Start the engagement

This topic applies to the Canadian version of Caseware AnalyticsAI, part of the Caseware Cloud suite.

Learn more about Cloud.

To start, create an AnalyticsAI engagement file. You can also set key dates, budgets and assign staff members to the engagement file to prepare and review the engagement work.

To create an AnalyticsAI CAN engagement:

  1. From the Cloud menu (), select AnalyticsAI CAN.

  2. Select the New button.

  3. The AnalyticsAI CAN dialog displays.

  4. Choose your client Entity, enter a name for the engagement file and specify the year of the engagement.

  5. You can also:

    • carry forward data from an existing engagement by selecting the Carry forward data from drop-down. See Carry forward an engagement for more information.
    • copy an existing engagement from another entity by selecting Entity for source engagement and Source engagement.
    • select a Start Date and End Date for your engagement, enter budget information and add a description.
  6. In the Preparer field, enter your name and select yourself from the drop-down list.

  7. You are now assigned as the preparer.

  8. In the Reviewer field, enter another staff member's name. Select them from the list to assign them as a reviewer.

  9. Select Save.

  10. The engagement file automatically opens in your browser.

You have now created an engagement file, and assigned staff to prepare and to review the engagement.

Set the workflow status and year end date

When you first open the engagement, a pop-up displays showing the engagement’s Workflow status.

The Workflow status allows other stakeholders to know how far along you are in the engagement process. If you intend to start working on the engagement right away, set the Workflow status to In Progress.

You can also set the engagement’s Year end date.

Note: An incorrect year-end date leads to an unsuccessful trial balance import.

Select Save - the Documents page displays.

The Documents page acts as AnalyticsAI’s central hub. When you first open this page, only a few documents are available, in the Planning and Risk Assessment sections. To populate more content in the Documents page, complete the 0-0 Optimiser checklist. Documents become available in three engagement phases:

  • Planning
  • Risk Assessment
  • Conclusion

Each phase has its own progress indicator that shows the document sign-off progress. You can hover over the progress indicator to view how many documents are Outstanding, Prepared or Reviewed.

The progress indicator.

To view all the documents available in AnalyticsAI, select View more Actions () | Hidden items.

You can also select View more actions () | Modified since last review.