Guides
Tutorials, articles, and reference guides for every feature in Prompt. Search or filter to find what you need.
Showing 34 of 34 guides
Getting Started with Prompt
Prompt is an automated reminder system built for UK accounting practices. It tracks filing deadlines for every client, sends reminder emails on a schedule you control, and gives clients a simple portal to upload documents — all without manual intervention. This guide covers the initial setup, from creating your organisation through the setup wizard to connecting your email sending provider and getting your dashboard ready.
Read guideAdd a Single Client Manually
The add client dialog lets you bring a single client into Prompt by entering their company name, contact email, entity type, year end, and VAT registration details. Deadline dates are automatically calculated from the information you enter — so as soon as you save, the client's filing schedule is ready to go.
Add a Single Client Manually
The add client dialog lets you bring a single client into Prompt by entering their company name, contact email, entity type, year end, and VAT registration details. Deadline dates are automatically calculated from the information you enter — so as soon as you save, the client's filing schedule is ready to go.
Import Clients from CSV
The CSV import lets you bring your entire client list into Prompt in one go — upload your file, map the columns, and Prompt handles validation and onboarding. Clients will automatically be rolled forward for any deadlines where you're already past the current deadline date, so they start tracking the next period. If a client's business type doesn't have any active deadlines configured, that client will be imported with no deadlines until you set them up.
Import Clients from CSV
The CSV import lets you bring your entire client list into Prompt in one go — upload your file, map the columns, and Prompt handles validation and onboarding. Clients will automatically be rolled forward for any deadlines where you're already past the current deadline date, so they start tracking the next period. If a client's business type doesn't have any active deadlines configured, that client will be imported with no deadlines until you set them up.
Understanding Client Fields
Every deadline, reminder, and portal link in Prompt flows from the information stored against each client. The year-end date is the most important field — Corporation Tax, CT600, and Companies House deadlines are all calculated directly from it, so an incorrect year end means every deadline for that client will be wrong. The VAT stagger group determines which quarterly cycle a client follows and must match the group assigned by HMRC. Other fields like company number, email address, entity type, and status each affect how Prompt generates reminders and portal links. Getting these right from the start ensures accurate deadline calculations and reliable reminder delivery.
How UK Filing Deadlines Are Calculated
Prompt calculates Corporation Tax (9 months and 1 day after year-end), CT600 returns (12 months), Companies House accounts (9 months), VAT returns (1 month and 7 days after the quarter), and Self Assessment (31 January) automatically from each client's year-end date. Each formula matches HMRC and Companies House official rules exactly. This article breaks down every available deadline type, how its date is measured, and the edge cases you should be aware of.
The Traffic-Light Status System
Every filing deadline in Prompt is colour-coded by urgency. Red means overdue, orange means critical (7 days or fewer), amber means approaching (8–28 days), blue means on track (more than 28 days), green means complete, and grey means paused or inactive. This article explains each status level, where the colours appear across the dashboard and client pages, and how they help you prioritise your workload at a glance.
Explore the guideView a Client's Detail Page
Every client in Prompt has a dedicated detail page that brings together everything about them in one place. From here you can edit their details, mark records as received, mark filings as complete, check sent and queued emails for that client, view and manage uploaded documents, override deadline dates, deactivate deadlines that don't apply, generate portal links, and see the full history of email and filing activity.
View a Client's Detail Page
Every client in Prompt has a dedicated detail page that brings together everything about them in one place. From here you can edit their details, mark records as received, mark filings as complete, check sent and queued emails for that client, view and manage uploaded documents, override deadline dates, deactivate deadlines that don't apply, generate portal links, and see the full history of email and filing activity.
Edit Client Details (Detail Page)
Client information changes — companies re-register, email addresses get updated, entity types shift. The detail page edit mode lets you update any of a client's core information and save the changes in one go. Switch to edit mode, update the fields you need, and save — all without leaving the client's page.
Edit Client Details (Detail Page)
Client information changes — companies re-register, email addresses get updated, entity types shift. The detail page edit mode lets you update any of a client's core information and save the changes in one go. Switch to edit mode, update the fields you need, and save — all without leaving the client's page.
