Create and apply organizer template: guide

Table of Contents

Step 1. Create or add organizer template
- Use ready-made template
- Create organizer template
Step 2. Configure organizer template
Step 3. Preview organizer
Step 4. Apply organizer template
Organizer template screen: overview
- Question types

TaxDome organizers let you create interactive questionnaires to gather client information efficiently. Set up your frequently asked questions once, then automate organizer delivery through pipelines so clients receive them at the right time—without manual action. Here, we’ll guide you through creating, adding, and applying organizer templates.

Step 1. Create or add organizer template

Note

An organizer template can be added by a firm owner, admin, or any team member with access rights to manage templates .

Use ready-made template

You can download ready-made organizer templates from the Marketplace using the best practices, and edit them to your needs. To add an organizer template:

1. Go to Templates > Marketplace from the sidebar menu and open the Organizers tab.

2. Click Get free on the template you want to add or click on its price and proceed with the payment if it’s a paid template.

Go to Templates > Firm templates, open the Organizers tab and click on the name of the organizer template to begin editing .

Create organizer template

Create a custom organizer from scratch when your firm needs specialized questions or unique workflows. You have full control over the structure, ensuring the organizer matches your service requirements.

Alternatively, you can add a ready-made organizer template from the Marketplace to save time.

To create an organizer template:

Go to Templates > Firm templates from the sidebar menu.
Select Organizers.
Click Create template.

Step 2. Configure organizer template

Configure your organizer based on the information you need to collect:

documents only
questionnaire responses
both documents and responses

Note

You can also start creating an organizer template while working on organizer automation in the pipeline.

Collect documents only

Use a document checklist without an organizer when you only need documents, not questionnaire responses. This works for annual tax document collection (W-2s, 1099s, receipts) or any situation where you need files but not written answers.

To create an organizer template with a document checklist only:

Fill out the template name and the client-facing name.
Toggle on Attach checklists.
Edit the Intro section if needed or use a prewritten one. The Intro section is required when the document checklist is enabled. You can edit it, but cannot disable it.
Click Save & exit or Save to save changes.

Note

The document checklist is created in each client’s account, not in the organizer template itself. This allows the checklist to be personalized for each client.

Ask questions only

Use a questionnaire without a document checklist to collect client information without requesting uploads. This works for gathering basic personal details (name, address, SSN), business information (bookkeeping status, entity structure), client onboarding data, or annual client updates.

To create an organizer template with a questionnaire only:

Fill out the template name and the client-facing name.
Create sections.
Add questions or text blocks, and set them up. Learn more about questionnaire settings and question types .
Click Save & exit or Save to save changes.

Collect documents & ask questions

Use this option when you need both documents and detailed answers. This works well for tax preparation when you need both upload documents and answer questions about deductions, dependents, income.

To create an organizer template with a questionnaire and a checklist:

Fill out the template name and the client-facing name.
Toggle on Attach checklists.
Edit the Intro section if needed or use a prewritten one. The Intro section is required when the document checklist is enabled. You can edit it, but cannot disable it.
Create sections.
Add questions or text blocks, and set them up. Learn more about organizer settings and question types .
Click Save & exit or Save to save changes.

Tip

To have clients confirm the accuracy of their information, add a checkbox question to the organizer — for example: “I confirm that the information provided is true, complete, and accurate to the best of my knowledge.” For formal liability language, use an engagement letter instead.

Step 3. Preview organizer

Preview your organizer template to verify how questions, formatting, and instructions will appear to clients before sending it.

To do this, click Preview at the top right of the template when working on it.

Here you can select sections to preview from the Go to section dropdown on the top left, fill out any block like your clients do, and click Next to proceed to the next section. The green bar at the top will appear along with your progress with organizer blocks.

Once done, click Back to edit or X at the top right.

