Start by getting clear on your goals for using Dubsado — how much of your business do you want to be automated?

No two businesses, even in the same industry, will have the same process of working with their clients.

Build your workflows around how you want to run your business. There is no single perfect way to build a workflow!

It is crucial to know where your process begins — in Dubsado, this is usually with a lead capture form.

A lead capture is a shareable form that when submitted, brings a new client into Dubsado, creates a new project, and can automatically apply a workflow to that new project.

Even if you don't have a website, you can still use a lead capture! Lead captures can be shared with a direct link or even filled out by you, the business owner, on behalf of the client.

Identify the different services you offer in your business, because each service may follow a different process. The lead capture can either start the same default workflow each time it is submitted, or it can start a different workflow based on which option the client selects.

Write out every step in the process of working with your client for each of your services.

Your process outline is the foundation for your workflows, so don't leave anything out! Note each and every package, form, email, scheduler, payment plan, and manual task that is involved, as well as the timing of each step.

Look at the process you have written out and highlight or circle each and every piece of content (forms, emails, etc.) that you need to build in Dubsado.

Create all of your content ahead of time to streamline the workflow-building process.

Walk through each step of your process manually within a test project, sending forms, emails, etc. Use your own email for the client so that you can test everything on yourself.

If you know how to accomplish each step in your process manually, you will have more confidence and a much better understanding of how your workflow actually works. This is because the workflow is just automating the steps you already know how to do!

Manual testing also gives you an opportunity to catch missing steps in your process or mistakes in your content.