CRM Tools

Where Do You Keep Your Quotes, Invoices, and Contacts?

If the answer is “somewhere in my inbox” or “a bunch of spreadsheets,” it might be time to rethink your workflow. The more your campaign grows, the more vital it becomes to have everything in one place.

That’s where Hive comes in. It is the only pledge manager with a fully integrated CRM system. It centralizes your contacts, quotes, invoices, and key documents in one place, directly connected to your campaign.

No more scattered apps or buried files. Just clear, accessible data that helps you run your campaign like a real business. Simple, efficient, and made for creators like you.

The Power of Built-In Control

Our CRM isn’t just another add-on. It’s the backbone of your operation. It stores everything that matters, all organized and tied directly to your campaign.

Instead of bouncing between apps or losing track of updates, you have one clear place where everything lives.

One dashboard. One system. One less thing to worry about.

Whether you’re running your first campaign or your tenth, the integrated CRM helps you:

• Keep communication and files in order
• Track partner information and services
• Manage costs, quotes, and payment status with ease
• Stay accountable and efficient across every department

Every business works with a wide variety of external contacts — from manufacturers and freight companies to marketing partners and legal consultants. Hive allows you to stay organized by letting you define your own Entity Types, so your CRM reflects your actual relationships.

What is an Entity Type?

An Entity Type is a customizable category that helps you group and classify the kinds of organizations or people you interact with. For example, you might create types such as:

• Manufacturer 
• Freight Provider 
• Fulfillment Center 
• Designer or Illustrator 
• Translator or Localizer 
• Marketing Partner 
• Licensor or IP Holder 
• Retail or Distribution Partner 

These types are completely flexible, so you can define them based on your business model and needs.

Once created, these types can be assigned to each contact you enter as an Entity in Hive. This makes it easy to filter, sort, and report on your business relationships across teams and projects.

Use clear and specific types to keep your data clean and actionable. If you find yourself tagging too many contacts with a vague label like "Partner," it may be time to define more granular types.

Adding a new Entity is how you formally record an external contact or organization in your Hive CRM. This can be anyone your team works with outside your company — from factories and illustrators to PR agencies and compliance consultants.

When adding an Entity, you can log:

• Contact details (company name, person of contact, email, phone, etc.)
• Assigned Entity Type (e.g. Manufacturer, Translator, Retailer)
• Notes and history (e.g. previous quotes, feedback, key dates)
• Related files (e.g. contracts, invoices, certificates)
• Associated projects or departments

This information is stored centrally, making it accessible to anyone on your team who needs it. You eliminate duplicated work, reduce email digging, and ensure that vital relationships aren’t dependent on a single person’s memory or inbox.

Once added, Entities become part of your operational backbone. You can reference them in quotes, documents, projects, and timelines — creating a true 360° view of your external network.

Keeping your Entity list up to date is one of the easiest ways to improve efficiency and stay ahead of deadlines. Add as soon as the relationship starts and keep the data fresh.

Managing Contacts

Once you’ve added a new entity, whether it’s a manufacturer, illustrator, convention, fulfillment center, or any other business type, you can begin assigning Contacts to that entity. This allows you to keep track of who you speak to, what they do, and how to reach them, all in one organized space.

Each contact entry can include:

• Full name
• Role or job title
• Email address
• Phone number
• Notes or extra details

By managing contacts this way, you’ll always know who to reach out to when you need updates, quotes, confirmations, or support. No more searching through old email threads or spreadsheets — your CRM keeps everything exactly where you need it.

Whether you’re coordinating manufacturing timelines or confirming details for a trade show, the Contacts section inside each entity gives you reliable access to the people behind the business.

Managing Documents

Keeping your project paperwork organized is key, and that’s exactly what the Documents tab within each entity is built for.

Once you’ve created a new entity, you can upload and store important files directly in its profile. These might include:

• Quotes and invoices
• CE certifications and compliance documents
• NDAs or contracts
• Marketing materials or specs
• Shipping labels or customs declarations

Each file is attached to the specific entity it relates to, so you don’t have to dig through folders or search through emails when you need something. Everything is securely stored and easily accessible by your team.

Whether you’re working with a freight partner, a manufacturing vendor, or a marketing agency, the Documents section ensures you have all the key files at your fingertips — right where they belong.

Keeping financial records organized is a critical part of managing your projects and relationships. In your CRM, you can attach invoices directly to any entity — whether it's a supplier, manufacturer, fulfillment partner, or retailer — and clearly track all sales or purchase-related activity.

How It Works

Each invoice entry includes a few key selections to help you manage and filter financial data with ease:

1. Invoice Type: Choose whether the invoice represents a Sale (you’re billing someone) or a Purchase (someone is billing you). This distinction helps you maintain an accurate picture of both income and expenses.
2. Status: Mark invoices as Paid or Not Fully Paid, so you can follow up when needed. This is especially useful when dealing with partial payments, deposits, or overdue balances.
3. Entity Association: Every invoice is linked to a specific entity in your system. This allows you to see a full financial history per partner and makes it easier to generate reports or audits later.

By attaching invoices to your CRM entities:

• You gain a clearer understanding of your project costs and income sources.
• You create a transparent financial trail for each partner or vendor.
• You reduce the chance of missing payments or billing errors.

Use this feature to build trust with your collaborators, stay on top of your numbers, and maintain a healthy business workflow — all from within your centralized CRM.

Financial Transactions

The Transactions section in your CRM offers a centralized view of all the payments registered across your invoices — whether incoming or outgoing. It’s the go-to place for reviewing your financial activity at a glance.

What You’ll See

This page displays a complete list of every payment that has been linked to an invoice within your system. It includes important details like the invoice number, amount paid, associated entity, and date of payment.

This visibility allows you to:

• Quickly verify what’s been paid and what’s still outstanding
• Track payments across all sales and purchase activity
• Support accounting, auditing, or budgeting efforts

How to Add a New Payment

1. Go to the Invoices page in your CRM.
2. Locate the invoice you wish to update.
3. Click the Add Payment button.
4. Enter the payment details (amount, date, notes, etc.) and save.

That’s it — the transaction will now appear in your list and be linked to the correct invoice and entity.

Using this system ensures your payments stay organized, traceable, and always up to date. It’s one more way your CRM helps you maintain full control over your financial records.