Marketing & Creative
A practical guide to configuring Daylite for marketing and creative agencies — covering client accounts, new business pipelines, campaign delivery, team coordination, and the relationship management that keeps retainers renewing.
Why Daylite for Marketing & Creative Agencies
Agency work is relationship work. The difference between a client who renews their retainer and one who quietly moves to a competitor is rarely the quality of the creative — it's whether they felt heard, informed, and well-managed at every stage. That requires a system. Most agencies cobble together project management tools, email threads, spreadsheets, and Slack channels, and end up with client history scattered across three platforms and no one person who has the full picture.
Daylite brings your client relationships, new business pipeline, active campaigns, and team tasks into a single place and links them together. The account lead, the current project brief, the approval chain, the outstanding invoice, and the renewal date all live on one record. When a client calls to ask about the status of their campaign, anyone on the team can answer in seconds. When it's time to pitch a renewal or an upsell, you have the full history of the relationship to draw from.
Daylite is particularly well-suited to agencies that manage a mix of project-based work and ongoing retainers, where client relationships need to be nurtured continuously alongside delivery.
Similar industries
PR and communications agencies — same pitch-to-delivery cycle; pipeline stages, account management workflows, and retainer tracking apply directly.
Digital and performance marketing agencies — paid media, SEO, and social media management firms share the same client account structure and retainer renewal challenges.
Video production and content studios — minimal adaptation needed; treat productions as projects and briefs as the intake form.
Brand and experiential agencies — the account management model fits boutique event-marketing studios and mid-size full-service shops alike.
Advertising agencies — traditional or out-of-home media agencies fit this structure equally well.
Independent marketing consultants and communications strategists — use a simplified version, collapsing the Company-heavy structure into a People-first setup while keeping the pipeline and activity set logic intact.
People vs. Companies — Know the Difference
This is the most important concept to understand before setting anything else up, even before importing your contacts. Daylite treats People (individual contacts) and Companies (organisations, brands, businesses) as entirely separate objects, each with their own categories, keywords, roles, and history. Getting this right from day one will make your database clean, filterable, and useful for years.
The Core Mental Model
Companies are your clients. The agency relationship is with the brand or business — not any one individual. Brand managers, marketing directors, and CMOs come and go. If you build the relationship on the Person record and that contact leaves, you lose the history. Build it on the Company, and the full account history — briefs, campaigns, emails, notes — stays intact regardless of who you're dealing with today.
People are the individuals you deal with at those companies, plus your freelancers, media partners, referral contacts, and industry peers. A Person linked to a Company in a Role is your contact at that account. A Person without a Company link is a direct relationship — a freelancer, a journalist, a fellow agency owner.
Which Record Type to Use
Brand or business client
Company
Person (their marketing contact)
Role: Marketing Manager / CMO
SMB client where you deal with the owner personally
Person
Company (their business)
Role: Owner / Director
Freelancer or contractor
Person
—
—
Media outlet or publisher
Company
Person (your ad rep or editor contact)
Role: Account Rep / Editor
Referral partner or strategic partner agency
Company
Person (your contact there)
Role: Partner Contact
Prospect you met at a conference
Person
Company (their employer)
Role: Employee
Industry peer / creative director at another agency
Person
—
Relationship: Peers with
The key distinction: If the business relationship outlasts the individual — and for most agency clients, it does — make the Company the primary record. Link the individual as a contact with a Role. If your relationship is genuinely person-specific regardless of where they work (a freelancer, a trusted journalist, a mentor), the Person is the primary record.
Setting Up People (Individual Contacts)
People in the agency world include client-side contacts, freelancers, media contacts, production partners, and the referral relationships that fuel new business. Set up your structure before you import.
Before importing contacts, follow the guide below to ensure you have the right foundation and structure in place.
People Categories
Categories are broad buckets — the type of person. Keep this list short and mutually exclusive.
