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Automation playbooks

16 workflows we've already designed

Every playbook follows the same shape: a trigger, what the automation does, and exactly where a person stays in the loop. Pick the one that costs you the most hours; that's your proof of concept.

All businessesTrades & field serviceRetail, food & hospitalityProfessional servicesProperty & real estateHealth, wellness & studiosNonprofits & associations

Invoice & receipt capture

~3–5 hrs/wk
Trigger
A vendor invoice or receipt arrives by email, text, or a photo from your phone.
What it does
  • Reads vendor, line items, tax, total, and due date, even from a crumpled photo
  • Matches it to a job, PO, or property so the cost lands in the right place
  • Posts the bill to QuickBooks or Xero with the right category and schedules payment
  • Files the original in a dated folder you can hand to your accountant
Where a person stays in the loop
Anything over $500, a vendor you've never paid, or no matching job.
Connects to
Gmail / OutlookQuickBooksXeroGoogle Drive
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Try it live →

Lead response & qualification

~2–4 hrs/wk
Trigger
A web form, text, Facebook message, or voicemail transcript comes in.
What it does
  • Replies within two minutes, in your voice, with the questions you'd ask
  • Scores the lead: location, job type, urgency, budget signals
  • Offers real open slots from your calendar and books the visit
  • Creates the contact and a summary in your CRM or spreadsheet
Where a person stays in the loop
Emergencies, commercial jobs, and anything the caller escalates.
Connects to
Website formsSMS (Twilio)Google CalendarHubSpot / Jobber / sheet
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Try it live →

Estimate & quote drafting

~3–6 hrs/wk
Trigger
A qualified lead sends photos and a description of the job.
What it does
  • Drafts an itemized estimate from your own price book and past quotes
  • Flags what it couldn't see (access, permits, existing damage)
  • Produces a branded PDF and an e-sign link
  • Follows up twice if the quote sits unopened
Where a person stays in the loop
You approve every estimate before it's sent.
Connects to
Price book (sheet)PDFDocuSign / Dropbox SignEmail / SMS
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Ask about this →

Reminders, reschedules & no-show recovery

~2–3 hrs/wk
Trigger
An appointment is booked, changed, or missed.
What it does
  • Sends confirmations and reminders on your schedule, by text or email
  • Handles 'can we move it to Thursday?' replies and rebooks from open slots
  • Fills a cancelled slot from your waitlist automatically
  • Sends the after-visit note and review request
Where a person stays in the loop
Cancellations inside 24 hours and anything involving a fee.
Connects to
Google / Outlook CalendarSquare AppointmentsSMSEmail
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Try it live →

Review requests & reputation

~1–2 hrs/wk
Trigger
A job closes, or a new review appears on Google, Yelp, or Facebook.
What it does
  • Asks happy customers for a review at the right moment, with a direct link
  • Reads every new review and drafts a reply in your tone
  • Routes unhappy reviews to you before anything is posted
  • Logs recurring complaints so you can see patterns by crew or month
Where a person stays in the loop
Any reply to a review under four stars.
Connects to
Google Business ProfileYelpFacebookSMS
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Try it live →

Voice memo to job notes

~2–4 hrs/wk
Trigger
A tech records a 60-second voice memo in the truck after the job.
What it does
  • Transcribes and structures it: work done, parts used, time on site, follow-ups
  • Updates the work order and drafts the customer's completion note
  • Adds parts to the invoice draft and flags anything not in inventory
  • Creates the callback task if the tech mentioned one
Where a person stays in the loop
Warranty claims and anything the tech flags as 'ask the boss'.
Connects to
Phone voice memoJobber / ServiceTitan / sheetQuickBooks
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Try it live →

Reorder alerts & purchase orders

~2–3 hrs/wk
Trigger
Nightly, from your POS sales and on-hand counts.
What it does
  • Projects when each item runs out based on the last eight weeks
  • Drafts a purchase order per supplier at their minimums and lead times
  • Emails the PO for approval, then sends it to the supplier
  • Notices price changes on supplier confirmations and updates your cost
Where a person stays in the loop
Every PO is approved by you before it goes out.
Connects to
Square / Clover / ShopifySupplier email or portalSheet
Usually Growth Build · $7,500+Ask about this →

Receiving & three-way match

~2–4 hrs/wk
Trigger
A delivery arrives and the packing slip is photographed.
What it does
  • Matches packing slip lines to the PO and later to the invoice
  • Flags shorts, overages, substitutions, and price differences
  • Updates on-hand counts and closes the PO when complete
  • Drafts the dispute email to the supplier with the evidence attached
Where a person stays in the loop
Any mismatch over your tolerance goes to you before the bill is paid.
Connects to
Phone cameraQuickBooksSheet / inventory app
Usually Growth Build · $7,500+Ask about this →

