Update job dates automatically

Let the pipelines do the work for you: automate updating intake date and internal deadline date fields, plus the due date, as jobs move through your workflow. If your firm uses Work Forecaster (Beta) , keeping these dates current also keeps its deadline-risk predictions accurate, since it checks each job’s remaining stage time limits against its due date or internal deadline—for example, after you file a tax extension.

Step 1. Define when dates should update

Before adding the automation, decide when each date field in jobs needs to be automatically updated and what value it should have.

For example, when a client finishes their organizer, you can automatically mark the Intake date as today. You can also chain date updates: when the Intake date is set to today, automatically set the Internal deadline date to 14 days later. This consistency helps you organize work by FIFO (first in, first out) since every job has a clear intake timestamp.

Tip

For the most reliable FIFO setup, pair this with Automove jobs toggled on for the stage where clients submit their organizer, so jobs advance—and the Intake date updates—the moment each client finishes, with no manual stage moves.

Step 2. Set up the Update job dates automation

To make sure your date fields are automatically maintained as jobs progress through your workflow, follow these steps:

1. Select the stage on your pipeline when the date should be updated, then add the Update job dates automation.

2. While creating the automation, select which date field you want to update and how it should be calculated.

Once a job enters the stage, your date fields are automatically updated according to your configuration.

Note

For the Update job dates automation, it doesn’t matter if the Automove jobs toggle for the stage is turned on. The automation is triggered automatically and doesn’t require actions from either the client or from the firm side to be completed.

Configuration options

The automation can be configured in different ways:

a. Date to update: Choose which field the automation will update:

• Intake date: Tracks when documents were received.
• Internal deadline date: Sets internal completion targets.
• Due date: The date the job is expected to be completed.

b. Set date using: Choose how the date is calculated:

• Date job entered stage: Bases the date on when the job enters this stage.
• Intake date, Internal deadline date, Start date, or Due date: Bases the date on another date field.
• Specific date: Sets a fixed calendar date you pick, instead of calculating it. Available for Due date and Internal deadline date only.

c. Days after / Date: The third field depends on what you picked in Set date using:

• Days after: How many days to add to the base date, if you picked Date job entered stage or a date field above (maximum 999 days).
• Date: The exact calendar date to set, if you picked Specific date.

Important considerations

• Failed automations: If the reference date field is empty, the automation will fail and you’ll receive a notification in Inbox+ . For example, if you set up an automation to calculate “Start date + 10 days” but the job has no Start date, the automation won’t run.

• Multiple automations: You need to create separate automations for each date field you want to update. You can have multiple Update job dates automations on the same stage.

• Add conditions: Use the conditions to apply automations only to specific client types, account sizes, or other criteria.

• Fixed dates don’t repeat automatically: A Specific date automation uses that exact calendar date every year until you update it—remember to set a new date each year, or the automation keeps applying the old one.

• Intake date and FIFO: Automating the Intake date when documents arrive is the foundation of FIFO (first in, first out) workflows. Combine it with job automove enabled on the stage to keep the timestamp accurate without a manual step.

• Due date and forecasting: If your firm uses Work Forecaster (Beta) , automating Due date updates—for example, when you file an extension—keeps its At risk/On track predictions accurate instead of relying on a manually updated deadline.

Update job dates automation examples

Example 1: Mark intake date when client finishes organizer

• Stage: “Organizer Complete”
• Date to update: Intake date
• Set date using: Date job entered stage
• Result: Intake date is set to today when jobs enter this stage.

Example 2: Set internal deadline based on intake date

• Stage: “Organizer Complete”
• Date to update: Internal deadline date
• Set date using: Intake date
• Days after: 14
• Result: Internal deadline date is set to 14 days after the Intake date.

Example 3: Set internal deadline after start date

• Stage: “Work in Progress”
• Date to update: Internal deadline date
• Set date using: Start date
• Days after: 30
• Result: Internal deadline date is set to 30 days after the job’s Start date.

Example 4: Update due date when a tax extension is filed

• Stage: “Extension Filed”
• Date to update: Due date
• Set date using: Specific date
• Date: The extended filing deadline
• Result: Due date automatically updates to the extended deadline when the job enters this stage.

Example 5: Set due date relative to start date

• Stage: “Work in Progress”
• Date to update: Due date
• Set date using: Start date
• Days after: 45
• Result: Due date is set to 45 days after the job’s Start date.

How date automations fit with the rest of your workflow

Combine date automations with other pipeline features for a fully hands-off setup:

• Job automove : Enable it on the stage where you set the Intake date, so jobs advance to the next stage—and the date updates—the moment the trigger action (like an organizer submission) completes.
• Work Forecaster (Beta) : If your firm uses it, keeping Due date and Internal deadline date current through automation keeps its At risk/On track predictions accurate.
• Stage time limits : Work Forecaster compares each job’s remaining stage time limits against its due date or internal deadline, so set these up alongside your date automations for the most accurate forecast.
• Intake date and internal deadline date : Find out what these fields track and how to use them beyond automation.

Who can do this?

Firm owner and admins can set up date automations without additional access rights.

Team members will need the following access rights:

• Manage pipelines access right to add automations to the pipelines they have access to.
• Access to the specific pipeline where they want to add the automation (must be listed in the pipeline’s Available to field).

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