Getting Started with Outsourced Plutosoft Paraplanning

This article is part of our Plutosoft Paraplanning service. For a broader look at how Plutosoft fits within the platforms we support, see our software capabilities overview. For the general paraplanning workflow that applies across all platforms, see Our Standard Paraplanning Process.

This guide covers what is specifically different when getting started on Plutosoft, from access provisioning through to your first live jobs. For what the day-to-day engagement looks like once you are up and running, see What to Expect from Outsourced Plutosoft Paraplanning.

How does Plutosoft access get set up?

Plutosoft is cloud-based, so there is no VPN or remote desktop required. But your practice needs to make a decision about licensing before anything else.

There are 2 access pathways:

• Dedicated support login - a separate Plutosoft licence purchased specifically for the Felcorp paraplanner. This is the preferred option because it allows you to restrict visibility, set specific permissions, and maintain a clear audit trail
• Shared adviser login - the paraplanner uses an existing adviser login with shared credentials. This is faster to set up but the granular security controls available with a dedicated login are not available under this arrangement

If you go with a shared adviser login and credentials are ready, access can be provisioned in less than 20 minutes. If a new support login needs to be purchased, budget up to 1 day for Plutosoft to provision and activate it. Either way, the entire access setup is complete within 24 hours in standard scenarios.

Two-factor authentication is best handled through a time-based one-time password app (TOTP) rather than SMS. This is more secure and makes the paraplanning workflow faster, as it does not depend on text message delays or delivery failures.

What is the biggest setup blocker to watch for?

Email provisioning. Your practice must set up a firm-controlled email address for Felcorp access. Do not use a Felcorp-provided email.

This matters for 3 reasons:

• Credential ownership - the practice retains ownership and control of the access credentials at all times
• Data security - data security responsibility sits with the practice's own security infrastructure rather than relying on Felcorp's email systems
• Visibility - the practice has full visibility and control over all communications between their team and the paraplanner

Many practices initially assume they can simply use a Felcorp email. Establishing the firm-controlled email principle early prevents delays later.

How does Felcorp learn your templates and preferences?

During onboarding, Felcorp requests sample SOAs to understand your practice's output format and quality standards. You also provide any base templates you use, whether these are Word document templates or templates built within Plutosoft's native template builder.

Felcorp is flexible here. There is no preference for one approach over the other. If you have existing Word-based templates, those are used. If you are building within Plutosoft's template system, that works equally well.

What does the SOP cover and how long does it take?

The SOP is built during the trial period and typically takes 1 month to finalise. This timeframe is necessary because there is significant back-and-forth between Felcorp and the practice: identifying workflows, refining procedures, documenting processes, and making amendments based on feedback.

The SOP documents the entire paraplanning process from submission to finalisation:

• Brief submission - how briefs are submitted and what information must be included
• Data collection - how client data is gathered and verified before paraplanning begins
• SOA structure - how advice documents are assembled, including template selection and compliance sections
• Complex scenarios - how SMSFs, restructures, and multi-entity cases are handled
• Document management - file location, naming conventions, and version control
• Escalation and communication - escalation procedures, communication protocols, and sign-off workflows

Many practices also leverage Felcorp's business expertise during this phase to optimise their procedures. By the end of the trial, the SOP is locked in and ready to govern the full-time engagement.

How does the trial period work on Plutosoft?

The trial structure follows Felcorp's standard paraplanning trial framework. The main difference is that Plutosoft practices often require extra time during the trial because many are relatively new to the platform (typically less than 12 months in) and may have had difficulty finding paraplanning support elsewhere. The trial creates a structured window to address both software proficiency and operational setup simultaneously.

Most practices complete between 6 and 8 SOAs during the 1-month trial period. This volume is diagnostic, not representative of steady-state performance. Performance typically increases by 30 to 40 percent once the trial ends and the engagement goes live, because by then the SOP is finalised, the paraplanner is fully embedded, and they have complete understanding of your file systems and workflows.

Success is measured against your practice's own expectations. If you previously used another paraplanning provider, Felcorp benchmarks performance against that baseline. If there is no prior baseline, Felcorp references its global performance database to show where your practice sits relative to the average across all clients. Those expectations are then formalised into SLAs and built into the contract with guaranteed performance metrics.

What do the first jobs look like?

Felcorp deliberately starts with simpler cases. The first 1 or 2 jobs are straightforward - often basic retirement or single-asset advice - because the goal is to map your file structure, understand how you organise advice recommendations and supporting documents, and locate key information systems.

Once the paraplanner has completed a couple of simple cases successfully, complexity ramps up progressively to match your actual workload and case diversity.

Expect 2 to 3 times more correspondence on early jobs compared to steady-state. This back-and-forth is primarily logistical rather than about planning competence:

• Clarifying document locations - where specific files, templates, and supporting documents are stored
• Identifying process gaps - areas where the workflow needs clarification or documentation
• Troubleshooting access issues - resolving permissions, login, and system access problems
• Establishing SOPs - building standard procedures from real job experience

The trial period explicitly covers all of these operational issues. By the time the full-time engagement begins, these friction points have been resolved. Full operational speed is typically achieved within 1 month, depending on workload volume and feedback velocity from the practice.

