Full Sail Partners Blog

For marketing professionals and business developers in project-based firms, managing client relationships effectively is critical. Deltek Vantagepoint workflows provide powerful tools to automate and enhance your CRM processes, ensuring your team stays ahead in your competitive markets.

Below are five different CRM workflow examples that you can create in Vantagepoint to help speed up and automate your data management processes. Read to the end to get a bonus tip and some additional information about workflow actions and maintenance.

1. Automate Role Assignments for Efficiency

Consider the setup of a new potential project within your CRM system. The usual process may involve manually assigning a client manager or principal based on client relationships and organizational hierarchies—a task prone to human error and time-consuming cross-referencing. However, with Deltek Vantagepoint workflows, these assignments can be automated.

CRM Workflow Example: When you enter a new potential project into the system, the workflow can automatically assign the client manager and principal based on predefined rules related to the client and their organization. This not only reduces the potential for errors but also streamlines the process, freeing up your team to focus on strategy and client engagement.

2. Proactive Alerts for Immediate Action

Alerts are a critical component of staying proactive and responsive. In Deltek Vantagepoint, workflows can be set to trigger alerts—both emails and notifications—based on specific conditions within the CRM.

CRM Workflow Example: When a project’s stage is changed to “Won” or “Awarded,” an automated email can be sent to the project team, finance, and operations, prompting them to continue the project setup process. This seamless communication ensures that everyone is on the same page and ready to move forward without delay.

3. Uphold Data Quality with ‘Data Police’ Workflows

Data integrity is a non-negotiable aspect of CRM systems. Workflows in Deltek Vantagepoint can act as your 'data police', ensuring that data quality is maintained without the need to make every field mandatory.

CRM Workflow Example: If a new contact is added without crucial information such as their title or email, a workflow can display an error message, prompting the user to complete these fields before saving. This enforces data integrity rules while maintaining user-friendliness. Similarly, if a field critical for project execution is missing—such as a contact’s role or key project detail —a warning can prompt the responsible party to complete this information before proceeding.

4. Automated Reminders for Timely Follow-ups

Workflows can also be employed to keep your team on track with their responsibilities, from updating records to renewing licenses.

CRM Workflow Example: If a proposal’s due date passes without a change in its stage, a workflow can automatically send a reminder to the responsible team member. Similarly, reminders for license renewals or contract expirations can be set, ensuring compliance and uninterrupted service.

5. Dynamic Field Requirements Across Pursuit Stages

Tailoring the amount of information required at different stages of a project pursuit can greatly enhance CRM efficiency, a strategy highlighted by Stacey Ho from Otak. In Deltek Vantagepoint, workflows can be set up to adjust field requirements as a project moves from an early pursuit stage to a contracted project.

CRM Workflow Example: At the “proposal submitted” stage, the workflow might prompt users for comprehensive data including estimated fee, project manager name, etc., while at the “lead” stage, it focuses on basic project information like client name and project name. This ensures relevant and timely data collection without overwhelming the user.

Implementing Stacey Ho’s approach in your Deltek Vantagepoint workflows means your data collection is as dynamic as your pursuits, ensuring you have the right information at the right time to make informed decisions.

Bonus Tip! Proactively Audit Your CRM Data with Scheduled Reports

Regular data audits are crucial for maintaining the accuracy and relevancy of your CRM system. While not technically a workflow, you can leverage the power of monthly scheduled reports to keep your data in check. Instead of overwhelming annual audits such as when you’re preparing your firm’s holiday cards, monthly reports break down the data review process into manageable segments. This allows for more frequent and focused evaluations of your CRM data, ensuring its ongoing accuracy and usefulness.

And a bonus to routine data auditing is that you can see who is creating the records and use these monthly reports as an opportunity to do continuous CRM training!

Example: Set up a monthly report in Deltek Vantagepoint to track new and modified firm and/or contact records. This report can highlight changes in contact details, the addition of new firms, or updates to existing records. You can also create these reports to show you who created the record. By regularly reviewing this report, your team can quickly identify and rectify discrepancies, update obsolete information, and confirm the integrity of new data entries.

These reports enable your team to proactively address data discrepancies and maintain a high standard of data quality. Regular monitoring ensures that your CRM database is not just up to date, but also a reliable foundation for your marketing and business development activities. Diverse Workflow Types to Enhance Your CRM Approach with Deltek Vantagepoint In the realm of CRM management using Deltek Vantagepoint, it's vital to recognize the different types of workflows available to optimize your processes.

