Canons regular:  held property in common, like monks, but also had a pastoral function (CLARK).
From the late 13th century onwards, they prayed for the soul of the founder and other benefactors.  It was the founder's privilege to be buried in the abbey church, usually in the chancel near the high altar.
The names of benefactors were kept in a kalendar and read out at chapter on the anniversary of their death each year (C/WC).  Rich laymen could also have a chantry, like William de Grendon’s.

Canons exercised hospitality (especially to patrons), almsgiving and charitable deeds.  (Titchfield could seat 189 at table.)  They had to be literate and follow Latin.  They had to read each day, between sext and dinner and between vespers and evening collation and between dinner and vespers in the winter;  in the summer this last was a rest or manual labour period..
They compiled cartularies and catalogued deeds and charters (C/WC), having a feudal obligation to investigate the early history of their abbey (C/WC).
other orders;  cellarer cared for the refectory and dormitory (WARD) in charge of bakers, cooks, gardeners, brewers and wine-pressers (COLVIN);  this was a smaller job than with the Cistercians, where the cellarer had charge of the lay brethren (C/WC);  hospitaller fed guests (very well.  They were entertained by minstrels)  (WARD);
vestarius in charge of wardrobe and lay brethren e.g. weavers, dyers, cobblers (C/WC).

Promotion: novice to choir-religious to precentor or sacristan (WARD).

The abbot might be made visitor of other houses, and sometimes assisted other abbots in supervising elections elsewhere.  He had secular obligations:  as collector of taxes, auditor of accounts, emissary of war and peace, paymaster of works at a castle.  Even canons could be called out by the king for a job (C/WC).
The abbot had little to do with bishops, who were required only for ordinations (COLVIN).

They had to have at least 13 brethren to found a new abbey (including the abbot) and needed the approval of 2 neighbouring abbots - at least in theory.  
They also had to have a cella hospitum, usually a guesthouse on the west side of the cloister, either above the cellarer’s range (Bayham) or projecting from it (Easby).  This accommodated any visitors eg abbots, messengers, gentry, bishops.  The porter opened the