---
auto_generated: true
created: 2026-05-18
manual_updated_at: 2026-05-18
modified: 2026-05-18
name: User_Manual
status: active
tags:
- client/oliver
- domain/ai
- status/active
- tech/azure-ad
- tech/claude
- tech/docker
- tech/fastapi
- tech/react
- type/reference
- type/sop
type: sop
---

# OLIVER Sales Operations Platform — User Manual

## What This Tool Does
The OLIVER Sales Ops Platform is an end-to-end pipeline tool that guides commercial opportunities through 17 specialized stages, from initial intake to post-win planning. It automates complex analysis using AI agents, manages human approval gates, and produces structured deliverables at each stage. The goal is to transform a rough brief into a defensible, data-driven proposal.

## Who Uses It
- **Commercial Team Members**: To create and manage opportunities, answer qualification questions, and review AI-generated deliverables.
- **Sales Ops**: To monitor pipeline health, manage approvals, and ensure process adherence.
- **Approvals/Leadership**: To review and approve critical gates (Qualification and Approval Gate stages).

## How to Access
1. Navigate to your organization's OLIVER Sales Ops Platform URL.
2. Click **"Sign in with Microsoft"** to authenticate via Azure Active Directory.
3. If your email is not in the allowed users list, you will see a "No Access" page. Contact your admin.
4. Once logged in, you land on the **Dashboard** to view your active opportunities.

## Main Workflows

### 1. Creating a New Opportunity
1. Click **"New Opportunity"** from the Dashboard or Navigation bar.
2. Fill in the **Intake** details (Brief, Client Info, etc.).
3. Click **"Save & Proceed to Stage 1"**.
4. The **Intake Agent** automatically runs, structuring your brief into JSON.

### 2. Progressing Through Stages
The platform enforces a sequential 17-stage process. You cannot skip stages.

#### General Stage Flow
1. **View Current Stage**: The UI highlights your current stage in the Stepper.
2. **Run AI Agent (if applicable)**: Click **"Run Agent"** for stages driven by Claude AI (e.g., Diagnosis, Asset Matching, Ratecard).
   - The platform records AI token costs for transparency.
   - Review the generated JSON/Artifact in the UI.
3. **Human Input/Decision**:
   - **Qualification (Stage 3)**: Answer TROWLS questions. Submit for Approval.
   - **Approval Gate (Stage 14)**: Review the summary and submit for final approval.
   - **Other Stages**: Manually edit or confirm data (e.g., Ingesting Client Answers in Stage 5).
4. **Complete Stage**: Click **"Complete Stage"**. The system locks the stage and unlocks the next one.

#### Key Gated Stages
- **Stage 3: Qualification Assessment**
  - Requires human input on the TROWLS scorecard.
  - Must be approved by an authorized user before proceeding.
- **Stage 14: Approval Gate**
  - Final check before pitch preparation.
  - Requires explicit approval from designated leaders.

### 3. Approvals
- **Notification**: Approvers receive in-app notifications and emails (via Mailgun) when a stage requires approval.
- **Action**: Click the notification or go to **/approvals** to review.
- **Decision**: Click **"Approve"** or **"Reject"**. Rejection returns the opportunity to the previous stage.

### 4. Deliverables & Exports
- Some stages generate Excel/Word packs (Q&A) or Markdown (Pitch Deck).
- Download these directly from the respective stage UI.

## FAQ

**Q: Why can't I skip a stage?**
A: The pipeline is designed to ensure comprehensive analysis and risk mitigation. Skipping stages could lead to incomplete proposals or missed critical risks.

**Q: What if an AI agent fails?**
A: You can retry the agent. If it continues to fail, contact Sales Ops support with the error details visible in the UI.

**Q: Who is an "Approver"?**
A: Only users listed in the `allowed_users.yaml` configuration with approval privileges can approve Qualification and Approval Gate stages.

**Q: Can I edit AI-generated content?**
A: Yes, most stages allow you to override or refine the AI's output before completing the stage.

**Q: What happens after Stage 17?**
A: Stage 17 (Post-Win Planning) is currently manual. Phase 2 will automate the push to Salesforce/SharePoint.

## Related
- [[01 Projects/oliver-sales-ops-platform/DEVELOPER_MANUAL.md]]