Solutions for Internal Requests

[AHand]

Hi there,

We are a national company that manufactures custom design elements. We are looking for a way to let a sales rep request cost estimates from the management team. We have a pipeline and custom object set up to track drafting for larger projects but this would be a temporary solution to track one-off small items. 

The main goals are:

1. Keep all information regarding the Deal within or associated to the Deal record (as internal emails are never logged to HubSpot)

2. Over time be able to report on request patterns to help inform our stocked offering.

The direction I am leaning is a Playbook used to gather the details and creating properties to use in the playbook that could then be reported on. 

Has anyone set up a process like this within HubSpot? This may be the best (or only fix) available, but can't help but wonder if someone has done this better/smarter. 

Thanks! 

[Josh · Accepted solution]

Hi @AHand,

We set this up for a global manufacturer in a similar direction to what you're doing here, with some variables.

In their scenario they may need to pull in management and/or engineering in for different reasons (costing, availability, pricing, etc.), these are associated with one deal in the system. Sometimes there are multiple of these additional objects associated with the deal. 

They aren't using playbooks, but we created a custom card in the center panel that allows them to add in the relevant details for the associated object...in this case, product line, quarterly quantities, EAU, price per part, etc. The deal itself moves through the pipeline as needed, but when it reaches a relevant stage and there are requirements for management or engineering review, those people are automatically assigned on the deal (based on the industry and location the part will be produced) and it cannot move beyond that point until the review is completed. Not all deals will go through this review, only relevant ones.

Short answer...you're on the right track but I think you'll find that it will need some adjustments once it hits the real world.

We work almost entirely with manufacturing companies and would be happy to dive deeper into the above solution we created or others that may be relevant. Feel free to book a meeting if that's of interest!

Josh

[RKon · Accepted solution]

The idea to use Playbooks to gather request details sounds solid, especially for quick, one-off items. I wanted to add a couple of thoughts based on what I've seen work well in similar setups.

First, consider using HubSpot’s Custom Objects more extensively for these internal requests. You can create a lightweight Cost Estimate Request object linked directly to the Deal. This way, all the request details stay tied to the deal record, and you get more flexibility around tracking multiple requests per deal without cluttering the main pipeline.

To keep things smooth, you could build automations (workflows) that notify the management team automatically when a new request is created, assign tasks, or even update deal properties once the request is reviewed or completed. This helps ensure nothing slips through the cracks, and reps get timely feedback.

On the reporting side, having these requests as their own objects or records means you can build custom reports and dashboards that analyze patterns over time, like request frequency, product types, or turnaround time. This data can definitely inform your stocking decisions down the road.

[JDeWitt87 · Accepted solution]

Hi there!

Your use case for sales reps requesting cost estimates is exactly the type of internal process that Inside Forms (insideforms.com) was built to handle.

While Playbooks can work, we've found that internal forms offer more flexibility and better reporting capabilities for processes like yours. Here's how it would work:

For your cost estimate requests:

• Sales reps open the Deal record and select the "Cost Estimate Request" form
• The form prefills with Deal information and guides them through required fields (item specs, quantities, materials, deadlines, etc.)
• Upon submission, it can notify management via workflow and track all data within the Deal
• All submissions are logged with timestamp and submitter info

Key advantages over Playbooks:

• More robust conditional logic (e.g., show different fields based on product type)
• Better submission tracking - you can see all historical requests per Deal
• Easier to build and modify without affecting other processes
• Can create multiple forms for different estimate types
• All data stays as Deal properties for easy reporting

For your reporting goals:
You'd be able to analyze patterns like most requested items, average turnaround times, requests by rep, seasonal trends, etc. - all using standard HubSpot reporting tools since the data lives in Deal properties.

Feel free to check out insideforms.com for a free trial. I'd be happy to discuss how to set up your specific estimate request workflow!

[RKon · Accepted solution]

The idea to use Playbooks to gather request details sounds solid, especially for quick, one-off items. I wanted to add a couple of thoughts based on what I've seen work well in similar setups.

First, consider using HubSpot’s Custom Objects more extensively for these internal requests. You can create a lightweight Cost Estimate Request object linked directly to the Deal. This way, all the request details stay tied to the deal record, and you get more flexibility around tracking multiple requests per deal without cluttering the main pipeline.

To keep things smooth, you could build automations (workflows) that notify the management team automatically when a new request is created, assign tasks, or even update deal properties once the request is reviewed or completed. This helps ensure nothing slips through the cracks, and reps get timely feedback.

On the reporting side, having these requests as their own objects or records means you can build custom reports and dashboards that analyze patterns over time, like request frequency, product types, or turnaround time. This data can definitely inform your stocking decisions down the road.

[Josh · Accepted solution]

Hi @AHand,

We set this up for a global manufacturer in a similar direction to what you're doing here, with some variables.

In their scenario they may need to pull in management and/or engineering in for different reasons (costing, availability, pricing, etc.), these are associated with one deal in the system. Sometimes there are multiple of these additional objects associated with the deal. 

They aren't using playbooks, but we created a custom card in the center panel that allows them to add in the relevant details for the associated object...in this case, product line, quarterly quantities, EAU, price per part, etc. The deal itself moves through the pipeline as needed, but when it reaches a relevant stage and there are requirements for management or engineering review, those people are automatically assigned on the deal (based on the industry and location the part will be produced) and it cannot move beyond that point until the review is completed. Not all deals will go through this review, only relevant ones.

Short answer...you're on the right track but I think you'll find that it will need some adjustments once it hits the real world.

We work almost entirely with manufacturing companies and would be happy to dive deeper into the above solution we created or others that may be relevant. Feel free to book a meeting if that's of interest!

Josh

[JLumbos]

This worked for me!