I have a group database on airtable that I am trying to clean up and make more efficient using some automations. Here is the flow: input group details into database, send a bid, send a contract, input into pms, get rooming list and input into pms, send invoice, receive credit card authorization, take payment, send front desk instructions, send invoice for commissions, depart the group. Here are my thoughts that I would like input on from the folks who know their stuff.
1. Is it better to manage the flow through views or tables? My thought was to have all of the data that I need in a 'group details' table, then have a 'bid/contract', 'roominglist', 'Invoice' and 'FD instruction' tables. I would then automatically move it through each table of the process based on a check mark or an attachment of a contract for instance. This would keep it clean as each step would then have it's own calculations that would pull from the data on the 'group detail' table and I could easily see which group was in each stage of the process. I could then set up an automated notification for any step that is overdue from those process tables.
2. I have spent a bit of time looking at options for automating the creation and emailing of the documents of my process (contract, invoice and FD instructions) I am trying to not spend extra money on this and it seems that Make, Zapier and Documint for example have free plans that are of course limited. I need to be able to customize the document with dynamic tables of group tour information as the table will vary between 1 tour entry and 15 entries. Then email it as a pdf. What do you suggest would be the best way to go?
Thank you!!!