Mark Records as Received
Records are marked as received automatically when a client submits all required documents through the portal, or you can do it manually by ticking the records received checkbox or by ticking all individual document checkboxes. Once records are marked as received, Prompt stops sending further reminder emails to that client for that deadline — so they won't be chased for documents they've already provided. This gives you a clear picture of which clients have sent their paperwork and which are still outstanding.
Mark Records as Received
Records are marked as received automatically when a client submits all required documents through the portal, or you can do it manually by ticking the records received checkbox or by ticking all individual document checkboxes. Once records are marked as received, Prompt stops sending further reminder emails to that client for that deadline — so they won't be chased for documents they've already provided. This gives you a clear picture of which clients have sent their paperwork and which are still outstanding.
Mark a Filing as Complete
When you're ready to file, a button takes you directly to HMRC or Companies House so you can submit. After submitting, mark the filing as complete in Prompt to update the client's compliance status. Once marked complete, you're given the option to roll over, which sets up the reminders and deadlines for the next filing cycle automatically.
Mark a Filing as Complete
When you're ready to file, a button takes you directly to HMRC or Companies House so you can submit. After submitting, mark the filing as complete in Prompt to update the client's compliance status. Once marked complete, you're given the option to roll over, which sets up the reminders and deadlines for the next filing cycle automatically.
Roll Over a Completed Filing
Once a filing period is complete, rollover creates the next period's deadline automatically — carrying forward the client's details, calculating the new deadline date, and scheduling all reminders for the next cycle. This is how Prompt keeps things moving year after year without you having to manually set up each new period.
Roll Over a Completed Filing
Once a filing period is complete, rollover creates the next period's deadline automatically — carrying forward the client's details, calculating the new deadline date, and scheduling all reminders for the next cycle. This is how Prompt keeps things moving year after year without you having to manually set up each new period.
Override a Filing Deadline
Sometimes a deadline doesn't follow the standard formula — maybe HMRC has granted an extension, or a client's circumstances have changed. Overriding a deadline lets you set a custom date for any individual filing, complete with a reason for the change. All reminders for that deadline are automatically rescheduled so they remain the correctly configured time period before the new deadline date, keeping the full reminder sequence intact.
Override a Filing Deadline
Sometimes a deadline doesn't follow the standard formula — maybe HMRC has granted an extension, or a client's circumstances have changed. Overriding a deadline lets you set a custom date for any individual filing, complete with a reason for the change. All reminders for that deadline are automatically rescheduled so they remain the correctly configured time period before the new deadline date, keeping the full reminder sequence intact.
View Sent Email Activity
The email activity log gives you full visibility into every email Prompt has sent. Browse delivery statuses, see when each email was delivered, and check for bounces — invaluable for answering client queries about whether they received a reminder or for auditing your communication trail.
View Sent Email Activity
The email activity log gives you full visibility into every email Prompt has sent. Browse delivery statuses, see when each email was delivered, and check for bounces — invaluable for answering client queries about whether they received a reminder or for auditing your communication trail.
Send an Ad-hoc Email
Select one or more clients from the client list and send them a custom email using any of your templates. Template variables like client name, deadline date, and portal link update automatically for each selected recipient, so a single send can go out personalised to every client. You can also preview the final message before it goes out.
Send an Ad-hoc Email
Select one or more clients from the client list and send them a custom email using any of your templates. Template variables like client name, deadline date, and portal link update automatically for each selected recipient, so a single send can go out personalised to every client. You can also preview the final message before it goes out.
Send Email to a Single Client
From a client's detail page, compose and send an email without leaving the context. Useful for quick follow-ups or chasing a specific document — you have the client's full filing history right there while you write.
Send Email to a Single Client
From a client's detail page, compose and send an email without leaving the context. Useful for quick follow-ups or chasing a specific document — you have the client's full filing history right there while you write.