User-Initiated vs. Scheduled Workflows

User-Initiated Workflows: These are activated by direct interaction—when a team member makes a change to a record and meets certain criteria, the workflow jumps into action. This hands-on approach ensures that workflows are triggered by deliberate updates, making sure that every client interaction is captured and acted upon.

CRM Workflow Example: A director of marketing updates the status of a marketing campaign. Upon saving, a user-initiated workflow can trigger a sequence of follow-up tasks for the team to execute, ensuring that no opportunity for client engagement slips through the cracks.

Scheduled Workflows: This workflow type functions autonomously, running at predetermined times regardless of user activity. It’s the silent engine in the background, keeping the CRM machine well-oiled and functional without the need for constant user intervention.

CRM Workflow Example: Imagine a scheduled workflow that evaluates project stages every Friday at 5 PM. If a project in an “In Pursuit” stage step has been idle for a certain period (more than 60 days, for example), the workflow can prompt a notification to the assigned business developer to take action.

Workflow Actions: The Muscle Behind Automation

Workflow actions are the actual mechanisms by which automation is applied within your CRM. While these may vary across different systems, Deltek Vantagepoint offers a robust selection of actions:

• Errors or Warnings: These are crucial for maintaining data accuracy. If a field is incomplete or incorrect, the system can flag this with an error or warning—either as a simple notification or by preventing the user from proceeding until the issue is rectified.
• Email Alerts: Tailored emails can be dispatched to specific individuals or groups based on their role or involvement with a record, such as notifying a Project Manager when a project is awarded.
• Alert Notifications: Similar to email alerts, you can send a notification to a selected person or group when the conditions that you specify for the workflow are met, ensuring visibility and prompt attention.
• Field Updates: Changes in one part of the record can trigger updates in another, keeping the data congruent and up-to-date without manual entry.
• Activity Creation: A core function in Deltek systems, this action can, for instance, automatically schedule a debriefing meeting when a project is marked as lost.

Advanced users may also employ more complex actions such as executing stored procedures or SQL scripts, providing a level of customization and control suited to unique business requirements.

Incorporating these varied workflows into your CRM strategy with Deltek Vantagepoint not only increases efficiency but also provides a structured, error-minimized approach to client relationship management. Understanding and utilizing the full spectrum of workflow actions available in Deltek Vantagepoint is key to harnessing the full potential of your CRM system, turning routine data management into strategic asset management.

Regular CRM Workflow Maintenance

Maintaining the efficiency and accuracy of your workflows is as crucial as setting them up. Julie Huval from Beck Technology shares a proactive approach to ensure that your Deltek Vantagepoint workflows continue to function optimally.

Biannual Workflow Checkups: To keep workflows running smoothly, it’s important to conduct regular maintenance. Beck Technology implements a biannual cleaning routine, which involves revisiting and updating their workflows to ensure they align with current business processes and data requirements.

Example: Julie maintains a running list on their Kanban card of items to be reviewed and cleaned every six months. This list serves as a living document, constantly updated with new items identified by the team. When the scheduled cleaning quarter arrives, a new Kanban card is created from this master list to guide the cleaning process, ensuring nothing is overlooked.

Adopting a similar maintenance strategy for your Deltek Vantagepoint workflows, as practiced by Julie Huval and her team at Beck Technology, can significantly enhance the longevity and effectiveness of your CRM system. Regular maintenance not only keeps your workflows aligned with your current business needs but also paves the way for continuous improvement and efficiency in your data management practices.

Leverage Deltek Vantagepoint CRM Workflows for Competitive Advantage

By embedding Deltek Vantagepoint workflows into your CRM strategy, you can enhance the productivity of your marketing and business development teams. The automation of mundane tasks, timely alerts, strict data governance, and the setup of automated reminders can transform the pace and precision of your client management operations, ultimately contributing to a streamlined, efficient, and more profitable business practice.

As we've explored the various ways Deltek Vantagepoint can revolutionize your CRM strategy, remember that these insights are just the beginning. To truly harness the full potential of these dynamic workflows, firsthand experience and guidance are invaluable. We invite you to watch our webinar, where we'll dive deeper into the practicalities of setting up and optimizing various CRM workflows in Deltek Vantagepoint. Click the image below to access the webinar.