🤖 AI Features Guide

AI Features Guide

Complete reference for all 22 intelligent AI functions built into eTrustPortal — powered by GPT-4o-mini via the OpenAI API.

22
AI Functions
5
Categories
GPT-4o
Powered By
Admin + Staff
Available To
🤖

AI Features Overview

eTrustPortal includes a comprehensive AI assistant powered by GPT-4o-mini via the OpenAI API. The AI provides 22 intelligent functions spread across five categories: Document Intelligence, Communication AI, Task & Workflow Automation, Reporting & Analytics, and Accounting AI.

All AI features are available to users with the Admin or Staff role. Client-portal users do not have access to AI features. AI features require that your SuperAdmin has configured a valid OpenAI API key in the Platform Settings.

⚠️
API Key Required

If AI buttons appear greyed out or you see "AI not configured", your SuperAdmin needs to add an OpenAI API key in SuperAdmin Panel → Platform Settings → AI Configuration. Contact your SuperAdmin to enable AI features.

📋

Quick Reference — All 22 AI Features

Use this table to quickly locate any AI feature and where to find it in the portal.

# Feature Name Category Where to Find It
15.1AI Document SummarisationDocumentsDocuments → 🤖 AI → Summarise Document
15.2AI Data ExtractionDocumentsDocuments → 🤖 AI → Extract Key Data
15.3AI Filename SuggestionDocumentsDocuments → 🤖 AI → Suggest Filename
15.4AI Document Q&ADocumentsDocuments → 🤖 AI → Ask a Question
AI Flag AnomaliesDocumentsDocuments → 🤖 AI → Flag Anomalies
AI Detect Missing DocumentsDocumentsDocuments → 🤖 AI → Detect Missing Documents
15.5AI Task GenerationTasksTasks → 🤖 AI Create Tasks
15.6AI Task PrioritisationTasksTasks → 🤖 Analyse Priorities
15.7AI Tone CheckMessagesMessages → Thread → 🤖 Check Tone
15.8AI Draft ReplyMessagesMessages → Thread → 🤖 Draft Reply
15.9AI Summarise ThreadMessagesMessages → Thread → 🤖 Summarise Thread
15.10AI Engagement LetterWorkflowE-Signatures → New Request → 🤖 Generate Letter
15.11AI Onboarding ChecklistWorkflowOnboarding → Select Client → 🤖 Generate Checklist
15.12AI Audit AnalysisReportsAudit Trail → Set Date Range → 🤖 Analyse Period
15.13AI Unusual Activity DetectionReportsAudit Trail → 🤖 Detect Unusual Activity
15.14AI Client Status ReportReportsReports → Select Client → 🤖 Generate AI Report
15.15AI AR NarrativeAccountingAccounting → AR Summary → 🤖 AR Narrative
15.16AI Transaction CategorisationAccountingAccounting → Transactions → 🤖 Suggest Categories
15.17AI Invoice NarrativeAccountingAccounting → Invoices → 🤖 Explain Invoices
15.18AI Natural Language QuerySearchAny data page → 🔍 AI Search toolbar
AI Generate Engagement Letter (Profile)WorkflowClient Profile → 🤖 Generate Engagement Letter
AI Smart NL FilterSearchDocuments / Clients / Audit → 🔍 AI Search
🚀

Getting Started with AI Features

AI features in eTrustPortal are designed to be contextual — the 🤖 AI button appears wherever AI can act on data in the current view. There is no separate AI module to navigate to; instead, AI meets you where you work.

ℹ️
How to spot an AI action

Look for the 🤖 robot emoji on buttons throughout the portal. All AI-powered actions are consistently labelled with this icon so you can identify them at a glance.

Prerequisites

Before using any AI feature, ensure your SuperAdmin has completed the following setup steps:

  • 1. Add a valid OpenAI API key in SuperAdmin → Platform Settings → AI Configuration
  • 2. Confirm the OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable is set on the application server
  • 3. Verify your user role is Admin or Staff (Clients cannot use AI features)
  • 4. Ensure documents are fully uploaded and processed (not showing "Processing…") before using document AI features
AI calls are tenanted and private

All AI calls are made server-side. Document content is never sent to OpenAI under any other tenant's context. Each call uses only the data from the current document or thread, and responses are stored only within your tenant's database.