Writing Effective Email Templates
The most effective reminder sequences use different templates at different stages — light and informative early on, firmer in the middle, and clearly urgent near the deadline. This guide covers the available template variables (client name, deadline type, deadline date, upload link), strategies for escalating tone across a sequence, and best practices for subject lines that actually get opened.
Read guideCreate a Custom Email Template
Create a new email template from scratch — set the name, subject line, and body content, and use placeholder variables like client name, deadline date, and portal link that get filled in automatically for each recipient. Well-structured templates with the right variables ensure your automated reminders are personal and effective.
Create a Custom Email Template
Create a new email template from scratch — set the name, subject line, and body content, and use placeholder variables like client name, deadline date, and portal link that get filled in automatically for each recipient. Well-structured templates with the right variables ensure your automated reminders are personal and effective.
Edit an Existing Email Template
As your practice evolves, your email tone and content should too. Open any template in the editor to refine the wording, update subject lines, and reformat the body — without recreating from scratch. Changes apply to all future emails that use the template.
Edit an Existing Email Template
As your practice evolves, your email tone and content should too. Open any template in the editor to refine the wording, update subject lines, and reformat the body — without recreating from scratch. Changes apply to all future emails that use the template.
Choose Active Filing Types
Choose which deadlines Prompt tracks for your practice — Corporation Tax, VAT, Self Assessment, Companies House, and more. This is configured during the setup wizard but can be edited at any time from the deadlines page. Only active filing types generate reminders, so this keeps your dashboard focused on what matters to you.
Choose Active Filing Types
Choose which deadlines Prompt tracks for your practice — Corporation Tax, VAT, Self Assessment, Companies House, and more. This is configured during the setup wizard but can be edited at any time from the deadlines page. Only active filing types generate reminders, so this keeps your dashboard focused on what matters to you.
Edit a Deadline's Reminder Schedule
Each deadline has a reminder schedule that controls when and how often clients are chased. Open the schedule editor to adjust the timing between reminders, add extra steps for more persistent follow-ups, change required documents, or simplify the sequence — so the cadence matches how your practice actually works.
Edit a Deadline's Reminder Schedule
Each deadline has a reminder schedule that controls when and how often clients are chased. Open the schedule editor to adjust the timing between reminders, add extra steps for more persistent follow-ups, change required documents, or simplify the sequence — so the cadence matches how your practice actually works.
VAT Stagger Groups Explained
HMRC assigns every VAT-registered business to one of three stagger groups, each with different quarter-end dates. Group 1 ends in March, June, September, and December. Group 2 ends in January, April, July, and October. Group 3 ends in February, May, August, and November. HMRC uses stagger groups to spread the volume of VAT returns across the year rather than having every business file at the same time, which helps both HMRC's processing capacity and the accounting profession's workload distribution.
Activate a Deadline for a Client
From a client's detail page, you can activate any inactive deadline for that specific client. Find the deadline in their filing list, activate it, and Prompt will calculate the deadline date and begin scheduling reminders automatically.
Activate a Deadline for a Client
From a client's detail page, you can activate any inactive deadline for that specific client. Find the deadline in their filing list, activate it, and Prompt will calculate the deadline date and begin scheduling reminders automatically.
Exclude Clients from a Deadline
Some clients may not need reminders for a particular filing — perhaps they handle it themselves or it doesn't apply to their entity type. Client exclusions let you opt specific clients out of a deadline's reminder schedule without affecting anyone else, keeping your communications targeted and relevant.
Exclude Clients from a Deadline
Some clients may not need reminders for a particular filing — perhaps they handle it themselves or it doesn't apply to their entity type. Client exclusions let you opt specific clients out of a deadline's reminder schedule without affecting anyone else, keeping your communications targeted and relevant.
Create a Custom Deadline
Beyond the standard UK filing deadlines, your practice may track internal deadlines, client-specific obligations, or non-standard filings. Create a custom deadline with your own name, date, and recurrence rule, choose an email template for each reminder step, add as many steps as you need, and assign it to clients — so Prompt can chase anything that has a due date.
