Customizing Your Agency OS

Making Agency OS fit your unique workflows, terminology, and processes

Agency OS is designed to be flexible. While it comes with proven defaults, every agency is unique. This guide shows you how to customize Agency OS to match your exact needs.

When to Customize

Golden Rule: Use Agency OS as-is for 2-4 weeks before customizing. Learn what works, identify what doesn't, then customize based on real needs—not guesses.

Good Reasons to Customize:

• Your terminology differs (you call them "Engagements" not "Projects")

• You have a unique workflow (custom task stages)

• You need additional data (custom fields)

• You want specific automations

• Your team has specialized roles

Bad Reasons to Customize:

• "We might need this someday"

• "Our old system had this feature"

• Customizing before understanding the defaults

• Making it more complex than needed

Accessing Build Mode

Toggle Build Mode:

1. Look in the top-right corner

2. Find the Build Mode toggle/switch

3. Click to turn on Build Mode

4. The interface changes to show customization options

In Build Mode you can:

• Add/edit fields

• Create new tables

• Modify views and layouts

• Set up automations

• Configure permissions

• Customize pages

Turn off Build Mode when you're done to return to normal use.

Can't Break It: Don't worry about breaking things in Build Mode. You can undo changes, and your data is safe.

Common Customizations

1. Adding Custom Fields

Fields store additional information on records.

Examples of Fields Agencies Add:

On Projects:

• Service line (Web, Branding, Marketing, Strategy)

• Margin percentage

• Lead source (Referral, Website, Event)

• Contract value

• Project risk level

On Clients:

• Industry vertical

• Company size

• Account tier (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum)

• Annual contract value

• Decision maker

On Tasks:

• Estimated hours

• Actual hours (calculated)

• Difficulty level

• Design mockup URL

• GitHub issue link

On Team Members:

• Hourly rate (for costing)

• Skills/specializations

• Availability status

• Preferred working hours

How to Add a Field:

1. Turn on Build Mode

2. Go to Data tab

3. Select the table (e.g., "Projects")

4. Click + New field

5. Choose field type:

   • Text (short or long)

   • Number (integer or decimal)

   • Date

   • Single/Multiple select (dropdown)

   • Boolean (yes/no checkbox)

   • Relationship (link to another table)

   • Formula (calculated field)

   • And many more...

6. Configure field properties (name, required, default value)

7. Save

The field now appears on forms and record pages.

Learn more: Field Types

2. Customizing Task Workflow

The default workflow is: To do → In Progress → Done

Common Custom Workflows:

Design Agency:

Backlog → Design → Client Review → Revisions → Approved → Done

Development Agency:

Backlog → In Development → Code Review → QA → Client UAT → Deployed

Marketing Agency:

Planned → In Progress → Review → Client Approval → Published

How to Customize:

1. Build Mode > Data tab

2. Select "Tasks" table

3. Find "Status" field

4. Edit the options:

   • Add new statuses

   • Rename existing

   • Reorder

   • Set colors

5. Save

Your Kanban boards and filters automatically update.

3. Renaming Pages and Sections

Match Agency OS to your terminology:

Common Renames:

• "Projects" → "Engagements" or "Campaigns"

• "Clients" → "Partners" or "Accounts"

• "Tasks" → "Action Items" or "To-dos"

• "Team" → "Staff" or "People"

• "Leads" → "Prospects"

How to Rename:

1. Build Mode

2. Click on the page in navigation

3. Edit page name

4. Save

4. Hiding Unused Pages

If you don't need certain features:

Commonly Hidden:

• Offices: Single-location agencies don't need this

• Departments: Very small teams (under 10 people)

• Leads/CRM: If you get all clients through referrals

• Expenses: If tracking elsewhere

How to Hide:

1. Build Mode

2. Right-click page in navigation

3. Select "Hide page" or set visibility rule

4. Save

Hidden pages are removed from navigation.

