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Get organised
Getting organised is about how the work flows: from the first enquiry to getting paid, and the stock, paperwork and backlog in between. Sometimes the fix is a Google Sheet built around how you work, sometimes the right app set up properly, and sometimes a whiteboard by the door.
Not every fix is software
Sometimes the right system is a whiteboard and some stickers.
I once cleared a five-year backlog in a warehouse in four weeks, on about two hours a day, on my own. The system was a whiteboard and sticker tags, and I moved every item myself.
It’s the system that matters, not the software. If a clipboard, a labelled shelf or a whiteboard by the door would fix it, I’ll tell you, and help you set it up.
Quote → job → invoice → chase
- Quotes as tidy PDFs from your own template, numbered and saved
- A job list that shows what’s quoted, booked, done and unpaid at a glance
- Invoices made from the job, with nothing typed twice
- Chasing: polite reminders drafted for you when an invoice is overdue, for you to check and send
- On your phone, in the Google Sheets app you probably already have
Not every business needs all of that. Some just need a price list that’s always right, or a stock sheet that tells you what to order. We start with the one thing that’s costing you most.
| Job | Stage | £ | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen refit, Balderton | Quoted | 4,200 | Follow up Fri |
| Sash window, Southwell | Booked | 680 | Tue 14th |
| Fence panels, Fernwood | Done | 390 | Invoice sent |
| Decking, Coddington | Unpaid | 1,150 | Reminder drafted |
The switchover
The bit that usually goes wrong, done properly.
A new system only helps if your old records are in it and everyone actually uses it.
- Your old spreadsheets, paper records or app exports moved across
- You, and anyone who works with you, shown how it works, in person
- A plain-English guide written for you, not for a programmer
- Support while it beds in, and changes when you find something that doesn’t fit
Fit, not another app
Sometimes an app is the right answer. I’ll tell you.
A Google Sheets system usually fits when…
- It’s you, or you and one or two others
- You already use Gmail or Google
- You want to own it, with no monthly subscription
- The way you work doesn’t quite fit an app
An off-the-shelf app may be better when…
- Several people in vans need scheduling and dispatch
- You want card payments taken on the job
- You need accounting software to file your tax
- You’d rather pay monthly than own it
Then I’ll help you choose one, set it up and move your data in.
Estimates
What it usually costs
Estimates, not quotes. You get a fixed price in writing after we’ve talked.
A simple system
from £350
- One job done properly: quotes, a job list, a price list or stock
- Built in Google Sheets, in your own Google account
- A one-page guide and an hour showing you
Quote → job → invoice → chase
from £750
- Quotes and invoices as PDFs from your own template
- A job list: quoted, booked, done and unpaid, with payment reminders drafted for you to send
- Training, and small tweaks in the first month. No monthly app fee
Moving data, training and hands-on organising (like a backlog) are charged by the day, and bigger switchovers are priced on their own: see all prices.
Questions
The things people ask
Do I need to be good with computers?
No. If you can use a spreadsheet on your phone, you can use this. I build it around what you already do, and show you in person.
Who owns the system and the data?
You do. It’s built in your own Google account. If you ever want someone else to look after it, you hand them the folder. There’s no subscription to me unless you want me to look after it.
Is this bookkeeping or accounts?
No. I don’t do bookkeeping or give tax advice. The system keeps your quotes, jobs and invoices tidy, and your accountant will thank you for it.
What if it doesn’t work for us?
We start small, with the one thing costing you most, and you use it before we build more. Changes while it beds in are part of the job.
What’s the one job you’d love off your plate?
Tell me, and I’ll tell you honestly whether a Sheet, an app or nothing at all is the answer.