📄

Document Intelligence

Six AI features operate directly on document content, helping you extract value from uploaded files without opening them manually.

15.1
📋AI Document Summarisation
Documents → 🤖 AI → Summarise Document

The AI reads the document content and produces a concise executive summary covering the main purpose, key figures, dates, parties, and any notable clauses or findings. The summary is displayed in a formatted overlay panel.

The summary is generated on-demand and not stored permanently — click the button again to regenerate with a fresh call.

💡

Best for: Quickly reviewing uploaded documents without opening them, getting a client-ready overview of a financial statement, or briefing a colleague before a meeting.

15.2
🔍AI Data Extraction
Documents → 🤖 AI → Extract Key Data

The AI analyses the document and returns a structured extract of key data fields: dates, amounts, account numbers, party names, tax figures, and any other domain-relevant fields it can identify. The extracted data is displayed in a formatted table ready for copying.

For financial documents, the extractor specifically looks for revenue totals, net profit/loss, tax liabilities, balance sheet line items, and invoice amounts. For legal documents, it extracts parties, dates, obligations, and key terms.

💡

Best for: Quickly pulling structured data from financial statements, tax returns, or agreements for entry into your own systems without manual reading.

15.3
✏️AI Filename Suggestion
Documents → 🤖 AI → Suggest Filename

Many clients upload files with unhelpful names like "scan001.pdf" or "document (3).xlsx". The AI reads the document content and suggests a descriptive, consistent filename following your firm's naming convention. You can accept the suggestion with one click to rename the file instantly.

Suggested filenames typically follow the format: ClientName_DocumentType_Period_Date (e.g., "SmithLtd_AnnualAccounts_FY2024_20240901.pdf").

💡

Best for: Maintaining a clean, searchable document vault without spending time on manual renaming, especially after bulk client uploads.

15.4
💬AI Document Q&A
Documents → 🤖 AI → Ask a Question

Type any natural-language question about the document — such as "What is the net profit for 2023?", "Who are the parties to this agreement?", or "What is the depreciation figure on page 4?" — and the AI will search the document content and answer your question directly, citing the relevant section or page.

The Q&A interface stays open so you can ask follow-up questions about the same document in a conversational flow. Each response includes a confidence indicator and source reference where possible.

💡

Best for: Quickly finding specific facts in long legal or financial documents without scrolling through the entire file manually.

FLAG
⚠️AI Flag Anomalies
Documents → 🤖 AI → Flag Anomalies

The AI reviews the document for potential anomalies, inconsistencies, or items that warrant closer attention. For financial documents this includes unusual rounding, figures that don't reconcile between sections, missing required line items, or values significantly outside expected ranges.

Each flagged item is presented with a description of the anomaly and a suggested action (e.g., "Verify", "Clarify with client", "Check against prior year"). Flags are advisory only — human judgement remains the final authority.

💡

Best for: QC-checking documents before submission, peer review of junior staff work, or as a first-pass review on complex multi-page financial statements.

MISS
📭AI Detect Missing Documents
Documents → 🤖 AI → Detect Missing Documents

Based on a document (such as a set of accounts or a tax return), the AI identifies related documents that are referenced but not yet uploaded to the vault. For example, if accounts reference a rental income schedule, the AI flags that the schedule has not been uploaded.

Results are displayed as a checklist of missing items you can send to the client as a document request with one click, pre-populating the request form with the identified missing items.

💡

Best for: Ensuring complete client file packs before filing deadlines, reducing back-and-forth by identifying all missing items in one pass.

💬

Communication AI

Three AI features are embedded directly into the secure messaging system to help your team communicate professionally and efficiently with clients.

15.7
🎯AI Tone Check
Messages → Thread → compose reply → 🤖 Check Tone

Before sending a message, use Tone Check to get AI feedback on whether your draft sounds professional, empathetic, and appropriate for a client-facing communication. The AI evaluates your text and returns a traffic-light rating:

  • ✅ Professional — tone is clear, respectful, and appropriate
  • ⚠️ Neutral — acceptable but could be improved
  • ❌ Informal / Harsh — rewrite recommended

Along with the rating, the AI provides specific feedback and offers a rewritten version of your message if improvements are suggested.

💡

Best for: Ensuring sensitive client communications strike the right balance, training junior staff on professional writing standards, handling difficult client situations.

