What should happen automatically after a client accepts a proposal

Why this handoff deserves its own workflow

A proposal usually holds the most precise statement of what the client is buying: scope, deliverables, exclusions, timeline assumptions, price and payment terms. After acceptance, that document often gets filed and the delivery team works from memory or a summary email. Mistakes here show up later as scope disputes and billing corrections.

The goal of the handoff workflow is simple: everything the delivery and billing sides need should be created from the accepted version, automatically, with a person confirming anything that involves money.

Choose a trustworthy trigger

The workflow should start from an event that means "agreed", for example:

• The proposal or e-signature tool reports the final version as signed.
• A person marks the deal as won in the CRM after confirming acceptance.

Avoid starting from "proposal viewed", an email reply that says "looks good", or a payment page visit. If a deposit must clear before work starts, add a second gate on verified payment status from the provider — for example a signed webhook event, as described in Stripe's webhook guide.

What the workflow should create

1. A delivery record — project, job or ticket — with the accepted proposal attached or linked, not retyped.
2. Delivery tasks assigned to named people, based on the services in the proposal.
3. A billing notice with the agreed amounts, schedule and any deposit, sent to whoever invoices. If invoices are drafted automatically, keep them as drafts until approved.
4. A client welcome that confirms what happens next — often the start of the onboarding checklist.
5. A CRM update that moves the deal to the right stage and records the accepted value, so pipeline reports are accurate.

Keep the scope attached

Delivery teams need the exclusions as much as the inclusions. If your proposal says "copywriting not included" or "up to three revision rounds", that line should be visible in the delivery record. Practical options:

• Store the signed PDF on the job record.
• Copy the scope and exclusions section into a structured field.
• Include a "scope summary" field in the proposal template so it can be passed cleanly.

Approval points to keep

• The first invoice. A person checks amounts, tax treatment and dates before it goes to the client.
• Anything not in the proposal template. Custom terms, discounts or payment plans should trigger a review task, not an automatic invoice.
• Changes after signature. A change request should create a task for a person, not overwrite the accepted scope.

The principle is covered in more depth in which steps should need a human approval.

Test it with a real-looking proposal

• A signed proposal creates exactly one project, one set of tasks and one draft invoice.
• A proposal that is viewed or declined creates nothing.
• Custom terms trigger a review task.
• The delivery record shows exclusions as well as inclusions.
• CRM value matches the accepted amount.

Questions

Sources and further reading

• Stripe's webhook guide docs.stripe.com

Official documentation changes. Check the current version before you rely on a rule, limit or setting.