Done-With-You R&D Agent Build
We build the agent together with your team, so it fits your systems and your people understand how it works. You own the result and run it, with our support for a set period.
What it is
Done-with-you sits between the template and the fully managed service. Our team and yours work side by side to configure each module, test it against your real records and adjust it until it works the way your business does. The aim is that when we step back, your people can run the agent and explain what it does. It is the right choice when your systems are unusual, or when you want your own staff to understand the tool as well as use it.
How it works
- 1
Scope
We agree your systems, projects and review process, and write down who will do what.
- 2
Build together
Our team and yours configure and test each module. We work through your real records so problems show up early.
- 3
Hand over
Your team runs it, with our support for a set period. The length and scope of support is agreed in the quote.
Best for
- Businesses with an in-house team that wants to own the result.
- Firms with unusual systems that need careful set-up.
- Organizations that want staff to learn how the agent works.
- Teams that tried a template and found the set-up harder than expected.
How the work is shared
The exact split and support period are agreed in the quote. Contact us for pricing.
| Stage | Our team | Your team |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Proposes a plan and written scope | Confirms systems, people and goals |
| Configuration | Builds and tests modules | Provides access, answers questions, checks results |
| Testing | Runs the agent on real records | Reviews output and flags problems |
| Handover | Documents and trains | Takes over day-to-day running |
| Support period | Answers questions and fixes issues in scope | Raises issues and learns by doing |
A worked example (illustrative)
This scenario is invented. A manufacturer tracks work in an older project system with limited export options, and keeps time in a separate tool. The company's IT lead wants to keep control but does not have time to work out the connections. Together, the two teams build a way to bring project and time data into the agent. The IT lead sits in on each test, asking why things are set up as they are. By handover, she can explain the connections and adjust them herself. The finance team then uses the agent through the year and the company's CPA reviews the drafts.
What you can expect
Expect regular working sessions and some demands on your time. We cannot configure modules without access to your systems and answers from your people. In exchange, you get a solution fitted to your business and a team that understands it. We document what we build in plain language, and we agree in writing what systems we can see and what we do with the access.
Limits
Done-with-you does not remove the need for a professional reviewer. A licensed CPA or enrolled agent reviews the output, and forms are filed through an authorized IRS e-file provider or tax software, not by Cost Guru. The agent does not decide eligibility, give tax advice or guarantee a credit. Connections are proposals until confirmed for your setup.
How to prepare for a joint build
- Name a lead on your side who can make decisions.
- Arrange access to the systems that will be connected.
- Block time for working sessions in the first weeks.
- Gather examples of the records the agent will read.
- Agree who will test and who will approve.
Working agreements
A joint build goes well when roles are clear. We agree how often the teams meet, how questions are raised and how decisions are recorded. We agree what access we have to your systems, for how long and for what purpose. And we agree what a finished build looks like, so both sides know when it is done. These agreements are in the scope, and they save time later.
What handover includes
- Documentation of how the agent is set up, in plain language.
- A walk-through for the people who will run it.
- A list of known limits and things to watch.
- Support for the agreed period.
- A route to further help if you want it.
A worked comparison
Suppose two businesses start with the same goal. The first picks the DIY kit and spends a few evenings setting it up. It saves money but hits a snag with an older system and loses a week to it. The second picks done-with-you. It pays more, but the snag is solved in the first session, and its staff learn something about how the connection works. Neither choice is wrong. The right one depends on how much the business values its own time against its own money, and on whether it wants to learn the system or simply to use it.
Signs that done-with-you is the right choice
- Your systems are unusual or heavily customized.
- You want a member of staff to understand the system in depth.
- You tried a template and found it harder than you expected.
- You have time to take part, but not to do it all yourself.
Questions
How long does it take?
We give a timeline with the quote, based on your systems.
Who reviews the output?
A licensed CPA or enrolled agent, yours or one we work with.
What happens after the support period?
You run it yourself, or you can ask for further help, quoted separately.
How much does it cost?
Contact us for pricing.
Please note: Estimates and drafts are prepared by software for review by a licensed CPA or enrolled agent. This is not tax advice.
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