15.8
✍️AI Draft Reply
Messages → Thread → 🤖 Draft Reply

The AI reads the entire thread history and drafts a professional, contextually appropriate reply. The draft takes into account your firm name, the staff member's name, the client's name, and the full conversation context to produce a reply that sounds like it came from your team.

The draft appears directly in the reply text box where you can edit, shorten, or expand it before sending. You are always in control — the draft is a starting point, not a final answer.

💡

Best for: Responding to complex or lengthy message threads quickly, ensuring consistency in tone across the team, handling high message volumes during busy periods.

15.9
🗂️AI Summarise Thread
Messages → Thread → 🤖 Summarise Thread

For threads with many messages, the AI produces a concise summary of the conversation covering: what was originally asked or raised, what was agreed or actioned, what items remain outstanding, and any key dates or deadlines mentioned in the thread.

The summary is formatted as an easy-to-read structured list, not just a paragraph, making it quick to share internally or attach to a file note.

💡

Best for: Briefing a colleague taking over a client relationship, reviewing old threads before a client call, capturing key decisions from a long exchange.

Task & Workflow AI

Four AI features help you build, manage, and automate workflow — from generating an entire task list from a sentence to producing a professional engagement letter in seconds.

15.5
AI Task Generation
Tasks → 🤖 AI Create Tasks

Describe a piece of work in plain English — for example, "Prepare the year-end accounts for ABC Ltd including reconciliations, P&L, balance sheet, and CT600 filing" — and the AI will break this down into a structured list of individual tasks with suggested titles, descriptions, and priorities.

Review the generated task list in the preview panel. You can remove any tasks you don't need, edit titles or descriptions, and adjust priorities before clicking Create All to add them to the task board in one operation.

💡

Best for: Quickly building a task list for a new engagement, onboarding workflow, or complex project without manually creating each task one by one.

15.6
📊AI Task Prioritisation
Tasks → 🤖 Analyse Priorities

The AI reviews all your open and in-progress tasks — including their titles, descriptions, priorities, due dates, and associated clients — and produces a recommended execution order with a brief reasoning statement for each decision.

The output is a numbered prioritised list you can use to plan your day or week, delegate to a team member, or share in a team standup. Decisions consider deadline proximity, client importance indicators, and task interdependencies.

💡

Best for: Managing a heavy workload, preparing for team standups, delegating efficiently, or getting an objective second opinion on what to tackle first.

15.10
📝AI Engagement Letter Generation
E-Signatures → New Request → 🤖 Generate Engagement Letter

Enter the client's name, service types (e.g., "annual accounts, personal tax return, VAT"), and your firm name. The AI generates a full, professional engagement letter including: scope of services, fee arrangement placeholder, confidentiality provisions, limitation of liability clause, and signature blocks for both parties.

The generated letter is editable before use — review and amend as appropriate, then attach it directly to a signature request to send for e-signature. The letter is also accessible from the client profile page if you prefer to generate it outside the signature flow.

💡

Best for: Starting new client engagements quickly with a professional-grade letter, standardising engagement terms across the firm, reducing reliance on template libraries.

15.11
AI Onboarding Checklist
Onboarding → Select Client → 🤖 Generate Checklist

Based on the client's profile — including business type, industry, services engaged, and jurisdiction — the AI produces a tailored onboarding checklist covering everything from initial KYC documents and bank details through to setting up recurring billing and scheduling the first review meeting.

The checklist is interactive and can be assigned to a staff member, with items checked off as they are completed. It can be shared with the client so they can see what is still outstanding from their side.

💡

Best for: Ensuring new client onboarding is thorough and consistent regardless of which staff member handles it, especially for high-value or complex new clients.

📊

Reporting & Analytics AI

Four AI features turn raw data — audit logs, client activity, and search queries — into readable insights and actionable reports.

15.12
🔬AI Audit Analysis
Audit Trail → Set Date Range → 🤖 Analyse Period

Set a date range in the Audit Trail and click Analyse Period. The AI reads the audit log entries for that period and produces a narrative report covering: total event counts by type, most active users, peak activity periods, and any notable patterns worth highlighting for compliance purposes.

The output is formatted as a structured report suitable for inclusion in a compliance file or presenting to a manager/director. Event types include document uploads, downloads, logins, signature requests, and data modifications.