5. Creating Custom Dashboards

Build dashboards for different roles:

Executive Dashboard:

• Revenue trends

• Client count and growth

• Project delivery metrics

• Team utilization

Project Manager Dashboard:

• Their projects only

• Team workload

• Upcoming deadlines

• At-risk tasks

Finance Dashboard:

• AR aging

• Revenue by client

• Outstanding invoices

• Profitability by project

How to Create:

1. Build Mode

2. Create new page or edit existing

3. Add components:

   • Charts (line, bar, donut, funnel)

   • Statistics (key numbers)

   • Lists (filtered views)

   • Tables (data grids)

4. Configure filters and data sources

5. Set permissions (who can see this dashboard)

Learn more: Charts

6. Adding New Tables

Create tables for data not covered by defaults:

Examples:

Retainers Table:

• Client (relationship)

• Monthly amount

• Start date / End date

• Status (Active, Cancelled)

• Services included

Contracts Table:

• Client (relationship)

• Contract start/end

• Terms and conditions

• Signed document (file upload)

• Renewal date

Deliverables Table:

• Project (relationship)

• Deliverable name

• Due date

• Status

• File (upload)

• Client approval

How to Create:

1. Build Mode > Data tab

2. Click + New table

3. Name your table

4. Add fields (as described above)

5. Create relationships to existing tables

6. Add views/pages to display the data

7. Set permissions

7. Customizing Views

Views control how data is displayed:

View Types:

• List/Rows

• Cards

• Table (spreadsheet-style)

• Kanban board

• Calendar

• Timeline/Gantt

• Maps (if location data)

• Charts

• Pivot tables

Customizations:

• Default filters

• Sort order

• Which fields show

• Grouping (by status, assignee, etc.)

• Conditional colors

• Summary calculations

How to Customize:

1. Open any list page

2. Turn on Build Mode

3. Click on the view component

4. Right panel shows options:

   • Display type

   • Filters

   • Sort

   • Fields to show

   • Grouping

   • Colors

5. Adjust and save

Learn more: Views

8. Setting Up Automations

Automate repetitive tasks with workflows.

Pre-Built Workflows

Agency OS comes with 7 pre-configured workflows ready to use out of the box. You can enable, disable, or customize any of these:

1. Kickoff Meeting Scheduler

• Trigger: When an Account (Client/Lead) record is updated

• Purpose: Automatically schedule or send kickoff meeting invite when client onboarding begins

• Use case: Streamline new client onboarding

• Customize: Adjust timing, email template, or meeting link

2. Opportunities Won Email

• Trigger: When an Opportunity record is updated (likely to "Won" status)

• Purpose: Send congratulations/next steps email when deal is won

• Use case: Celebrate wins and kickstart project

• Customize: Change email content, add team notifications, create project automatically

3. Notify Client on Payment Created

• Trigger: When a Payment record is created

• Purpose: Automatically notify client that new invoice is available

• Use case: Instant invoice notifications without manual emails

• Customize: Email template, include line items, add payment link

4. Notify Owner When Paid

• Trigger: When a Payment record is updated (status to "Paid")

• Purpose: Notify project owner/account manager when payment received

• Use case: Track cash flow, celebrate received payments

• Customize: Who gets notified, include payment details

5. Project Budget Breach Alert

• Trigger: When a Project record is updated

• Purpose: Alert when project time/costs exceed budget threshold

• Use case: Prevent budget overruns, scope creep management

• Customize: Set threshold percentage, who gets alerted, escalation rules

6. Notify Lead on Task Complete

• Trigger: When a Task record is updated (to "Done")

• Purpose: Notify client contact when task is completed

• Use case: Proactive client updates, transparency

• Customize: Which tasks trigger notification, email template, add deliverable links

