TAX WORKFLOW AUTOMATION

Smart Delivery

Q: How does the AI populate feature work?

Click “Populate with AI” after selecting a file and Smart Delivery automatically fills in the welcome message, return details, and document setup. What typically takes 30 minutes of manual work is done in seconds.

Q: Is manual tax return setup still an option in Canopy?

Yes. Firms can build out every section of a delivery by hand — name, welcome message, return details, invoice, and signature. The AI “smart” populate feature works alongside the manual flow, not a replacement for it.

Q: What does the client experience for Smart Delivery look like?

Clients receive a guided flow: View the watermarked tax return Check a confirmation box to proceed Confirm payment (if a paywall is set) Choose signature type and sign View “Next Steps” screen Firms can preview this exact flow before sending using “Preview as Client.”

Q: Can the paywall be set at the individual return level?

Yes. The paywall is configured per delivery, not as a global setting. Each return delivery can independently include or exclude a payment requirement.

Q: What happens if a client has already paid their invoice?

Smart Delivery detects it. Instead of blocking the client with a payment screen, it displays a “Paid” badge on the invoice and lets the client move forward without re-entering any payment information. No manual override needed.

Q: Can firms deliver returns without using the paywall?

Yes. The invoice and paywall are optional. Firms can deliver a return with just the document and e-signature, or with an invoice attached but no payment requirement.

Q: Is KBA included in the Smart Workflow?

Yes. KBA (Knowledge Based Authentication) is bundled with the Smart Workflow credit. When you use AI populate for a delivery that includes KBA-based e-signature.

Q: Do firms need Canopy Payments to use Smart Delivery?

Yes, if they want to use the paywall feature. Canopy Payments is required to collect payment within the delivery flow. Without it, firms can still deliver returns and collect signatures — they just can’t block access behind payment inside Canopy.

Q: How does Smart Delivery compare to SafeSend, Suralink, or TRUSS?

Those tools offer return delivery but operate as separate, standalone products outside of Canopy. Smart Delivery is native — the return, invoice, payment history, and client record are already in Canopy, so nothing has to be exported or re-entered.

The ultimate fast track from finished return to a cleared invoice

Average 4.6/5 from 1000+ reviews

With AI-powered Smart Delivery, Canopy can:

Scan uploaded returns (1040, 1120, 1065, 1041, 1120) to instantly extract key delivery details
Auto-populate taxpayer names, filing statuses, tax years, and return types with zero manual entry
Calculate and generate automated estimated tax payment amounts alongside their specific due dates
Detect and populate required e-signature forms to assemble the client delivery package automatically

“We love Canopy! Robust software with essential features that help our tax season go smoother, like client portal, electronic signatures and the awesome and easy retrieval of client's tax transcripts.”

Licia V., Canopy Customer

Turn delivery day into payday

Unclunk your delivery process by uniting intelligent automation, a world-class client experience, and a secure payment gateway

Let AI Handle Delivery

Canopy uses built-in AI to instantly read returns and auto-populate your entire delivery workflow in seconds.

Eliminate Confusion for Clients

Bring clients into a single, seamless client portal experience where they can review, sign, and pay all in one place.

Always Get Paid

Stop the exhausting chase for past-due balances and missing forms by automatically locking final document access behind an unskippable payment gateway.

TAX DELIVERY WORKFLOW

Goodbye Manual Data Entry

Zero-click AI-powered prep that turns data entry into simple data validation.

Upload any completed return like a 1040, 1120-S, or 1065 directly into the firm interface
Let Canopy’s built-in AI instantly extract the tax year, entity type, and balance due details
Generate automated estimated tax payment schedules without manual typing
Build the entire client delivery package for your team in minutes, if not seconds

SEAMLESS CLIENT EXPERIENCE

The Client Portal That Actually Cooperates

A single, clean path from document review to final sign-off.

Collect secure, IRS-compliant digital e-signatures for Form 8879 natively within the exact same client journey
Protect finalized work with automated watermarks and locked file access until successful payment collection
Ditch client confusion by consolidating disconnected email attachments, outside signature links, and separate billing invoices into one cohesive flow
Preview the entire client experience before sending the final delivery

ALL-IN-ONE PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

Total visibility, no micromanagement

Enforce absolute quality control and track every return from one place.

Track the live progress of every tax return to eliminate internal guessing games completely
Protect unfinalized work and safeguard firm revenue using automated document watermarking and gated paywall feature
Lock completed delivery files automatically to preserve data integrity and maintain a clear audit trail
Trigger seamless client revisions instantly without interrupting or restarting the delivery workflow

What is Smart Delivery?

Smart Delivery is Canopy’s AI-powered, action-gated tax return engine that automatically reads your files to extract critical delivery data, then guides your clients through a single, secure, step-by-step process.

AI reads uploaded returns to instantly extract tax years, entity types, and balance details
Gated portal workflows stop clients from accessing or signing final returns until they pay
Automated watermarks protect draft documents and files lock instantly upon completion to preserve data integrity
Gain complete oversight and enterprise security without managing separate apps

“Canopy’s client management features allow us to deliver consistent service while giving us visibility into every relationship.”

Accountability Services

“Our client base is always changing, and I love that Canopy doesn’t lock us into a rigid setup. We can organize clients the way we want and keep things adaptable as we grow.”

Beth, Fullerton Tax Service

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Frequently Asked Questions

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What is Smart Delivery?

Smart Delivery is Canopy’s tax return delivery workflow. It lets firms set up a complete client delivery — documents, payment, and e-signature — in one place. AI can populate the entire setup in seconds using the return file.