💡

Best for: Monthly or quarterly compliance reviews, preparing for external audits, management reporting, and demonstrating audit readiness.

15.13
🛡️AI Unusual Activity Detection
Audit Trail → 🤖 Detect Unusual Activity

The AI scans recent audit log entries looking for anomalous patterns that may indicate security issues or policy violations. Patterns it looks for include: unusual login times (outside normal working hours), bulk document downloads by a single user, multiple failed login attempts, activity from unexpected IP addresses, and unusually high transaction or event volumes.

Each flagged item is presented with a risk level (High / Medium / Low) and a plain-English description of why it was flagged. Items can be marked as "Reviewed" or escalated for further investigation directly from the results panel.

💡

Best for: Security monitoring, spotting potential data breaches early, compliance early-warning, investigating specific incidents, preparing security review reports.

15.14
📈AI Client Status Report
Reports → Select Client → 🤖 Generate AI Report

The AI produces a comprehensive written status report for the selected client covering: active engagements and their status, document submission status and outstanding requests, task progress and overdue items, a summary of recent communications, outstanding invoices, and key upcoming dates or deadlines.

The report is formatted professionally and is suitable for printing and reviewing with the client in a meeting. It can also be accessed from the client profile's Reports tab for quick on-demand generation before any client interaction.

💡

Best for: Client review meetings, partner updates, quarterly reviews, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks on busy client accounts.

15.18
🔎AI Natural Language Query
Any data page → 🔍 AI Search toolbar

Type a question in plain English on any data-heavy page — such as "Show me all overdue tasks for Smith Accounting", "Which clients haven't uploaded any documents this month?", or "Find invoices over £5,000 that are more than 30 days overdue". The AI interprets your query and converts it into a structured data filter that is applied immediately to the current view.

The AI Search bar appears in the toolbar on the Documents, Tasks, Clients, and Audit pages. The interpreted filter is also shown so you can verify it matches your intent, and you can adjust it manually if needed.

💡

Best for: Power users who prefer natural language over dropdown filter menus, quickly finding specific subsets of data, ad-hoc analysis without building complex filter queries.

💰

Accounting AI

Three AI features are embedded in the Accounting module to help you analyse AR, categorise transactions, and explain invoices to clients — reducing manual bookkeeping and improving client communication.

15.15
💰AI AR Narrative
Accounting → AR Summary → 🤖 AR Narrative

The AI analyses your accounts receivable data and writes a plain-English narrative summary: total outstanding broken down by age bucket (current, 30-day, 60-day, 90+ day), identification of highest-risk debtors with specific amounts, suggested next actions for each overdue account (e.g., "Send reminder email", "Escalate to collections", "Consider payment plan"), and a brief cash flow outlook.

The narrative can be exported as a PDF or copied for inclusion in a management report, board pack, or cash flow review document.

💡

Best for: Management meetings, collections prioritisation, cash flow planning, presenting AR status to partners or directors in a readable format.

15.16
🏷️AI Transaction Categorisation
Accounting → Transactions → select rows → 🤖 Suggest Categories

Select one or more uncategorised or suspect transactions and click Suggest Categories. The AI reviews each transaction's description, amount, and date and recommends the most appropriate account category from your chart of accounts. Suggestions are displayed inline against each transaction.

You can review each suggestion and accept or decline individually, or use Bulk Accept All to accept all recommendations at once. The AI learns from the patterns in your existing categorised transactions to improve suggestions over time.

💡

Best for: Reducing manual categorisation time for imported bank feeds, training junior bookkeepers, QC-checking categorisation on imported data from QuickBooks or Xero.

15.17
🧾AI Invoice Narrative
Accounting → Invoices → select invoice(s) → 🤖 Explain Invoices

Select one or more invoices and click Explain Invoices. The AI generates a friendly, client-readable narrative explaining the charges on each invoice — particularly useful when invoice line items use internal codes or shorthand that may confuse clients (e.g., "CT600 prep" becomes "Preparation and submission of your company tax return for the period ending 31 March 2024").

The narrative is designed to be attached to the invoice email or included as a cover note, reducing client queries and improving payment rates by making invoices immediately understandable.

💡

Best for: Improving client satisfaction, reducing invoice queries and disputes, professional client communication, especially for invoices with multiple or technical line items.