Workflow automation for civil, construction and trades businesses
Written by Autonome. Updated 5 November 2026.
What should a civil contractor automate first?
Start with the weekly handover between site and office. Autonome checks each subcontractor's ABN and GST as their bills arrive, so the Friday bill run only holds clean drafts. Before month end it sweeps project emails for extra work someone agreed to, and job requests become cards on Trello or Autonome's Kanban Board. None of it reaches Xero, MYOB or anyone's inbox until you approve it.
That handover is where civil businesses quietly lose margin. A variation agreed by email misses the invoice. A subbie charging GST they aren't registered for gets paid and claimed before anyone notices. It's rarely anyone's fault; it's just too much to check by hand on a Friday afternoon. The Monday chase for tickets, insurances and timesheets can go to a Gadget too, with the reminders drafted for you to send.
- Variations found before the invoice goes out.
- Subcontractor ABN and GST checked before the bill run.
| When | Job | Gadget | What you approve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Every morning | Job requests and work orders from email | Job Card & Ops Dispatcher, or Trello job cards | Each card or dispatch email |
| As bills arrive | Subcontractor and supplier bills | Supplier Invoice & ABN Triage | Each draft bill in Xero or MYOB |
| Monday | Tickets, insurances and timesheets | Compliance Document & Timesheet Chaser | The reminder emails |
| Before month end | Extra work agreed on site or by email | Unbilled Variation Catcher | Each line on a draft invoice |
Link the job board to your ledger
The Kanban Board is a starter Gadget in every workspace: a card for each job, given to a person, with due dates, comments, photos and a calendar view. To connect it to the rest of your apps, describe what you need in plain English, for example "when a card reaches Ready to bill, draft the invoice in Xero". Autonome builds it on its Gatekeepers, the separate services that hold your Xero, MYOB and Trello logins, and the invoice waits for your approval.
Already run jobs on Trello? The Trello Gatekeeper reads your boards and, once approved, creates job cards with checklists and attachments. The trades and civil use case goes through each ready-made Gadget, and the Unbilled Variation Catcher page shows how variations are found.
Questions
Does Autonome replace our job management software?
No. It works alongside the apps you already use, such as Xero or MYOB, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, HubSpot and Trello, and takes on the admin between them. You approve every write.
Can moving a card on a board create an invoice?
Yes, once you describe it. Tell Autonome what should happen when a card moves, for example draft an invoice in Xero or MYOB when it reaches Ready to bill, and it builds that on the Gatekeepers. The draft waits for approval.
How are subcontractor ABNs checked?
Against the live Australian Business Register each time a bill arrives, for ABN status and GST registration. A bill charging GST from a supplier not registered for it is held with the reason.
What does it cost for a 35-person civil business?
A$193.50 a month ex GST, or A$2,322 a year, for up to 50 staff. Per-seat software at an example A$45 per user a month would be A$18,900 a year.
Find the variations missing from this month's invoices.
14-day free trial. Your card is checked and nothing is charged for 14 days. Then A$193.50/mo ex GST for up to 50 people.
Look around first, no card