Step 5 · Invoice sent Waiting on: office
Send the invoice the day the job is done
Finished work can wait for paperwork. A same-day closeout reduces the delay before billing.
Potential reduction: 9 days per cycle · sample estimate
Operations Check · for small businesses
How your business runs today
From the first handoff to the last: who owns each step, where work waits, and what you could simplify.
Where you operate
Operations estimates use the selected business type and your answers, not city-specific research.
Sample business · No accounts connected. Answers and checkmarks stay on this browser.
End-to-end cycle
33 days
Sum of the six step times
Time in owner-dependent steps
14 of 33
days · based on sample ownership
Your time on admin
16 hrs / week
Illustrative starting figure
Unpaid customer balances
$38,400
Not verified against your books
How work moves through your business
Typical roles and tools for this business type; step times reflect the sample or your answers.
- Step 1You
Lead comes in
Inbox & phone
2 days - Step 2You
Quote sent
Documents & email
3 days - Step 3Office
Job booked
Calendar & messages
6 days - Step 4Crew
Job done
Paper job sheet
1 days - Step 5Office
Invoice sent
Accounting software
9 days - Step 6Customer
Paid
Invoices & bank
12 days
Where it waits (3)
Step 2 · Quote sent Waiting on: you
Let your team send standard quotes
Keep a price sheet for repeatable jobs, with exceptions routed to you.
Potential reduction: 2 days per cycle · sample estimate
Step 1 · Lead comes in Waiting on: you
Give every new inquiry a prompt reply
An inquiry can sit while you're on a job. A shared reply template makes the next step clear.
Potential reduction: 1.8 days per cycle · sample estimate
No QuickBooks, Gmail, calendar or payment data has been read. These are illustrative estimates, not promised savings. Admin time opportunity is your weekly admin estimate multiplied by the proportion of cycle time above sample targets; opportunities may overlap. No automations are switched on. Verify workflow changes with your team and applicable legal, safety and payment requirements.