Timesheet & payroll prep

~2–3 hrs/wk
Trigger
Crews text their hours, or drop a photo of the paper timesheet, on Friday.
What it does
  • Reads hours per person per day and per job, however they were written
  • Checks against the schedule and flags overtime, missing days, and duplicates
  • Produces the payroll import file for Gusto, ADP, or your bookkeeper
  • Splits labor cost to jobs so your job costing is real
Where a person stays in the loop
Overtime and any week that doesn't reconcile with the schedule.
Connects to
SMS / photosGusto / ADP / QuickBooks PayrollSheet
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Try it live →

Contract & application intake

~2–4 hrs/wk
Trigger
A lease, engagement letter, application, or signed contract arrives.
What it does
  • Extracts parties, dates, amounts, renewal terms, and obligations
  • Checks for missing signatures, initials, and required attachments
  • Puts key dates on your calendar with reminders ahead of each
  • Files it and updates the client or tenant record
Where a person stays in the loop
Anything with non-standard terms or a missing signature.
Connects to
Email / Drive / DropboxCalendarSheet / CRM
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Ask about this →

Tenant maintenance triage

~3–5 hrs/wk
Trigger
A tenant texts, emails, or submits a maintenance request with photos.
What it does
  • Classifies urgency (water, heat, safety vs. cosmetic) and acknowledges the tenant
  • Picks the right vendor from your list and sends the work order with photos
  • Tracks the vendor's response and keeps the tenant updated
  • Logs cost against the unit and flags repeat issues
Where a person stays in the loop
Emergencies and anything over your per-job approval limit.
Connects to
SMS / email / portalVendor list (sheet)Buildium / AppFolio / sheet
Usually Growth Build · $7,500+Try it live →

Overdue invoice follow-up

~1–3 hrs/wk
Trigger
An invoice passes its due date.
What it does
  • Sends a friendly reminder with a payment link, then escalates tone on your schedule
  • Reads replies: promises to pay, disputes, 'never got it' — and responds appropriately
  • Pauses the sequence the moment payment lands
  • Gives you a weekly aging list with the story behind each one
Where a person stays in the loop
Disputes, payment plans, and any account you've flagged as sensitive.
Connects to
QuickBooks / Xero / StripeEmail / SMS
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Try it live →

Inbox triage & drafted replies

~3–6 hrs/wk
Trigger
Email arrives, all day.
What it does
  • Sorts into needs-you / needs-someone / FYI / noise
  • Drafts replies for the routine ones in your voice, ready to send
  • Pulls the ask out of long threads into one line
  • Ends the day with a five-line summary of what's still open
Where a person stays in the loop
Nothing is sent without you. Drafts wait in your outbox.
Connects to
Gmail / Microsoft 365
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Ask about this →

Monday owner's brief

~1–2 hrs/wk
Trigger
Every Monday at 6 a.m.
What it does
  • Pulls sales, cash, overdue invoices, open jobs, and upcoming deadlines
  • Writes a one-page brief in plain English with the three things that need a decision
  • Compares to last week and the same week last year
  • Answers follow-up questions by text: 'why is cash down?'
Where a person stays in the loop
It's a report; you decide.
Connects to
QuickBooksPOS / CRMCalendarEmail / SMS
Usually Growth Build · $7,500+Ask about this →

Donor acknowledgment & records

~2–4 hrs/wk
Trigger
A gift arrives by check, online form, or event registration.
What it does
  • Creates or updates the donor record and gift history
  • Sends the IRS-compliant acknowledgment letter within 24 hours, personalized
  • Flags lapsed donors and major-gift signals for the director
  • Prepares the board's monthly giving summary
Where a person stays in the loop
Major gifts and any donor flagged for personal outreach.
Connects to
Donor CRM (Bloomerang / Little Green Light / sheet)EmailDocs
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Ask about this →

License, permit & certification renewals

~1–2 hrs/wk
Trigger
A renewal date approaches for a license, insurance certificate, or staff certification.
What it does
  • Tracks every expiration in one place and reminds the right person early
  • Drafts the renewal packet from last year's plus what's changed
  • Requests updated certificates from subcontractors and chases them
  • Warns you before you schedule a job with an expired credential on it
Where a person stays in the loop
Signing and paying.
Connects to
Sheet / calendarEmailState portals (manual)
Usually Starter Automation · $2,500–$6,000Ask about this →

Don't see yours? Most businesses have one we haven't written down yet.

If it arrives as text, photos, PDFs, or forms and ends in a decision or a data entry, it's a candidate. The $950 proof of concept is how we find out.

Describe your workflow
Automation playbooks — Carolina Solutions Architects