Problem the client raised We can't tell when a client has paid.
Projects start the moment payment clears
Quotes become invoices automatically, and a paid invoice kicks off the project with no manual check.
- Client
- US design and renovation firm that builds medical practices
- Tools
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- Monday.com
- Make
- QuickBooks Online
- Webhooks
Client names and data are withheld under confidentiality agreements.
A US design firm outfits medical practices, from complete practice builds and makeovers to displays and signage. Every project is a different mix of products, vendors and departments, and it moves from first inquiry through estimate, design, production and delivery.
As the firm grew, it needed that journey to run as one workflow: inquiries followed up consistently, won leads turned into complete projects, estimates, invoices and purchase orders produced from the same project data, and departmental work starting the moment a project is paid. The CRM and the accounting system now hold the same customer and document information throughout.
The challenge
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Inquiries needed to become complete projects
Each website lead had to enter the CRM automatically, get consistent follow-ups, and be able to send the files that inform a design, attached to the right lead and carried into the project once it's won.
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Two systems, one customer
Customers can start in the CRM or directly in accounting. Both needed to recognize the same customer, with estimates and invoices showing against them.
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Estimates, invoices and purchase orders by hand
Estimates are built from catalog products, can go through up to five versions, and must reflect current pricing and vendors. The final version then had to become an estimate, an invoice and vendor-grouped purchase orders without re-typing a line.
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Work that happens outside the automated path
Some estimates and invoices are made directly in accounting, and some customers pay outside it. These cases needed defined paths so the CRM stays accurate and delivery can still begin.
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Delivery across four departments
A paid project has to be split into department-specific work, supported by the right task boards, and tracked so leadership can see when work is moving.
How it fits together
- Web forms
- Approved quotes
- Finance team entries
- Make automations
- Monday.com
- QuickBooks Online
- Estimates and invoices
- Project kickoff on payment
- Purchase orders in accounting
What we built
Screenshots are from the live system. Client, customer and people details, amounts and links have been removed.
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Website inquiries become leads automatically
What was needed
Capture every inquiry from the firm's website as a lead, without anyone typing it in.
How it works
On submission, each website form sends the details to the automation layer, which creates the lead in the CRM in a consistent structure.
Why it matters. Every inquiry reaches the CRM immediately, and the follow-up process starts on its own.
The automation that receives a form submission and creates the lead. The leads board in the CRM, grouped by stage. -
Follow-ups that run themselves, with a personal upload link
What was needed
Follow up with every lead on a set schedule and give each lead their own way to send project files.
How it works
When a lead is created, the automation layer builds a form link that belongs to that lead. The CRM then sends follow-up emails on a day-based schedule, each one carrying that link.
- A lead is created.
- A personal upload link is built for that lead.
- Follow-up emails go out on a pre-set schedule.
- Each email includes the personal link for sending files.
Why it matters. Leads get timely, consistent follow-ups without manual reminders, and every file request is tied to the lead it belongs to.
A lead showing the personal link generated for it. The CRM automations that send the follow-up emails. -
Files land on the right lead
What was needed
Attach whatever a lead sends to the correct lead, automatically.
How it works
Files sent through the personal link arrive on a separate intake board. Each entry is named with the lead's ID, so the automation layer can find the lead and attach the files to it.
Why it matters. Design inputs sit on the lead itself, so the team reviews a complete inquiry without searching inboxes or matching files by hand.
The intake board, where submissions are named by lead ID. -
A won lead becomes a ready project
What was needed
Turn each won lead into a complete project connected to the right customer in both the CRM and accounting.
How it works
When a lead is marked Won, the automation layer creates the project, carries over its files, and matches the customer by email. If the customer is missing in either system, it's created there, so both hold the same customer.
Why it matters. A won lead becomes a ready-to-work project in one step, with its files and customer already in place.
The project board, with customer names and amounts hidden. -
Customers stay in step with accounting
What was needed
Keep the CRM customer list complete, even when a customer is created directly in accounting.
How it works
When a customer is created in accounting, the automation layer adds them to the CRM. Each customer's estimates, invoices and contact people are linked to them.
Why it matters. The customer list reflects every accounting customer, wherever it started, with each practice's contacts beside their financial documents.
The customer board, with names hidden. -
Every project gets its own folder
What was needed
Give each project a shared folder that holds its files.
How it works
When a project is created, the automation layer makes a folder in Google Drive named after it, then uploads every file attached to the project.
Why it matters. Every project has a consistently named folder holding its source files, ready for design and production with no setup.
The project board with the generated folder links. -
The right task list for every project, in order
What was needed
Create the right task board when work begins, and keep tasks moving in order.
