Hours from signed contract to project ready for time entry
Staff cannot charge time accurately until the project exists. Faster setup means fewer misallocated hours.
Architecture firms · Systems integration
Set up each project once, and keep the numbers, folders and contacts in sync
When an architecture firm wins a project, someone creates it in Ajera or Vantagepoint, builds a folder structure on the server, sets up a Revit project, adds contacts to Outlook, updates the CRM and starts a Teams channel. Each step is typed by hand, often by different people, and names never quite match. Six months later nobody can find the right folder.
How it often works today
- Project setup takes several people across accounting, IT and the PM, and new projects wait days before staff can charge time to them.
- Project numbers and names differ between Ajera, the file server and the CRM, so reports and searches miss information.
- Consultant and client contacts are kept in personal Outlook address books, and leave with the employee who managed the project.
- Marketing cannot easily pull project data, photos and fees for proposals because the information sits in disconnected systems.
Systems integration connects the tools you already pay for so that a signed proposal creates the project in one place and the rest follows. It is usually modest work with Power Automate, Zapier or native connectors. Sometimes the right answer is simply a project setup checklist and naming standard.
The improved workflow
Map how data moves today
List every system a new project touches, who enters what and where names or numbers drift. This map often shows that two or three connections solve most of the problem.
Agree one source of truth per item
Decide where project numbers, budgets, contacts and files are owned. For example, project accounting owns numbers and phases, the CRM owns client relationships, SharePoint owns documents.
Automate project setup
When a project is created in your accounting system, an automation builds the standard folder structure, Teams channel and CRM record using the same project number and name.
Keep contacts and status in sync
Client and consultant contacts move to a shared CRM or directory, and project status changes in accounting update the CRM, so marketing and principals see current information.
Monitor and document
Each automation logs failures to a named person and is documented in plain language, so the firm is not dependent on one technical employee or outside contractor.
How we deliver this: AI automation for small business or fractional CTO leadership, scoped in writing and run over 90 days. See pricing or the sample scope.
What we would measure
Naming mismatches found in a monthly check
A simple audit of project numbers across systems shows whether the integration is holding.
Staff minutes per new project setup
Captures the admin time saved across accounting, IT and project management.
Where people stay in control
- A person approves new project creation in accounting. Automation copies decisions; it does not decide fees, phases or team assignments.
- Access to client folders follows your existing permissions, and confidential projects can use a restricted setup.
- Integrations use accounts with the minimum access needed, and credentials are held by the firm, not an individual or contractor.
Example
Illustrative example: from signed contract to first timesheet
For example, a 35-person firm signs a library renovation. The office manager creates the project in Vantagepoint with phases from the approved proposal. Within minutes, an automation builds the standard SharePoint folders, a Teams channel and a CRM record using the same project number. The PM's team can charge time the next morning instead of the following week. This scenario is illustrative, and the exact connections depend on your systems.
Tools typically involved
What the first 30 days look like
In the first 30 days we would map every system involved in starting a project, time the current setup, and list naming and data mismatches. Then we would agree sources of truth and pick the one or two connections that remove the most retyping.
Common questions
Our files are on a local server, not SharePoint. Does that matter?
It limits what can be automated, but does not stop the work. Some firms keep Revit central models on local servers or a dedicated platform for performance reasons. We would look at what lives where and why before suggesting any migration, since moving large model files is a project in itself.
Do we need a CRM, or is our accounting system enough?
Vantagepoint includes CRM features, and some firms use them well. Ajera and CORE firms often add a light CRM such as HubSpot for pursuits and relationships. The right answer depends on how many pursuits you track and who uses the information. Sometimes a well-kept spreadsheet is enough.
Who maintains the integrations after you leave?
We would document each automation in plain language, set failure alerts to a named staff member and keep credentials under firm-owned accounts. The design aim is simple, standard connections your IT provider or office manager can support, rather than custom code only one person understands.
The business case
Does it pay for itself?
Illustrative defaults for an architecture firm. Replace them with your numbers.
What this workflow costs today
a month in staff time, before any lost sales
Monthly fee + assumed tools +
Break-even: new clients a month (at first-year value)
Or: staff hours recovered and redeployed
Break-even additional revenue
Value of +1 point of win rate
First 90 days, service fee
Worth a closer lookTest the assumptions
Illustration only, not a forecast or guarantee. Recovered staff time becomes a cash saving only if spending actually declines or the time goes into paid work. Tool costs are an assumption; we replace every number here with yours before recommending a scope.
Systems integration in other industries
Construction and general contractorsEngineering firmsLogistics and freight companiesSmall manufacturers
Systems integration: full guide
Related guides
Is a fractional CTO worth it for a small business?When to hire a CTOHow to scope an automation projectZapier for small business
Terms used here
Next step
Bring one expensive workflow. Leave with a clear next step.
In 30 minutes we look at one recurring workflow, what it costs you today and whether there is a credible case to improve it. If there is not, we will say so.
Book a 30-minute workflow review
Not ready to talk? Take the 3-minute check
30 minutes with Phil or Martin. No technical brief, no pitch deck. Phil or Martin replies personally, usually within one business day.