Client Contact
Individual at a current client account
Prospect Contact
Individual at a company you're pursuing
Freelancer / Contractor
Copywriters, designers, developers, photographers on your roster
Media / Press
Journalists, editors, podcast hosts, influencers
Partner
Contacts at partner agencies, vendors, or strategic allies
Industry
Peers, conference contacts, association members
Personal
Non-business contacts
People Keywords
Keywords are the detail layer — stack as many as needed per person. A contact can have multiple keywords simultaneously.
Seniority & authority:
Decision Maker
Budget Holder
Day-to-Day Contact
C-Suite
Mid-Level Manager
Relationship status:
Key Relationship
At-Risk Contact
New Contact
VIP
Warm Introduction Needed
Specialty (for freelancers and partners):
Copywriting
Brand Strategy
Art Direction
Web / Digital
Motion & Video
Photography
PR & Communications
Media Buying
UX / Product Design
Lead source:
Lead Source: Referral
Lead Source: Conference / Event
Lead Source: Inbound Inquiry
Lead Source: Cold Outreach
Lead Source: Existing Client Introduction
Roles
Roles describe the function someone plays in the context of a specific opportunity or project — not their job title.
Role vs. job title: "James is the Decision Maker on the Acme Rebrand project" is a Role. "James is Chief Marketing Officer" is a job title — that goes in the Title field on the contact record, not as a Role. Use Role for Smart Lists and filtering (it's a consistent dropdown); use Title for context (it's free text and won't reliably filter).
Decision Maker
Has authority to approve budgets, sign contracts, and greenlight creative
Day-to-Day Contact
Your primary liaison for briefs, feedback, and approvals
Creative Approver
Reviews and signs off on creative work before production
Legal / Contracts
Handles MSAs, SOWs, and NDAs
Billing Contact
Accounts payable — who receives and processes invoices
Stakeholder
Has an interest in the project but isn't the primary decision-maker
Collaborator
Freelancer or contractor linked to a specific project
Account Lead
Your internal team member who owns the client relationship
Relationships
Relationships capture the two-way connection between people.
Referred by / Referred to
Works with / Works with
Manager of / Managed by
Introduced by / Introduced to
Partner of / Partners with
Friend of
Referral tracking tip: When a client introduces you to a new prospect, link those contacts with "Referred by / Referred to." Over time this shows you your most valuable connectors — and makes sure you acknowledge and reciprocate appropriately.
Setting Up Companies (Client Accounts & Partner Organisations)
Companies are your client accounts. Every brand, business, or organisation you work with — current, past, or prospective — should have a Company record. Even if you don't have a named contact there yet, create the Company first so you can attach contacts, opportunities, and projects to it as the relationship develops.
Company Categories
Active Client
Currently engaged on a retainer or active project
Past Client
Previously worked with — potential for re-engagement
Prospect
In active new business conversations or on your hit list
Partner Agency
Complementary agencies you refer work to or collaborate with
Supplier / Vendor
Print suppliers, production houses, platform partners, tech vendors
Media / Publisher
Outlets, networks, or platforms you buy media through
Industry Body
Associations, awards bodies, trade organisations
Company Keywords
Engagement type:
Retainer Client
Project-Based Client
One-Off Engagement
Multi-Discipline Account
Referred In
Service area:
Brand Strategy
Campaign Creative
Digital Marketing
Social Media Management
Web Design & Development
PR & Communications
Media Planning & Buying
Content Production
SEO / Performance
Account health:
Key Account
At-Risk Account
Renewal Due
Growth Opportunity
Upsell Potential
Payment Issues
Company Types
Corporation
Small Business / Sole Trader
Non-Profit / Charity
Government / Public Sector
Agency
Start-up
Enterprise
Company Industries
Retail & E-commerce
Technology & SaaS
Financial Services
Health & Wellness
Food & Beverage
Real Estate & Property
Education
Hospitality & Tourism
Fashion & Lifestyle
Professional Services
Automotive
Entertainment & Media
Not-for-Profit
Roles on Companies
Primary Contact
Your go-to person for day-to-day account matters
Decision Maker
Who approves the budget and signs off on strategy
Creative Approver
Who reviews and approves creative work
Billing Contact
Who receives invoices and processes payments
Stakeholder
Senior executive or board member with interest in the account
Account Lead
Your internal person who owns this account
Company Relationships
Parent Company of / Subsidiary of
Partner of / Partners with
Referred by / Referred to
Competes with
Acquired by / Acquired
New Business & Pitches (Opportunities)
Every new business conversation — from an inbound enquiry to a competitive pitch to an upsell discussion with an existing client — should become an Opportunity in Daylite. This is how you keep your pipeline visible and avoid the most common agency failure mode: chasing new work reactively because no one tracked what was in progress.
