When will our firm update, and how will we be notified? Updates are available now! Navigate to Settings > Account Management to sign up for your update.
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Is the update mandatory? Yes. The new Client & Contact Structure is the default for all firms. There is no additional cost.
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Is this a paid upgrade or part of our current subscription? This update is included in your Canopy subscription at no additional cost.
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Do firms need to notify Canopy before updating? Nope. Once your firm has access to update, you can finalize the update whenever you are ready.
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How long does the update take? It depends on your firm's size. For most firms, the update completes in minutes to a couple of hours. Larger databases may take longer, which is why we recommend scheduling off-hours.
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Can we update after hours or on weekends? Yes. We recommend updating after hours or over the weekend, since you will not be able to access your Canopy account while the update is processing.
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Can I schedule my update? Yes. You can now schedule your update so it runs when it works best for your firm. Just get all your settings ready, then schedule it from the update screen.
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How will I know when the update is complete? Admins are notified by email once the update is complete.
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Can I change my update settings after I've started the update? No. Once the update is initiated, settings are locked and cannot be changed. Be sure to review and apply your final settings before clicking Begin Update.
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Who in the firm manages the update — admin only or all users? Only firm admins can initiate and manage the update.
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What should I check if something appears to be wrong after the update? Look for missing portal access, blank client names, or unlinked contacts. These may be resolved by merging contacts or manually linking records. If something is missing or wrong, reach out to Support or your CSM.
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What's the difference between a Client and a Contact? Clients are entities your firm works for (individuals or businesses). Contacts are the people associated with those clients and can be linked to multiple client records.
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Do I need to set a Primary Contact for every client? For individual clients, yes — the primary contact receives portal invites and communications. For business clients, this is optional.
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Can we bulk-assign primary contacts to individual accounts after the update? No. Bulk assigning primary contacts is not currently available.
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What happens to inactive linked clients during the update? Depending on your settings, inactive linked clients can be archived and converted into contacts under the active record.
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Will archived clients still be linked to active ones (e.g., spouses/business relationships)? Yes. As long as they are linked in the update settings, archived clients remain associated through contact or connection links.
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Can archived clients or contacts be brought back after the update? Yes. Archived clients and contacts can be reactivated at any time.
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Will notes from inactive spouse/client portal accounts carry over to their new contact record? No. Notes remain on the archived client record. You can access them from that record and copy/paste them to the appropriate client if needed.
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When I merge duplicate contacts, why does the original primary contact sometimes change to "Other"? This happens if you keep a contact that wasn't the primary. The kept contact becomes the primary, and the original is reassigned as "Other."
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Do clients without portal access get updated? Yes. Portal status doesn't affect the update.
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What about prospective clients not yet invited to the portal? Yes. Prospective clients are also updated, whether they've been invited to the portal or not.
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Can one contact be associated with multiple clients? Yes. A single contact can be linked to more than one client record.
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Will roles assigned to clients carry over? Yes. Any existing client roles carry over.
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How do spouses/households work when both are active clients vs. when one is inactive? If both spouses are active, they remain clients and can be linked as a connection or grouped together. If one spouse is inactive, they can be archived and carried over as a contact under the active client.
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Will there be changes to terminology (e.g., "Add a Client" vs. "Add a Contact")? Yes. You'll notice updated terminology in some areas. For example, "Add a Contact" is now distinct from "Add a Client" to make relationships clearer.
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Can tasks, notes, and files assigned to inactive or archived clients still be accessed? Yes. Tasks, notes, and files stay with the client or contact record and can be accessed after the update.
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How do Client Groups work, and when should I use them? Client Groups link related clients under a shared ownership structure, ideal for group billing, shared files, and organization.
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Do we need to create Client Groups manually after the update or are they formed through connections? They must be created manually after the update using the Groups section.
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What is a Connection in the new structure? A Connection is a linked client that isn't a contact, like an associated business, lawyer, or advisor.
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Can a client belong to multiple groups? No. A client can only be in one Client Group at a time. If you need to reflect multiple relationships, use Connections instead.
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Can billing be managed across groups (e.g., one invoice vs. separate invoices)? Yes. You can send a single group invoice or separate invoices per client, depending on your billing workflow.
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Can group invoices be paid by multiple accounts? If you need multiple accounts to pay, send invoices individually rather than using a single consolidated group invoice.
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What happens to pending portal invites during the update? They will not carry over. Download a list before updating so you can resend them afterward.
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Are notifications for billing or other features different post-update? No. Notifications work the same as before.
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Does merging contacts remove client portal login history or access? No, as long as you keep the contact with active portal access.
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Can contacts be used as referrals? Not at this time — only clients can be referrals.

Why are archived clients receiving emails or appearing in workflows? Archived clients may still be linked to active ones. Review and manage those links.
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Will the client's portal access look different after the update? No. The client portal experience remains the same. Updates and enhancements will roll out in the future.
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Will duplicate contacts be created if the spouse has portal access but their client record has no email? Yes. The update may create both records. You can merge them afterward.
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What's the most efficient way to correct or clean up duplicate contacts? Use the Contact List to merge duplicates after the update.
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Do I need to clean up my data before I update? Optional, but recommended. Archiving inactive clients, checking for duplicates, and confirming naming conventions beforehand reduces cleanup later.
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What happens to clients who were deleted or archived? Will they be included in the update? Yes. All active, inactive, archived, and deleted clients are included in the update.
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Why are some inactive clients automatically archived in preview and others not? It depends on the update settings you choose.
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If I have duplicate clients, can they be merged? No. Client merging isn't available — you'll need to manually consolidate before or after the update.
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If spouses share an email address, how is that handled? Multiple contacts can share an email address (for example, Jacob and Hillary are two contacts, but both use [email protected]). However, only one of those contacts can be invited to the client portal, since the portal requires a unique email address. During the update, two contacts will be created — one for each client — but only one will retain portal access.
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Should I sync my account with QBO before or after updating? It's up to you. If you're already synced, keep your display names the same before updating to ensure proper syncing.
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If I change my client structure during the update (e.g., choosing Last Name, First Name), how does this sync to QBO? Will it duplicate clients? Changing the client naming format during the update does not create duplicates in QuickBooks Online. The update settings only change how names are displayed in Canopy (the "Client Name" and "Client-Facing Name"). The actual First Name and Last Name fields — which are used for syncing with QBO — are not changed, so your existing QBO links remain intact.

Do QBO-linked contacts carry through the update? Yes. Existing QuickBooks Online links are preserved.

Will the update fix existing QBO sync issues or duplications? The update doesn't automatically resolve existing QBO sync issues. However, the new structure reduces the risk of duplicates going forward by aligning clients and contacts more clearly.

Will archived files carry over? Yes. Archived files remain archived and accessible post-update.

Do our custom fields carry over with our client data? Yes.
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In the update settings, if I add a contact and archive the inactive client record, will the new contact populate the tax organizer next year? Yes — the organizer is created at the client level, so the contact will be included.

Workshop recording with a step-by-step look at the migration in real time.

Canopy University offers in-depth migration courses.

Knowledge Base articles provide a quick start guide and detailed settings guidance.