Automate Residential Construction Document Workflow
Budget: $250 – $750 USD
We are a high-end residential construction company looking to automate our document management workflow using Nanonets, Google Drive, Smartsheet, and DocuSign. The goal is to create a seamless, error-free process that takes incoming PDFs (like subcontractor change orders), parses key data fields, stores files correctly, and keeps Smartsheet fully up to date — including handling signed documents.
This project will start with parsing Change Order PDFs, but the automation should be scalable to handle future document types (invoices, contracts, proposals, etc.).
⸻
Automation Workflow (End-to-End):
1. Source / Input
• A PDF (e.g., Subcontractor Change Order) is received via email or manually uploaded to a designated Google Drive folder.
2. File Naming & Organization
• Automation renames the file based on extracted data (e.g., ProjectName_SubCO#_SubcontractorName.pdf).
• Saves it into the appropriate project-specific Google Drive folder (e.g., /Projects/[Project Name]/Change Orders/).
3. Parsing via Nanonets
• The file is sent to Nanonets for OCR and data extraction.
• Parsed fields (per our schema):
• Project Address
• Date
• Sub CO#
• Subcontractor Name
• Change Order Amount
• Change Order Description
4. Data Upload to Smartsheet
• Extracted data populates a new row in the project’s Master Sheet in Smartsheet, updating relevant budget and reporting columns automatically.
• File is attached to the Smartsheet row.
5. Document Sending via DocuSign
• The PDF is sent for signature using DocuSign integration or API, triggered automatically from Smartsheet (e.g., via Document Builder or webhook).
• Recipients and signing sequence are defined based on Smartsheet columns (e.g., Subcontractor Email, PM Email).
6. Signed Copy Handling
• Once fully signed, the signed document is:
• Saved automatically in the same Google Drive folder (e.g., /Change Orders/Signed/).
• Attached back to the same Smartsheet row (replacing or supplementing the original unsigned version).
⸻
Deliverables:
• Functional workflow connecting Google Drive → Nanonets → Smartsheet → DocuSign → Google Drive
• Proper error handling (missing fields, parsing errors, failed signatures)
• Clear documentation of setup and credentials (for future maintenance)
• Scalable design for future document types
⸻
Tech Stack / Tools:
• Google Drive API or Zapier/Make (Integromat) for file handling
• Nanonets API for document parsing
• Smartsheet API / Automations / Webhooks for data upload
• DocuSign API or Smartsheet Document Builder for signature routing
• (Optional) Gmail integration for auto-forwarding attachments
⸻
Ideal Freelancer:
• Proven experience with end-to-end workflow automations between Google Drive, Smartsheet, and DocuSign
• Strong knowledge of Zapier, Make (Integromat), or custom scripting (Python/Apps Script)
• Familiar with Smartsheet API structure and automation logic
• Understanding of Google Drive file architecture and permissions
• Experience with DocuSign API setup and webhook callbacks
• Able to document and design the solution for easy scaling
⸻
Goal:
A fully automated, hands-free pipeline where our team can simply forward an email or drop a file into Drive, and the system:
1. Names and files it correctly
2. Parses and uploads data to Smartsheet
3. Sends the document for signature
4. Saves and attaches the signed copy automatically
This project will start with parsing Change Order PDFs, but the automation should be scalable to handle future document types (invoices, contracts, proposals, etc.).
⸻
Automation Workflow (End-to-End):
1. Source / Input
• A PDF (e.g., Subcontractor Change Order) is received via email or manually uploaded to a designated Google Drive folder.
2. File Naming & Organization
• Automation renames the file based on extracted data (e.g., ProjectName_SubCO#_SubcontractorName.pdf).
• Saves it into the appropriate project-specific Google Drive folder (e.g., /Projects/[Project Name]/Change Orders/).
3. Parsing via Nanonets
• The file is sent to Nanonets for OCR and data extraction.
• Parsed fields (per our schema):
• Project Address
• Date
• Sub CO#
• Subcontractor Name
• Change Order Amount
• Change Order Description
4. Data Upload to Smartsheet
• Extracted data populates a new row in the project’s Master Sheet in Smartsheet, updating relevant budget and reporting columns automatically.
• File is attached to the Smartsheet row.
5. Document Sending via DocuSign
• The PDF is sent for signature using DocuSign integration or API, triggered automatically from Smartsheet (e.g., via Document Builder or webhook).
• Recipients and signing sequence are defined based on Smartsheet columns (e.g., Subcontractor Email, PM Email).
6. Signed Copy Handling
• Once fully signed, the signed document is:
• Saved automatically in the same Google Drive folder (e.g., /Change Orders/Signed/).
• Attached back to the same Smartsheet row (replacing or supplementing the original unsigned version).
⸻
Deliverables:
• Functional workflow connecting Google Drive → Nanonets → Smartsheet → DocuSign → Google Drive
• Proper error handling (missing fields, parsing errors, failed signatures)
• Clear documentation of setup and credentials (for future maintenance)
• Scalable design for future document types
⸻
Tech Stack / Tools:
• Google Drive API or Zapier/Make (Integromat) for file handling
• Nanonets API for document parsing
• Smartsheet API / Automations / Webhooks for data upload
• DocuSign API or Smartsheet Document Builder for signature routing
• (Optional) Gmail integration for auto-forwarding attachments
⸻
Ideal Freelancer:
• Proven experience with end-to-end workflow automations between Google Drive, Smartsheet, and DocuSign
• Strong knowledge of Zapier, Make (Integromat), or custom scripting (Python/Apps Script)
• Familiar with Smartsheet API structure and automation logic
• Understanding of Google Drive file architecture and permissions
• Experience with DocuSign API setup and webhook callbacks
• Able to document and design the solution for easy scaling
⸻
Goal:
A fully automated, hands-free pipeline where our team can simply forward an email or drop a file into Drive, and the system:
1. Names and files it correctly
2. Parses and uploads data to Smartsheet
3. Sends the document for signature
4. Saves and attaches the signed copy automatically
Related categories:
Python
Project Management
Data Extraction
Technical Documentation
Automation
Zapier
API Development