When to create an Opportunity:
An inbound enquiry arrives from a new prospect
You reach out to a prospect and they respond positively
An existing client asks about additional services or a new project
You're invited to pitch or respond to an RFP / RFI
A referral partner introduces you to a potential client
A past client re-engages
Naming convention: use a format that makes the opportunity instantly recognisable on the board — [Client/Prospect] – [Service / Project Type] – [Year]. For example: Acme Corp – Brand Refresh – 2026 or Greenfield Retail – Social Retainer – Q3 2026.
Opportunity Categories
Brand & Strategy
Brand strategy, identity, positioning, messaging frameworks
Campaign Creative
Advertising campaigns, content series, launches
Digital & Social
Social media management, paid social, digital advertising
Web & Digital Products
Website design and build, landing pages, digital tools
PR & Communications
Public relations, media outreach, thought leadership
Retainer
Ongoing monthly engagement across any service area
Media Planning & Buying
Media strategy and paid media management
Content Production
Video, photography, copywriting, podcast production
Opportunity Keywords
Competitive Pitch / RFP
Sole Invite
Upsell / Expansion
Renewal
Referral
NDA Required
Multi-Year Potential
Budget Confirmed
Urgent Timeline
Opportunity Types
Opportunity Type captures how the business came to you — critical for understanding which channels generate the most valuable work.
Inbound – Direct Enquiry
Inbound – Website / Content
Inbound – Referral (Client)
Inbound – Referral (Partner)
Outbound – Cold Outreach
Outbound – Warm Introduction
Invitation to Pitch / RFP
Existing Client – Expansion
Existing Client – Renewal
Conference / Event
Won and Loss Reasons
Track these consistently — patterns over a quarter tell you more about your positioning than any strategy session.
Won:
Strategic Fit
Creative Differentiation
Competitive Rate / Value
Strong Existing Relationship
Speed of Response
Referral / Trust Transfer
Category or Industry Expertise
Lost:
Rate / Budget Mismatch
Competitor Selected
Client Went In-House
Project Cancelled / Postponed
No Response / Gone Dark
Timing / Capacity on Their Side
Proposal Missed the Brief
Opportunity Pipeline
This pipeline covers the full arc of a new business conversation — from first contact to signed agreement.
1. Initial Contact
First conversation made — inbound received or outbound responded to
2. Discovery
Needs established — discovery call completed, brief understood
3. Proposal / Pitch In Progress
Actively working on the proposal, pitch deck, or scope of work
4. Proposal Submitted
Proposal or pitch delivered — awaiting client response
5. Negotiation
Scope, rate, or terms being discussed
6. Contract Out
Agreement sent — awaiting signature
7. Contract Signed
✅ Won. Convert to a Project to begin delivery.
Campaign & Project Delivery (Projects)
When a contract is signed, convert the Opportunity to a Project. The Project tracks everything from kickoff through delivery and sign-off. Each campaign, retainer month, or discrete engagement becomes its own Project so all briefs, emails, tasks, assets, and milestones stay together in one place.
Think of the Project record as the account file — everything that relates to delivering this piece of work lives here.
Project Categories
Brand & Identity
Brand strategy, logo, visual identity, brand guidelines
Campaign
Advertising or marketing campaign with defined deliverables and timeline
Retainer
Ongoing monthly service engagement
Website
Website design, build, or redevelopment
Content Production
Video, photography, written content, podcast
Digital & Performance
SEO, paid media, social media management
PR & Comms
PR campaign, media relations, thought leadership
Strategy
Research, strategy, or consulting engagement
Project Keywords
Awaiting Client Brief
Brief Received
Awaiting Client Approval
Client Feedback Overdue
Rush / Expedited Timeline
Phase 1 / Phase 2 / Phase 3
Requires Legal Review
Multi-Platform Delivery
Assets Pending from Client
Evergreen
Seasonal / Time-Sensitive
Project Pipeline
1. Kickoff
Contract signed. Kickoff meeting scheduled. Brief, assets, and access requested from client.
