FLOWFOLIO · DOCS
Your complete guide to Flowfolio — from first login to mastering AI, billing, and client portals.
Complete user guide
Overview
What is Flowfolio?
In one line
Flowfolio is a command center for freelancers — clients, projects, tasks, files, AI assistance, and billing in one place.
Key benefits
| Benefit | What it means |
|---|---|
| One dashboard for everything | Stop juggling spreadsheets, emails, and chats |
| AI turns briefs into tasks | Paste a messy message → get a structured task list |
| Clients see progress | Professional portal — no more 'where are we at?' |
| Payment links with proof | Clients upload payment proof directly |
| Works on any device (PWA) | Install as an app on phone, tablet, or desktop |
First steps
Getting Started
Step 1: Create your account
- 1
Go to Flowfolio
Click "Start free trial" on the landing page.
- 2
Fill in your details
First name, last name, email, password — or sign up with Google (faster).
- 3
Activate
Check your email and click the activation link.
Tip
Google sign-up skips the password step and gets you in faster.
Step 2: Welcome tour
- 1
Review benefits
Clients, projects, tasks, files in one place. Delivery statuses and approvals. Invoices tied to projects.
- 2
Explore
Click "Explore my workspace" to enter your dashboard.
Step 3: Your first actions
- 1
Add client & project
Creates a client, then a project for them.
- 2
Personal project
Create a project without a client (for experiments).
- 3
Create invoice
Jump straight to billing.
- 4
Templates & AI
Pre-built message templates and AI shortcuts.
Manage your clients
Clients
Purpose
Store client information so you can link them to projects and invoices.
Create a client
- 1
Navigate
Go to Clients in the sidebar → Click "New Client".
- 2
Fill in
Name (required), Email (required — used for portal access), Company (optional), Notes (optional), Preferred currency (optional).
- 3
Save
Click Create.
Client fields
| Field | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | How the client appears in your workspace |
| Yes | Used for portal magic link access | |
| Company | No | Internal reference |
| Notes | No | Private reminders about this client |
| Preferred currency | No | Auto-suggested from email domain |
Client Portal Link
Each client gets a magic link to their portal. Click the Portal badge → Generate → Copy link → Send via secure channel. You can revoke or pause access anytime.
Organize your work
Projects
Purpose
Each project is a container for tasks, notes, files, and billing related to a specific piece of work.
Create a project
- 1
Navigate
Go to Projects → Click "New Project".
- 2
Select client
Choose from your client list.
- 3
Name & describe
Project name (e.g., "Website Redesign") and a brief description (becomes the baseline for scope analysis).
- 4
Add links
Optional — Figma, GitHub, Drive links, etc.
- 5
Pick a color
Visual identifier for this project across the app.
Inside a project you can
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Kickoff draft | AI-generated objectives, deliverables, milestones, risks |
| Links | External tool references (Figma, GitHub, etc.) |
| Notes | Per-project scratchpad with autosave |
| AI Assistant | Opens pre-loaded with this project's context |
| Client portal | Manage the magic link for this client |
| Archive | Hide completed projects from your active list |
Track your work
Tasks
Task status flow
Status meanings
| Status | Meaning | Color |
|---|---|---|
| Pending | Not started yet | Gray |
| In Progress | Currently working on it | Blue |
| Delivered | Sent to client for review | Purple |
| Approved | Client approved it | Green |
Create tasks manually
- 1
Go to Tasks
Click "New Task" in the sidebar.
- 2
Select project
Choose which project this task belongs to.
- 3
Enter details
Title (required), description (optional), due date (optional).
- 4
Create
Click Create.
Create tasks with AI (recommended)
- 1
Go to AI Assistant
Select "Generate tasks" mode.
- 2
Paste context
A brief, email thread, or meeting notes.
- 3
Generate
Click "Generate tasks".
- 4
Review & select
Pick which AI suggestions to keep.
- 5
Create
Click "Create selected tasks".
Pro tip
When you mark a task as Delivered, Flowfolio offers to draft a delivery email using AI. Use it!
Task board features
| Feature | How to use |
|---|---|
| Drag & drop | Move cards between columns to change status |
| Quick add | Add tasks at the bottom of any column |
| Search | Use the search bar (keyboard shortcut available) |
| Sort by tension | Sort by urgency or default order |
| AI insight badge | Shows which tasks were created/enriched with AI |
Your AI copilot
AI Assistant
Purpose
Your AI copilot for drafting, planning, and analyzing — saves hours of admin work.