7. Expense Receipt Reminder

• Trigger: When an Expense record is created

• Purpose: Remind team member to upload receipt for expense

• Use case: Improve expense documentation compliance

• Customize: Timing of reminder, who gets reminded, escalation

Managing Pre-Built Workflows

To Review Workflows:

1. Turn on Build Mode

2. Go to Workflows section

3. See list of all workflows (active and inactive)

4. Click any workflow to see details

To Customize a Workflow:

1. Open the workflow

2. Review trigger conditions

3. Adjust actions (email content, recipients, etc.)

4. Test the workflow

5. Save changes

To Disable a Workflow:

1. Open the workflow

2. Toggle to "Inactive" or "Disabled"

3. Save (workflow won't run but is preserved)

4. Can re-enable anytime

To Delete a Workflow:

• Only delete if you're sure you won't need it

• Consider disabling instead to preserve the template

Start with Defaults: Use the pre-built workflows as-is for your first month. Once you understand how they work, customize them to match your exact needs.

Creating Custom Workflows

Beyond the pre-built workflows, you can create your own:

Common Custom Automations:

New Project Created:

• Send welcome email to client

• Create standard initial tasks

• Notify project team

• Add to project tracking sheet (via integration)

Task Completed:

• Notify project manager

• If all tasks done, notify client

• Update project status

Payment Overdue:

• Send reminder email to client

• Notify account manager

• Escalate if 30+ days overdue

Opportunity Won:

• Convert lead to client

• Create first project

• Send onboarding email

• Notify delivery team

How to Create Custom Workflow:

1. Build Mode

2. Go to Workflows section

3. Click + New workflow

4. Choose trigger:

   • Record created

   • Record updated

   • Field changed

   • Scheduled (time-based)

   • On-demand (manual button)

5. Add conditions (optional):

   • Only if status = X

   • Only if field matches criteria

6. Add actions:

   • Send email

   • Create/update record

   • Send webhook

   • Send Slack message

   • Run AI action (GPT)

7. Test the workflow

8. Activate

Learn more: Workflows

Permissions & Roles

Customize who can see and do what:

Creating Custom Roles

Beyond the default roles (Admin, Manager, Team Member, Client), create specialized roles:

Examples:

Project Manager:

• Can manage all projects and tasks

• Can see client information

• Cannot access billing or financial data

Finance:

• Can manage billing and payments

• Can see all client data

• Limited project visibility

• Cannot manage team

Freelancer/Contractor:

• Can only see their assigned tasks

• Can log time

• Cannot see other projects or team workload

Client Admin:

• Can see all projects for their account

• Can invite other client users

• Full billing access

How to Create:

1. Settings > Roles

2. + New role

3. Name the role

4. Set permissions:

   • Table-level (can view/create/edit/delete)

   • Record-level (only records they're linked to)

   • Field-level (hide specific fields)

5. Save

6. Assign role to users

Learn more: User Roles & Permissions

Branding & Design

Make Agency OS look like your brand:

Logo:

• Upload your agency logo

• Shows in top-left corner

• Appears in client portal

Learn more: Custom Logos

Theme:

• Primary color (buttons, links)

• Background colors

• Font selections

• Dark mode option

Learn more: Theme & Design

Custom Domain:

• Use your own URL: portal.youragency.com

• Professional branded experience

• Better than generic noloco.app URL

Learn more: Custom Domain

Email Branding:

• Customize email templates

• Add your agency footer

• Use your SMTP server for sending

Learn more: Email Settings

Integrations

Connect Agency OS with other tools:

Common Integrations:

Zapier/Make:

• Sync with QuickBooks/Xero

• Connect to Google Sheets

• Integrate with hundreds of apps

Slack:

• Task notifications

• New client alerts

• Project updates

Calendar:

• Sync meetings with Google Calendar

• Two-way sync for availability

Payment Processing:

• Stripe for online payments

• PayPal integration

• Auto-update payment status

Accounting:

• Export invoices to accounting software

• Sync clients and payments

• Financial reconciliation

Learn more: Integrations

Advanced Customizations

Formulas and Calculations

Create calculated fields:

Examples:

• Project profitability: Revenue - (Time cost + Expenses)

• Days until due: Due date - Today

• Full name: First name + Last name

• Hourly rate: Fixed price / Estimated hours

Learn more: Formulas

Rollups and Lookups

Aggregate data across relationships:

Rollups (summarize related records):

• Total hours on project (sum of all task hours)

• Number of tasks per project (count)

• Average project value per client

Lookups (pull field from related record):

• Client name on task (lookup from project → client)

• Project manager email

• Client industry

Learn more: Rollups and Lookups

Conditional Visibility

Show/hide fields based on other fields:

Examples:

• Only show "Overdue reason" if Status = Overdue

• Only show "Contract end date" if Contract type = Fixed-term

• Hide internal cost fields from client portal

Learn more: Field Visibility Conditions

Customization Best Practices

Start Simple

• Begin with default configuration

• Use for 2-4 weeks

• Document pain points

• Then customize based on real needs

Test Changes

• Use "View as" to test client view

• Try on real data before rolling out

• Get team feedback

• Adjust based on actual use

Document Customizations

Keep track of what you've customized:

• Why you made the change

• When you made it

• Who uses this feature

• How to undo if needed

Train Your Team

When making significant changes:

• Announce changes in advance

• Provide quick training

• Share documentation

• Be available for questions

• Give time to adjust

Version Control

• Make incremental changes

• Don't change everything at once

• Keep notes on what works

• Be willing to revert if needed

Getting Help with Customization

Built-in Help

Nola (AI Assistant):

• Ask Nola to help customize

• "Add a field for project margin"

• "Create a workflow to notify on overdue tasks"

• Nola can make many customizations for you

Documentation

• Refer to full Noloco documentation

• Specific guides for each feature

• Video tutorials

• Community examples

Professional Services

For complex customizations:

• Noloco support team

• Implementation partners

• Hire a Noloco expert

Customization Examples

Example 1: Add Project Margin Tracking

Goal: Track profitability per project

Steps:

1. Add field to Projects: "Budget" (number)

2. Add formula field: "Total Time Cost"

   • Formula: Rollup of (Time entries × Team member rate)

3. Add formula field: "Total Expenses"

   • Formula: Rollup sum of Expenses amount

4. Add formula field: "Profit"

   • Formula: Budget - Total Time Cost - Total Expenses

5. Add formula field: "Margin %"

   • Formula: (Profit / Budget) × 100

6. Add to Projects list view

7. Create chart showing margin by project

Example 2: Custom Client Onboarding

Goal: Automate new client setup

Steps:

1. Create workflow: Trigger = Lead status changed to "Won"

2. Action 1: Update record → Change record type to Client

3. Action 2: Create Project → "Onboarding & Discovery"

4. Action 3: Create Tasks → Standard onboarding tasks

   • "Kickoff meeting"

   • "Gather assets"

   • "Set up accounts"

   • "Create project plan"

5. Action 4: Send email → Welcome email to primary contact

6. Action 5: Send Slack message → Notify delivery team

Example 3: Weekly Client Summary

Goal: Automated weekly update to clients

Steps:

1. Create workflow: Trigger = Scheduled (Every Friday at 4pm)

2. Action 1: For each Client (loop)

3. Action 2: Find tasks completed this week for that client

4. Action 3: Find tasks in progress for that client

5. Action 4: Send email to client with summary:

   • "This week we completed: [list]"

   • "Next week we're working on: [list]"

   • "View full details in your portal: [link]"

Related Guides

• Data Overview - Understanding tables and fields

• Workflows - Automations

• User Roles & Permissions - Access control

• Theme & Design - Branding

Make It Yours: The best Agency OS is one that fits your workflows perfectly. Start simple, customize gradually, and build the system that helps your team thrive.