Create a Custom Deadline
Beyond the standard UK filing deadlines, your practice may track internal deadlines, client-specific obligations, or non-standard filings. Create a custom deadline with your own name, date, and recurrence rule, choose an email template for each reminder step, add as many steps as you need, and assign it to clients — so Prompt can chase anything that has a due date.
Review & Approve an Upload
When a client uploads a document through the portal, you can preview it directly, see the validation results from any automatic checks, and decide whether to pass review or reject it and request a replacement. Navigate between uploads without leaving the review modal to work through your queue efficiently.
Review & Approve an Upload
When a client uploads a document through the portal, you can preview it directly, see the validation results from any automatic checks, and decide whether to pass review or reject it and request a replacement. Navigate between uploads without leaving the review modal to work through your queue efficiently.
View Upload Activity Log
The upload activity log provides a complete record of every document that's been submitted through the portal — who uploaded it, when, for which filing, and its current status. Search for specific uploads, filter by status or filing type, and change the sort order to find what you need quickly.
View Upload Activity Log
The upload activity log provides a complete record of every document that's been submitted through the portal — who uploaded it, when, for which filing, and its current status. Search for specific uploads, filter by status or filing type, and change the sort order to find what you need quickly.
Document Guide
A comprehensive reference for every document your practice may request from clients — what it is, where to find it, and why it's needed. Covers all filing types including Self Assessment, CT600, Companies House, VAT, and more. Share this guide directly with clients who are unsure what to upload.
Explore the guideUnderstanding Document Verdicts
When a document is uploaded and the practice has configured upload checks to run automatic analysis, Prompt assigns a verdict — Verified (green), Likely match (amber), Low confidence (red), or Review needed (amber). Verdicts are determined by a classification pipeline that extracts text content and matches it against known document type patterns, combined with validation rules that check tax years, employer names, and PAYE references. Each verdict level indicates how confidently the system matched the document to what was requested. You can filter by verdict in the activity log and clear review flags after manual inspection.
Explore the guideHow the Client Portal Works
The client portal gives your clients a simple, no-login page to upload documents. Every reminder email includes a unique portal link tied to a specific client and filing. When clicked, the client sees exactly which documents are still outstanding and can upload them directly from their browser — on any device, no account required. Portal links are time-limited — each link's expiry is set automatically based on the reminder schedule, typically lasting until the next reminder step or 30 days if it's the final step. Links can also be revoked manually at any time.
Explore the guideManaging Portal Documents & Checklists
Every document uploaded through the portal is tracked against the client and filing it belongs to. You can view, download, and manage uploads from the client detail page, and mark documents as received manually when clients send records by email or post. Each filing type has a default document checklist, but you can customise it per client — adding, removing, or relabelling items to match that client's specific requirements.
Read guideManaging Your Team & Settings
Prompt supports multi-user teams with role-based access. Admins have full access to settings, billing, templates, and deadlines, while Members can manage clients and documents but can't change organisation-level configuration. This guide covers inviting team members, understanding the Admin and Member roles, updating organisation settings like your practice name and sender identity, and removing team members when they leave.
Read guideSetting Up a Custom Sending Domain
By default, emails are sent from a Prompt address, but setting up a custom sending domain means your clients see emails coming from your own practice domain. This improves deliverability and builds trust. The settings page includes step-by-step DNS setup instructions for the main domain providers, covering the DKIM and SPF records you need to add.
Read guideConnecting Cloud Storage
Prompt integrates with Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive so that uploaded documents are automatically synced to your existing cloud storage. Documents are organised into client and filing subfolders, and Prompt only writes files — it never deletes from your storage. This guide covers the connection process, how re-authorisation works, and how the integration sits alongside Prompt's built-in document hosting.
Read guideDelete a Client
When a client leaves your practice for good, deleting them removes their record and all associated filings from Prompt. The deletion process includes a confirmation step so you understand what's permanent and what to consider before removing a client.
Delete a Client
When a client leaves your practice for good, deleting them removes their record and all associated filings from Prompt. The deletion process includes a confirmation step so you understand what's permanent and what to consider before removing a client.