AI Modes
| Mode | What it does | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Kickoff | Brief → full project plan (name, objectives, tasks, milestones, risks) | All |
| Generate Tasks | Brief/conversation → structured task list | All |
| Summarize Email | Long thread → key decisions and next steps | All |
| Suggest Reply | Draft a response with tone control and intent profiles | All (except Starter) |
| Client Update | Generate a professional status update email | All |
| Scope Check | Compare client message vs project baseline | All |
| Checklist | Phase checklist by work type (landing, branding, etc.) | All |
| Commercial Proposal | Proposal outline with timeline and budget | Pro+ |
How to use any AI mode
- 1
Select mode
Choose from the dropdown menu.
- 2
Select project
Optional — adds project context for better results.
- 3
Paste context
Your brief, email, message, or question.
- 4
Choose tone
Friendly or Formal (where applicable).
- 5
Generate
Click the generate button.
- 6
Review & copy
Edit the result and copy it for use.
Reply Assist Profiles
| Profile | Use when |
|---|---|
| Balanced draft | General response |
| Sound more professional | Elevate the tone |
| Explain a delay | You're running late |
| Ask for feedback | Need client input |
| Announce delivery | Handoff moment |
| Discuss scope change | Client wants something new |
| No free extras | Push back on out-of-scope requests |
| Ask for deposit | Request upfront payment |
| Decline politely | Say no gracefully |
| Separate quote needed | New work needs pricing |
| Request missing materials | Client hasn't sent assets |
Quick Coach
The floating chat button (bottom-right) opens a quick AI coach for day-to-day questions. Each reply uses 1 Spark (same quota as the main copilot).
AI usage
Each generation uses ~1 AI Spark (Chispa). Check your remaining Sparks in the sidebar.
Get paid professionally
Billing
Purpose
Create professional payment links and track payments — no more bouncing bank aliases via chat.
Create an invoice
- 1
Navigate
Go to Billing → Click "New Invoice".
- 2
Select client
Required — must have at least one client.
- 3
Fill details
Project (optional), Amount, Currency (auto-suggested), Description, Due date, Service type.
- 4
Recurring
Toggle for subscription-style invoices.
- 5
Create
Click Create Invoice.
Pro tip
Generate the payment link right after milestone approval — don't wait until end of month.
Payment management
| Action | What happens |
|---|---|
| Copy Link | Copy the payment link to share with client |
| View proof | See the uploaded payment proof (image or PDF) |
| Approve | Marks the invoice as paid |
| Reject | Rejects the proof (client is notified) |
| Mark paid | Manually mark as paid without proof |
Payment reminder messages
Flowfolio can generate WhatsApp or Email reminder text for: due soon, overdue without proof, and proof waiting for approval.
Billing Calendar
Go to Billing → Calendar to see invoice due dates, task deadlines, deliveries, approvals, and custom events — all in one view.
Professional client access
Client Portal
Purpose
Give clients a professional window into their projects — no account needed, just a magic link.
What clients see
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Overview | AI-generated project summary |
| Projects | List of their projects with progress |
| Task Board | Kanban view — they can approve delivered tasks |
| Roadmap | Visual timeline of phases and milestones |
| Invoices | Amounts, status, payment link, proof upload |
| Files | Downloadable assets shared by you |
| Suggestions | Send feedback or change requests |
How clients access
- 1
You generate
Create a magic link from the client page.
- 2
Client opens
They open the link you sent.
- 3
Email verification
They enter the email you registered for them.
- 4
Portal loads
They see their projects, invoices, and files.
Link expiration
The magic link expires after a period. Generate a new one when needed. You can also revoke or pause access anytime.
Your second brain
Notes
Purpose
A scratchpad per project for decisions, meeting minutes, and context that isn't a task yet.
Using notes
- 1
Navigate
Go to Notes → Select a project from the filter.
- 2
Create
Click "New note".
- 3
Write
Markdown supported: **bold**, lists, `code`.
- 4
Autosave
Notes save automatically as you type.
AI features
| Feature | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Refine with AI | Polish your notes for clarity | 1 Spark |
| Convert to Task | AI extracts actionable item from note | 1 Spark |
Pro tip
Trust autosave. When intent becomes executable, escalate to Tasks or AI instead of hoarding blobs.
Visualize your month
Calendar
Purpose
See payments, deadlines, deliveries, and custom events in one calendar view.
Event types
| Type | Source |
|---|---|
| Invoice | Due dates from Billing |
| Task due | Task deadlines |
| Delivery | Tasks marked as delivered |
| Approved | Tasks approved by clients |
| Custom | Events you add manually |
Navigation
Click < > arrows to change months. Events are color-coded by type. Click an event for details.
Quick-start shortcuts
Templates
Purpose
AI checklists and copy-paste messages — no credits needed for text templates.
