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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 →

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 →

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