Send a Fillable PDF as a Client Request
Written by Avery Simmons
Updated at January 7th, 2022
Please Note:
Users who try to edit fillable PDF files using the MacOS Preview application may experience issues viewing those changes within Canopy. To avoid any issues, it is recommended that all fillable PDF files be completed within Canopy and the Client Portal.
Customized fillable PDF documents can be downloaded from across the web or created on your computer and uploaded to Canopy. Once uploaded, practitioners can fill out any fillable information in Canopy and see their changes saved immediately. Fillable PDFs can also be sent to your clients so they can fill out the information within the Client Portal, and return the saved information back to you. This guide will walk you through how to send a fillable PDF to a client.
Roles/permissions:
- Roles: Any
- Permissions: Create, Edit, and Assign Work; Send Client Request Tasks; Upload, Move & Organize Files; (depending on file location) Contact Files; Internal Files; Edit Files; Change Client Portal Visibility
Best Practice:
You can create your fillable PDF documents on your own using the software of your choice. Once you've created a fillable PDF, you can then upload that unfilled file to Canopy and use it in a Client Request Templates to send to clients.
You can also download premade fillable PDF documents from your tax software, the AICPA, or anywhere else on the web. Canopy has created sample fillable PDF documents, listed below, that you can download and use in your practice.
Using fillable PDFs allows clients to quickly provide information from directly within their client portal. They do not need to print documents out or find workarounds to fill out the forms you need.
Canopy Organizers:
1. Choose Client Request from the slide-in menu.
- The Add Client Request box will pop up in Canopy.
2. Type in a Title for the client request.
3. Add a contact to the Client field.
4. If needed, toggle the Add to existing task switch to add the client request to an existing task in Canopy.
5. Add a custom note for your contact in the provided text box.
6. Click on the Attachment icon 
in the text box.
7. Choose whether to attach a New or Existing file.
8. Add your previously created fillable PDF to the client request.
9. If required, add a due date for your client by clicking the Client due date field.
- Select a date from the pop-up calendar.
10. If needed, click the Reminders field to schedule reminder emails to be sent to your client.
- Select a time intervalfrom the two drop-down menus.
- For example, you can select Every Monday and 15 days to indicate you wish for a reminder email to be sent to your client every Monday for the next 15 days or until the client completes the request, whichever occurs first.
- Your client also has the ability to 'snooze' reminders until the following Monday. Each reminder email has a link to pause reminders.
11. Click Send now to send the fillable PDF to your client.
- Alternatively, click Save as draft to save the request and come back to it later.
Sending Fillable PDFs as Client Request Templates
You can add commonly used fillable PDF documents to a client request template to send forms to clients more efficiently. Please follow the guide for Using Client Request Templates for more guidance on how to create a client request template.
Roles/permissions:
- Roles: Any
- Permissions: Create, Edit, and Assign Work; Send Client Request Tasks; Upload, Move & Organize Files; (depending on file location) Contact Files; Internal Files; Edit Files; Change Client Portal Visibility; Client Request Templates
1. Choose Client Request from the slide-in menu.
- The Add Client Request box will pop up in Canopy.
2. Type in a Title for the client request.
3. Click Template to select your previously created fillable pdf template.
4. Select the template you wish to apply.
5. Click Apply.
6. Using the Client dropdown, assign a contact to the client request.
7. Verify that all of the information is accurate, and click Send now.
- Alternatively, click Save as draft to save the request and come back to it later.
