Sales process
LeadQuoteOrder
Process 1 How do we consistently win the right clients and engagements? Pipeline, opportunities, activities and ABC client classification in a single system.
Learn moreSeven processes, one steering system.
Success in professional services is not luck. It is the result of cleanly run processes. teamspace breaks the firm down into seven core processes, connects them through a shared data model and makes the maturity of each process measurable.
Every services firm runs the same seven processes.
Whether consultancy, IT service provider or engineering office: the business runs on the same core processes, from first contact to paid invoice. teamspace maps them in one system and makes each process individually steerable. Pick the area below that pinches most right now.
- Value creation: four processes
- People: two processes
- Steering: one process
Value creation: how we earn money
Four processes form the financial value chain of a services firm, from the first contact to liquidity, with a clear view on costs.
Project delivery process
PlanPlan-actualMargin
Process 2 How do we deliver projects reliably, on time and profitably? Planning, resourcing, plan/actual comparison and live project margin.
Learn moreBilling process
InvoiceZUGFeRDPayment
Process 3 How do we convert work into revenue completely and quickly? Time capture, billing rules, invoicing and revenue forecast.
Learn moreCost control process
CostPlan-actualForecast
Process 4 How do we keep costs and liquidity under control? Fixed costs, project costs, contribution margins and cashflow planning, integrated.
Learn morePeople: who carries the value chain
Two processes make sure clients stay engaged and team members are deployed at their best.
Customer care process
TicketSLAResolution
Process 5 How do we serve clients quickly, competently and by client value? Tickets, SLAs, communication and account value in one view.
Learn moreWorkforce process
TimeLeavePayroll
Process 6 How do we steer capacity, skills and motivation optimally? Availability, skills, utilisation and compensation models.
Learn moreSteering: everything in one system
One process consolidates the data of all others and makes the firm as a whole steerable.
Business steering
KPIForecastDecision
Process 7 How do we lead the firm based on current data? A management dashboard with eight key KPIs and individually configurable thresholds.
Learn moreSteering model
Market, engagement, project, work, invoice, cash.
The value chain of a professional services firm fits on a single line. teamspace breaks the firm down precisely along that line into steerable core processes. Each process is measured and optimised individually, all processes share a common data model.
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Each process has a leading question
Instead of fuzzy department thinking, every process has one clear management question. Its KPIs are aligned to answering that question.
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Each process has a steering cockpit
Clearly defined steps, KPIs, a live dashboard and explicit ownership, instead of scattered spreadsheets.
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All processes share one data model
An hour, an opportunity, a ticket: every piece of information exists exactly once and is visible everywhere it matters.
The approach
You improve a firm one process at a time.
Rebuilding an entire firm in one move rarely works. The process-oriented approach splits the complex task instead: each of the seven processes is examined and improved on its own. In sum the firm as a whole becomes more steerable and more economical, without anyone having to carry everything at once.
This happens step by step, not as a big bang. You start where the lever is largest, and the day-to-day business keeps running the whole time. So the rollout does not tie the firm up for three to six months. It stays one controllable step after another, and you close no doors for later.
And everyone knows where they stand. Each firm keeps its own profile that records, at a given date, how far each process is supported today and which level comes next. Through the automation levels you see the current state and the next possible step at any time. We accompany this path long term, sometimes intensively, sometimes more gently, depending on what else is on your plate.
Where you stand
We place your seven processes in 15 minutes.
In a first call we look together at where each of your processes stands today and which one holds the biggest lever.
Automation levels: where does your firm stand today?
Not every firm can reach fully automated processes overnight. We rate each process on a six-step model that exposes a realistic development path.
Level 0: unplanned
Processes are not defined. Activities happen ad hoc. Success depends on individuals stepping up.
Level 1: manual
Tasks are done in a structured way, but without system support. Spreadsheets are the norm.
Level 2: structured
Processes are described and applied systematically. Data still lives in separate places.
Level 3: assisted
Software actively supports the process. First reports, dashboards and forecasts become possible.
Level 4: largely automated
Reports, reminders and handovers run mostly automatically. Processes are integrated end to end.
Level 5: fully automated
Processes run almost entirely on their own. Prioritisation, forecasts and escalations happen in real time.
