Your Approval Workflow

Information requests must receive your authorization before they can be submitted to your financial institution. The procedure below outlines each step in your approval process.

Note: There is not a formal option in the process to reject a request. If you do not want to provide approval, simply ignore the request.

1. You will receive an email indicating that authorization is requested. Show me the text of the email that customers receive.

As part of your engagement, <firm name> requires your authorization to request information from your financial institutions. Click the link below to authorize your accountant to request and receive information.

Do you have any questions or concerns before getting started? Contact <email address for firm staff member making the request> today.

<Review & Approve Requests button>

Or copy and paste this link into your browser: <hyperlink to approval page>

Confidential Notice

This email and its attachments (if any) contain confidential information of the sender. The information is intended only for use by the direct addressees of the original sender of this email. If you are not an intended recipient of the original sender (or responsible for delivering the message to such person), you are hereby notified that any review, disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of and attachments to this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please permanently delete any copies (digital or paper) in your possession.

2. Click the Review & Approve Requests button or copy and paste the provided link into your preferred browser to reach the Approval Web Portal.
3. Log in to authenticate your identity.
   • Log in for the first time on a particular browser or device.
     

     You must complete 2-step verification. The steps include:

     1. Entering your email address when prompted to do so, and then clicking Continue.
     2. Clicking the option to send a code to your email address.
     3. Retrieving the security code from your email.

     Note: The security code expires after 10 minutes.

     4. Entering the security code in the Verify Your Identity window.
     5. Clicking Submit.

     Note: Error investigation is automatically initiated when a log-in error occurs. Your accountant will be notified of the next steps.

      

   • Log in for subsequent sessions.

     
     You will only need to enter your email address to log in for subsequent sessions.

     
     

4. View the details of each request on the Approval site client view. What information appears on this page?

   <Client Name>

   Welcome <Client Approver Email Address>

   Your accountant requests your permission to confirm information at the following financial institutions.

   By approving the request, you are permitting your auditor to request and receive financial information about your accounts.

   <Table containing the following request information:

   • Financial institution and list of specific reports requested
   • Approve link
   • Status of the request
   • Name of the firm staff member making the request
   • Request date>

5. You have the option to approve a request with either one of the aggregators CCH iFirm Validate is integrated with – Plaid Inc or Finicity

6. To Approve with Plaid Inc - In the approval screen, select Approve with Plaid to launch the Plaid window. Plaid is the banking service provider that securely manages and communicates the client's authorization to the financial institution.

   1. If providing authentication for a bank for the very first time

      1. Click Continue in the Plaid window that opens upon clicking Approve with Plaid.

      2. On the Select your institution page, use the search box to find your bank by typing its name. Click on the bank's name once it appears to proceed.

      3. Enter your credentials when prompted by the application and click Submit.

      4. Review the connected accounts on the subsequent page, once confirmed, click Continue. In the next screen, you will have the option to review the types of financial data that would be shared, once reviewed, click Allow.

      5. The approval is applied automatically on the requests page. The status of the request is updated to Approved and will also update to reflect the name of the bank, date and email address of the approver.

   2. If providing authentication for a bank which was previously approved:

      1. Select Approve with Plaid to launch the Plaid window.

      2. Review the information on the Plaid window, and then click Continue to proceed.

      3. Enter the credentials for that financial institution, and then select Submit. In the next screen you will have the opportunity to review the account numbers and the data you will be sharing. Click Continue on each of the next screens to complete the approval process.

      4. If the application does not prompt for credentials, click Continue.

      5. The approval is applied automatically on the requests page. The status of the request is updated to Approved and will also update to reflect the name of the bank, date and email address of the approver.

7. To Approve with Finicity - In the approval screen, select Approve with Finicity to launch the Finicity window. Finicity is the banking service provider that securely manages and communicates the client's authorization to the financial institution.

   1. If providing authentication for a bank for the very first time:

      1. Review the information on the Finicity window that opens and click Next.

      2. On the Find Your Bank page, use the search box to find your bank by typing its name. Click on the bank's name once it appears, and then proceed by clicking Next.

      3. Enter credentials when prompted by the application and click Submit.

      4. Review the connected accounts on the subsequent page. Once confirmed, click Submit. The approval is applied automatically on the requests page. The status of the request is updated to Approved, and will also update to reflect the name of the bank, date and your email address.

   2. To Provide authentication for a previously approved bank:

      1. Review the information on the Finicity window, and then click Next to continue with the approval.

      2. Enter the credentials for that financial institution, and then select Submit. The approval is applied automatically on the requests page. The status of the request is updated to Approved, and will also update to reflect the name of the bank, date and your email address.

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