Blog
Notes on running client work.
Practical guides on pipelines, proposals, billing, client portals and putting an AI assistant to work, for people who run agencies and service teams.
A HoneyBook alternative for teams: when you outgrow a solo client tool
HoneyBook is a strong fit for solo creatives. Here is how to tell when your team needs timesheets, approvals, projects, a service desk and real permissions.
Client portal for agencies: what to put in it, what to leave out, and how to roll it out
What an agency client portal should include, what to keep internal, and how to roll it out: invoices, documents, projects, requests and approvals.
CRM for agencies: what to look for when you sell, deliver and bill client work
A practical guide to choosing a CRM for agencies: why a sales pipeline is not enough, and what to check across quotes, projects, time, billing and clients.
How to invoice from timesheets without losing hours or arguing with clients
A step-by-step method for turning timesheets into accurate invoices: billable rules, approval, unbilled hours, line grouping, and automating each period.
Progress billing for service businesses: deposits, milestones and percentage of completion
How progress billing works for agencies: deposits, milestones, percentage of completion, retainers, and a worked example from quote to final invoice.
Using Claude with your CRM via MCP: setup, example prompts and permissions
What MCP is in plain language, how to connect Claude to SparkDesk, prompts that map to real tools, and how permissions and the request log keep it accountable.
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