Before quoting an AI automation: a six-question intake checklist
For freelancers and small agencies quoting automation projects, “connect our inbox to the CRM” leaves a lot unpriced.
Here is a fictional enquiry: “Can you automate our lead emails so everything ends up in the CRM?”
Before quoting, I would clarify:
1. Trigger: which inbox, messages and attachments are included, and what should be ignored?
2. Data: which fields must reach the CRM, who owns the data, and what happens when a field is missing?
3. Access: which systems and permissions will the client provide, and when?
4. Exceptions: what happens with duplicates, conflicting records, failed connections or uncertain AI output?
5. Approval: which actions need human review, and who signs off the acceptance examples?
6. Handover: does the price include documentation, monitoring, maintenance and later changes, or only the initial build?
A reply you can adapt:
“Before I price this, can we agree one example that should be processed, one that should be ignored, and one that needs manual review? I also need the required CRM fields, access owner and handover expectations.”
Put the answers into three lists: confirmed, still unanswered, and excluded. Keep assumptions visible until the client confirms them.
Disclosure: I am the founder of ScopeClarify. I built it for this step before the quote: select a client email and service template, identify missing information, then review and approve clarification replies. It is an intake and scoping workspace; the CRM automation above is an example of a project to scope.
The free account includes 3 AI intakes per month and requires a connected Gmail or IMAP inbox. Every outgoing reply needs human approval.
Which of these questions most often changes the price of your automation projects?
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