Honest maturity check
Four questions that reveal the real level of a process.
Many firms overestimate their maturity. 'We have a CRM' or 'we have reports' says nothing about real steerability. These four questions help you assess each process honestly.
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Completeness
Are all relevant items captured systematically, or only the ones somebody happened to remember?
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Currency
Is the data up to date and trustworthy at any moment, or does it reflect last month's reality?
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Integration
Are opportunities, activities, projects, hours and invoices linked, or do they live in separate tools?
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Automation
Does the system actively support with forecasts, reminders and prioritisation, or does everything need manual review?
Where you stand
Your firm's maturity profile
Every firm gets its own profile. It records, at a given date, how far each process is supported today and which level should be reached next. So you can see at any time where you stand and what is still possible.
Maturity profile Roadmap
As of: Q2 2026 · sample profile
Now Target
Process
L0L1L2L3L4L5
Step Sales
Project delivery
Billing
Cost control
Customer care
Workforce
Business steering
We accompany you long term, sometimes intensively, sometimes gently, depending on what else is on your plate.
Business steering
Eight metrics out of seven processes.
Above the six operational processes sits a steering level. It compresses their data into eight metrics, each with a leading question and its own threshold logic. It is not the single number that decides, but how they play together.
Cockpit Forecast Status logic
May 2026 · Management
8 metrics
Order intake
312 k €
How is future revenue developing?
Pipeline value
540 k €
How much potential sits in sales?
Revenue (actual)
1,84 Mio
How is business doing right now?
Revenue forecast
2,05 Mio
Where is revenue heading?
Project margin
+12 %
Are we earning on our projects?
Utilisation
82 %
Are we using resources well?
Revenue per head
142 k €
How productive is the firm?
Liquidity
268 k €
Are we financially stable?
on track watch
from 7 processes What integrated process steering brings together
Instead of scattered tools and monthly spreadsheet binders: one data set every process draws its KPIs from.
- 7
- core processes
- 1
- data model
- 8 KPIs
- instead of 40 reports
- 6
- maturity levels per process
from acquisition to liquidity, in one system
every hour, every opportunity, every ticket exists exactly once
one focused management dashboard, no KPI overload
an honest development path instead of gut-feel self-assessment
Classic tool stack vs. integrated steering system
The difference is not in the list of features, but in how they connect.
| Feature | Classic tool stack | teamspace process steering |
|---|---|---|
| Data model | CRM, project, time, accounting in separate systems, sync by CSV | One shared data model for all seven processes, no integrations to maintain |
| Steering | Reports compiled monthly from spreadsheets, often out of date once read | Live dashboards per process with thresholds, data straight from operations |
| KPIs | Each tool brings its own definitions, 'revenue' means different things | Eight key KPIs, defined once, consistent across all processes |
| Maturity | Rarely measured, self-assessment usually overstates reality | Six-level model per process, clear development path, measurable progress |
| Rollout | Big bang across everything, high risk, slow time to value | Step by step per process, quick wins, risk stays small |
Case study
Management consultancy with 32 consultants: from tool zoo to steering system.
Before: standard CRM, separate time tracking, Excel utilisation sheet, Word fee invoices. Engagements were billed late, utilisation only became visible at quarter-end, forecasts were partner gut feeling.
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Engagements and utilisation steered centrally
Consultant days, skill matching and utilisation across practices in one view, instead of spread across three tools.
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Fee invoicing straight from engagement data
Captured consultant days, workshop flat rates and travel cost become the client invoice automatically.
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Weekly management dashboard
Partners and leadership see pipeline, forecast, utilisation, margin and liquidity without a spreadsheet binder.
Step by step
Improve without slowing the day-to-day business
An integrated steering system does not arrive in a big bang. You take one process after another, where the lever is largest, and the firm keeps working the whole time.
Start with the biggest lever
- You start with the process that costs the most today, often billing or utilisation.
- The first step delivers a visible quick win before the next process follows.
- Order follows impact, not a rigid project plan.
The day-to-day keeps running
- No half-year where the firm does nothing but introduce itself to itself.
- Each process goes live in small, controllable steps.
- People learn one area after another, instead of everything at once.
Nothing gets boxed in
- Data and configuration grow with you, each further process docks onto the existing one.
- An extension is not a migration, but the next step in the same system.
