CRM & Practice Management
One platform for clients, projects and operations
VC develops CRM and practice management platforms that bring client information, projects, tasks, deadlines, staff activity, time and reporting together in one connected environment.
- Active projects
- 24
- Tasks due this week
- 17
- Hours logged (week)
- 312
| Client | Project | Status | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client A | Website platform | In progress | 72% |
| Client B | Onboarding workflow | Review | 90% |
| Client C | Reporting module | In progress | 45% |
| Client D | Data migration | Planning | 18% |
- Client AIn progressWebsite platformProgress 72%
- Client BReviewOnboarding workflowProgress 90%
- Client CIn progressReporting moduleProgress 45%
- Client DPlanningData migrationProgress 18%
Upcoming deadlines
- TodayApprove onboarding checklist
- ThuSubmit project cost summary
- FriClient review meeting
The basics
CRM, practice management and how they fit together
What a CRM is
Customer relationship management
A CRM (customer relationship management) system is where an organisation keeps structured information about its clients. That includes who they are, how to contact them, what work has been done for them and the history of the relationship. A good CRM means anyone with the right access can see the full picture of a client, rather than relying on individual inboxes or memory.
What a practice management system is
Managing the work itself
A practice management system focuses on the work delivered for clients: projects (sometimes called jobs), the tasks within them, who is responsible, the deadlines that apply, and the time spent. It helps an organisation plan, allocate and track work, and see how that work is progressing.
How they work together
Clients and work in one place
A CRM and a practice management system are most useful when they are connected, or built as one platform. The client record links to the projects carried out for that client. Projects link to tasks, staff and deadlines. Time is recorded against tasks. Reporting can then show not just who your clients are, but what work is under way, who is doing it and how it’s progressing.
Client information management
Client records that stay complete and current
- Client records: structured account information, contacts and key details held in one place.
- Client history: a record of past work, interactions and activity.
- Project information: the projects linked to each client and their current status.
- Account information: the information needed to manage the relationship and connect to billing.
VC designs the client account database structures and CRM data architecture behind these records. The aim is information that is consistent, searchable and ready for reporting.
- Account
- Client A Ltd (example)
- Primary contact
- J. Example
- Account manager
- Staff member 3
- Status
- Active
Client history
- Project openedReporting module
- Document receivedSigned engagement letter
- Time recorded3.5 hours, design review
Project management
Tracking work from start to finish
- Project tracking: see every project’s stage and status.
- Staff allocation: assign people to projects based on responsibility and availability.
- Task assignment: break work into tasks with clear owners.
- Deadlines: record key dates against projects and tasks.
- Workflow status: show where each piece of work is in its process, and what happens next.
Staff and activity
Visibility of who is doing what
- Staff activity monitoring: record activity against projects and tasks so managers can see how work is progressing.
- Role-based permissions: administrative and staff-level permissions that control what each person can see and change.
- Workload visibility: understand how work is distributed across the team.
- Task allocation: assign and reassign tasks as priorities and capacity change.
Time tracking
Time linked to the work it relates to
Project records, so time builds up against the right project;
Task records, so you can see where effort is going within a project;
Client work, so time can inform billing, profitability and reporting.
Connected time data can then feed reporting, project costing and accounting integrations, rather than sitting in a separate timesheet.
- Time entry3.5 hours
- TaskDesign review
- ProjectReporting module
- ClientClient A
Reporting
Oversight built into the platform
- Operational reports: projects, tasks and activity.
- Workload information: how work is spread across staff and teams.
- Management oversight: summaries that help managers spot issues early.
- Project information: status, deadlines and progress across the portfolio.
For deeper financial and trend reporting, see Data, Analytics & Reporting
Workflow notifications
Keeping work moving
- Deadline notifications: remind the right people before key dates.
- Task alerts: notify people when tasks are assigned, updated or overdue.
- Priority indicators: highlight what needs attention first.
- Deadline tomorrowProject 14 · Client review
- Task assigned to youPrepare cost summary · Client C
- High priorityOnboarding documents · Client B
Multi-user environment
Built for many people working at once
A CRM or practice management platform is used by many people at the same time. They search records, update tasks and record time throughout the day. As the number of users and the volume of information grow, the backend and database may need optimising so the system stays responsive. VC’s work includes multi-user system optimisation and database architecture designed with this in mind.
Connected practice management
What a connected practice management environment could look like
01Client
The client record and history.
02Project
The piece of work carried out for the client.
03Tasks
The activities that make up the work, with owners and deadlines.
04Staff
The people allocated to the tasks.
05Time
Time recorded against tasks and projects.
06Cost
Time and expenses combined into project cost.
07Billing
Billing information prepared for invoicing, and shared with accounting where integrated.
08Reporting
Workload, progress and profitability visible to management.
FAQ
CRM & practice management questions
What is practice management software?
Practice management software helps an organisation manage the work it delivers for clients: projects, tasks, deadlines, staff allocation and time. It is often used alongside, or combined with, a CRM that holds client information.
In a well-designed platform the two are connected. Everything about a client, and the work done for them, can then be seen and reported on together.
Why build a CRM rather than buy one?
Off-the-shelf CRMs work well for many organisations. A bespoke or extended CRM is worth considering when your client and project structures are specialised, or when you need tight links between clients, projects, time and billing. It is also worth considering when your permissions and reporting needs don’t fit a standard product. Whether building, extending or integrating is the most sensible route can be assessed during discovery.
Can staff have different permissions?
Yes. Role-based access means administrators, managers and staff can each have permissions suited to their responsibilities, covering what they can see, create, edit or approve. Permissions are defined during design, based on how your organisation works.
Can we move our existing client data into a new system?
Usually, yes. Legacy data migration involves extracting historical data, mapping old fields to the new structure, validating the information and migrating client histories and related files. The effort depends on the quality and format of the existing data. See Systems Integration for more detail.
Can the CRM connect to our accounting system?
Accounting integration is part of VC’s documented work, including integration functionality for platforms such as Xero and QuickBooks. What can be exchanged depends on the accounting platform and your requirements.
How many users can the system support?
Platforms are designed for multi-user use, and the backend and database can be optimised as usage grows. The right architecture depends on the expected number of users, how they work and the volume of data. This would normally be considered during design, rather than quoted as a generic figure.
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