2. Strategy & Planning
Research, strategic framework, or media plan being developed.
3. Creative Development
Active concept or production work in progress.
4. Internal Review
Work reviewed internally before presenting to client.
5. Client Presentation
Work presented — awaiting client feedback.
6. Revisions
Addressing client feedback.
7. Final Approval
Final version submitted — awaiting written sign-off.
8. Production / Launch
Approved work in production, going live, or being delivered.
9. Reporting & Wrap
Post-launch reporting, results summary, or project close documentation.
10. Invoice Sent
Final invoice submitted — awaiting payment.
11. Complete
Payment received. Project closed.
Calendar Categories
Colour-code your calendar so the whole team can read a week at a glance.
Client Meeting
Orange
Briefings, presentations, reviews, check-ins
Internal Creative Review
Blue
Team reviews before client-facing presentations
New Business
Green
Pitch presentations, prospecting calls, networking
Production / Shoot
Red
Photography, video shoots, recording days — fully blocked
Strategy Session
Purple
Internal or client workshops, planning sessions
Admin
Grey
Invoicing, reporting, contracts, resource planning
Deadline
Yellow
Deliverable due dates, launch dates, contract deadlines
Team
Teal
All-hands, training, culture events
Activity Sets
Activity Sets are pre-built task sequences you apply to a Project or Opportunity with a single click. For agencies, every new project kickoff, every new business pitch, and every retainer renewal follows nearly the same sequence. Build these once and your team never has to remember the checklist again.
Each task uses one of two timing anchors: After start (N days after the record's start date) or Before end (N days before its due date). Set the start and due dates to the meaningful milestones for that phase so both anchors land correctly.
"New Business Pitch" Activity Set
Apply this when: An Opportunity enters the Proposal / Pitch In Progress stage. Set the Opportunity start date = date pitch work begins. Set the due date = proposal submission deadline.
0
After start
Task
Send discovery questions / brief to prospect
1
After start
Task
Schedule discovery or briefing call
3
After start
Appointment
Discovery call with prospect
5
After start
Task
Complete internal briefing — align team on scope and approach
10
After start
Task
Complete proposal / pitch deck
11
After start
Task
Internal review of proposal — sign off before sending
1
Before end
Task
Submit proposal to client
1
Before end
Task
Send follow-up email confirming receipt and next steps
"Post-Pitch Follow-Up" Activity Set
Apply this when: Proposal has been submitted. Set start date = submission date. Set due date = expected decision date.
7
After start
Task
Follow up if no response received
3
Before end
Task
Final follow-up — confirm decision timeline or close out
0
Before end
Task
Mark Opportunity Won or Lost — record reason
"Campaign Kickoff" Activity Set
Apply this when: Contract is signed and project is confirmed. Set Project start date = contract signed date. Set due date = campaign go-live or first major milestone date.
0
After start
Task
Send kickoff confirmation and onboarding form to client
0
After start
Task
Create project record — add all linked contacts and set owner
2
After start
Appointment
Kickoff meeting with client
3
After start
Task
Confirm brief, assets received, and access granted
5
After start
Task
Brief internal team — assign roles and workstreams
7
After start
Task
Confirm project timeline and milestones with client in writing
14
After start
Task
First internal creative review checkpoint
5
Before end
Task
Schedule client presentation
3
Before end
Task
Address any client feedback — final revisions
1
Before end
Task
Obtain final written approval before launch
0
Before end
Task
Deliver / launch campaign
"Retainer Monthly Check-In" Activity Set
Apply this when: Start of each retainer month. Set start date = first day of the month. Set due date = last day of the month.
