Problem
Clunky Systems, No Flexibility for Real-World Workflow
A small business owner running a local convenience store found himself locked into rigid, outdated software that couldn’t adapt to his daily operations. With 8,000+ items in inventory and limited technical staff, he needed a flexible system to manage product databases, purchase orders, and item receiving workflows—without overburdening store employees.
His primary challenge was building a foolproof receiving process. Store staff needed to confirm incoming deliveries, but the clunky UX of existing tools left too much room for error. The owner had already started migrating to SmartSuite but was struggling to finalize the foundational structure and ensure long-term scalability.
He wanted to get it right the first time.
Q1
Solution
DIY Platform with Scalable Support
SmartSuite became the central platform for building a fully customized retail backend. The owner used Linked Records, Formulas, Grid Views, and Conditional Logic to architect a system that tied together products, categories, departments, line items, and purchase orders.
To ensure staff could easily mark items as received, he created dynamic views that grouped items by PO number and used status fields to separate what was received from what was pending. He also implemented dashboard views to guide store teams through a streamlined UI with filters and grouped entries, minimizing confusion.
To reinforce his setup, SmartSuite connected him with certified consultants to audit the foundation and provide ad hoc support. He even integrated Gmail Automations to email POs directly and explored PDF generation options to maintain records within the platform.
Q2
Result
Full Control, Cleaner UX, and a Scalable Back Office
With SmartSuite, the retailer built a working purchase order and receiving system tailored to his store's unique needs. The result:
- Store staff now receive inventory with simple clicks, grouped by PO
- Multiple grid views support distinct workflows for product, vendor, and PO management
- Dynamic fields and logic reduce data entry errors and manual oversight
- Email automation streamlines PO distribution
“I didn’t go to sleep. I built for 24 hours straight. My wife said I needed professional help,” the owner joked. “But I learned so much. I could probably be an assistant to your team.”
With the right foundational support and powerful no-code tools, this mom-and-pop shop gained enterprise-level capability without losing flexibility.
Q3
-min.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
.png)
%2520(1).jpeg)
.png)
.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
%2520(1).jpeg)
.png)
.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
%2520(1).png)
%2520(1).png)
%2520(1).jpeg)
%2520(1).png)
%2520(1).png)
%2520(1).jpeg)
.png)
.png)
%2520(1).jpeg)
.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.jpeg)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
%2520(1).jpeg)
.png)
.png)
.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
-min.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
%2520(1).jpeg)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
%20(1).jpg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
-min.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
%2520(1).jpeg)
%2520(1).png)
%2520(1).png)
.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
%2520(1).jpeg)
%2520(1).png)
%2520(1).png)
.jpeg)
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
-min.jpeg)
-min.png)
-min.png)
