How it works · Step by step

From first enquiry to successful handover.

Follow a client engagement from first conversation to payment and handover.

One connected workflow11 steps · one record
01Sign inWorkspace ready
02LeadsEnquiry captured
03Proposals and contractsTerms agreed
04ProjectsWork planned
05Time trackingEffort recorded
06BillingInvoice sent
07PaymentsPayment confirmed
08ProfitabilityMargin known
09Wrap-upHandover complete
10Client feedbackResponse captured
11DashboardWhole picture
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How it works · Step by step

From first enquiry to successful handover.

Follow a client engagement from first conversation to payment and handover.

01 / Sign in

Sign in with Google. Your workspace is ready.

On your first sign-in, Northline sets up a workspace for you and takes you straight to a guided setup.

What you need
  • Sign in with Google
  • Your name from Google
  • Optionally add your business name later
What happens next

You arrive at your dashboard with a setup checklist ready to guide you.

02 / Leads

Add the enquiry to your pipeline.

Add the company, contact, source, value, and follow-up date, then move the opportunity through the stages.

What you need
  • Company, contact name, email, and phone
  • Source, such as referral or inbound
  • Estimated value and currency
  • Next follow-up date
What happens next

Keep notes with the opportunity. When you are ready, choose Convert to create the client and project.

03 / Proposals and contracts

Draft, share by link, capture a signature.

Use approved clauses and choose the appropriate regional terms. Share a private review link and collect a signature online.

What you need
  • Title, client or lead, value, and currency
  • Scope, timeline, assumptions, pricing terms, and expiry date
  • Approved clauses
  • Signer name, email, and role
What happens next

Once accepted, turn the proposal into a project with milestones, tasks, and an optional deposit invoice.

04 / Projects

Milestones and tasks under one project.

See completion, approvals, and remaining tasks at a glance. Choose which milestones clients can see.

What you need
  • Milestone title, due date, and client visibility
  • Task title, priority, status, and due date
  • Documents attached to the project or client
What happens next

As milestones are completed, clients can review and accept them from the portal.

05 / Time tracking

Start a timer, or add time manually.

Track time against a project and task, or add an entry after the fact. A reminder helps prevent forgotten timers.

What you need
  • Project, task, and description
  • Duration from a timer or manual entry
  • Billable status and optional rate
  • Whether the client can see the entry
What happens next

Select billable entries, group them by entry, task, or project, and turn them into an invoice.

06 / Billing

One invoice from many hours.

Create an invoice from your work, add tax or discounts, choose the currency and due date, then send it by email.

What you need
  • Client and optional project
  • Invoice number, issue date, due date, and currency
  • Line items or time from the project
  • Tax and discount amounts
What happens next

Your client receives the invoice with secure Stripe or Razorpay payment options.

07 / Payments

Payment updates the invoice automatically.

Your client pays securely through Stripe or Razorpay, and the invoice updates automatically once payment is complete.

What you need
  • Connect the payment account you want to use
What happens next

The payment is recorded against the invoice, the remaining balance updates, and the invoice is marked paid when fully settled.

08 / Profitability

Once expenses and time are logged, you know the number.

Northline calculates gross profit from revenue, labour cost, and direct expenses.

What you need
  • Expenses such as software, contractors, equipment, travel, and marketing
  • Whether each expense is reimbursable
  • Time entries with their rates
What happens next

Download a financial or accounting export for your records.

09 / Wrap-up

Handover, retrospective, and a clear sign-off.

When the last milestone is done, create a wrap-up with deliverables, milestones, invoiced totals, and a maintenance plan.

What you need
  • Handover notes and maintenance plan
  • Retrospective covering wins, risks, scope changes, and lessons
  • Optional satisfaction check-in
What happens next

The project closes with a clear handover record. You can invite the client to share feedback.

10 / Client feedback

Understand how the engagement felt.

Clients can share a score from 1 to 10, sentiment, written feedback, a call request, or a scope change.

What you need
  • Score from 1 to 10
  • Sentiment from delighted to unhappy
  • Feedback, change request, or call request
What happens next

Feedback appears on your dashboard so your team can follow up when needed.

11 / Dashboard

Your dashboard reflects the work you just did.

Pipeline value, receivables, unbilled work, active projects, and your effective hourly rate stay current.

What you need
  • Key numbers that update with your work
  • A clear view of the work, revenue, and delivery activity that needs attention
What happens next

Repeat the rhythm with the next enquiry.

Ready?

From sign-up to first invoice in under 30 minutes.

Our goal is to help you send your first invoice in under 30 minutes.

Start free trial