1
After start
Task
Send monthly activity summary to client
3
After start
Appointment
Monthly retainer check-in call
3
After start
Task
Log notes from check-in call to project record
5
After start
Task
Confirm priorities for the coming month in writing
5
Before end
Task
Prepare next month's scope and send for approval
3
Before end
Task
Send monthly invoice
Forms & Custom Fields
Every new project involves a client brief, approvals, and billing details that need to be captured consistently. Without a Form, this information gets buried in email. With a Form, it lives on the record — structured, findable, and standard across every account.
Forms vs. Custom Fields — which to use:
Form
You need a named group of related fields that only apply to some records — e.g. a creative brief on a Project, a qualification checklist on an Opportunity
Custom Field
You need a single field that should appear on every record of that type — e.g. an Agreed Fee on every Opportunity
Forms are created in Settings > Forms. After defining a form, you manually attach an instance to a record when relevant. A record can have multiple forms attached.
Form: Creative Brief (Project)
Apply this form at kickoff. It replaces the email chain where the brief gets buried and ensures every team member is working from the same documented brief.
Project Overview
Text
One-paragraph summary of what the project is and why
Business Objective
Text
What the client is trying to achieve commercially
Target Audience
Text
Who the work is for — demographics, behaviours, mindset
Key Message
Text
The single most important thing the audience should take away
Mandatories
Text
Logo rules, legal copy, brand lockups, things that cannot change
Deliverables
Text
Exactly what is being produced — formats, sizes, quantities
Approved Budget
Currency
Client-confirmed budget for this project
Campaign Start Date
Date
When work must go live or be delivered
Campaign End Date
Date
End of campaign or delivery window
Approval Required Before Production
Checkbox
Does the client need to sign off on concepts before execution?
Approval Contact Name
Text
Who reviews and approves work
Approval Contact Email
Text
Payment Terms
Popup Options
Net 14 / Net 30 / 50% Upfront + 50% on Delivery / Milestone-Based
Form: New Business Qualification (Opportunity)
Apply this form during the Discovery stage to confirm the opportunity is worth the investment of a full pitch.
Budget Confirmed
Checkbox
Has a budget range been indicated?
Estimated Budget
Currency
Their stated or inferred budget
Decision Maker Identified
Checkbox
Do you have the right person engaged?
Competitive Pitch
Checkbox
Are other agencies pitching?
Number of Agencies Pitching
Number
Pitch / Decision Date
Date
When they need a response or will decide
Services Required
Multiple Checkboxes
Brand / Campaign / Digital / Web / PR / Retainer / Media
Why Us?
Text
Why did they come to you — what's the angle?
Conflicts to Check
Text
Any existing client conflicts to verify before proceeding
Custom Fields
Custom fields appear on every record of their type and are configured in Settings > Custom Fields by renaming the built-in Extra fields. Each object supports up to 12 text fields (Extra 1–12) and 4 date fields (Extra Date 1–4). Field types are limited to text (free text) and date — for richer types such as currency, checkbox, or dropdown, use a Form instead.
On Opportunity — suggested label assignments:
Extra 1
Agreed Fee
Text
Extra 2
Monthly Retainer Value
Text
Extra Date 1
Retainer Start Date
Date
Extra Date 2
Contract Expiry / Renewal Date
Date
On Project — suggested label assignments:
Extra 1
Purchase Order Number
Text
Extra 2
Invoice Number
Text
Extra 3
Hours Budgeted
Text
Extra 4
Client Portal URL
Text
Extra Date 1
Payment Received Date
Date
Note: Agreed Fee and Monthly Retainer Value are stored as free text — custom fields have no currency formatting. For structured budget capture with currency formatting, use the New Business Qualification Form.
Letter & Email Templates
Build reusable templates for the messages you send on every pitch cycle and project — new business acknowledgement, proposal delivery, contract cover, kickoff confirmation, approval request, and project close. These save time and ensure every client receives clear, consistent communication regardless of which team member sends it.
Use <$cnt.firstname$> for the contact's first name, <$me.firstname$> or <$me.fullname$> for the sender's name, and {{placeholder}} for context-specific details filled in at send time.
Template: Inbound Enquiry Response
Used For: Responding to a new business enquiry — send within a few hours of receipt.
