If you’ve used any traditional CRM, you’ve probably noticed one big problem: it forces you to change the way you work. There are endless buttons, way too many tabs, and somehow… nothing ever feels like it actually fits your business.

That’s exactly why Podio stands out.

This guide will walk you through how to build your own CRM from scratch in Podio — no coding needed

You’ll end up with a system that fits the way you work—rather than forcing you to adjust to it.
And whether you’re in real estate, consulting, e-commerce, or almost any other industry, you can follow these steps to build a setup that truly works for your business.

🔧 What Makes Podio Different?

Unlike most CRMs, Podio doesn’t lock you into a pre-built structure. Instead, it gives you a blank canvas where you decide what to track, how everything connects, and what your day-to-day workflow should look like.

You get:

• Custom apps
  
• Fields you control
  
• Automation if needed
  
• Team collaboration tools
  
• Reports and dashboards
  

Think of Podio as the command center for your entire business.

🧱Step 1: Start by outlining what you want to track

Before opening Podio, take a few minutes to plan. A CRM is only useful if it fits your business process.

Start by listing:

• What information do you actually need to collect?
  This could include things like leads, contacts, deals, properties, or anything else your business relies on
• What stages or statuses those items go through
  
• What relationships exist (e.g., a deal belongs to a contact)
  
• What your team needs to see or do daily
  

Example for a real estate CRM:

• Leads → Sellers, Buyers
  
• Properties → Linked to sellers
  
• Deals → Offers, under contract, closed
  
• Follow-ups → Tasks or appointments
  
• Campaigns → Source tracking
  

Sketch this on paper or a whiteboard. It’ll save time later.

🏗️ Step 2: Create Custom Apps in Podio

🏗️ Step 2: Build Your Custom Apps in Podio
In Podio, each app represents one kind of data.
To build your CRM, head to your workspace and start creating apps based on the structure you planned.

Here’s how:

1. Click “Add App”
2. Choose “Create App from Scratch”

3. Name it (e.g. Leads, Properties, Tasks)
   
4. Add fields:
   
5. Choose “Create App from Scratch”
   
6. Name it (e.g. Leads, Properties, Tasks)
   
7. Add fields:
   

8. Click “Add App”
   
9. Choose “Create App from Scratch”
   
10. Name it (e.g. Leads, Properties, Tasks)
    
11. Add fields:
    
    • Text for names
      
    • Phone/email fields
      
    • Dropdowns for status or stage
      
    • Relationship fields to connect apps
      
    • Date fields for follow-ups
      
    • Categories for tags or source
      

Keep it clean. Don’t add 20 fields in the beginning. Add more as you use it.

🔗 Step 3: Connect Your Apps

This is where Podio becomes powerful.

You can link records across apps using relationship fields. This lets you click into a lead and instantly see related properties, deals, tasks, and communication.

For example:

• Link a deal to a specific lead
  
• Link multiple follow-ups to a property
  
• Track tasks linked to a particular deal
  

Everything stays organized, without duplicating data.

⚙️ Step 4: Add Automation (Optional but Helpful)

your structure works manually, you can start automating simple tasks.

Podio has built-in workflows and connects easily with Globiflow (now called Citrix Podio Workflow Automation).

Here are ideasOnce :

• Auto-assign tasks when a lead is created
  
• Change status when a date is reached
  
• Send SMS or email reminders
  
• Move deals to the next stage after approval
  
• Track new records created today, this week, etc.
  

Automation helps you save time and avoid human error — but build it only after you’re comfortable with the manual process.

👥 Step 5: Add Your Team and Set Roles

Now your CRM is taking shape — time to involve your team.

Before inviting users, decide:

• Who needs admin access?
  
• Who should just add data?
  
• Who needs to view reports only?
  

Use Podio roles wisely so people only see what they need. Train your team for 15–20 minutes on:

• How to add leads
  
• How to update statuses
  
• Where to write notes or upload files
  
• How to use filters and views
  

Clear instructions = smoother workflow.

📊 Step 6: Add Views, Reports, and Dashboards

Once data is flowing, you can set up custom views to make your daily work easier:

• Leads marked “Hot”
  
• Deals in “Under Contract” stage
  
• Follow-ups due today
  
• Tasks assigned to each user
  

You can also create Podio dashboards with:

• Graphs (via calculation fields or extensions)
  
• Progress charts
  
• Weekly overviews
  

This gives you a clear look at your pipeline at a glance.

🛠️ A Quick Real-Life Example

Let’s say you run a digital agency.

Here’s what your Podio CRM might look like:

• Leads App – collects inquiries from web form
  
• Clients App – stores signed clients
  
• Projects App – each service request
  
• Tasks App – for internal work
  
• Payments App – invoice tracking
  

You can connect it all together and even automate updates when a project is marked “Complete” or when a payment is overdue.

You built that. No expensive software needed.

🎯 Final Thoughts

You don’t need a developer. You don’t need to follow someone else’s rigid system. With Podio, you are the architect of your CRM.

Start small. Build smart. Keep improving.

And when you’re ready to go beyond the basics — like SMS integration, email automation, reporting dashboards, or mobile forms — that’s where we can help.

👉 podiocrms.com – ready-made CRMs
👉 podiodeveloper.com – custom Podio development and automations