Automations quietly become part of client delivery. When nobody owns them, a disconnected account or changed form can leave work unfinished. Audit the workflows your team already depends on before adding new ones.
Build an inventory
List every live workflow, including native automations inside a CRM or project tool. For each, record the trigger, connected accounts, data transferred, owner, expected result, frequency and last successful run. Mark workflows that affect a client deadline or send client-facing messages.
| Workflow | Trigger | Owner | Client data | Last checked | Recovery action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New client intake | Form submitted | [Name] | Contact details | [Date] | Manual project task |
Copy the audit checklist
- ☐ Every live workflow has an owner and backup.
- ☐ Connected accounts belong to the right organization and have suitable permissions.
- ☐ Triggers still fire on representative test data.
- ☐ Duplicate events do not create duplicate clients or invoices.
- ☐ Invalid or missing fields produce a visible error.
- ☐ Alerts reach a person who can act.
- ☐ Failed runs can be retried safely without unwanted duplicate actions.
- ☐ Client-facing output has a review step where mistakes would be costly.
- ☐ Usage and billing have been checked against recent activity.
- ☐ Credentials, tokens and access are reviewed when staff leave.
- ☐ A manual fallback exists for critical workflows.
- ☐ Obsolete workflows are disabled and documented.
Test failures deliberately
Use fictional records. Submit the same form twice, omit a required field and disconnect a test integration if you can do so safely. Confirm where the error appears and who receives it. Do not run destructive tests in a live client account without a controlled test environment.
Prioritize fixes
Fix workflows that can lose client requests, send wrong information or alter billing first. Next, address silent failures and high manual recovery costs. Finally, review unused scenarios and expensive schedules that run more often than the task requires. Compare the last two billing periods with actual usage, not a forecast alone.
Schedule the next review
Record a review date and make ownership part of staff onboarding and departure. After changing a workflow, update its inventory row and retest its failure path. For new automations, see the Make onboarding guide and Make pricing scenarios.
Editorial notes — remove before publication
The checklist is platform-independent. Verify links and adapt security and retention requirements to real client agreements before publishing.