CLOVER DIGITAL — INBOX AND FOLLOW-UP CHECKLIST
Updated September 28, 2026

Use this in a text editor or copy it into your team's existing task tracker.
The labels and review times below are examples; adapt them to your business.
Keep customer information in your approved systems. A short request reference
or link is usually more useful here than copying an entire email conversation.

SET UP THE PROCESS
[ ] Choose the inbox and types of request this process covers.
[ ] Name a primary owner and a backup for each queue.
[ ] Choose statuses: Needs reply / Waiting on customer / Needs owner review / Done.
[ ] Agree when the queue is checked and when overdue items are escalated.
[ ] Define which replies need review and who may send an approved response.
[ ] Record where the current appointment, estimate or client status is kept.

FOR EACH REQUEST
[ ] Read the latest thread and relevant task or booking record.
[ ] Record the owner, next action and next check date/time, including time zone.
[ ] Mark whether a reply is only drafted or has actually been sent.
[ ] Route unclear instructions, pricing changes and complaints to the owner.
[ ] Before a reminder, check for replies, cancellations, completion or new details.
[ ] Stop or update obsolete reminders when the situation changes.
[ ] Close the item only when completed or deliberately ended; record the reason.

DAILY REVIEW
[ ] Find requests without an owner or next action.
[ ] Review overdue tasks and items waiting on an internal decision.
[ ] Check that the backup can see and take over any open work.
[ ] Correct a filter or rule if it hides or misclassifies important requests.

BLANK TRACKING RECORD — COPY FOR EACH REQUEST
Request reference or approved link:
Received date/time and time zone:
Owner / backup:
Status:
What the customer needs:
Information still missing:
Next action:
Next check date/time and time zone:
Reply state (not started / draft / sent):
Last customer reply checked:
Decision or approval needed, and from whom:
Stop/update condition for the reminder:
Outcome and completion date:

COMPLETED FICTIONAL EXAMPLE
This illustrates a manual process; it is not a customer result or product demo.

Request reference: EXAMPLE-001 — painting estimate inquiry
Received: Monday, September 28, 2026, 9 a.m. Central
Owner / backup: Sam / Alex
Status: Waiting on customer
Customer needs: An estimate for interior painting
Missing information: Which rooms need painting
Next action: Sam checks for the customer's reply before preparing a follow-up
Next check: Thursday, October 1, 2026, 10 a.m. Central
Reply state: Sent — requested the missing room details
Decision needed: Any discount or unusual promise goes to the business owner
Stop/update condition: Customer replies, cancels, or changes the request

EXAMPLE UPDATE
On Wednesday the customer supplies the room details. Sam cancels the old
follow-up, records the new information, and assigns the estimate preparation
to the business owner. The inquiry remains open until that next step is agreed
or the request is deliberately closed.

START SMALL
Try the process on a few fictional messages: a straightforward request,
a missing-detail reply, a cancellation, and a request that needs judgment.
Check both the normal path and whether an obsolete reminder is stopped.
Record failures and review time before deciding what to automate.

Platform guides:
https://cloverdigital.com/guides/ai-assistant-for-google-workspace.html#inbox-workflow
https://cloverdigital.com/guides/ai-assistant-for-microsoft-365.html#inbox-workflow

Managed workflow guide:
https://cloverdigital.com/guides/small-business-automation-service.html