SharePoint / Power Automate Specialist for Accounting Firm Document Archive

# Upwork Project Description — SharePoint / Power Automate Specialist for Accounting Firm Document Archive ## Project Title **SharePoint & Power Automate Specialist Needed to Build Client Document Archive for CPA Firm** ## Project Description We are a Canadian CPA accounting firm moving to a fully online operating model. We need a SharePoint / Power Automate specialist to help us implement a structured document archive for our corporate clients. The professional filing structure has already been designed internally. We are not looking for someone to redesign the accounting workflow. We need a technical specialist to implement the SharePoint structure and automate folder creation using Power Automate. The archive will be used to organize client documents such as corporate year-end files, financial statements, T2 / CO-17 tax returns, GST/QST filings, payroll records, T4/RL-1 summaries, T5/RL-3 dividend slips, CRA/Revenu Québec correspondence, engagement letters, client communications, and permanent corporate records. ## Scope of Work The project will include the following: ### 1. Review Existing Structure Review our proposed SharePoint archive structure and confirm the best technical implementation approach. The structure will include folders such as: * Permanent File * Engagement and Billing * Fiscal Years * Payroll - Calendar Years * T5/RL3 - Calendar Years * GST/QST General * CRA/RQ General Correspondence * Client Communications * Shareholder and Benefits * Archive - Superseded Each client will have its own folder, and each fiscal year will have its own standardized subfolder structure. ### 2. Create or Optimize SharePoint Library Set up or optimize a SharePoint document library for corporate client files. The structure should be easy to use by a small accounting team and should support future automation. ### 3. Create Client Master List Create or assist with creating a SharePoint list to serve as the source for automation. Expected fields may include: * Client Legal Name * Client Short Name * Business Number * NEQ * Fiscal Year-End Date * GST/QST Filing Frequency * Payroll Client: Yes/No * Dividend Client: Yes/No * T5/RL3 Required: Yes/No * Client Status * Responsible Person * Notes ### 4. Power Automate — New Client Folder Creation Build a Power Automate flow that creates the main folder structure when a new corporate client is added to the Client Master List. The flow should create the client folder and all standard top-level subfolders. ### 5. Power Automate — Fiscal Year Folder Creation Build a flow, either manual or automated, to create a new fiscal year folder for an existing client. The fiscal year folder should include standardized subfolders for: * Client Documents Received * Bookkeeping and Periodic Records * GST/QST * Adjusting Entries * Trial Balance and Working Papers * Financial Statements * Compilation Report * T2 / CO-17 Tax Returns * T2 Schedules and Tax Working Papers * T4A * Dividends and Shareholder Transactions * Payroll Related to Fiscal Year * Tax Summaries and Client Letter * E-Signature and Approvals * Final Filed Documents * CRA/RQ Notices Related to Fiscal Year * Client Communications Related to Fiscal Year * Other ### 6. GST/QST Period Automation Create logic to generate GST/QST folders based on the client’s fiscal year-end and GST/QST filing frequency. The folders should not simply be named Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, because many clients have non-calendar fiscal year-ends. For example, for a client with a March 31 fiscal year-end and quarterly GST/QST filings, the flow should create folders such as: * 2025-04-01 to 2025-06-30 * 2025-07-01 to 2025-09-30 * 2025-10-01 to 2025-12-31 * 2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31 The same logic should support monthly, quarterly, annual, or not applicable GST/QST filing frequencies. ### 7. Payroll and T5/RL3 Calendar Year Folders Create or assist with flows to generate calendar-year folders for payroll and T5/RL3 documents, where applicable. Payroll folders may include: * Payroll Reports * DAS / PD7A / TPZ Source Deductions * Payroll Summaries * T4 Slips and Summary * RL-1 Slips and Summary * CNESST / WSIB * Taxable Benefits * Car Allowance * Employee Documents ### 8. Duplicate Prevention and Error Handling The flows must include reasonable controls to prevent duplicate folder creation. For example: * If the client folder already exists, do not recreate it. * If the fiscal year folder already exists, skip or notify the user. * If a GST/QST period folder already exists, skip or notify the user. We would also like a simple automation log or error notification system. ### 9. Permissions and Security Review Review the proposed access model and recommend a secure but practical permissions structure for a small CPA firm. We are not necessarily looking for complex folder-level permissions at the beginning, but we want to avoid mistakes that would be difficult to fix later. ### 10. Optional Metadata and Views If appropriate, recommend and/or configure simple metadata and SharePoint views, such as: * Client * Fiscal Year * Calendar Year * Document Type * Status * Responsible Person However, the solution should remain practical and easy for the team to use. ## Important Notes We already have the accounting and professional filing logic. We are looking for technical implementation, automation, and SharePoint best practices. The ideal solution should be: * Easy to use by a small accounting team * Scalable for many corporate clients * Compatible with clients having different fiscal year-ends * Compatible with monthly, quarterly, annual, or no GST/QST filing requirements * Robust enough to avoid duplicate folders and automation errors * Secure and suitable for confidential client information ## Required Skills The freelancer should have strong experience with: * Microsoft SharePoint Online * Power Automate * Microsoft 365 * SharePoint document libraries * SharePoint lists * Folder automation * Conditional logic in Power Automate * Error handling and logging * Permission management in SharePoint Experience working with accounting firms, legal firms, professional services firms, or document-heavy environments would be a strong asset. ## Deliverables Expected deliverables include: 1. Reviewed and confirmed SharePoint implementation plan 2. SharePoint document library structure 3. Client Master List setup or refinement 4. Power Automate flow for new client folder creation 5. Power Automate flow for fiscal year folder creation 6. GST/QST period generation logic 7. Payroll and T5/RL3 calendar year folder logic, if applicable 8. Duplicate prevention logic 9. Basic error logging or notification 10. Short documentation explaining how to use and maintain the flows ## Preferred Approach We would prefer to start with a short discovery/review session, followed by implementation in stages. The first stage should be a working prototype using test clients only. Once validated, the automation can be applied to real clients. ## Questions for Applicants Please answer the following when applying: 1. Have you implemented SharePoint folder automation using Power Automate before? 2. Can you create folders dynamically based on fiscal year-end dates and filing frequencies? 3. How would you prevent duplicate folder creation in Power Automate? 4. Do you recommend using folders only, metadata, document sets, or a hybrid approach for this type of project? 5. Have you worked with professional services firms or confidential client document structures before? 6. Are you able to provide a short handover document at the end of the project? ## Budget Please provide an estimate based on the scope above. We are open to either a fixed-price project or an hourly arrangement, provided that the work is divided into clear milestones.