- You keep control over pace and scope at every stage.
Methodical rollout approach
No big bang. Each process is reviewed, scored, optimised and then moved into the integrated system. Measurable results come early, the project stays steerable throughout.
- 1
Analysis
As-is analysis
Assess the current maturity, processes, systems and KPIs. What already works, where does friction sit today?
MaturityWorkshopsAudit - 2
Vision
Target picture and to-be concept
Define target processes, automation levels and steering logic. What should be possible in the end, which decisions should be data based?
Target pictureTo-be concept - 3
Roadmap
Maturity scoring and development path
Derive a realistic path from as-is to target. Which levels are reached in which order?
RoadmapMilestones - 4
Focus
Roll-out strategy and prioritisation
Which processes first, where are the quick wins, where the strategic topics? Resources go where leverage is highest.
Quick winsPrioritiesROI - 5
Go-Live
Implementation and rollout project
System rollout, process implementation, user enablement, go live. In small, controllable steps.
RolloutEnablementGo-Live - 6
Steering
Steering, audits and continuous improvement
Regular reviews, KPI tracking, process audits and ongoing optimisation. Rollout turns into lived steering.
KPI trackingAuditsReviews
What matters
The seven core processes of a professional services firm
A professional services firm earns its money by selling time and expertise. Seven processes map that value creation in full. Sales wins the engagements, project delivery delivers them, billing turns work into revenue, cost control protects the margin. Customer care and workforce management hold the people on both sides of the work. And business steering joins the six operational processes into one view for the leadership.
Seven processes thus cover the whole way from acquisition to liquidity and still stay manageable. Define twenty and you lose steerability; define three and you miss the key levers. What matters is less the number of tools than how they connect: only when every process draws its data from the same set does a collection of tools become a steering system.
- Four processes carry value creation: sales, project delivery, billing, cost control.
- Two processes carry the people: customer care and workforce management.
- One process joins it all: business steering with its management dashboard.
Three overviews
Two more ways through teamspace
The same software, sorted differently: by function or by industry.
Functions and modules
The nine teamspace modules at a glance, from time tracking to quality management.
Learn moreSolutions for your industry
How teamspace fits consultancies, IT service providers, system houses, agencies and engineering offices.
Learn moreFrequently asked questions about process steering
What are the seven core processes of a professional services firm?
Four processes carry the financial value creation: sales, project delivery, billing and cost control. Two carry the people: customer care and workforce management. The seventh, business steering, compresses the data of the six operational processes into a management dashboard with eight KPIs. Together they cover the way from acquisition to liquidity.
Why seven processes, not ten or twenty?
Seven processes cover the full value chain of a professional services firm from acquisition to liquidity while staying manageable. Defining 20 processes destroys steerability. Defining three misses the key levers. These seven processes each answer one management question and connect cleanly.
Do we have to roll out all seven processes at once?
No. That is exactly the advantage of the iterative approach. You start with the process where the lever is highest, often billing or utilisation. Other processes follow step by step. Data and configuration grow with you, an extension is not a migration.
How is this different from a classic CMMI model?
Our model is deliberately tailored to professional services firms and focuses on operational steerability of a process, not on software engineering maturity. Six levels from unplanned to fully automated. The decisive factor is an honest self-assessment of completeness, currency, integration and automation.
How do we assess maturity honestly without fooling ourselves?
Honest assessment comes from four questions per process, not from your tool list: are all relevant items captured, is the data current, are the areas integrated, does the system support actively? If most answers are 'rather no', the level is usually one step below what you guessed.
How does the model fit our ISO 9001 context?
Very well. The maturity model complements ISO 9001 by adding a quantitative development path to the process view. You can document the current level per process in audits, define a target state and demonstrate progress over time. That is more tangible than descriptions alone.
What does rolling out an integrated steering system cost?
Because rollout is iterative, there is no flat answer. In a 15 to 30 minute requirements call we discuss which process makes sense first for you and what the realistic effort looks like. Prices are annual, per active user per month, with half-yearly (+10%), quarterly (+15%) or monthly (+20%) terms available. No setup fee.
Which process holds the biggest lever for you?
In a 15 to 30 minute requirements call we score your seven processes against the maturity model and show where the largest potential sits.