Copying an Engagement

You can create a new engagement for a client by copying an existing engagement of the same tax entity type. Copying an existing engagement is ideal if you need to create a similar engagement or if you want to re-use information that is already set up.

Note:  At this time, you cannot copy a consolidated engagement to create a new engagement.

Engagements can be copied from the same client or from a different client. If needed, you can change the period dates. You also have the option to copy the following from the original engagement:

• Chart of accounts. The accounts and assignments to groups, sub-groups, and tax properties are copied, including both standard and custom financial and tax groups and sub-groups. Account balances are not copied.
• Journal entries. All journal entries are copied. If you select to copy the chart of accounts, then the accounts listed in the journal entries will be retained. Debit and credit amounts are not copied.
• Engagement Index folders and subfolders. These folders are copied even when workpapers are not selected to be copied.
• Workpapers. All workpapers are copied, including the workpaper index and roll forward setting. Workpaper sign-offs, notes, and tags are not copied.
• Workpaper references. Workpaper references that have been added in the trial balance are included in the new engagement if you select to copy the workpaper. Workpaper references in journal entries are retained in the new engagement if you choose to copy both journal entries and workpapers to the new engagement.

Note: If tax groups are not current in the source engagement, Engagement prompts you to update the tax groups before you copy the engagement. If you choose to continue without updating the tax groups, the tax groups and account assignments will not be copied to the new engagement.

Use the procedure below to copy an existing engagement.

1. Click on the navigation bar to go to the Engagement List page.
2. Locate the engagement on the Engagement List page.
3. Click in the Actions column for the engagement and select Copy.
4. Select a different client, if needed.
5. Enter an engagement name. The engagement name, ID and year-end date must be unique for a client.
6. Enter the ID if needed, this field is optional.
7. Select a different year-end date, period start date, and period end date, if needed.
8. Select the engagement type from the list.

Note: The tax entity type and modules cannot be changed.

9. Click Next.

10. On the Options page, select the check box for each item you want to copy from the original engagement. See the information at the top of this topic for details about what is copied for each option.

Note: If you exclude the chart of accounts from the copy, you must import the trial balance when you open the new engagement.

11. Select Unlock workpapers in new engagement if you selected to copy workpapers and want the copied workpapers to be unlocked.

Note: The option to copy workpapers is only available in a Pro engagement.

12. Click Next.

For Knowledge Coach modules:

13. On the Knowledge Coach page, select options to indicate the Knowledge Coach form data you want to include in the new engagement. You can select to:

    1. Include the same version of forms that are in the original engagement or replace the forms with an updated content version (if newer versions are available).

       Note: If multiple newer content versions are available, your content will be replaced with the next version of the content.

    2. Include or exclude the existing sign-offs that your firm has added for procedures.

    3. Keep or reset responses in the forms.

14. Click Next.

For Essential and Pro Modules:

15. Review the message on the Tax Groups page that indicates if tax groups were copied to the new engagement. If the tax groups in the source engagement are not current, you must choose either to continue without copying the tax groups and assignments, or to cancel the copy process so you can update the tax groups before copying.

    Tell me more about when tax groups are copied to the new engagement.

    Tax groups are copied to the new engagement if current tax groups are available in the source engagement and one of the following is true:

    • The period start date is in the same year as the period start date for the source engagement.
    • The period start date is one year later than the period start date for the source engagement.
    • The period start date is more than one year later than the source engagement's period start date and tax groups are available for that later year.

Note: The Send to Tax selections for tax groups are retained in the new engagement.

16. Click Finish.

The new engagement is added to the Engagement List page immediately, but is not accessible until the copy process completes successfully. You can view progress information in the status message in the top right of the window, or by hovering your pointer over the information badge next to the new engagement.

If the process fails, the status message in the top right will indicate that you should retry the job, and the newly created engagement is removed from the Engagement List page.