Make sure they understand where they are in project's process and when the whole project has to be completed. If you do this, you can be more comfortable with leaving your employees for the day to go meet with potential clients. These shop meetings will also allow your employees to feel a part of something bigger. They can know how their role is important to the finished product and that the shop may be depending on their completing their assigned work on time. Many businesses have gone high tech in the field of scheduling.
Some shops generate several spreadsheets to cover one job.
However, this tends to be unnecessary and ineffective. For the most part, computer spreadsheets involve closing out existing projects, opening files, and entering data. These are three steps that can be cut out by simply writing down the information and putting the appropriate documentation where it belongs. That is, of course, assuming you do not have a data entry specialist. Remember, invoice numbers are very important in scheduling and organizing jobs.