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
Thanks for reaching out — we'd love to explore how we can help {{Company Name}}.
From what you've shared, it sounds like you're looking for support with {{brief description of their need}}. That's squarely in our wheelhouse — we've worked with a number of {{relevant sector}} businesses on exactly this kind of challenge.
To make sure we put something genuinely useful together for you, it would help to know a little more about your goals, timeline, and what success looks like for this project.
Would you be open to a 30-minute call this week? I'll send a few times that work on our end.
Looking forward to the conversation.
Best, <$me.firstname$>
Template: Proposal Delivery
Used For: Sending your formal proposal or pitch — after discovery, before contract.
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
Thank you for the time last week — it was really useful to get into the detail of what you're trying to achieve.
I've attached our proposal for {{project name}}. It covers our recommended approach, deliverables, timeline, investment, and the team who would work on this.
A few things worth calling out:
{{Key differentiator or approach highlight 1}}
{{Key differentiator or approach highlight 2}}
{{Any assumption or dependency worth flagging}}
We're excited about this opportunity and confident we can deliver something that moves the needle for {{Company Name}}.
Happy to walk you through it on a call — just let me know. Otherwise, if you have any questions on the document itself, reply here and I'll come back to you quickly.
Best, <$me.firstname$>
Template: Project Kickoff Confirmation
Used For: Confirming the start of a project after contract is signed — sets expectations and requests assets.
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
Excellent — we're thrilled to be working with {{Company Name}} on {{Project Name}}.
To make sure we hit the ground running, I've attached a short onboarding form — it captures the brief, any brand assets we'll need, and approval contacts. If you can complete this before our kickoff call, that would be ideal.
Kickoff call: {{Date & Time}} Agenda: Introductions, brief walkthrough, timeline confirmation, Q&A
In the meantime, if there are any existing brand assets, guidelines, or relevant background materials you can share, please send them through and we'll review ahead of the call.
Looking forward to getting started.
Best, <$me.firstname$>
Template: Creative Approval Request
Used For: Submitting work for client review — creates a clear paper trail for approvals.
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
We're ready for your review on {{Project Name / deliverable description}}.
{{Link or attachment to work}}
What we're asking you to review: {{Specific items requiring feedback or approval}}
Please let us know:
Is this approved to proceed?
If changes are needed, please consolidate all feedback in a single round of comments by {{feedback deadline date}}.
Once we have your written approval, we'll move into {{next stage — e.g. "final production"/"launch"/"print"}}. Please note that changes requested after approval may affect timeline and cost.
Thanks, <$me.firstname$>
Template: Project Close & Results Summary
Used For: Wrapping a project — delivering results, closing the loop, and setting up the next conversation.
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
{{Project Name}} is now complete. Here's a quick summary of what we delivered and how it performed.
Delivered: {{Bulleted list of deliverables}}>
Results: {{Key metrics, outcomes, or feedback received}}
It's been a pleasure working with the team at {{Company Name}} on this one. {{Optional: one sentence on something that went particularly well or a highlight from the project.}}
I'd love to find 20 minutes to debrief — both on this project and to talk about what's coming up for {{Company Name}} in the next quarter. Happy to suggest some times if that works.
Best, <$me.firstname$>
Smart Lists
Smart Lists are saved filters that live in Daylite's sidebar and update automatically. Every time a record changes — a brief comes in, a project moves stage, an invoice goes overdue — your Smart Lists reflect it instantly. Think of them as always-on dashboards for the questions you ask every week.
