Client workspace
The client workspace gathers everything related to a client in one place: deals, tasks, files, documents, and external access. This lets you run and control the work on a client without manually piecing it together from different modules and private chats. For a manager, this is the main screen that answers the question "what is going on with this client?"
The workspace opens from the client record (/clients/:type/:id).
Why you need it
Without a single space, information about a client scatters: the deal sits in CRM, the tasks in the task module, the contract in documents, and the correspondence in chats. Getting the full picture becomes hard, and a new participant wastes time gathering context.
The workspace solves this: when you open a client, you immediately see their deals, tasks, files, documents, and external-access status, and you can also create new work right here - with a link to the client that is saved automatically.
Workspace tabs
The client space is split into tabs. The tabs have counters that show the volume of work on the client at a glance.
- Deals - this client's inquiries and deals. You can see what stage the work is in and where it has stalled. A new deal can be created from the client context.
- Tasks - tasks linked to the client, with the ability to create a task right here. This is handy when the client needs concrete execution: prepare a proposal, review a contract, make a call.
- Files - materials attached to the client.
- Documents - contracts, invoices, acts, and other documents linked to the client, with a counter of ready and pending items.
- External access (extranet) - the client's invitations and access to the client portal: for companies and contacts, this is where you manage invitations, links, and the access policy.
How to use the client space at work
- Create a task or a deal from the client workspace rather than separately: the link to the client is set automatically, and you will not have to attach the work by hand later.
- Use the tab counters as a quick indicator: many open tasks or deals with no movement is a reason to look closer.
- Keep client documents in the client's space, not in personal folders: then the contract and the invoice are found in seconds, not by digging through correspondence.
- Before connecting a client to external access, check that only what should be visible to the client will go outside.
Client project workspace
If the work on a client is divided into separate directions or projects, the client project workspace is used (/client-projects/:id). It is built the same way - it gathers tasks, deals, and materials, but within the boundaries of a specific client project. This helps keep different lines of work with the same client from piling into one heap.
Create a client project when the client has a standalone direction with its own tasks and outcome. If the work is one-off, a separate project is not needed - a deal or a task in the general client space is enough.
Access
What is visible in the workspace depends on permissions. Some data may be hidden, and certain actions unavailable, if you lack the rights or are not a member of the linked work group. This is normal: request access from the space owner rather than working around the limit by forwarding data. The access model is described in more detail in the article about clients.
What a manager should check in the client space
The client workspace is a convenient control point for a specific client. When you review a client, check:
- deals: are there open deals with no next step or stuck on a stage;
- tasks: are there any overdue tasks for the client, and does each one have an assignee;
- documents: are the key documents in place (contract, invoice, act) and is the final version recorded;
- external access: who from the client's side is connected through external access, and is that still appropriate now;
- work focus: is the work kept in the client space or is it spreading across personal chats and folders.
Tab counters give a quick snapshot: if the number for deals or tasks looks unexpectedly large or zero, open the tab and look into it. Reviewing the client space regularly helps you catch stalled work and forgotten commitments before the client has to remind you.
States you may see
- a tab is loading or refreshing;
- a tab is empty - the client has no deals, tasks, files, or documents yet;
- a counter shows the volume of work and the pending documents;
- an action is unavailable because of permissions or lack of membership in the work group;
- some data is hidden by permissions.
The external access (extranet) tab in the workspace currently shows its labels only in Russian regardless of the interface language. This is a known product limitation. It does not affect the meaning of this article, but localized screenshots of the external access tab are not published until it is fixed.
Good practices
- Run all work on a client in the client's space, not in scattered modules.
- Create tasks and deals from the client context so the link is saved automatically.
- Watch the tab counters as an indicator of the client's status.
- Separate directions through client projects when the work requires it.
- Before granting external access, check exactly what will become visible to the client.
Common mistakes
Running work on a client outside the client's space. The picture scatters, and no one sees the full history.
Creating a task or a deal separately and forgetting the link. Later you have to manually reconstruct which client it relates to.
Dumping all of a client's directions into one heap. Without client projects, different processes get in each other's way.
Granting external access without looking. The client may see something not meant for them.
How to check the result
- the workspace opens from the client with the related deals, tasks, files, and documents;
- tasks and deals created from the context are genuinely linked to the client;
- the tab counters reflect the real volume of work;
- external access shows the client only what should be visible;
- data hidden by permissions is clearly understood as an access restriction.