Setting up notes in XBert effectively ensures clear communication, streamlined workflows, and consistency across teams. Read more below to understand the difference and relationship between Note Link Tags and Note Topics.
This guide provides a structured approach to note organisation, ensuring seamless onboarding and ongoing client management.
Key Concepts
✅ Client Notes – These are the client-specific and should not detail standard practice workflows, but rather information that is specific to that client only, or where a client workflow requirement deviates from a standard practice workflow. Client Notes should be assigned a note topic and may also be assigned a Note Link Tag.
If including a Note Link Tag, a Client Note will become linked and accessible through a task created via a schedule (assuming the Note Link Tag is included in the workflow template that the schedule is attached to).
Client notes will not be visible against work tasks created via “Add Task”, even if using a template to create the work task, or tasks generated by XBert Automation Alerts.
✅ Note Topics – Are used to group notes under relevant categories for better review and retrieval. They should be simple and consistent.
Example topics: "Payroll, Bookkeeping, Tax, General, etc. They should be top level and define the category of information you are capturing."
✅ Note Link Tags – Are used to categorise notes linked to workflow templates. Note Link Tags are used to link your client notes to work tasks created from templates, and can relate to the overall work task, or one or more specific subtasks.
While Notes can be created with just a Note Topic (and not a note link tag), if you need the note to appear on the work task when undertaking work for a client, it must have a note link tag that is mapped to a workflow template.
💡 Best practice:
Use a structured approach to naming your note link tags – prefix it with the Note Topic, and then the template name. If the Note Link tag relates to a specific template subtask, then extend the name to reflect this.
For example: Bookkeeping – Accounts Payable – Batch Payments [Note Topic] –[Template Name] – [Subtask]
Match the note tag name with the template name so users immediately recognise which template the note applies to.
Difference between Note Topics and Note Link Tags
Note Topics are like Drawers in a filing cabinet – they group notes related to a common topic.
Note Link Tags are like the suspension hangers a filing cabinet – each hanger contains more detailed information around a deeper theme within a common topic.
Client Notes are like the folders in the suspension files – they contain information relative to each client. (each folder matches a specific client note for a task).
How It Works
A note link tag, when added to a task template, flags that a client-specific note may be present for a specific client, when the task triggers via a schedule. The client note can relate to the whole template, and/or to one or more subtasks,
When you create a note and apply a Note Link Tag, it links the note to a relevant workflow.
When the note is linked to a template/subtask, it remains visible where it’s needed—so that when a task is created from a template, all relevant client-specific notes will be available.
Best Practice Setup for Notes
Define Standard Note Topics
Establish a list of commonly used topics within your organisation (e.g., Compliance, Payroll, etc).
This reduces redundancy and keeps note topics organized.
Create a Consistent Note Link Tag Naming Convention
Align note link tags with templates (e.g., "Payroll Review" for payroll templates).
Ensures that users immediately recognise where a note should be applied.
Linking Notes Effectively
Use notes to attach important client-specific information to templates and/or subtasks.
This ensures relevant notes are visible where they are needed.
How to Set It Up
Imagine a staff member handling a Payroll task, while most of what needs to be done matches the practice's standard workflow, there are a couple of specific requirements for a client across the whole payroll process:
Step 1: Ensure the Payroll Template Is Set Up Correctly
Before creating any client notes, make sure the payroll template includes note link tags in the correct locations. This determines where client-specific notes will appear when tasks are generated.
There are two ways to include note link tags in a template.
Option 1: Add Note Link Tags to the Template
Use this option when the client note applies to the entire payroll process.
Add the note link tag directly to the body of the payroll template
Any client note using this tag will appear on the main payroll task
Option 2: Add Note Link Tags to Template Subtasks
Use this option when the client note only applies to a specific part of payroll.
Add the note link tag to the relevant subtask in the payroll template
Client notes will only appear when working on that specific subtask
💡 Best practice: Structure note link tags clearly so it’s obvious whether a note applies to the whole task or just one subtask.
Step 2: Create the Client Note
Once the template is set up, create the client-specific note. When creating the note, complete the following fields:
Client: Which client is this note for? Assign it to that client (which means it will only appear if this client is a part of the template's schedule).
Note Topic: "Payroll"
Note Link Tag: "Payroll Processing" (Matches the payroll template)
If the client note only related to one of the subtasks (let's assume it was about how to pay the wages), then your note link tag would look something like this - Payroll Processing
Note Content: ...
Step 3: View & Resolve
When the payroll template runs:
Tasks are generated with client-specific notes automatically attached
Notes linked to the template body appear on the main task
Notes linked to subtasks appear only within those subtasks
Your team can complete payroll tasks with the right client instructions visible exactly where they’re needed—without disrupting the standard workflow.