In this series, we’re pulling back the curtain to show exactly how we run our digital agency. At Criclabs, we specialize in design, custom development, and growth strategies—and we manage it all using Notion as our central operating system.
Over time, we’ve built Notion into a powerful backend engine that streamlines everything—from sales and marketing to operations, HR, and finance.
Today, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at a small but crucial section of our operations. We’ll walk you through how we:
- Collect and manage new projects
- Document resources and timelines
- Sync everything with our team portal
- Connect projects to our members database
- Integrate it all into our HR workflows
But first, let’s take a step back and look at the big picture—the full blueprint of our databases, workflows, and processes. This will give you a clear understanding of where today’s focus fits into our overall system.
Inside Criclabs: How Our Agency Runs from Sales to Operations
By the time a project reaches our operations team, it’s not just an idea—it’s a fully documented, strategically planned initiative ready for execution. Here’s how it works.
Sales & Lead Pipeline
Our sales workflow is directly integrated with our project database, ensuring a seamless transition from lead generation to project execution. Here’s how it works:
- Inbound & Outbound Leads flow into our pipeline, giving us a clear view of potential projects.
- Proposals are built within this system and, once approved, are handed off with sales documentation to ensure smooth onboarding.
- Closed projects move into discovery workshops, where we collaborate with clients to map out project details.
- These workshops feed into our task backlog, where we plan sprints and execution strategies.
- From here, everything integrates into our operations database, which we’ll explore next.
Operations & Human Resources
On the operations side, our project workflows are tightly linked to our member database and HR systems, which help us manage:
- Career tracks and salary tracking for employees.
- Performance reviews, including peer reviews and performance metrics.
- Benefits and holiday tracking, ensuring employee well-being and transparency.
Finance & Profitability
Our finance workflows are directly connected to our HR and operations systems, allowing us to:
- Track cash flow and expenses, ensuring financial health.
- Monitor tool subscriptions and operational costs.
- Analyze member and team profitability, providing insights into individual and department-level performance.
Management & Strategic Planning
At the management level, we focus on big-picture strategy and innovation:
- Department performance tracking gives us insights into how teams operate.
- The quotations tracker ties directly back to our operations to ensure accurate financial planning.
- Our "Playground" space is where we experiment with new ideas and develop them into initiatives.
- We maintain all legal documentation and credentials for compliance and security.
How We Structure and Manage Projects at Criclabs
Now, let’s dive into operations—the backbone of how we execute projects efficiently at Criclabs.
At the core of our system are four key components:
- Projects – A structured database tracking every client initiative.
- Members – A dynamic directory connecting our team to active work.
- Backlog – A prioritized list of tasks feeding into our sprint cycles.
- Resources – A centralized hub for documentation, assets, and key materials.
These four elements form the foundation of our workflow, collaboration, and execution. 90% of our team—managers, middle managers, and HR—interact with this portal daily, making it the single source of truth for all ongoing work.
I’ll walk you through each section step by step, starting with the overall blueprint and then showing a real-world example of how everything comes together.
Step 1: The Project Pipeline – Where Every Project Begins
The Project Pipeline is the first and most critical stage of our workflow. It starts with the sales pipeline, where every incoming lead is categorized into different stages:
- Lead – A new potential project enters the system.
- Proposal – We submit a proposal for review.
- Waiting for Feedback – Awaiting client response.
- Contract & Quotation – The project moves forward with formal agreements.
- In Progress – Active projects being executed.
- Completed – Successfully delivered projects.
- Did Not Materialize – Leads that didn’t convert.
Every project in this pipeline is structured with all relevant data, making it easy to track progress at a glance.
Step 2: The Members Database – Connecting People to Projects
The Members Database is where we track and manage everyone on our team, ensuring seamless collaboration across projects.
Here, we store key details about each team member, including:
- Team Assignment – Which team they belong to.
- Employment Type – Full-time or part-time.
- Position – Their role within the company.
- Personal Details – Nickname, date of birth, and other relevant info.
- Notion Integration – Direct links to their individual Notion accounts.
This centralized system makes it easy to track team structure, manage resources, and ensure the right people are assigned to the right projects.