How it works
When a project moves to In Progress, a task board is created from the template for that project type and filed in the matching folder. When one task is marked Done, the next one moves to In Progress.
Why it matters. Each project starts with the right structure, tasks stay visible from the project, and assignees always know what's next.
Task boards filed by project type, with project names hidden. -
Estimates built from the product catalog
What was needed
Build and refine up to five estimates per project, with prices and vendors kept in step.
How it works
A button on the project starts the estimate. The automation layer goes through the catalog products connected to the project and creates the estimate in the next numbered version. Prices come from the catalog, and the vendor name follows the vendor database when it changes.
Rule How it works Product source Products connected to the project from the catalog Estimate limit Up to five estimates per project Versions Each estimate sits in its own numbered group, so versions can be compared side by side Pricing Prices come straight from the catalog Vendors Vendor names follow the vendor database Why it matters. The team can compare versions in one place, with catalog prices and vendor names applied consistently, before committing a final estimate to accounting.
A project card with the buttons that drive the estimate and accounting steps. -
Estimate, invoice and purchase orders in one click
What was needed
Create the accounting documents straight from the project, and return them to the CRM.
How it works
Three buttons call the accounting system through the automation layer. The estimate and invoice are created for the customer from the final estimate, and their PDFs are attached to the project and the customer. Purchase orders are created as drafts under a stand-in vendor, so anything can be adjusted before they're locked in.
Button Result in accounting Back in the CRM Create estimate An estimate for the customer, from the final estimate PDF attached to the project and customer Create invoice An invoice for the customer, from the final estimate PDF attached, and the invoice ID stored on the project Create draft purchase orders One purchase order per vendor, held as drafts Ready for review before they're locked in Why it matters. Financial documents come from the same final estimate the team approved, with no re-typing. Purchase orders arrive already grouped by vendor.
The buttons that create the estimate, invoice and purchase orders. -
Documents made in accounting still show up
What was needed
Keep the CRM accurate when an estimate or invoice is created directly in accounting.
How it works
The moment a document is created in accounting, the automation layer looks up the customer by email, finds the matching customer and project, and attaches the PDF.
Why it matters. Documents created outside the usual path still land on the right customer and project, so both systems agree wherever the work began.
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A payment starts delivery
What was needed
Start work in each department as soon as a project is paid, including when payment happens outside accounting.
How it works
When an invoice is paid, the automation layer finds the project, marks it paid, and goes through its products. Each product is tagged with a department, so each department gets its own item with its products as sub-items. A button does the same for customers who pay outside accounting.
Path Trigger Result Automatic An invoice is paid in accounting The project is marked paid and each department gets its work Manual A button on the project, for payments made elsewhere The same work is created using the same logic Why it matters. Delivery begins from a confirmed payment instead of a manual check, and each department gets exactly the work it's responsible for.
A department board, with product details hidden. -
Leadership can see what moved, and when
What was needed
Give executives a clear view of work being done across departments.
How it works
An automation watches a set of columns on the delivery items and records the exact time of each change in a Last Activity column.
Why it matters. Leadership can see at a glance when each item last moved, which makes stalled work easy to spot.
A department board with the Last Activity column, with prices hidden.
Before and after
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Website inquiries had no automated path into the CRM | Each form submission creates a lead automatically |
| Follow-ups and file requests depended on manual effort | Day-based follow-up emails carry a personal upload link |
| Submitted files weren't tied to the lead | Files attach to the matching lead by its ID |
| Won leads needed separate project setup | A won lead becomes a project with its files and customer in place |
| Customers could differ between the CRM and accounting | Customers are matched by email and created wherever one is missing |
| Project folders and files were organized by hand | Folders are created and filled automatically |
| Estimates, invoices and purchase orders needed separate preparation | Up to five estimates feed the accounting estimate, the invoice and vendor-grouped purchase orders |
| Documents made in accounting didn't appear in the CRM | PDFs attach to the right customer and project instantly |
| Delivery setup waited on manual payment checks | A paid invoice creates each department's work, with a manual path when needed |
| Leadership had no timestamped view of progress | A Last Activity column records the exact time of each change |
The outcome
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Complete projects from the first inquiry
Leads arrive automatically, get consistent follow-ups and carry their files into the project, so won work starts with complete information.
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One customer record across both systems
Customers, estimates and invoices stay aligned between the CRM and accounting, including records created directly in accounting.
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Consistent financial documents
Estimates, invoices and purchase orders come from the same final estimate, with current catalog pricing and vendor grouping applied automatically.
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Accountable, visible delivery
Payment triggers department-specific work, task boards keep tasks in sequence, and the Last Activity column gives leadership a clear view of progress.
The same framework can support more products, vendors, departments and integrations as the firm keeps growing.