Examples, step by step

Each example shows who did the work before, what happens now, and every step in between. Pick a step to see what happens there and which tools it touches.

Investigations and OSINT

A subject's name goes in. The team searches social media, public records, court and corporate registries and the news, saves what it finds, checks it is the same person, and drafts a sourced report.

Who did it
An investigator, working by hand.
How it went
Days of searching names, saving screenshots and checking it was the right person.
What happens now
A sourced draft report is waiting when the investigator gets in.

Where it starts

A subject's name and any details you already have go in. That is all it needs to begin.

Tools it touches

  • Social media
  • Courts and registries
  • Web portals
  • Google Drive

Researcher

Searches social media, registries and news

Searches social media, public records, court and corporate registries and the news for the name, and follows the leads it finds.

Tools it touches

  • Social media
  • Courts and registries
  • Web portals

Reader

Saves and reads every page it finds

Saves a copy of every page it finds, with the date and the link, and reads each one for facts about the subject.

Tools it touches

  • Google Drive

Analyst

Checks each find is the same person

Checks that each find is really the same person, using details like city and employer, and sets aside anything doubtful.

Tools it touches

None outside. It works on what the earlier steps gathered.

Writer

Drafts the report with a source for each fact

Drafts the report in your format, with a source link beside every fact, and saves it to the case folder.

Tools it touches

  • Google Drive

A person checks

The investigator reviews and signs off

The investigator reads the draft, looks at anything flagged and signs off. Nothing leaves without that.

Tools it touches

None. This is the step where a person reads the work and says yes.

Investigation report drafted, every finding sourced

  • Profiles, records and news gathered
  • Identities cross-checked
  • Report ready for review

Litigation file preparation

New filings are pulled from the court portals, read and dated, then turned into a chronology and a draft case summary for the lawyer.

Who did it
A lawyer or a law clerk.
How it went
Logging in to court portals, downloading new filings and reading each one to keep the timeline straight.
What happens now
New filings are saved and dated, and a draft case summary waits for the lawyer.

Where it starts

The cases you want watched. The work lives on the court portals, in court notices by email and in your client folders.

Tools it touches

  • Courts and registries
  • Email
  • Google Drive
  • Microsoft 365

Researcher

Checks the court portals for new filings

Logs in to the court portals and checks each case for new filings.

Tools it touches

  • Courts and registries

Reader

Reads each new filing

Downloads each new filing, names it, saves it to the client folder and reads it. Court notices that arrive by email are read too.

Tools it touches

  • Google Drive
  • Email

Analyst

Builds a dated chronology of the case

Adds each event to a dated chronology of the case, with the filing it came from.

Tools it touches

None outside. It works on what the earlier steps gathered.

Reader

Checks every date

Goes back over every date in the chronology and checks it against the filing it came from.

Tools it touches

  • Google Drive

Writer

Drafts the case summary in your template

Drafts the case summary in your own Word template.

Tools it touches

  • Microsoft 365

A person checks

The lawyer reviews the summary

The lawyer reviews the summary and the chronology before either is used.

Tools it touches

None. This is the step where a person reads the work and says yes.

Case file brought up to date

  • New filings saved to the file
  • Chronology built with dates and sources
  • Case summary drafted

Month-end close

Bank feeds, invoices and QuickBooks are matched line by line, anything that does not fit is explained, and the close package is put together.

Who did it
The bookkeeper or the office manager.
How it went
The last days of every month spent ticking bank lines against invoices in a spreadsheet.
What happens now
Lines are matched as they come in, and only the exceptions reach the accountant.

Where it starts

Your bank feeds, the invoices and receipts in your inbox, and your books in QuickBooks.

Tools it touches

  • Bank feeds
  • Email
  • QuickBooks
  • Spreadsheets

Reader

Collects bank lines, invoices and receipts

Collects the month's bank lines, and reads invoices and receipts as they arrive by email.

Tools it touches

  • Bank feeds
  • Email

Analyst

Matches every line and flags what does not fit

Lines up each bank line with its invoice or payment in QuickBooks. Anything with no match goes on a short list, with what it tried.

Tools it touches

  • QuickBooks
  • Bank feeds

Writer

Explains each exception and builds the package

Writes a plain reason beside each exception and builds the close package in a spreadsheet.

Tools it touches

  • Spreadsheets

A person checks

Your accountant reviews and closes the month

Your accountant reviews the exceptions and closes the month.

Tools it touches

None. This is the step where a person reads the work and says yes.

