The proposal timeline: from scope to handoff

A well-run automation project feels boring. It follows a known sequence, and nothing surprising appears. Here is the sequence.

The five steps

1. Discovery. 15 to 30 minutes. We map where the hours leak and rank the targets by payback.
2. Scope. The whole system is written down: what triggers what, where data lives, what happens on failure. The price is fixed here, before any tool is touched.
3. Build. The workflow is constructed in your accounts, on your stack, with weekly check-ins.
4. QA. The failures are tested, not just the happy path: missing fields, duplicates, failed connections.
5. Handoff. Runbooks, training and a named owner in your team. You can run it without me.

For a deeper look, see Automation ROI: how to calculate it.

The timing

A single workflow is live in 5 to 7 business days. A pipeline or rebuild takes two to four weeks, depending on scope.

What protects you

• Fixed price before work starts.
• Built in your accounts, under your ownership.
• Documentation at the end.
• No dependency on the builder to keep it running.

What protects the builder

A clear scope, a named owner on your side and decisions made on time. Projects drift when either side is vague.

The outcome

You know the price, the timeline and the end state before anything is built. That is the point of a process, and it is how automation should feel: predictable.

If you want to see the process on your own first workflow, the free systems audit is step one.

Free resource: Workflow automation audit workbook

Free resource: Software bill review checklist

Read next: How to start with one workflow · What a small business automation consultant costs · The reporting automation that shows what matters