What does the day-to-day workflow look like once live?

Once the trial is done and the engagement is live, the workflow becomes straightforward. The practice sends a brief notifying Felcorp that a new case is ready. Felcorp completes the work. At the end of each day, the paraplanner sends an end-of-day report detailing what was completed, what is in progress, what is pending, and any blockers requiring adviser input.

Briefs can be submitted through several channels, but Felcorp recommends a clear preference hierarchy:

• Felcorp portal - uses bank-grade encryption and is specifically designed for secure data transmission. This is the safest option
• Team messaging - Microsoft Teams or Slack, if your practice already uses these platforms
• Email - available as a fallback but least preferred due to security risks, particularly when confidential client information is involved

The same hierarchy applies to ongoing communication between the adviser and the paraplanner. Instant messaging platforms integrate naturally with existing workflows. The Felcorp portal's built-in chat is an alternative if your practice does not use dedicated messaging apps. Felcorp strongly discourages sending confidential or personal client data via email.

What mistakes should you avoid when getting started?

The most common mistake is assuming outsourced paraplanning is plug-and-play. It requires baseline maturity in several areas, and outsourcing magnifies pre-existing operational weaknesses.

• Disorganised file structures - inconsistent file systems make it difficult for the paraplanner to locate documents and understand workflows
• Poor security practices - ad hoc email security and unstructured data handling erode efficiency and create compliance risk
• Uncoordinated submission channels - using email one day, chat the next, and the portal another means data gets lost, duplicated, or forgotten, and administrative overhead increases significantly

Practices also significantly underestimate their own knowledge gaps about Plutosoft. If you are new to the platform, have not conducted paraplanning internally, or have only used Plutosoft superficially, onboarding becomes a threefold discovery process: determining your current technical capability with the software, mapping all systems and platforms you are currently using, and understanding your specific advice workflow. If your practice has not been introspective about these areas, the discovery takes longer, but it is necessary to build an SOP that actually works.

What should you clean up before the paraplanner starts?

Data collection is the critical upstream process. If your practice is not outsourcing data collection to Felcorp, you must ensure rigorous in-house data collection before the paraplanner begins.

Poor data collection is the single biggest driver of rework in paraplanning. It destroys cost savings, kills efficiency, and creates problems for both the practice and the paraplanner. Data collection must be performed by staff with genuine competence in the task, using consistent processes, within a defined timeframe.

Poor data collection upstream cannot be fixed downstream. It will compound through the entire engagement.

How is Plutosoft different from other platforms for getting started?

The onboarding methodology is identical across platforms. Plutosoft, like Xplan, AdviserLogic, and Intelliflo, has its own quirks that must be understood, but the process is the same.

The real difference is maturity and institutional knowledge. Xplan and AdviserLogic have been in the market for years, and industry knowledge about best practices, common pitfalls, and advanced features is widely embedded across the advisory community. Plutosoft is relatively newer. Many practices using Plutosoft have not fully explored its built-in paraplanning and advice capabilities, which often means the discovery and learning phase is longer compared to established platforms.

One important scope clarification: Felcorp provides paraplanning delivery services. Template building, where needed, focuses on delivery and workflow optimisation, not regulatory architecture. If your practice requires compliance-focused template engineering or compliance guidance, that is a separate engagement outside the scope of paraplanning delivery.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to buy a separate Plutosoft licence for the paraplanner?

Not necessarily. You can share an existing adviser login or purchase a dedicated support staff licence. A dedicated licence gives you granular permission controls and a clear audit trail. A shared login is faster to set up but offers less security control. Either way, access is typically provisioned within 24 hours.

How long before the paraplanner is fully up to speed?

Full operational speed is typically achieved within 1 month. The speed depends on workload volume (more jobs mean a faster learning curve) and feedback velocity from your practice. The first month is when all process bottlenecks and system quirks are identified and resolved.

What if we are new to Plutosoft ourselves?

This is common. Many Plutosoft practices Felcorp works with have been on the platform for less than 12 months. The trial period accounts for this by allowing extra time for discovery. Felcorp can help optimise your procedures, but the practice should not expect Felcorp to provide compliance advice or build compliance-level templates.

Can we outsource data collection as well as paraplanning?

Yes. If your practice is not confident in its in-house data collection, outsourcing this to Felcorp removes the biggest upstream risk to paraplanning quality. Speak to us during onboarding about including data collection in the engagement scope.

What should we have ready before the trial starts?

At minimum: a firm-controlled email address for the paraplanner, a decision on dedicated vs shared login, sample SOAs showing your current output standard, your base templates (Word or Plutosoft native), and clean, organised file structures in your Plutosoft instance. The more prepared you are, the faster the SOP is built and the sooner the engagement reaches full speed. For more detail on what to expect during the trial, see the onboarding process.

How do I know if I need a paraplanner or something else?

If you are unsure whether paraplanning is the right fit, see Help me choose which paraplanner I need. If your needs lean more toward admin support, see Help me choose which admin support I need.

Written by Tobias Fellas, Founder & CEO at Felcorp Support.