When this guide helps
Use this guide if any of these situations sound familiar:
- A teammate cannot see what you told the client and has to ask you each time.
- You can find the emails but cannot tell whom to contact today or which proposals are still pending.
- You are considering a paid CRM and want to know what you would gain over a spreadsheet.
Compare three ways of working, then answer a few questions about your team. The result recommends a next step, explains its limits, and points you to suitable tools and their prices.
What you can leave with
Find out whether your current email setup is enough, whether you need shared email with a task list, or whether a CRM fits your needs. The tool below explains its recommendation and what that setup will not solve.
Open the template or tool ↓Before you begin
Pick a recent inquiry and establish who saw it, who replied, and who knows the next action. Use that case to answer the questions below.
Choose your setup
| Situation | Next move |
|---|---|
| One person, no handover | Keep the current setup |
| Shared replies, clear owner | Trial a shared inbox |
| Job-scope handover | Add a shared spreadsheet and check access |
| Deal stages and history across jobs | Shortlist a CRM and its upkeep cost |
| Unknown permissions or upkeep | First clarify access and who will maintain the setup |
Answer based on how your team handles inquiries. Get a recommendation for email, a shared spreadsheet, or a CRM shortlist.
What to use and what it costs
An inbox handles shared replies, a spreadsheet tracks next actions, and a CRM organizes deal history. Choose around the missing task. Buying a CRM will not resolve recordkeeping that nobody owns.
| Tool and when it fits | Price and conditions |
|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 · shared mailbox ↗ For a Microsoft 365 team needing shared incoming and outgoing mail. | A shared mailbox up to 50 GB needs no separate license; users need Exchange Online licenses. An admin sets membership and permissions. Check that sent replies are saved in the shared mailbox. Source and terms |
| Google Sheets ↗ When email works, but due dates and handoffs get lost. | No additional subscription if you already have a suitable Google account. Assumes your existing account and storage. Your team maintains records and due dates. Source and terms |
| HubSpot Free ↗ For up to two users who need deal tracking. | USD 0 · up to 2 users. A small starting point with manual tasks. A three-person team cannot assume three free seats. Source and terms |
| Pipedrive Growth ↗ For sales stages and individual email inside a CRM. | EUR 39/seat/month on annual billing. 3 seats: EUR 1,404/year excluding VAT. Includes individual email sync. A shared team inbox inside the CRM requires Premium. Source and terms |
Prices and terms checked September 27, 2026, in the currency shown by the vendor. Quotes may vary by country; confirm your currency, tax and commitment before buying. Example budgets exclude any additional tax.
Budget for this job
An already licensed team may add the inbox-and-sheet routine with $0 in new subscriptions. Three Pipedrive Growth seats equal EUR 117/month, paid as EUR 1,404 annually excluding VAT. Map actual access needs before treating headcount as paid-seat count.
Include your time and running costs →Choose around one real gap
0 / 4Check off steps as you finish them. Progress stays in this browser; reset it below when you start again.
Fictional example
Example: three people see the same messages, each has an owner and handover happens outside email. A shared inbox may stop duplicate replies; if the receiver must accept job scope, add a tracker and test access from their account.
What to keep on record
Record the problem, your choice, and the reason. Add its cost and who will maintain the records so you can revisit the decision as the team grows.
What can go wrong
Two people seeing incoming email does not necessarily mean they can see each other’s replies. Check whether your current mailbox settings can solve the problem before switching tools.
How to check it works
Ask a teammate to take over one ongoing inquiry. Can they find the last reply, due date, and next action? That is more useful for this choice than a feature count.
Where to start today
Answer the decision questions above using how your team works today. Start with the smallest suggested change and revisit it if an important task remains unresolved.