Pick the workflow before you hire the consultant

One practical workflow, the evidence behind it and a useful next step.

By Daniel Donovan · Sources checked 19 October 2026

Welcome to The Practical AI Brief.

A useful first AI project starts with a piece of work you can describe. Take the steps between receiving a customer order and issuing an invoice: information arrives, somebody checks it, details move between systems and exceptions need a decision.

A published example

In a September 2025 Clutch review of Melbourne's Flowstate Automate, a wholesale supplier's director described ordering and invoicing automation alongside chatbot and website work. They reported that their workload fell from 40 hours a week to about one hour each day.

That is one client's account of a particular project. We have not audited the saving, and the review covers broader delivery than AI alone. The useful question for your business is which steps could change, and how you would measure the result.

Original review: Read the original client review on Clutch ↗ Provider information: Flowstate Automate’s official website ↗ Directory evidence: View the sourced directory profile ↗

Before your first call

1. Map the handoffs. Where do orders arrive, who checks them and which systems receive the information? 2. Record a baseline. Measure handling time, corrections and exceptions using a representative sample of your actual work. 3. Set the boundaries. Decide what a person must approve, what happens when information is missing and who maintains the workflow.

Ask the consultant which steps need AI, which can use ordinary automation and what evidence would justify continuing after a pilot. Agree on ownership, running costs and handover before expanding the scope.

Your next step

Use the project brief to write down one workflow, its inputs, its constraints and the first deliverable: Copy the free AI project brief template ↗

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There are no paid placements or affiliate links in this edition. Daniel also works in AI consulting; the directory's evidence and review policy is at Read our evidence and review policy ↗