Activity Categories: Sort What Matters
Activity categories let you filter and report on the types of records you create. This helps you see where your team’s efforts go and spot patterns.
Examples:
- Recruiting
- Operations
- Routine Site Check-Up
- Inventory Check
Custom Field Groups: Organize Your Info
Custom field groups help you bundle related data, making it easier to find what you need on each record profile.
Popular Groups:
- Location (Seattle, Portland, etc.)
- Industry
- Material Type
Custom Fields: Track What Matters Most
Tailor your account with custom fields at the company, deal, or person level. Capture the info that’s relevant to your business, not just generic details.
Examples:
| Field Name | Level |
|---|---|
| Residential | Company |
| Commercial | Company |
| Estimate | Deal/Company |
| Date | Deal |
| Contact | Person/Company |
| Deadline | Deal/Company |
| Built | Company/People |
| Quote | Deal |
| Schedule | Person/Company |
| Trade | Deal/Person |
Person Statuses: Know Your Contacts
Person statuses help you quickly evaluate your relationship with contacts. Create as many as you need to keep track.
Examples:
- Contractor
- Distributor
- Potential Client
- Project Manager
Person Tags: Label for Easy Search
Tags let you group people by industry, role, or any other attribute. There’s no limit to how many tags you can apply.
Sample Tags:
- Partner
- Architect
- Consultant
- Subcontractor
- Surveyor
Sources: Know Where Your Leads Come From
Tracking sources helps you see which marketing efforts drive business.
Common Sources:
- Website
- Market Research
- Architect
- Distributor
For more information on lead sources, click here.
Pipelines & Stages: Map Your Project Journey
Multiple pipelines let you manage different products or services, each with unique processes.
How it works:
- Create pipelines for each product or service.
- Define unique stages for every pipeline.
- Track deals as they move through each phase.
Task and Event Categories: Stay on Schedule
Categorize reminders and events to focus on what matters most.
Examples:
- Site Tour
- Jobsite
- Post-Bid Follow Up
- Appointment
- Design
Automations: Let Pipeline CRM Handle the Routine
Automations keep things moving by handling repetitive tasks. Set up triggers so your team stays informed and nothing falls through the cracks.
Sample Automations:
| Name | Type | Trigger | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web-to-Lead Notification | Person | Create | Notifies when a new lead comes in from the web. |
| New Candidate Alert | Deal | Create | Alerts Deal Owners for new candidates in the Tradesman Pipeline. |
| Company Contact Information Updated | Company | Update | Sends an alert when company contact info changes. |
| Deal - Quote Accepted | Deal | Update | Notifies Accounting when a quote is accepted. |
| Canceled Deal | Deal | Update | Alerts team not to perform initial contact on canceled deals. |
| Inside Sales Notify Sales | Deal | Update | Keeps Sales reps in the loop on deals needing their action. |
| Ready to Process Trigger | Deal | Update | Tasks for the office once an Estimator sells a job. |
| Schedule Reminder / Preparation of Start Info | Deal | Update | Sends email reminders to customers before their scheduled start date. |
Key Takeaways
- Use categories and tags for fast filtering and reporting.
- Customize fields and groups to fit your workflow.
- Automate routine tasks to boost productivity.
- Keep formatting clean for easy reading—short paragraphs, plenty of white space, and bold highlights where it counts.