Step 4. Apply organizer template

Once you’ve created a template, you’re ready to use it to gather data from clients to start your work:

Organizer template screen: overview

An organizer has sections and questions; each question belongs to a section. Learn more about the fields on the organizer template creation page below.

a. Template name: Enter what you want to call the template. You’ll see this name when selecting it.

b. Name (visible to client): Enter the name your client will see for the organizer. Click Add shortcode to personalize it: Shortcode includes dynamic data that gets replaced with, for example, a client’s name or the date. For more info on shortcodes, go to the detailed article .

c. Document checklist: Toggle on Attach checklist to attach a document checklist to the organizer template. When enabled, the client’s account-specific document checklist will be included with the organizer.

d. Intro: The short introduction at the beginning of the organizer. It appears only if the checklist is attached.

e. Questionnaire: Questions you need to follow with the client, combined into sections by theme.

f. Section name: Enter a heading for the first section (e.g., Address Info, Spouse info etc).

g. Section settings:

Copy icon: Click to duplicate the whole section including all questions in it.
Trash icon: Click to delete the whole section. Be careful — deleting the section can’t be reverted after you save the template.
Gear icon: Click to choose this section’s settings. Toggle on Allow client to repeat to let clients replicate sections (for more details, go here ). If you want a new section to be displayed when a client answers a question a certain way, toggle on Conditions, then set up conditional logic jumps (for more details, go here ).

h. Question and Text block gear icons:

Required: If toggled on, the client won’t be able to submit an organizer until all mandatory questions are answered.
Pre-filled: If toggled on, the client’s answer to the question will be automatically populated when a client fills out the organizer for the second and further times. Read more on how pre-fill works for the client.
Conditional: If toggled on, you will be able to make a question or text block to be displayed when a client answers a question a certain way. Read more on how to set up the conditional logic jumps .
Description: If toggled on, you will be able to provide details that explain a question. The explanation is displayed beneath the question.
Tagging: If toggled on, you will be able to add and remove account tags depending on client answers. Learn more in the detailed article .
Sync to CRM: If toggled on, you can select account/contact custom fields to be synced with the answer. You can choose whether to sync each answer in each specific organizer. Learn more in the detailed article .

i. Question: Select the type of question or request from the drop-down. Remember that if you are going to sync answers with account/contact custom fields, the question type must be the same as the custom field type.

j. Text block: Click to drop a block of text. You can add links, embed videos and paste emojis in text blocks.

k. Preview: Click to see what it looks like from the client side .

l. Settings:

Notify about document upload: Toggle this on if you want to receive notifications about documents uploaded to the organizer. For more details, go here .
Organizer self-service: Toggle this on if you want clients to create organizers on their own based on this template. For more details, go here .
Automatically seal after submission: Toggle this on if you want to keep the client from making any new changes. Learn more here .
Send reminders to clients: Toggle this on to enable sending automatic reminders for pending organizers. Learn more about reminders in organizers .
Customize destination folder for document uploads: Toggle this on if you want to create a separate folder in the client account for storing uploaded documents. You can use shortcodes in the folder name.

m. Save & Exit, Save and Cancel: Click Save & Exit to save the template and go back to the templates list, Save to keep your changes and continue editing the template or Cancel to exit without saving.

Note

Empty sections without questions or text blocks won’t be saved. You’ll need to add information to them in or delete them.

Question types

Free Entry is for entering text, such as a name, address, or company
Email is for entering an email address.
Number is for entering numerals, such as number of children or an SSN.
Date is for entering a day, month and year, such as a DOB. When entering, the date must match one of the following formats: MMM-DD-YYYY (e.g. Jan-01-2022) or MM/DD/YYYY (e.g. 12/24/2022) for US firms; DD/MM/YYYY (e.g. 24/12/2022) for non-US firms.
Radio buttons provide a list of at least two options, such as a company type (e.g., nonprofit or LLC).
Checkboxes display small boxes (at least one) that can be selected, allowing for both multiple and single answers.
Dropdown expands a menu to select one or more options.
Yes/No is for yes/no answers to questions like “Are you married?”
File upload provides a place to upload with the name of the doc that needs uploading. In the template settings, you can add a folder that will be created in the client account for uploaded documents. If you don’t add it, the client will need to select a folder when uploading.