Secure Instant Messages With Tasks
Covered here:
- Messages & Tasks
- Creating Messages
- Replying to Messages
- Managing Tasks
- Including Videos in Messages
- Managing Docs Inside Messages
Messages & Tasks
Messages let you create chat threads where you can securely communicate in real time with your tax preparer:
- Both you and your preparer can use Messages to ask questions, get info and upload and download documents.
- Your preparer receives a notification that a question is pending then answers it.
- Either of you can start a chat thread.
- All messages and attachments are on one page.
- Your preparer might add tasks for you inside a chat.
- Once you’ve completed a task, either you or your accountant can check it off.
- All tasks are viewable on one page.
- Once everything in a chat thread is completed, your preparer archives it.
Creating Messages
To start a chat:
1. Go to the Messages & Tasks section, then click New Chat, or go to the Home page and click New Chat on the dashboard.
2. Write a message. Apply formatting and add bullets or numbered lists. Give the message a name (you can change it or edit it later).
3. Click Create Chat. Next, your preparer receives an email letting them know that they have a message from you.
Replying to Messages
Once you have a new message, you’ll see a notification in the main menu. All pending messages along with the tasks inside them are displayed on your dashboard.
Remember, you’ll always get an email notification when your accountant sends you a message or requests additional information. Click the link in the message to view and reply to it.
Read the message from your accountant, type a reply in the message field, then click the send icon when you're done.
To access your messages, go to Messages & Tasks from the main menu. All messages are either under the Active or Archived tab, depending on whether the chat is still in progress or has been completed and archived by your accountant.
Inside the Active tab, chats are sorted chronologically by most recent response. On the left, a list displays information about the last response time, author, subject and status of client tasks for each thread. The unread threads have a green badge next to them indicating the number of unread messages.
Managing Tasks
Your accountant can assign tasks inside a message. This will look like the items of a to-do checklist. Once a task is completed, either you or your accountant can check it off.
Check your tasks from the notification on your dashboard.
If you want to track your tasks from all your messages on a single page, go to the Messages & Tasks tab and open Client Tasks. The tasks that refer to one message thread are always grouped together.
- TASKS: the task’s name
- TITLE: the message’s name. Click it to jump to the thread.
- PROGRESS: The first figure shows the number of completed tasks; the second, the total number of tasks in a message thread.
- DATE CREATED: the date or time the message was added
- CREATOR: the name of the person who created the message
- LAST RESPONSE: the date or time of the last response to the message and who wrote it
By default, all tasks assigned to you are displayed. To view only your completed or incomplete tasks, use the quick filter on the left.
To search for a specific task, type a keyword in the search field, then press enter on your keyboard to get a narrowed-down list.
You can also filter the list to see only messages containing completed or incomplete tasks or the messages created by a specific person:
1. Click FILTER on the top right.
2. Select one or two filters, then click APPLY to get a narrowed-down list.
Including Videos in Messages
Sometimes words are not enough—and visuals are a big help. Embed videos from Loom, Vimeo, YouTube or Google Drive if you want to show your preparer something you feel is too difficult to explain. Click the embed-video icon (the push-play arrow) in the text-formatting toolbar, then paste the link to your video.
Your preparer will be able to watch the video right inside the chat thread.
Managing Docs Inside Messages
Your preparer might use Messages as a quick and convenient place for you to upload documents (think: your W2, 1099-MISC, 1099-K, 1099-SA, etc.). The maximum upload file size allowed is 200 MB.
Upload documents already onTaxDome or on your computer to Messages.
Click Add document, then select a preference:
- Attaching files from TaxDome: Select From TaxDome, then click the folder and choose the documents. You’ll be able to attach documents from folders with Client can view and edit
access. - Uploading files from your computer: Select From My Computer, then locate the documents you want to upload.
- Uploading Zip archives: Select From My Computer, then locate the compressed file you want to upload. It will automatically unpack. For more details, go here.
access.When your accountant uploads a document, and the thread is open on your device, you’ll see it upload in real time.
Deleting Documents
If you upload the wrong document, remove it by clicking the trash can icon to the right of the document name.
Viewing Documents
To view any of the files you or your accountant uploaded to Messages, click on the folder’s name to expand the document list, then click on the eye icon to open the document viewer. Click Close to return to the Messages screen.
Downloading Documents
If you want to download a document uploaded to Messages onto your computer or device, follow these steps:
1. Click on the folder’s name to expand the document list, then click the download icon.
2. If prompted, choose where you would like to save the file, then click Save.
3. When the download finishes, you’ll usually see it appear at the bottom of your browser window. Click on the file name to open the downloaded document. For more details on specifying where files are downloaded, go here.
