Most CRM confusion comes from asking one record to do every job. In Powerlily, workflows organize the process, stages show where work is, quotes hold individual opportunities and projects, and clients connect several jobs to the same customer.
The CRM model in one minute
Record |
What it does |
|---|---|
Workflow |
Defines a process and contains its stages. |
Stage |
Shows the current position of a quote or project inside that process. |
Quote |
Holds one opportunity or project, including its site, design, pricing, proposal, activity, and outcome. |
Client |
Groups one customer's quotes, systems, documents, and conversations. |
Workflows contain stages
A workflow is a pipeline with stages that match the way your company moves work forward. A residential workflow might include New Opportunity, Site Visit, Proposal Sent, Won, Installing, and Complete. Commercial work or service work can use different workflows with different stages.
A stage belongs to one workflow. A quote sits in a stage, so its workflow is determined by the stage it currently occupies.
Stage and project status answer different questions
Stage answers, “Where is this project in our process?” Project status answers, “What is the outcome or operating state of the project?”
A quote may sit in a Proposal Sent stage while its project status remains Quote. When the work is accepted, the status may become Won or In Progress while the record continues through operational stages. Moving a record between stages preserves its stage history.
A quote represents one opportunity or project
A quote has its own customer details, site address, system design, pricing, documents, and activity. It can stand on its own, which is useful when a customer has only one project.
The quote becomes more than a price as work progresses. It remains the shared project record used by sales, design, operations, invoicing, and field teams.
A client connects several jobs
A client is the umbrella above individual quotes. One homeowner might have a residential solar project, a later battery addition, and a separate commercial project. Those quotes can use different addresses and workflows while still belonging to the same client.
- A client can have several quotes and installed systems.
- Each quote keeps the details specific to that job.
- The client connects the customer relationship across those jobs.
- A client is not placed directly in a workflow. Its quotes are.
A client record is not automatically a portal account
You can use a client internally without inviting the customer. This groups their work and contact history without giving them access.
When the customer is invited, the same client becomes their Client Portal identity. The portal can expose the proposals, projects, installed systems, documents, and conversations that have been shared with that client.
Visibility is separate from pipeline position
A quote's stage tells you where the work is. It does not, by itself, decide who can see it. Staff visibility is determined by the person's role, branch access, workflow membership, ownership, assignment, and configured record scope.
Use Team Members, Roles, and Permissions for role capabilities. Use Branches, Workflows, and Record Visibility for the way those controls combine.
Choose the view that fits the work
View |
Best for |
|---|---|
Board |
Seeing pipeline position and moving projects between stages. |
List |
Searching, filtering, sorting, and reviewing many records. |
Spreadsheet |
Editing supported fields across several records. |
Calendar |
Reviewing scheduled events and dated work. |
Map |
Understanding where projects are located. |
Collaboration |
Keeping workflow discussion and shared files together. |
Keep activity attached to the correct record
Tasks, events, comments, files, messages, and automation activity should stay with the lead, quote, project, or client they concern. That gives the next person the history without forcing them to reconstruct it from unrelated inboxes and calendars.
Tasks, Events, Notes, Files, and Project History explains which activity type to use and where it appears.
Quick reference
- Moving work forward: move the quote to another stage.
- Recording the outcome: update the project status.
- One customer with several jobs: connect the quotes to one client.
- Giving the customer access: invite the client to the portal.
- Restricting staff visibility: configure roles, branches, workflows, and record scopes.
- Automating the process: use triggers tied to the relevant lead, quote, client, or system event.
Related guides
- Powerlily Quick Start: From Lead to Completed Project. Follow the complete journey.
- Managing Leads: List, Board, Filters, and Insights. Work with opportunities before conversion.
- Automating Your Workflow: Triggers, Steps, and Conditions. Respond automatically as records change.
