Service Types & Service Library
Q: What are Service Types and why are they important?
A: Service Types are high-level categories (e.g., Tax, Bookkeeping, Advisory) that help organize your firm's offerings. They are essential for aligning billing, Work Templates, and reporting across Karbon.
Q: How do I create a new Service Type in Karbon?
A: Go to Settings > Workflow > Service Types, click Add Service Type, name it clearly (e.g., “Tax Services,” “Bookkeeping”), and click Save.
Q: Can I map multiple Work Types to a single Service Type?
A: Yes. Multiple Work Types can be mapped to one Service Type, but each Work Type can only be linked to one Service Type at a time. Avoid assigning internal or non-client-facing tasks to Service Types.
Q: What is the Service Library and how do I build a service within it?
A: The Service Library is your firm's internal catalog of billable services. To add a service, go to Settings > Service Library > Add Service, then fill in the details:
Service Name & Description (visible to clients)
Billing Frequency (e.g., Weekly or Monthly)
Fee Type (Fixed Fee or Time & Materials)
Service Fee
Link relevant Work Templates
Billing Structure
Q: What’s the difference between a Fixed Fee and Time & Materials service?
A:
Fixed Fee: Bills a flat rate per period regardless of time tracked. It's ideal for monthly retainers, subscriptions, or predictable scopes of work. For Fixed Fee services, you'll allocate the total fee across your linked Work Templates.
Time & Materials: Bills based on actual time logged by your team, using individual staff rates. This is best for ad hoc, custom, or project-based work where the scope may vary. For Time & Materials, ensure billing rates are configured per team member under Colleague/Role Settings.
Engagement Creation & Client Experience
Q: What are the prerequisites for creating a new engagement in Karbon?
A: Before creating an engagement, you'll need:
A fully configured Service Library (with billing details and linked Work Templates).
Billing permissions or admin access in Karbon.
Q: What are the options for client acceptance of an engagement?
A: You have two main options for how a client accepts an engagement:
Send to Client for Acceptance: The client receives a digital version of the engagement via email and can review and sign digitally. The engagement status updates automatically once all signatories approve.
Accept on Behalf of Client: Use this option if the client has already signed externally (e.g., via a physical document or separate e-signature tool). The engagement is marked as accepted without sending anything to the client via Karbon.
Q: Can I edit an engagement after sending it to a client?
A: No, you cannot directly edit the content of an engagement once it has been sent to a client.
If the engagement is still in Draft status: You can edit all details, including the client, services, billing, terms, dates, and signatories. Simply click into the engagement, make your edits, and then send the updated version.
If the engagement has already been sent: Any necessary changes require you to cancel the existing engagement and re-create a new, updated version.
Linking Work to Engagements
Q: What are the requirements for linking Work Items to an engagement?
A: To successfully link Work Items to an engagement, they must meet specific criteria:
The Work Item must be created under the same client/Contact Record selected in the engagement.
It must use the exact same Work Template as assigned to the service in your Service Library.
The Work Item must be set to Repeat Forever.
The Work Item must not have already been billed.
The Work Item must not already be part of another engagement or a recurring billing plan.
Tasks and Budgets need to be created on the Work Item (these can be set on the work repeat schedule).
Once all requirements are met and the work is linked, click Activate Engagement to finalize the connection.
Q: Why can't I link work to my engagement?
A: If you're having trouble linking Work Items, here are the most common reasons and solutions:
The Work Item has already been billed: Work must be unbilled to link to an engagement. If it appears in your “Billed” section, it cannot be retroactively linked.
Repeating work needs to be Repeat Forever: The Work Item must be set to Repeat Forever to be eligible for linking.
The Work Template doesn’t match the Service Setup: Only work based on the exact same Work Template (name, structure, frequency) used in your Service Library will be eligible.
The Work is already part of another Engagement: Each Work Item can only be associated with one Engagement or recurring billing plan. If it's already linked, it won't be selectable.
Tasks and Budgets aren’t created: Work Items need Tasks and Budgets to be created, which can be set on the work repeat schedule.
Tip: Always create repeat Work Items first, ensuring they meet all eligibility criteria, before attempting to link them to engagements.
Invoicing from Engagements
Q: Where do engagement invoices appear in Karbon?
A: Engagements connect directly to your billing workflow, and invoices appear in Billing Runs depending on the billing method:
For Recurring Billed Work (tied to an active engagement): Invoices will generate automatically based on the billing cycle you set during engagement setup (e.g., weekly or monthly). These appear in the Billing > Billing Runs section on the scheduled invoice date, typically within an Auto Approved billing run.
For Manually Billed Work (Time & Materials or ad-hoc): If your service is set to Time & Materials or involves work you prefer to bill manually, you'll go to Billing > Unbilled. Select the Work Item and draft an invoice manually. Work becomes available to bill as soon as time is logged or a fixed fee is set.
Engagements is currently in Early Access. If you're interested in learning more, we encourage you to reach out to your Customer Success Manager.
Helpful Next Steps:
Overview of Engagements: Get a high-level understanding of what engagements are for a foundational perspective.
Build and Send Your First Karbon Engagement: Walk through the complete process of setting up an engagement from start to finish.
Create and Map Service Types in Karbon: Learn how to create your foundational service types, which are key to organizing your firm's offerings.
Building Your First Service in the Service Library: Understand how to build individual services that form the core of your engagements.