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Planning Notes
Standard Operating Procedure
Money Tree Workshop Schedule
Next Stop : Dallas,Texas November 4th
Sign up while seats are still available!
Tech Tip
Creating Custom Client Templates in Silver Online
Planning Notes
Standard Operating Procedure
Fall is officially here, and my mind turns to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and memories of end of year reports. As the bottom rung of a few different planning offices I spent several days each year printing, collating, and reviewing end-of-year reports before stuffing envelopes, weighing and adding postage, then make trips to the post office with large baskets of reports. I especially remember the first time that I did this. Luckily that office had an experienced secretary who was invaluable in teaching me and helping me through the process. They also had something that I haven't seen in most companies, a written procedure for how to handle this task.
This procedure was well documented, complete with a step-by-step checklist, even showing who was responsible for different steps, so that even without help I would have muddled through. However, during the process we were able to improve the instructions as I either asked questions, or more likely, made mistakes. There are several operations in any business that can, and should, be proceduralized. This accomplishes many things: - Anyone can step in and complete the task with little training
- To-do list can be created automatically
- Everyone has clarity on expectations for a task
- Everyone has accountability for completing each step of the process
- The task can be analyzed for efficiency
Here's an example of the time-savings this can create. At the same shop where I got my first taste of end-of-year reporting, I was also put in charge of updating the "Watch List" and the "Approved List." There were lists of assets that had passed certain research tests and did not need approval, or were close to not needing approval to be added to smaller client's portfolios. Once again there was a checklist with instructions (which already made the process something that was easily repeated, and didn't allow errors to creep in), of how to update the Excel spreadsheet where this information was kept. My first attempt took a full day, and after a few tries I had this down to 4-6 hours depending on how focused I could keep myself throughout the process. Then I started looking at the process. The most time consuming part was copying lines from the exported information into the main spreadsheet, but this is something I knew could be automated. So one month I took two days to update the list, but as I went I built in automation to copying of information. Then I took another day to record the steps of the process and review it with my boss. The next time the list was up for update I refined the process, and the next time I had someone else follow my instructions on the process. This arduous process now takes a total of 30 minutes and there is less room for human error.
What tasks are you doing repeatedly that are costing you a full day when it should be something you can do while the coffee heats up? Are there tasks that you've been afraid to hand off because you don't trust that they will be done correctly? Think about what you can do to improve the efficiency of your office, and start taking action now. There are several good tools to help with this, some that you may already have. Check with your CRM to see if they can help you create automated To-Do lists (as of X date of each month - create this checklist of things to be done). Or simply open Microsoft Word and start typing: - Create newsletter article ideas by first 3rd day of the month
- Run ideas by co-workers
- Write starting paragraph of top one or two to flesh out ideas
- Write article
- Save in (Shared Drive/Newsletters/Articles) with the following format yyyy-mm-topic
- Submit for review/grammar correction - due by 7th day of the month
- Edit as necessary
- Review in newsletter to make sure it's ready to go
[File - Save as - Shared Drive/Procedures/writing_newsletter.doc]
Money Tree Workshops
Next Stop - Dallas, Nov. 4th
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| | |  Money Tree will hold its next workshop for 2011 November 4th in Dallas, Texas. - Dallas: Embassy Suites Dallas, DFW Airport North, Outdoor World
2401 Bass Pro Drive, Grapevine, Texas, 76051
Full-day workshops are led by Donnie Carpenter, CFP® who spends a few hours on Silver Financial Planner, more hours on TOTAL Planning Suite, and about an hour on Distribution Solutions. Each presentation is customized to meet the needs and experience of planners in attendance. Questions and discussion about software use and effective planning techniques are highly encouraged. Workshops are geared to benefit both beginning and intermediate level users. Expert users and advanced user groups can ask questions, learn about new features & functions, and pick up planning models from other users.
To view and download a PDF agenda/registration form for our full-day workshops, click here.
Tech Tip
Silver Online: Creating Custom Client Templates
Last month our tech tip explained how to change default values in Silver Financial Planner. In Silver Online, we can create a custom client template that will allow you to re-use commonly input data and change default values for all newly created clients.
Creating the Custom Client Template
To create a client template, click the Add Client button under the Clients tab. Enter limited contact information indicating that this is only a client template, and click the Update button at the bottom of the screen. . | | Once you have created your template client, you will need to create a template plan that includes only the default values that you wish to have entered whenever you create a new client. You may wish to give this plan a title of "Template Plan" and a short description indicating that this is the plan you will use to create templates. |  |
| You may now open and edit the template plan to include all the default values you want to appear when creating a new client. The most common inputs to include in a template are the Probate & Administration expenses in the Estate input and rates of return in the Rates input. Be sure to click the Save button on each input page after editing your input.
Using the Custom Client Template
Once you have created your template client, you may use it to create new clients with default values. First, you will need to export the template plan to your local computer. If you have not already opened your Template Client, do so now. Then click the Export Plan to Your Computer button under your Template Plan. |  | You will be directed to a page that allows you to enter a password. There is no need to enter a password. Just click the Export button. Your browser may ask you if you wish to Open or Save your file. Be sure to select Save. You will need to save the file to a location that is easy to find on your computer, such as My Documents or the Desktop. If you like, you may move the file that you export to a location that you will be able to find and remember easily, so that you may skip this step in the future. Otherwise, you will need to repeat this step each time you create a new client.
Once you have the plan saved successfully on your computer, return to the Client tab, and select Import Client. Click the Browse button, navigate to the file that you saved in the previous step, and click the Continue button. |  | You will see a window confirming the client that you will be importing. Click the Finish Import button.
The Template will be imported as a new client, and you will be prompted to edit the imported client. You will need to edit the Client Details. You will also want to edit the plan's title and description. |  | | You are now ready to begin entering data for the newly imported client. |
Don't forget to Register for the Dallas workshop! It's on November 4th
Sign up here while seats are still available
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