Overview
This article gives new users a complete overview of how a project moves through Handoff, from setup to final invoice.
Handoff brings your estimates, proposals, documents, invoices, files, and client communication into one place. Each project acts as the central workspace for a specific job so you can manage every stage of the workflow in a single location.
Use this guide to understand the typical order of operations before you start building your first project.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Create a project
Go to the Projects tab.
Click the green New button in the top-right corner of the project screen.
Enter a project name. You can do this by clicking the "Untitled Project" in the top left of the screen.
Or create a project using Handoff’s AI:
Open Ask AI on desktop or mobile.
Ask it to create a project.
Provide the project name when prompted.
A project is the main workspace for a job.
It stores estimates, invoices, documents, files, and all project activity in one place.
Add a client
After creating a project, you will be automatically taken to the new project screen.
From the project screen, go to the Overview tab.
Find the Client details card.
Click Add client.
Select an existing contact or create a new one.
Enter the client’s name, phone number, email, any other listed details you would like and address.
Save the client to the project.
You can also use Handoff’s AI to add client details to a project.
Open AI on desktop or mobile.
Ask it to add client details to a specific project.
For best results, include the project number in your request.
Example: "Add the following client details to PRJ-10001, John Smith,
630-333-1234, [email protected], 600 S Congress Avenue, Austin Texas 78754"
Adding a client now allows Handoff to autofill contact details when sending proposals and invoices.
Upload files and plans
Open your project and go to the Files tab.
Click Upload file.
Select files from your device.
On desktop, you can also drag and drop files directly into the project.
Upload plans, blueprints, photos, specifications, and other documents.
Keeping files in one place helps your team stay aligned.
Uploaded files give Handoff’s AI better context when creating estimates.
Create an estimate
Open your project and go to the Estimates tab.
Click Create estimate.
Describe the job in the chat thread.
Or click the microphone to speak your scope.
Generate the estimate using AI.
Review the estimate.
Edit line items, sections, markup, and margin as needed.
Convert an estimate into a proposal
Open the estimate.
Click Convert To:
On desktop, click Convert To in the top-right corner.
On mobile, tap Convert To in the bottom-right corner.
Select Proposal.
Review the proposal.
Add branding and adjust the content as needed.
The estimate remains unchanged.
The proposal is the version shared with the client.
Sending the proposal
Make sure you have first converted your estimate to a proposal.
Click Preview & Send in green.
Review the proposal preview.
Confirm the layout, visuals, and cost breakdown.
Click Send Proposal in green on the preview screen.
Choose how to send the proposal:
Email
SMS
Shareable link
Confirm the recipient details.
Click Send.
You can use one or multiple delivery methods at the same time.
Client details are pulled in automatically from the project.
Track when the client opens the proposal and takes action.
Giving your client portal access
Open your project.
Find the Client portal card.
Click Enable.
Invite your client.
The client will sign in using a verification code.
No account setup is required.
The client portal gives your client access to shared items:
Proposals
Invoices
Documents
Daily logs
For a full suite of Client Portal Resources, check out the following Help Articles:
Creating documents
Open your project and go to the Documents tab. (Documents can also be created directly from estimates using the "Convert to" option similar to proposals)
Click Create document.
Choose how you want to create the document:
Generate from an estimate using AI
Use a template
Start from scratch
Create documents such as:
Work orders
Scope sheets
Contracts
Other project paperwork
Using AI allows you to generate documents from your estimate without re-entering information.
Edit and save the document when finished.
Creating an invoice
There are two main ways to create an invoice within a project: you can either create a standalone invoice at any time, or generate one by converting an accepted proposal.
Creating a standalone invoice
Open your project and go to the Invoices tab.
Click Create invoice.
You can create a standalone invoice for the project with the workflow:
Review the invoice details.
Confirm line items and pricing.
Click Send.
Choose how to send the invoice:
Email
SMS
Shareable link
(If the client portal has been activated for the project, the invoice will instead be shared directly to the portal for client review)
Confirm the recipient details.
Click Send.
Line items carry over automatically when generating from an estimate or proposal.
Track payment status after sending the invoice.
2. Creating an invoice from an approved proposal
Open your project.
Locate the approved proposal marked with a green Approved label.
Click the proposal to open it.
Click Convert To:
On desktop, click Convert To in the top-right corner.
On mobile, tap Convert To in the bottom-right corner.
Select Invoice.
Choose how to structure the invoice:
Invoice by group to show selected line item details
Invoice by fixed amount using a percentage or dollar value
Review the invoice details
Confirm pricing and structure.
Click Send.
Choose delivery method:
Email
SMS
Shareable link
Confirm the recipient details.
Click Send.
The proposal must be in Approved status to convert to an invoice.
Unapproved proposals will not show the convert option.
Line items and pricing carry over from the approved proposal.
Where to go from here
That’s the full lifecycle of a project in Handoff: project → client → files → estimate → proposal → portal → documents → invoice.
Each step in this workflow has its own detailed article in the Help Center if you want to explore further.
To get started, create your first project and move through each step. This is the fastest way to learn how everything connects and how Handoff’s AI supports you throughout the process.