How to Automate the Quote-to-Cash Hand-offs in CrmLeaf
All editions. Requires the WorkflowAutomation add-on module, which ships off. An Administrator must enable it, and per-plan caps limit the number of rules and the size of each rule.
Availability: All editions. Requires the WorkflowAutomation add-on module, which ships off. An Administrator must enable it, and per-plan caps limit the number of rules and the size of each rule.
Overview
Quote-to-cash is the chain from a won deal to a paid invoice. Most of the delay in it is hand-offs: someone has to remember to prepare the quote, notice the approval, send the invoice or open the delivery task. Workflow Automation lets an Administrator turn those reminders into rules that run on their own. This article gives five practical rules for the quote-to-cash chain and is honest about the limits: a rule cannot be built on the quote record itself, and it cannot fire on a date. For how rules work in general, read INT-14 first.
How It Works
Deal won → Task to prepare the quote → Quote sent and approved → Invoice created → Notify → Invoice paid → Notify
A rule has a trigger (a record is created or updated), conditions combined with AND, and actions. The available actions are: send an in-app notification, send an email, assign the owner, create a follow-up task, update a field, and call a webhook.
| Hand-off | Record the rule watches | Trigger and condition | Action | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A deal is won, so a quote needs preparing | Deal | Updated, stage changed to the Won stage | Create a follow-up task “Prepare quote” for the deal owner | Documented pattern |
| A new client is added, so a first quote should follow | Client | Created | Create a follow-up task “Send first quote” and assign the owner | Documented building blocks |
| A proposal is accepted | Proposal | Updated, status changed to accepted | Notify the owner, and create a task to raise the invoice (a proposal does not create one) | Documented building blocks |
| A quote is approved and the invoice appears | Invoice | Created | Notify the owner or email finance | Test required |
| An invoice is paid | Invoice | Updated, status changed to the paid status | Notify the account owner | Documented pattern |
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Enable the module, build, edit and test rules, and read the execution log.
Building and managing rules is governed by ownership-scoped permissions for Workflow Automation, so rule-building can be delegated to specific roles.
Prerequisites
- The Workflow Automation module enabled, and your plan's limits confirmed.
- A written statement of each hand-off: who should be told or given work, and when.
- A pipeline with a clearly named Won stage if you want the deal rule.
- A test client you can use to approve a test quote.
For Administrators
Step 1: Enable Workflow Automation
What to do: Enable the module and note the plan's rule limit.
What to verify: The Workflow Automation area is available.
Step 2: Start a rule for the first hand-off
What to do: In Workflow Automation choose Add automation, then Start from scratch, or pick a close template from the gallery. Name the rule, pick the record type from the table above, and choose the trigger.
What to verify: The record type and trigger match the row you are building.
Step 3: Add conditions
What to do: For an updated trigger, add the condition with the changed to operator, for example the deal stage changed to Won. For a created trigger you can leave the conditions open so the rule matches every new record.
What to verify: Remember conditions are combined with AND. Build a separate rule for each alternative.
Step 4: Add the action
What to do: Add the action: create a follow-up task, send a notification or send an email with placeholders that fill in from the record. Choose the run mode: sequence, bailout or parallel.
What to verify: The message or task text names the record clearly, for example the client and the document number.
Step 5: Run a Test Run, then save
What to do: Select Test Run and choose one of the five newest records of that type. It reports whether the rule would run, without saving or doing anything. Then save.
What to verify: The result is what you expect, including for a record that should not match.
Step 6: Prove it with a real run
What to do: Repeat the real event. Win a test deal, add a test client, approve a test quote, or mark a test invoice paid. Then open the rule's execution log.
What to verify: The log shows a run and the action happened. For the quote-approved rule in particular, if the log shows no run, an invoice created by the approval does not trigger rules in your account. Remove that rule and use the status and invoices list as described in QTC-16.
Expected Result
Each chosen hand-off runs without anyone remembering it, every run appears in the execution log, and you know which hand-offs the product cannot automate.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- A quote cannot be a rule's record type. Workflow Automation covers Lead, Deal, Client, Task, Ticket, Proposal, Invoice and Project. Quote-related rules are built on the Deal, Client, Proposal and Invoice records around it.
- No time-based trigger. A rule cannot send a reminder because a quote has waited a number of days or its valid-till date is near.
- Conditions are always combined with AND. A chain of rules stops three rules deep. A bulk update of more than 200 records runs no rules. A single run stops starting new actions after about 45 seconds.
- Whether the invoice that CrmLeaf creates on approval fires an Invoice-created rule is not confirmed. Test it before depending on it.
- An email action sends content outside CrmLeaf. Check the wording before you switch it on.
Common Scenarios
Example: from won deal to quote task. A rule on the Deal record fires when the stage changes to Won and creates a “Prepare quote” task for the deal owner. Nobody has to remember that a won deal needs a quote.
Example: paid invoice alert. A rule on the Invoice record fires when the status changes to the paid status and notifies the account owner, so cash received is visible straight away.
Example: proposal accepted. Because an accepted proposal does not create an invoice, a rule on the Proposal record creates a task for finance to raise it.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| You cannot choose Quote as a record type | Quote is not a supported record type | Build the rule on the Deal, Client, Proposal or Invoice record instead. |
| The Invoice-created rule did not run on approval | The invoice created by the approval does not count as a created record, or a condition did not match | Check the execution log. If nothing is logged, rely on QTC-16 signals. |
| The Won-stage rule did not fire | The condition used a different stage name or the change was not an update | Dry-run the rule against that deal and compare the stage value. |
| The rule cannot be saved | The plan's rule or action cap has been reached | Remove or consolidate a rule. See INT-14. |
| You want a reminder after seven days | There is no time-based trigger | Use the manual routine in QTC-18. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I automate follow-ups on quotes in CrmLeaf?
Partly. You can automate the hand-offs around a quote, such as creating a task when a deal is won. You cannot build a rule on the quote record or fire one on a date.
Can an automation notify me when a client approves a quote?
A rule on the Invoice record that fires when an invoice is created is the closest option, since approval creates an invoice. Test it with a real approval, because it is not confirmed that the approval-created invoice triggers rules.
Do I need Workflow Automation to run the quote-to-invoice flow?
No. Quotes, approval and invoicing work without it. Automation is optional.
Is this the same as the quote-to-cash flow in the evaluation guide?
Yes. It is the fourth stage of QTC-13.
Related Articles
- How to Automate Records with Workflow Automation
- How to Evaluate Quoting and Invoicing: The Quote-to-Invoice Workflow
- How to Find Out When a Client Approves a Quote
- How to Follow Up on Quotes Waiting for Approval
- How to Configure Pipelines and Stages
- How to Configure Email, Slack and Push Notifications
Our support team answers on business days. Reference INT-15 so we can jump straight in.