# Workflows
Workflows are customizable sales pipelines that match your business process. Create unlimited workflows with custom stages, drag-and-drop organization, and powerful filtering to manage every project from lead to completion.
## What Are Workflows?
Workflows are visual pipelines that organize your solar projects by stage. Each workflow contains multiple stages representing steps in your process.
**Examples:**
- **Residential Pipeline** - Lead → Qualified → Site Visit → Quoted → Negotiating → Signed → Installed
- **Commercial Pipeline** - Inquiry → RFP → Design → Proposal → Contract → Engineering → Construction → Complete
- **Referral Pipeline** - Referral Received → Contacted → Qualified → Quote Sent → Closed
## Why Use Workflows?
### Organization
- **Visual Pipeline** - See all projects at a glance
- **Stage Clarity** - Know exactly where each project stands
- **Team Alignment** - Everyone sees the same view
- **Process Standardization** - Consistent approach across team
### Efficiency
- **Drag & Drop** - Move projects between stages instantly
- **Bulk Actions** - Update multiple projects at once
- **Quick Filters** - Find projects instantly
- **Custom Views** - Show only what matters
### Analytics
- **Conversion Tracking** - See where projects stall
- **Pipeline Value** - Total dollar value by stage
- **Time in Stage** - Identify bottlenecks
- **Win/Loss Rates** - Track success rates
## Creating Workflows
### Create Your First Workflow
1. Navigate to **Workflows** from the main menu
2. Click **New Workflow**
3. Enter workflow details:
- **Name** - e.g., "Residential Solar Pipeline"
- **Description** - Optional description
- **Color** - Visual identifier (optional)
4. Click **Create**
### Default vs. Custom Workflows
**Default Workflow:**
- Automatically assigned to new projects
- Set in Company Settings
- Can be changed anytime
**Custom Workflows:**
- Create for specific project types
- Assign manually or via automation
- Unlimited workflows per account
## Managing Stages
Stages are the steps within a workflow. Create as many as you need.
### Creating Stages
1. Open a workflow
2. Click **Add Stage** or **+**
3. Enter stage details:
- **Stage Name** - e.g., "Site Visit Scheduled"
- **Description** - What this stage means
- **Color** - Visual indicator
- **Order** - Position in pipeline
4. Click **Save**
### Common Stage Examples
**Early Stages:**
- New Lead
- Qualified
- Contacted
- Site Visit Scheduled
- Site Visit Complete
**Middle Stages:**
- Designing System
- Quote Prepared
- Quote Sent
- Following Up
- Negotiating
- Proposal Updated
**Late Stages:**
- Contract Signed
- Permits Submitted
- Permits Approved
- Installation Scheduled
- Installation Complete
- System Activated
**Terminal Stages:**
- Won/Closed
- Lost/Dead
- On Hold
- Cancelled
### Reordering Stages
**Drag & Drop:**
1. Click and hold stage header
2. Drag left or right
3. Drop in new position
4. Order saves automatically
**Manual Order:**
1. Click stage settings
2. Enter position number
3. Save changes
### Editing Stages
1. Click stage settings icon (⚙️)
2. Modify any field
3. Click **Save**
4. Projects in stage unaffected
### Deleting Stages
1. Click stage settings icon
2. Select **Delete Stage**
3. Choose what to do with projects:
- Move to another stage
- Move to another workflow
- Delete projects (careful!)
4. Confirm deletion
> **Warning:** Deleting a stage cannot be undone. Projects must be moved first.
## Working with Projects in Workflows
### Kanban View
Visual board showing projects as cards in columns (stages).
**Features:**
- **Card Preview** - See key project info
- **Drag & Drop** - Move between stages
- **Quick Actions** - Click card for details
- **Color Coding** - Visual indicators
- **Stage Counts** - Number of projects per stage
**Customizing Kanban Cards:**
Choose what information displays on cards:
1. Click **View Options** or **⚙️**
2. Select fields to display:
- Customer name
- System size (kW)
- Project value
- Assigned team member
- Due date
- Last activity
- Custom fields
3. Cards update instantly
**Card Actions:**
- **Click** - Open project details
- **Drag** - Move to different stage
- **Right-click** - Quick actions menu
- **Hover** - Preview details
### Spreadsheet View
Table view with sortable, filterable columns.
