Action plan templates for repeatable client task sequences
Key Takeaway
When the same tasks repeat for one type of client engagement, build them once as an action plan template, with task owners and due-date offsets. Then generate an action plan from it for each engagement.
An action plan template is a reusable list of the tasks, and optionally document checklist items, needed for one type of client engagement, such as a financial plan review meeting. Each time that engagement happens, a user creates an action plan from the template. The plan comes with the right tasks, owners, and due dates, so nobody has to rebuild the list. Because each engagement of that type starts from the same template, the process runs the same way each time. Teams can also report on the plans to track progress and compliance.
Templates and action plans
An action plan defines the tasks and other items needed to complete a business process. Each task has a priority, a number of days in which it must be completed, and a person who is responsible.
Action plans are created from an action plan template. The template captures the repeatable tasks for a specific type of engagement. You set it up once and update it as your understanding of the tasks improves. An action plan is a run-time instance of the template that automates the task sequence. You generate an action plan for each engagement, so one template can produce many action plans.
The relationship works like a meeting minutes template in Microsoft Word. You define the structure once, then create a new copy for each meeting.
A template and its generated plans can include Task items, Document Checklist Item items, or a combination of both. Document checklist items standardize and automate document tracking and approval steps for processes like loan origination or claim management.
Action plans let a team automatically assign task owners and deadlines for specific client engagements. Good fits include financial plan review meetings, account openings, loan approvals, and claims processing.
Harbor Point Insurance reviews each client's homeowner policy every year. An admin builds a template with three tasks: send the review invitation, confirm the insured property details, and hold the review call. When Dana's policy comes up for review, an agent opens her Insurance Policy record and creates an action plan from the template. All three tasks are created on the plan because the template defines them, so the agent doesn't rebuild the list from memory. Next month, another client's policy review starts from the same template.