savvy or difficult clients, sending one email per document (so each signing link takes them straight to that specific document) is more reliable.

Ray asked whether folders not needed for a client, such as an accounts folder for a tax-only client, can be deleted. They cannot be deleted at this top level, because every client of a given type (sole trader, limited company) shares the same folder structure by design. Instead, you can untick the folders that are not relevant for a specific client and save, which hides that folder from that client only. This avoids the mess of inconsistent folder structures across clients, which makes it harder for clients and your own team to find documents.

KT asked about a premium, chargeable e-signature option for documents needing multiple signatures or signatures placed on specific lines. This is being looked at as part of a wider project with TaxCalc, likely as a "pay by document" or "pay by request" option through the TaxCalc e-signing tool, used alongside the existing free e-signing solution rather than replacing it; there is no ETA yet.

Bev asked whether the grey jobs filter menu on the left can be minimised while viewing the jobs board. It cannot be hidden, deliberately, because a very common support issue is users not realising their filters are set incorrectly; hiding the filters would make that harder to diagnose and fix.

Beth and Bev asked about customising job priority colours and icons. Priority colours cannot be made custom, but the priority icons (exclamation marks by default) can be changed to any emoji per priority level in Settings > Jobs, with a different emoji available for each priority tier. These are internal only and visible solely to your own team.

On other updates: the product road map (accessible from your name at the top of Engager) lists ideas open for voting, what is in testing (currently including the Adfin integration and the per-service missing-information warning), and what has launched, with email updates sent to anyone who voted on an idea as it moves through those stages. The change log in the same area lists every release, using emoji to flag bug fixes, tool adjustments, and brand new features, and updates on the same day or the day after each release.

Ray asked how to access webinar recordings. All past Weekly Live sessions, how-to guides, templates, the certified implementers list, and videos on demand (including past events and feature spotlights) are in the Engager help centre, reached from Get Help inside the product.

Andrew asked how to use the FreeAgent integration. In Settings, you enter your firm's FreeAgent subdomain (the first part of your FreeAgent web address), choose how names are stored, and authorise the connection. Once set up, individual clients can be linked to FreeAgent, which keeps contact details in sync both ways, lets you raise and track invoices against that client from within Engager, and brings in the FreeAgent practice dashboard: a snapshot of profit and loss, balance sheet, and, for MTD VAT-registered clients, their latest VAT filing information. This links to your firm's own FreeAgent (where your bank transactions and invoicing live), not the client's own FreeAgent account.

Miriam asked about resending unfilled self assessment questionnaires in bulk. This is not currently possible; instead, you can work through the pending questionnaire forms widget, sending each outstanding one in turn. A good use case for an AI agent (such as ChatGPT's agent mode) is to work through this list for you; one practice reportedly resent around 70 questionnaires this way in half an hour.

Johan (John) asked for tips after formatting was disrupted when pasting a Word document into the PDF maker. The recommendation is to avoid Word, since it has its own particular text-editing behaviour, and instead prepare text in something plainer like Apple Notes or Google Docs before copying it in; even then, some reformatting is usually needed, since every text editor handles spacing and paragraphs slightly differently. The PDF editor itself is fairly basic and designed for letters rather than heavily designed documents. A worked example was shown using an Apple Notes template for business valuation and financial due diligence reports, built from reusable sections and copied into the PDF generator, with the generated PDF then reviewed and page breaks added or adjusted so that sections do not awkwardly split across pages.

Bev asked whether a practice that changes its business name can change the first part of its Engager URL. This can be done, but not self-service; the firm needs to email all clients and team members in advance with the new URL and the date it takes effect, since any bookmarked client portal links will stop working once the change goes live, and it is scheduled by the Engager team with a few days' notice.

Johan (John) asked about branding options for an invoice created in Engager for Xero, which are needed to automate payment through Adfin. Once Adfin's own invoice-generating tool is built, invoices will be pushed to Adfin directly rather than to Xero first, and Adfin will apply the branding options automatically, removing the need to configure this manually.

Manaf asked whether downloaded job lists could include client ID rather than just client name. Client ID is not currently one of the available columns on job list exports; this could be suggested as an idea, though it was noted that a practice management tool is intended to be worked from directly rather than via exported lists.

Bev asked about using Engager with a Stream Deck. Any URL that is clickable inside Engager, such as a specific client's record, the dashboard, the client list, or a jobs view, can be copied into a Stream Deck button so that pressing it opens that page directly (prompting a login first if needed). Buttons can also be set up to paste frequently used text, such as a standard email template acknowledging receipt of a message, directly into the cursor position.

The session closed with a demonstration of ChatGPT's free "Study and Learn" tool as a way to train staff on topics such as Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: the tool asks about your role and existing knowledge, then teaches the topic interactively and tests understanding as you go, correcting any misunderstandings. This was recommended as a strong, free way to bring team members up to speed on legislative changes, new software features, or a recent Budget, regardless of which ChatGPT plan you are on, since it relies on general knowledge rather than anything account-specific.