**Features:**
- **All Data Visible** - See multiple fields at once
- **Sorting** - Click column headers
- **Filtering** - Advanced filters
- **Bulk Selection** - Select multiple rows
- **Export** - Download to CSV/Excel
- **Custom Columns** - Choose what to show
**Customizing Spreadsheet Columns:**
1. Click **Columns** button
2. Select columns to display:
- Customer Info (name, email, phone)
- Project Details (status, value, size)
- Dates (created, updated, due)
- Team (assigned to, created by)
- Financial (value, paid, outstanding)
- Custom Fields
3. Drag to reorder columns
4. Set column widths
5. Save view
**Spreadsheet Actions:**
- **Click row** - Open project
- **Sort** - Click column header
- **Filter** - Use filter controls
- **Multi-select** - Checkbox selection
- **Bulk actions** - Apply to selected
### Switching Views
Toggle between Kanban and Spreadsheet:
- Click **Kanban** or **Spreadsheet** tab
- Keyboard: `K` for Kanban, `S` for Spreadsheet
- View preference saves per workflow
## Moving Projects Between Stages
### Drag & Drop (Kanban)
1. Click and hold project card
2. Drag to destination stage
3. Drop to move
4. Stage automatically updates
5. Activity logged
### Bulk Move
Move multiple projects at once:
1. **Select Projects:**
- Kanban: Hold Shift, click multiple cards
- Spreadsheet: Check boxes
2. **Choose Action:**
- Click **Bulk Actions**
- Select **Move to Stage**
3. **Select Destination:**
- Choose stage
- Choose workflow (if moving workflows)
4. **Confirm:**
- Review selection
- Click **Move**
- All projects update
### Move All Projects from Stage
Move entire stage to another:
1. Click stage settings (⚙️)
2. Select **Move All Projects**
3. Choose destination stage/workflow
4. Confirm
5. All projects move at once
### Move Between Workflows
Transfer projects to different workflow:
1. Open project details
2. Click **Change Workflow**
3. Select destination workflow
4. Select destination stage
5. Save changes
**Or Bulk Move:**
1. Select multiple projects
2. Bulk Actions → **Change Workflow**
3. Select workflow and stage
4. Confirm
## Searching and Filtering
### Quick Search
Search bar at top of workflow:
- Search by customer name
- Search by project name
- Search by location
- Search by system size
- Instant results as you type
### Advanced Filters
Filter projects by multiple criteria:
**Filter Options:**
- **Customer Name** - Specific client
- **Assigned To** - Team member
- **Date Range** - Created, updated, due dates
- **Project Value** - Dollar amount ranges
- **System Size** - kW ranges
- **Tags/Labels** - Custom tags
- **Custom Fields** - Any custom data
**Using Filters:**
1. Click **Filter** button
2. Add filter criteria
3. Combine multiple filters (AND/OR logic)
4. Results update live
5. Save filter as view
### Saved Views
Create reusable filtered views:
1. Set up filters
2. Click **Save View**
3. Name the view
4. Choose visibility (personal or team)
5. Access from Views dropdown
**Example Saved Views:**
- "My High-Value Projects" - Assigned to me, >$30k
- "Stalled Leads" - In lead stage >30 days
- "This Week's Installs" - Install stage, this week
- "Urgent Follow-ups" - Due this week
### Sorting
**Kanban Sort:**
- Within each stage column
- By date, value, name, etc.
- Drag manually to override
**Spreadsheet Sort:**
- Click any column header
- Ascending/descending toggle
- Multi-column sort (Shift+click)
## Workflow Analytics
### Pipeline Metrics
**Stage Analytics:**
- Number of projects per stage
- Average time in each stage
- Conversion rate to next stage
- Drop-off rates
**Financial Metrics:**
- Total pipeline value
- Value per stage
- Average project value
- Won revenue vs. pipeline
**Time Metrics:**
- Average sales cycle length
- Time in each stage
- Fastest/slowest projects
- Bottleneck identification
### Workflow Reports
Generate reports for:
- Monthly pipeline health
- Win/loss analysis
- Team performance
- Conversion funnels
- Revenue forecasting
## Best Practices
### Workflow Design
**Keep Stages Clear:**
- ✅ "Site Visit Scheduled" (specific, actionable)
- ❌ "In Progress" (vague, unclear)
**Logical Flow:**
- Stages should progress naturally
- Clear entry/exit criteria
- No skipping stages when possible
**Not Too Many:**
- 5-10 stages ideal for most workflows
- Too few = not enough visibility
- Too many = overwhelming, unused
**Not Too Few:**
- Minimum 4-5 stages
- Enough to track progress
- Identify where projects stall
### Stage Movement
**Update Promptly:**
- Move projects when status changes
- Don't let stages become stale
- Accurate pipeline view = better decisions
**Document Why:**
- Add notes when moving
- Especially for losses
- Build knowledge base
**Automate When Possible:**
- Set up triggers for common moves
- E.g., Quote sent → automatically to "Quote Sent" stage
- Reduce manual updates
### Team Workflow
**Assign Ownership:**
- Each project has owner
- Clear responsibility
- Accountability
**Regular Reviews:**
- Weekly pipeline review
- Identify stalled projects
- Distribute workload
**Consistent Usage:**
- Team uses same workflow
- Standard definitions
- Regular training
## Multiple Workflows Strategy
### When to Use Multiple Workflows
**Different Sales Processes:**
- Residential vs. Commercial
- New customers vs. Existing customers
- Direct sales vs. Partnerships
**Different Project Types:**
- Solar installations
- Battery additions
- Maintenance contracts
- Referral management
**Different Teams:**
- Sales team workflow
- Installation team workflow
- Support team workflow
### Managing Multiple Workflows
**Clear Naming:**
- Descriptive workflow names
- Consistent naming convention
- Easy to identify at a glance
**Default Assignments:**
- Route projects automatically
- Based on criteria (value, type, etc.)
- Reduce manual assignment
**Cross-Workflow Views:**
- Dashboard showing all workflows
- Filter across workflows
- Unified search
## Workflow Automation
### Stage-Based Triggers
Set actions when projects move:
**Automatic Tasks:**
- Enter "Site Visit" → Create site visit task
- Enter "Quote Sent" → Create follow-up task (3 days)
- Enter "Contract Signed" → Create permit task
**Notifications:**
- Project moved → Notify owner
- Project stalled → Notify manager
- High-value project → Notify sales lead
**Field Updates:**
- Enter "Signed" → Update contract date
- Enter "Lost" → Record loss reason
- Stage change → Update project status field
## Troubleshooting
### Projects Not Moving
**Check Permissions:**
- Do you have edit access?
- Workflow locked?
**Try Alternative:**
- Use project details page
- Use bulk move
- Refresh browser
### Stages Not Reordering
**Drag & Drop Issues:**
- Ensure clicking stage header
- Try manual order numbers
- Clear browser cache
### Filter Not Working
**Common Issues:**
- Clear conflicting filters
- Check date ranges
- Verify field values exist
### Missing Projects
**Check Filters:**
- Clear all filters
- Switch to "All Projects" view
- Search by customer name
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**Next:** Learn about [[Tasks]] for managing action items and deadlines across your pipeline.