When a quote is accepted, the accounting system issues a proforma invoice for the 40% deposit with a card payment link. The moment the payment clears, the job moves to released on the production board and joins next week's cutting list.
Typical results
0
Jobs cut before the deposit is paid
≈4 days
Typical time from accepted quote to deposit
≈2.5 hrs/wk
Office time no longer spent chasing deposits
Day 3 & 7
Automatic reminders on unpaid proformas
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
In a custom cabinetry shop, accepted quotes often go straight to the production planner while the deposit invoice waits for someone in the office to send it. Jobs get cut and edge-banded before any money arrives, some customers then change their minds, and the office spends about 3 hours a week chasing deposits by phone.
Before and after
Days from accepted quote to deposit received
−56%Jobs started without a deposit per month
−100%Office hours per week chasing deposits
−83%The automation
When a quote is marked accepted in the accounting system, the automation issues a proforma invoice for the 40% deposit with a card payment link and emails it to the customer. The job card sits on the production board under 'awaiting deposit'. When the payment confirmation arrives, the card moves to 'released' and the job is added to next week's cutting list. Unpaid proformas trigger a polite reminder after 3 days and again after 7.
How it works
- 01
Quote marked accepted
The salesperson marks the quote accepted in the accounting system, which is the only trigger the automation needs.
- 02
Deposit proforma sent
A proforma invoice for 40% of the quote is issued with a card payment link and emailed to the customer with the job summary.
- 03
Job waits on the board
The job card appears on the production board under 'awaiting deposit', visible to the planner but kept off the cutting list.
- 04
Payment releases the job
The payment confirmation moves the card to 'released' and adds the job to next week's cutting list.
- 05
Reminders on day 3 and 7
If the proforma is still unpaid, the customer gets an email reminder with the same payment link after 3 days and again after 7.
Starts from
- Accepted quote
- Card payment confirmation
Delivers
- 40% deposit proforma
- Released job card
- Day 3 and 7 reminders
The impact
No job reaches the cutting list without its deposit, so material and machine time go only to committed orders. Deposits typically arrive in about 4 days instead of 9, the office gets back roughly 2.5 hours a week of phone chasing, and the planner sees exactly which jobs are released.
Questions about this automation
Which systems does this connect to?
It connects the accounting system that holds the quotes and issues proformas with the production board where job cards live, such as a monday board, Trello or a Google Sheets plan. The card payment link comes from the accounting system or its payment add-on, so payment status flows back automatically.
What if a customer pays the deposit by bank transfer?
When the bookkeeper records the transfer against the proforma in the accounting system, it is matched the same way as a card payment and the job is released. A partial payment keeps the card in 'awaiting deposit' and shows the remaining amount on the card, so the planner knows why it is waiting.
What does the factory prepare before go-live?
The factory needs its quote and proforma templates, the deposit percentage, a production board with 'awaiting deposit' and 'released' columns, and agreed wording and timing for the reminder emails. Simple automations like this are usually live within days.