'Check' it out.... Checklists consist of a list of predefined checks that need to be completed for each client, that can be assigned to a particular account or reconciliation, or to the file as a whole.

Your admin team are able to create as many checklists as they want- speak to them if you need new checklists built! Let's whizz through the key points in regard to a checklist!


What... are they?

  • Checklists are standardised lists of 'checks' that you as administrators want your users to 'check' for within your client files
  • They are defined at the firm level, and added to the client level (either automatically, or when the user requires it) on a per-workflow basis
  • They contribute to the % completion of a workflow
  • You can create as many different checklists as your firm requires! But remember, the idea is to standardise checklists across workflows!

Why... are they used?

  • Checklists are used to standardise the 'checks' across your firm
  • (Note: you can still use 'notes' and 'to-do's' on specific clients for specific actions

Where... are they built?

  • In the Administrators 'Templates' section
  • Checklists are assigned to a workflow
  • Checks can be assigned to 
    • 'General' (which means the file as a whole, and appear on the Client Overview page)
    • Certain reconciliations
    • An account range

Who... can build them?

  • Only your firm administrators can build checklists
  • Your firm administrators also assign the checklists to the relevant workflows

Who... can sign them off?

  • As default, the person who adds the checklist is assigned to 'sign off' the checks
  • Any user can change who is assigned to a checklist
  • Once you have been assigned to a checklist, only that user can sign off the checks
  • All users assigned to a checklist must sign of all checks for the checklist to reach 100% completion

When... are they used?

  • If they have been auto-added to a workflow, they will be assigned to every new period for a client where that workflow exists
  • If they are not auto-added, the user can add them whenever they like

How... to create a checklist?

Only an administrator can create a checklist for your firm.

To do this, go to ‘Templates’ and then ‘Checklists’ toward the bottom of the page.

You can use this button to create a new checklist.

You are then taken to this screen.

1) Name your checklist

2) Add your checks

Checks can be assigned to:

  • 'General' (which means the file as a whole, and appear on the Client Overview page)
  • Certain reconciliations
  • Certain account ranges- to assign to a particular account range, you need to refer to your mapping CoA. This article should help: https://support.silverfin.com/en/support/solutions/articles/101000398388-how-do-i-edit-account-ranges-

Once you have completed your checklist, if you want this auto-added to a workflow, you need to open that workflow and select auto-add.


How... to add a checklist?

Checklists are assigned to a workflow- and contribute to the % completion of that workflow. Only administrators can set this up.

1) Go to Templates

2) Open the workflow you want to add the checklist to

3) Scroll down to the checklists section

4) Select the checklist (or multiple) that you want to apply to this workflow

5) If you select auto-add, this checklist will automatically add to any new periods / clients you create (Note, this will not automatically add to historic periods. This is because we would not want it to impact your % completion for completed files)

6) If you don't want to auto-add this checklist, but get users to add only when required, the user needs to go into the relevant workflow (at the file level), and hit Actions > Add checklist

A pop-up with a list of all the possible checklists to add will appear

7) You will see a list of all the checklists are already added to a client just under the name of the workflow

How... to complete a checklist?

You will see a list of all the checklists are added to a workflow just under the name of the workflow .

If a checklist hasn't been auto-added to your workflow, but you know that you need to complete it for this client, you need to go into the relevant workflow (at the file level), and hit Actions > Add checklist

A pop-up with a list of all the possible checklists to add will appear

Click on a checklist to see all the required checks in one place:

Note: Any checks assigned to an Account or Reconciliation will hyperlink in blue, to that exact page. You can then access that particular check from the Communications panel (on the right-hand side)

You can access the check directly in the communication bar (on the right) and mark as complete. You will see a small number telling you how many checks are required, and you can tick the box from there once the check is complete!

Please note: if you add several people to the same checklist, a check is only complete once everyone has filled in that check. If a checklist includes more than one person, all of them must tick off the same check to change the percentage.

When the value in an account is changed (e.g. due to a correction booking), and the account had already been approved, it will return to ‘not approved’ status. In this way, nothing can slip through the net.

Here, you can see one check that the user has signed off.

You can also track where any checks are, by looking at the blue box on the workflow working screen home page. You can also filter on those accounts with checks, so you can see them all on one screen!

How... to assign a checklist?

You can assign a checklist to a particular user, which means that only this user can sign off a particular checklist (and the checks within it).

All users must sign off all checks for the % completion to hit 100%.

1) Open the checklist

2) Just hit 'assign user' and a list of users will appear

Changing who signs off a checklist

1) If you need to change this at any time, you can select the cross by that person's name, and simply add someone new!

(Note, if you delete a person, any audit trail that they have signed any checks off will also be deleted.)

Some best practice

We can't tell you which checklists to build and who should sign them off. Every firm uses these slightly differently, and this way, you can define your own checks, that are relevant to your business!

  • Lots of firms use these workflow checklists as 'review checklists' and create one for the preparer (to check some key items), one for the manager (to review some key items) and one for the partner
  • It can be useful to use a numbering system (E.g. If you workflow is called 2. Working Papers, then call your checklist 2. Working papers) This makes it easy to manage!