AI Checklists by Work Type
| Type | Use for |
|---|---|
| Landing / marketing site | Websites, landing pages |
| Branding / identity | Logos, brand guides |
| E-commerce | Online stores |
| MVP / app | Minimum viable products |
| SEO / content growth | SEO projects |
Copy-Paste Messages (no AI credits)
| Template | When to use |
|---|---|
| Deposit / kickoff payment | Request upfront payment |
| Polite follow-up | Client hasn't responded |
| Deliverable ready for review | Notify client of delivery |
| After a call — recap | Post-meeting summary |
| Clarify scope | Push back on scope creep |
Remember
Personalize names and amounts before sending any template.
Your war room
Dashboard & Pulse
Purpose
See everything at a glance — risk scores, priorities, momentum, and quick actions.
Dashboard widgets
| Widget | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Quick Actions | One-click shortcuts to create clients, projects, invoices, tasks |
| Operational Pulse | Risk score and priority suggestions per project |
| This Month vs Last | Approved tasks and invoices compared to previous month |
| Recent Projects | Your latest projects with task counts |
| Upcoming Tasks | Pending or in-progress tasks |
| Roadmap | Prioritized tasks in one flow |
Pulse tension score
| Score | Meaning | Color |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30% | Steady / Calm | Green |
| 31–70% | Elevated attention needed | Amber |
| 71–100% | High operational strain | Red |
What the pulse detects
Overdue tasks, deliverables waiting for client feedback, stale in-progress tasks (14+ days), unpaid invoices, and thin kickoff descriptions (<400 chars with open tasks).
AI pulse features
| Feature | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Explain with AI | Narrative explanation of the risk level | 1 Spark |
| Suggest next tasks | AI-inferred task titles from pulse data | 1 Spark |
Pricing explained
Plans & AI Sparks
Subscription plans
| Plan | Price | Projects | Clients | AI Sparks/month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free | 3 | 2 | 50 |
| Plus | $12/mo | 5 | 10 | 200 |
| Pro | $25/mo | 12 | 16 | 1,000 |
| Complete | $330/yr | 20 | 20 | 1,500 |
| Agency | $69/mo | Unlimited | Unlimited | 5,000 |
What are AI Sparks?
Sparks (Chispas) are your monthly AI usage quota. Every AI generation uses ~1 Spark: kickoff, tasks, summaries, replies, scope checks, checklists, updates, coach replies, note refinement, pulse explanations.
Plan restrictions
| Plan | Key restrictions |
|---|---|
| Starter | Smart replies blocked. 50 Sparks/month. Max 3 projects, 2 clients. |
| Plus | All AI features. 200 Sparks/month. Basic branding. |
| Pro | Commercial proposal unlocked. 1,000 Sparks/month. |
| Complete | Best annual rate. 1,500 Sparks/month. Premium support. |
| Agency | Unlimited everything. White label. Multi-user. |
Checking your usage
Sidebar shows your remaining Sparks. Settings → Plan shows detailed usage. A banner appears when you're running low.
Customize your experience
Settings & PWA
User settings
- 1
Profile
Update your name and email.
- 2
Plan usage
View your current plan limits and AI Spark usage.
- 3
Password
Change your password.
- 4
Account
Manage your account settings.
Theme
Click the theme toggle in the sidebar: Light, Dark, or System (follows OS preference).
Language
Click the language switcher in the sidebar footer: English or Español.
Install as App (PWA)
- 1
Chrome/Edge
Click "Install app" in the sidebar → Follow browser prompt.
- 2
iPhone/iPad
Open in Safari → Share → "Add to Home Screen" → Add.
- 3
Mac Safari
File → "Add to Dock" or Share → "Add to Dock".
PWA benefits
Standalone app experience, offline page, quick home screen access — like a native app.
At a glance
Quick Reference
Status flow
Entity relationships
AI mode quick guide
| You want to... | Use this mode |
|---|---|
| Start a project from a brief | Kickoff |
| Create tasks from a conversation | Generate Tasks |
| Summarize a long email | Summarize Email |
| Draft a response to a client | Suggest Reply |
| Check if a request is in scope | Scope Check |
| Get a phase checklist | Checklist by Work Type |
| Write a status update for client | Client Executive Update |
| Generate a proposal | Commercial Proposal (Pro+) |
| Quick freelancing advice | Quick Coach (floating button) |
Common scenarios
| Scenario | Steps |
|---|---|
| New client project | Clients → New Client → Projects → New Project → AI Kickoff |
| Client asks for something new | AI → Scope Check (paste their message) |
| Deliver and get paid | Mark task Delivered → Create Invoice → Send payment link |
| Client hasn't responded | Templates → Copy "Polite follow-up" message |
| Need to prioritize this week | Dashboard → Pulse → "Explain with AI" |
| Meeting recap | Notes → Write notes → AI Refine → Convert to Task |