People Smart Lists
🔑 Decision Makers – Active Clients
Category = Client Contact + Role = Decision Maker
Match All
Client-side decision makers at current accounts — keep these relationships warm
🔥 Key Relationships
Keyword = Key Relationship
Match All
Your most important contacts across all categories
🧊 Client Contacts Gone Cold
Category = Client Contact + Activity not in last 60 days
Match All (sub-filter: Do Not Match All)
Client contacts you haven't been in touch with recently — worth a check-in
🎯 Warm Prospect Contacts
Category = Prospect Contact + Keyword = Warm Introduction Needed
Match All
Individuals at companies you're actively pursuing
🤝 Best Referral Sources
Relationship = Referred to
Match All
Contacts who have sent you business — people worth nurturing
🆕 Added This Month
Create Date = this month
Match All
New contacts added recently — ensure they're properly categorised
Company Smart Lists
💼 Active Client Accounts
Category = Active Client
Match All
All current client engagements
🔁 Retainer Clients
Category = Active Client + Keyword = Retainer Client
Match All
Clients on ongoing monthly engagements — watch renewal dates
⚠️ At-Risk Accounts
Keyword = At-Risk Account
Match All
Clients flagged for attention — needs a conversation
🔔 Renewals Due
Keyword = Renewal Due
Match All
Accounts with upcoming contract renewals — act before they go to market
📤 Active Prospects
Category = Prospect
Match All
Companies you're currently pitching or in active conversation with
💤 Dormant Past Clients
Category = Past Client
Match All
Former clients worth re-engaging
Opportunity Smart Lists
📥 New Enquiries
Pipeline & Stage = Initial Contact
Match All
Fresh conversations that need a response — don't let these sit
📝 Proposals Out
Pipeline & Stage = Proposal Submitted
Match All
Submissions awaiting a decision — follow up if stuck beyond a week
⚖️ In Negotiation
Pipeline & Stage = Negotiation
Match All
Deals being actively worked — need regular attention
📋 Contracts Awaiting Signature
Pipeline & Stage = Contract Out
Match All
Agreed deals where signature is pending — follow up fast
📆 Closing This Month
Forecasted Close Date = this month
Match All
What you expect to close — your near-term revenue view
🚨 Stalled Pitches
Pipeline & Stage = Proposal Submitted + Modify Date = more than 14 days ago
Match All
Proposals with no movement — needs action before they go cold
Project Smart Lists
🎬 Active Campaigns
Pipeline & Stage = Creative Development
Match All
Work actively in progress — check for blocked deliverables
⏳ Awaiting Client Approval
Pipeline & Stage = Client Presentation
Match Any
Ball is in the client's court — follow up if stuck
✏️ In Revisions
Pipeline & Stage = Revisions
Match All
Projects addressing client feedback — watch turnaround time
💰 Invoices Not Sent
Pipeline & Stage = Reporting & Wrap
Match All
Completed work not yet billed — invoice immediately
🧾 Payment Pending
Pipeline & Stage = Invoice Sent
Match All
Outstanding invoices — check payment status and chase if overdue
✅ Completed This Month
Pipeline & Stage = Complete + End Date = this month
Match All
Projects wrapped this month — useful for revenue reporting
Task Smart Lists
🔴 Overdue Tasks
Status = Incomplete + Due Date = past
Match All
Anything already past due — triage immediately
📅 Due Today
Status = Incomplete + Due Date = today
Match All
Today's task focus list
📬 Client Follow-Ups Pending
Category = Follow-Up + Status = Incomplete
Match All
Outstanding follow-ups with clients across all projects
✍️ Approvals to Chase
Category = Approval + Status = Incomplete
Match All
Tasks flagged for chasing client approval
Calendar Smart Lists
📞 Client Meetings This Week
Category = Client Meeting + Start Date = this week
Match All
All client-facing time booked this week
🎨 Production Days This Month
Category = Production / Shoot + Start Date = this month
Match All
Shoot days and major production blocks coming up
🏆 New Business This Week
Category = New Business + Start Date = this week
Match All
Pitches and prospect meetings this week
Pro Tips for Smart Lists
Pin your daily drivers. Add "Overdue Tasks", "Awaiting Client Approval", and "Invoices Not Sent" as Favourites so they're always one click away.
Use emojis in Smart List names to identify the purpose of a list at a glance — especially useful in a shared team environment.
Organise Smart Lists into folders — create folders for Opportunities, Projects, Clients, and Tasks to keep the sidebar manageable as your list grows.
Shared Smart Lists are team dashboards. A small set of shared lists visible to the whole team replaces most status update conversations.
Making It Your Own
Everything in this guide is a starting point. The best setup is the one that reflects how your agency actually works — and that will change as you grow, add services, or shift your client mix.
