What to ask for
Real requests to copy on day one.
Updated August 2026
Name the client, say the outcome you want, and say where it should stop. Nothing sends or files by itself, so the worst case is a draft you delete.
“What is still missing for the Whitfield year-end, and draft the chase.”
“Prepare me for my 10am.”
“Where is the Chen engagement, and what needs my judgment.”
“Draft a response to this CP2000 for my review.”
“File what came in this morning to the right clients and checklists.”
“Update the tracker to match where this engagement actually is.”
A K-1 arrives
"Compare this K-1 against last year's return, tell me what changed, update the draft return if appropriate, draft an explanation to the client, and tell me whether anything unusual needs partner review."
The return changes arrive staged for your approval, the client note as a held draft, and the real names in the private view.
The numbers don't reconcile
"Read every email with this client over the past two months, find the latest depreciation election, locate the supporting workpaper in SharePoint, and explain why the numbers don't reconcile."
One answer with the election, the workpaper, and the emails behind it, side by side.
Fixed assets against the ledger
"Reconcile the fixed asset schedule against the general ledger and the prior year return, show me every difference with what caused it, and tell me which ones change this year's depreciation."
A reconciliation with both sources beside each difference, ready to paste into the workpaper.
What the client actually sent
"Go through the last sixty days with this client, tell me what they promised to send against what actually arrived, update the requirement list to match, and draft the chase for the rest."
A list of what is still outstanding, the tracker already updated, and the chase held for your send.
Before it goes to the partner
"Prepare my review notes on this return: what changed from last year, why it changed, and what I should question before this goes to the partner."
Notes in the order things changed, each one carrying the record behind it.
A notice lands
"Draft a response to this CP2000 from what is already in the prior year file, show me what supports each point, and tell me what we still need from the client."
A draft with the support behind each point, and a short list of what you still need from the client.
Start with one
Copy the one closest to what is on your desk. It keeps what it gathered, so come back and change the scope or ask again in plain language.
Writing your own
- Name the client or engagement. "The Whitfield year-end" anchors the work; "my clients" makes it guess.
- Say the outcome, not the steps. Working out the steps is its job.
- Say where it stops. "Draft it for my send" or "flag anything unusual" sets where your judgment begins.
How Proxara works covers what runs underneath.