If you’ve ever scrambled on an RFP because someone missed a deadline or didn’t see a notification, this is for you. Managing deadlines and notifications in Loopio can be the difference between a smooth submission and a last-minute panic. Here’s exactly how to set things up so your RFPs don’t fall apart—and what’s actually useful vs. what just adds noise.
Why Deadlines and Notifications Actually Matter
RFPs are deadline-driven by nature. If you’re late, you’re out. But just dropping a date in a spreadsheet or sending a single Slack message won’t cut it. Loopio gives you built-in tools to track deadlines and automate reminders, but only if you use them the right way.
This guide is for anyone running RFPs through Loopio—proposal managers, sales ops, or anyone stuck herding cats to hit a submission date.
Step 1: Setting Up Deadlines That Stick
Let’s start with the basics: Loopio’s Project deadlines. Here’s how to set them up so nobody can claim “I didn’t know when it was due.”
- Create the Project, Set the Deadline
- When you create a new Project in Loopio, you’ll see a field for “Due Date.” Don’t gloss over it. Set the actual client deadline here.
-
If you need internal milestones (e.g., first draft review), Loopio doesn’t do these natively. You’ll need to:
- Add them as custom fields (“Internal Review Due”) or
- Use the Assignment deadlines (more on that below).
-
Assign Sections with Due Dates
- When you assign questions or sections to users, always set a due date for each assignment.
-
Pro tip: Don’t just assign everything to one person “for visibility.” Assign tasks to the real owner, or everyone assumes someone else will handle it.
-
Double-Check Time Zones
- Loopio shows deadlines in your account’s default time zone. If your team is spread out, clarify what “due” actually means. Otherwise, you risk someone missing a cut-off because they thought it was midnight their time.
What works:
Using Assignment due dates keeps people focused on their part, not just the project as a whole.
What doesn’t:
Relying only on the overall Project due date. People ignore it if their workload isn’t broken down.
Step 2: Making Notifications Work for You (Not Against You)
Notifications can save you—or drown you. Here’s how to tune Loopio’s notifications so you get what matters, not just noise.
- Understand Notification Types
- Assignment notifications: Sent when you’re given a task.
- Due soon/overdue alerts: Reminders as deadlines approach or pass.
- Project updates: Alerts for overall Project changes (admin-level).
-
Comments and mentions: When someone tags you or leaves a note.
-
Customize Your Preferences
- Each user can control their notification settings. Go to your profile settings and adjust email, in-app, and (if enabled) Slack notifications.
-
Recommend: Keep email ON for assignment due dates and overdue alerts. Turn OFF notifications for every minor comment—unless you actually want the play-by-play.
-
Set Up Team Notification Defaults
- Admins: You can set defaults for the whole team, but users can override them. Set a baseline that covers critical deadlines and assignments.
-
If you’re getting complaints about too many emails, dial back non-essential notifications. If people miss tasks, you probably need more, not fewer.
-
Use @Mentions for Urgent Issues
- If something’s truly urgent or needs a decision, don’t just comment—@mention the person. This triggers a direct notification.
What works:
Customizing notifications so you see only what you need. People pay more attention if every ping is important.
What doesn’t:
Leaving all notifications turned on by default. Your team will start ignoring everything.
Step 3: Tracking Status Without Micromanaging
You’ve set deadlines and notifications. Now, how do you actually keep tabs without chasing everyone every hour?
- Use the Project Dashboard
- Loopio’s dashboard shows assignment status: Not Started, In Progress, Completed, Overdue.
-
Use filters to view overdue items or see who’s behind. This is your “at a glance” pulse check.
-
Run Progress Reports
- Export or generate reports showing who’s completed what. Useful before big internal check-ins.
-
If you’re getting a lot of “I never got the assignment” excuses, show them the report. Loopio logs assignment and notification history.
-
Schedule Real Check-Ins
- No software replaces a quick team stand-up or check-in call.
- Use Loopio’s data to focus the conversation: “We’re 60% done, but three assignments are overdue. What’s blocking us?”
Pro tip:
Don’t just send more emails if things are late. Pick up the phone or ping on chat—sometimes people just need a nudge.
Step 4: Common Pitfalls (And How to Dodge Them)
Pitfall #1: Notification Overload
If everyone gets notified for every little thing, they’ll tune out. Solution: Ruthlessly prune notifications to just deadlines, assignments, and @mentions.
Pitfall #2: “Set It and Forget It” Deadlines
If you never update assignment dates when things slip, your dashboard is useless. Solution: Adjust deadlines as soon as you know there’s a delay, and communicate the new plan.
Pitfall #3: Only One Person in Loopio
If only the proposal manager is logging in regularly, things will fall through the cracks. Solution: Make sure everyone assigned to a section is actually using Loopio and has their notifications set up.
Pitfall #4: Ignoring Internal Milestones
Loopio doesn’t do multi-stage workflows out of the box. If you need draft reviews, approvals, or pink team/blue team steps, you’ll have to track those with assignment deadlines, custom fields, or an external tracker.
Step 5: What to Ignore (Most of the Time)
- All-Project Notifications: Unless you’re the project manager, you don’t need to know every time someone edits a field.
- Generic Reminder Emails: These pile up quickly. Focus on assignment-specific reminders and overdue alerts.
- Fancy Integrations (unless you need them): Loopio can plug into Slack, Salesforce, and others. If you’re not seeing a clear benefit, skip the integration sprawl.
Keeping It Simple: The Real-World Playbook
Here’s what actually works for most teams:
- Set the real RFP deadline at the Project level.
- Break down work into Assignments, each with a clear owner and realistic due date.
- Tune notifications so people see just what they need (not every comment).
- Check the dashboard once a day during crunch time.
- If someone’s late, talk to them—don’t just rely on another email.
- Use custom fields or an external tracker for internal milestones if you need more complexity, but don’t overdo it.
Summary
Managing deadlines and notifications in Loopio isn’t rocket science, but it does take a little discipline. Set clear due dates, assign real owners, and cut notification noise to the essentials. Keep it simple, keep it visible, and don’t be afraid to tweak your process as you go. The goal is to get the RFP in on time—without burning everyone out on pointless pings.