After a few weeks of active use, come back and adjust:
Categories and keywords — remove any you're not using. A short, clean list beats a comprehensive one that nobody maintains.
Pipeline stages — if a stage is always empty or always skipped, remove it. Your pipeline should mirror your actual process, not an idealised one.
Activity Sets — the first version is an educated guess. After 5–10 projects, you'll know exactly what the timing should be and which tasks to add or remove.
Smart Lists — pin what you check every day; remove what you never open. Your sidebar should feel like a control panel.
Custom fields — if you're writing the same information in notes on every project (PO number, client portal URL, hours budgeted), that's a signal it should be a custom field so it's searchable.
Tip for teams: Individual Daylite users can personalise their own default views, Smart List favourites, and task display settings without affecting anyone else. Encourage each team member to set up their own workspace — an account manager's view should look different from a creative director's.
Using Daylite as an Agency Team
Agencies are almost always team operations — account leads, creatives, strategists, producers, and ops all touching the same client records. Daylite is designed for this, but it only works if the team uses it consistently.
Establish clear record ownership. Every Opportunity and Project has an Owner field. For agencies, the Account Lead typically owns the Opportunity through to contract, then owns the Project through delivery. Ownership determines whose pipeline and board the record appears on — so clean ownership means each person sees their own work clearly.
Set a shared visibility policy. By default, all records are visible to every Daylite user. For most agencies this is correct — the creative director should be able to see the client brief, and the account manager should be able to see project status. Keep records visible to all unless there's a specific reason for privacy (e.g. sensitive commercial negotiations).
Delegate tasks, don't just mention them in Slack. When work is handed off between team members, create a delegated task in Daylite rather than a message. Delegated tasks appear in the recipient's task list and remain visible to whoever assigned them — no chasing required.
Use Activity Sets to distribute work automatically. When you apply the Campaign Kickoff Activity Set to a new project, configure the tasks to auto-assign to the right team member by role — briefing tasks to the account lead, creative tasks to the creative director, invoicing tasks to finance. This turns a contract signature into a properly distributed workplan in a single click.
Agree on naming and data entry conventions. The Opportunity naming format, how pipeline stages are used, which keywords are applied when — these conventions only work if everyone follows them. Document them in a shared note before you onboard your second team member. Even a one-page reference prevents the database from fragmenting into individual interpretations.
Run your weekly team review from Daylite. Use the Opportunities Board, Projects Board, and the key Smart Lists as the agenda for your weekly account review — not a separately prepared status doc. When the team updates records consistently, the boards become the single source of truth.
Tips for Day-to-Day Use
Start every morning with your Boards and Smart Lists, not your inbox. Scan the Opportunities Board for proposals with no movement, contracts not yet signed, and a thin top of funnel — set a default pipeline so every new enquiry appears automatically. Check the Projects Board for projects stuck in approval and delivered work not yet invoiced. Open overdue tasks and active approvals before touching email. This keeps you driving the work rather than reacting to it.
Link every email to the contact, opportunity, or project. Mail in Daylite links inbound and outbound emails directly to the relevant records — so the full conversation history is on the client record, not buried in someone's personal inbox. If a client ever disputes what was agreed, your linked email history is your protection.
Add a note after every client call or meeting. Brief is fine — "Client confirmed: no competitor lockout, approval can be verbal for social posts under 500 words." Notes build a paper trail that protects the agency and ensures continuity when team members change.
Apply Activity Sets the moment a contract is signed. Don't wait until kickoff. The moment a deal is confirmed, apply the Campaign Kickoff Activity Set — it distributes the next 10–12 tasks to the right team members automatically.
Review your retainer accounts monthly. Use the "Renewals Due" Smart List to make sure every retainer renewal is on the account lead's radar well before the contract date. Renewals that aren't actively managed tend not to renew.
Quick-Start Checklist
Follow this checklist to set up Daylite and establish the workflows your team will use every day.
People Setup
Companies Setup
New Business Pipeline
Campaign & Project Delivery
Calendar
Activity Sets
Forms & Custom Fields
Email Templates
Smart Lists
Data Migration
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