Books reconciled, close package ready

  • Bank lines matched to invoices
  • Exceptions explained in plain words
  • Package ready for the accountant

Due diligence on a company

Registries, filings, news and court records are searched, the findings are weighed, anything worrying is looked into further, and a risk report is drafted.

Who did it
An analyst or the person leading the deal.
How it went
Searching registries, filings, news and court records before each deal, often at the last minute.
What happens now
A risk report with sources is ready to review before the meeting.

Where it starts

The company's name, and the people behind it if you know them.

Tools it touches

  • Courts and registries
  • Web portals
  • Social media
  • Microsoft 365

Researcher

Searches registries and news

Searches corporate registries, court records, the news and the company's own sites and social pages.

Tools it touches

  • Courts and registries
  • Web portals
  • Social media

Reader

Reads the filings and articles it finds

Reads the filings and articles it found and pulls out the facts that matter.

Tools it touches

None outside. It works on what the earlier steps gathered.

Analyst

Weighs the findings and flags the risks

Weighs the findings, ranks the risks and marks anything that needs a closer look.

Tools it touches

None outside. It works on what the earlier steps gathered.

Researcher

Digs deeper into each flag

Goes back out to dig into each flagged item, such as an old lawsuit or a director's other companies.

Tools it touches

  • Courts and registries
  • Web portals

Writer

Drafts the risk report with sources

Drafts the risk report in Word, with a source for every finding.

Tools it touches

  • Microsoft 365

A person checks

You review the risk report

You review the risk report and decide what to ask in the meeting.

Tools it touches

None. This is the step where a person reads the work and says yes.

Risk report on the company, ready to review

  • Registries, filings and news searched
  • Court history checked
  • Risks ranked and explained

Client onboarding

The intake form and ID are read, identity and conflict checks are run, the engagement letter is drafted and the client file is opened. A person approves before anything is sent.

Who did it
An assistant, with a partner signing off.
How it went
Back and forth emails, ID checks, conflict searches and a letter typed up from a template.
What happens now
The checks are run and the letter is drafted. Nothing goes out until a person approves.

Where it starts

The intake form and the ID a new client sends by email.

Tools it touches

  • Email
  • CRM
  • Courts and registries
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Drive

Reader

Reads the intake form and the ID

Reads the intake form and the ID, and lists anything that is missing.

Tools it touches

  • Email

Researcher

Runs the ID and conflict checks

Runs the identity check and searches your client list and public records for possible conflicts.

Tools it touches

  • CRM
  • Courts and registries

Analyst

Judges each match and flags real conflicts

Looks at each possible match and flags only the real conflicts, with the reason.

Tools it touches

None outside. It works on what the earlier steps gathered.

Writer

Drafts the letter and opens the client file

Drafts the engagement letter and opens the client file in the right place.

Tools it touches

  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Drive

A person checks

A person approves before anything is sent

A person approves the letter and the conflict check before anything is sent.

Tools it touches

None. This is the step where a person reads the work and says yes.

New client ready to start

  • Intake and ID checked
  • Conflict check on file
  • Letter drafted and file opened

Supplier sourcing and quotes

Quote requests go out to your suppliers, each reply is read, prices and terms are compared side by side, and a recommendation is written.

Who did it
A buyer, or the owner on a busy day.
How it went
Emailing suppliers, chasing replies and lining up quotes in a spreadsheet.
What happens now
Quotes are collected and compared, and a one-page recommendation is ready to decide from.

Where it starts

Your list of what you need and the suppliers you want to ask.

Tools it touches

  • Spreadsheets
  • Email
  • Web portals

Writer

Sends the requests

Writes and sends a quote request to each supplier on your list.

Tools it touches

  • Spreadsheets
  • Email

Reader

Reads each quote as it comes back

Reads each quote as it comes back, by email or on the supplier's own portal.

Tools it touches

  • Email
  • Web portals

Analyst

Compares price, timing and terms

Lines up price, timing and terms side by side and spots anything missing.

Tools it touches

None outside. It works on what the earlier steps gathered.

Writer

Writes the recommendation

Writes a one-page recommendation with the reasons, and updates your quote sheet.

Tools it touches

  • Spreadsheets

A person checks

You pick the supplier

You pick the supplier.

Tools it touches

None. This is the step where a person reads the work and says yes.

Quotes compared, recommendation written

  • Requests sent to your suppliers
  • Every quote read and lined up
  • Recommendation written with reasons

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