Later, I’ll walk through an example using Ana’s profile to show how this database works in action. But first, let’s look at the Backlog, where we bring everything together into actionable tasks
Step 3: The Backlog – Turning Projects into Actionable Tasks
The Backlog is where we break down projects into specific tasks, ensuring everything is structured and ready for execution. This centralized system allows us to:
- Organize tasks across all projects in one place.
- Prioritize work based on deadlines and dependencies.
- Plan sprints efficiently, ensuring smooth project execution.
Every task added here is linked back to the relevant project, team, and members, creating a seamless workflow from strategy to execution.
Step 4: Resources – The Knowledge Hub of Criclabs
The Resources section is our single source of truth for all documentation, covering:
- Project-specific documents – Everything related to active work.
- Internal meetings & workshops – Notes, insights, and action plans.
- Company-wide documentation – Policies, best practices, and process guides.
This ensures that our team always has quick access to the right information, keeping collaboration smooth and efficient.
Now that we’ve covered the structure, let’s look at how it all comes together in action.
Bringing It All Together: A Real-World Project in Action
Now that we’ve covered the framework, let’s walk through a real example of how a project moves through our system—from pitch to execution.
From Lead to Active Project
Every project starts in the Sales Pipeline, where leads move through several stages:
- Lead captured – The opportunity is assessed
- Proposal sent – The client reviews and provides feedback
- Contract signed – The project moves forward
- In Progress – Execution begins
Once a project is approved, it is added to our Project Pipeline with a dedicated space in our system. At this stage, the most important step is establishing context. Every project page includes:
- A brief summary of the client’s business and goals
- A clear outline of why they approached us and what they need
This ensures the entire team is aligned—not just on deliverables, but on the why behind the project.
Centralizing Documentation for Clarity and Efficiency
All key project documentation is stored in our Resources Database, ensuring that nothing gets lost. This includes:
- Discovery session notes – Client needs, objectives, and insights
- Proposals and contracts – Approved scopes and agreements
- Project specifications – Requirements, deliverables, and technical details
- Client credentials – Securely stored for team access
Keeping everything in a centralized, structured format prevents miscommunication, streamlines decision-making, and ensures every team member has access to the information they need.
Organizing Workflows with the Backlog
Once a project is approved, tasks are broken down and tracked in the Project Backlog, where we:
- Organize every task associated with the project
- Assign ownership to the right team members
- Establish timelines and dependencies
Rather than simply listing tasks, our system ensures:
- Tasks are executed based on priority
- Each task has a clear owner to maintain accountability
- Dependencies are visible, so nothing is delayed unnecessarily
For a broader view, we use a timeline layout to visualize key milestones, overlapping tasks, and potential bottlenecks. This helps keep projects on schedule while allowing for adjustments when necessary.
Managing Team Workloads and Responsibilities
Each team member has a personalized dashboard that displays:
- Assigned tasks across multiple projects
- Due dates and deadlines to prevent delays
- Blocked tasks and dependencies that may require action
For example, if Ana is working on a Product Technical Audit, she can instantly see:
- What’s due soon and what depends on her work
- Who else is working on related tasks
- All relevant project documents linked to her work
Additionally, every team member has access to a personal workspace where they can store notes, useful resources, and reference materials—allowing them to work more efficiently without needing to switch between tools.
Gaining Big-Picture Visibility Across All Projects
Beyond individual project execution, our system provides high-level operational oversight, allowing us to:
- Track all tasks across projects through the Backlog to identify bottlenecks and adjust priorities
- Maintain a structured Resources Hub for easy access to all project-related documentation
This ensures:
- No wasted time searching for information
- Clear accountability across the team
- Improved forecasting and resource planning
Why This System Works
Many project management systems suffer from scattered communication, unclear responsibilities, and inefficiencies. Our approach eliminates these challenges by:
- Centralizing all projects, tasks, and team data in one system
- Ensuring full transparency and accountability at every stage
- Reducing manual work through automation and structured workflows
- Providing real-time insights for better decision-making
With this structure, projects at Criclabs are not just tracked, but actively managed in a way that improves productivity, collaboration, and overall efficiency. This approach allows our team to focus on execution without unnecessary friction, ensuring that every project runs as smoothly as possible.
Want to see this system in action? Watch our full behind-the-scenes breakdown on YouTube, where we walk through the exact systems that keep our agency running at full speed.