Mach Lilies
AI agent pricing

Human-controlled AI agent pricing, scope and terms.

A human-controlled AI agent for one client-record chase—installed and operated for UK accountancy and bookkeeping practices.

Quiet Quarter is a managed, human-controlled AI agent that chases missing records for UK accountancy and bookkeeping practices while judgement stays human.

Human-approved at launchSpecified action recordsExisting tools firstImplementation schedule confirmed after access and scope review

Book an AI workflow assessment

Commercial timeline

The commercial sequence, with the decision points kept in view.

The term begins at go-live, the first live period is free and measured, and the conditional review is governed by the signed agreement.

See the exact seven-step commercial timeline Follow signing, implementation, go-live, billing, review and the remaining-term decision in order.
  1. Step 1

    Sign and scope

    The signed proposal fixes the workflow boundary, quantities, owners, dependencies, output-floor structure and evidence before access.

  2. Step 2

    Access and implementation

    The current Quiet Quarter offer has a £0 separate setup fee because setup is included; proposal-specific third-party or tool costs can still be separate.

    Owner-approved current tariff

    Setup is included in the current offer; proposal-specific third-party or tool costs are separate where stated in the signed scope.

  3. Step 3

    Go-live

    The 12-month initial agreement starts at go-live.

    Owner-approved current term

    The initial term starts at go-live; the signed agreement governs termination, dependencies and any contract-specific consequences.

  4. Step 4

    Free measured period

    The first 30 live days are free and measured in human-approval mode.

    Owner-approved current term

    The clock starts at go-live, means live days rather than working days, and the period is measured in human-approval mode.

  5. Step 5

    First invoice

    From go-live, the first 30 live days are free and measured in human-approval mode before the first invoice on live day 31.

    Owner-approved current term

    The clock starts at go-live, means live days rather than working days, and the period is measured in human-approval mode.

    The configured initial-term fee is £8,789, excluding VAT: eleven paid monthly periods after the free measured period, with the configured setup treatment applied.

    Owner-approved derived tariff total

    £8,789 excludes VAT and is the configured initial-term fee from eleven paid monthly periods after the free measured period; proposal-specific third-party costs remain separate where stated.

  6. Step 6

    Output-floor review

    On live day 60, cumulative dependency-adjusted evidence is reviewed against the signed controllable output floor. A recorded supplier-responsible miss can open a process requiring notice within 5 business days and an unsuccessful 10-business-day cure review; the signed agreement controls.

    Owner-approved conditional exit term

    Exit is not unconditional: it requires a recorded miss within Mach Lilies' responsibility, five business days' notice and an unsuccessful ten-business-day cure review; the signed agreement controls.

  7. Step 7

    Remaining term or exit

    The current offer has a 12-month initial agreement starting at go-live; the current monthly tariff is locked while scope is unchanged, then renewal rolls monthly under the signed notice terms.

    Owner-approved current term

    The initial term starts at go-live; the signed agreement governs termination, dependencies and any contract-specific consequences.

The 12-month initial agreement starts at go-live.

Owner-approved current term

The initial term starts at go-live; the signed agreement governs termination, dependencies and any contract-specific consequences.

The configured initial-term fee is £8,789, excluding VAT.

Owner-approved derived tariff total

£8,789 excludes VAT and is the configured initial-term fee from eleven paid monthly periods after the free measured period; proposal-specific third-party costs remain separate where stated.

Start with one workflow and its boundary.

We will confirm fit, scope, access and the evidence structure before build.

Book an AI workflow assessment
Review the complete acceptance-plan structure See the records, evidence and dependency treatment fixed in the signed proposal.

Acceptance plan

The acceptance-plan structure

Structure only — targets and evidence sources are agreed in the signed proposal.

Non-numeric structure used to agree workflow acceptance
RecordWhat the signed plan contains
Workflow identity and boundary The named source, inbox route, document location, approval route, exception owner and signed scope.
Readiness and baseline Tested access, approved rules and templates, named owners, baseline evidence and recorded go-live approval.
Controllable outputs Eligible records handled, chases prepared, approved sends, classifications, permitted write attempts, routed exceptions and agreed summaries.
Evidence and reconciliation The source and owner for each output, available action outcome, reconciliation rule, failure record and review status.
Dependencies and overflow Documented customer delay, missing access, third-party outage, out-of-scope work and the written decision for work beyond scope.
Review and decision record Dependency-adjusted evidence, sign-off, evidence location, any cure or change record, and the resulting continue, change or exit decision.
  • Record
    Workflow identity and boundary
    What the signed plan contains
    The named source, inbox route, document location, approval route, exception owner and signed scope.
  • Record
    Readiness and baseline
    What the signed plan contains
    Tested access, approved rules and templates, named owners, baseline evidence and recorded go-live approval.
  • Record
    Controllable outputs
    What the signed plan contains
    Eligible records handled, chases prepared, approved sends, classifications, permitted write attempts, routed exceptions and agreed summaries.
  • Record
    Evidence and reconciliation
    What the signed plan contains
    The source and owner for each output, available action outcome, reconciliation rule, failure record and review status.
  • Record
    Dependencies and overflow
    What the signed plan contains
    Documented customer delay, missing access, third-party outage, out-of-scope work and the written decision for work beyond scope.
  • Record
    Review and decision record
    What the signed plan contains
    Dependency-adjusted evidence, sign-off, evidence location, any cure or change record, and the resulting continue, change or exit decision.

Client replies, realised financial effect, revenue, tax outcomes and other third-party results are not acceptance targets.

Managed work

What is installed, what is operated, and what stays human-owned.

The recurring fee covers managed operation of the signed workflow. It does not transfer professional judgement or unlimited scope.

Quiet Quarter handles the agreed repeatable inbox-based admin loop. It does not remove every kind of chasing or replace professional judgement, tax advice, or your practice management system.

Professional boundary. Quiet Quarter supports an agreed client-record chase loop, including separately governed filing and tracker-write attempts where technically feasible. Mach Lilies does not provide tax, accounting, legal or any other regulated advice — professional judgement stays with the qualified people at your practice.

Compare installed, operated and practice-owned responsibilities Read the complete responsibility matrix for the signed workflow.
What Mach Lilies installs and operates, and what the practice retains
InstalledOperated every monthStays with your practice
Workflow map, boundaries, named owners and output-floor structure. Monitor the agreed workflow within the proposal-specific monitoring windows. Professional judgement, policy decisions and the client relationship.
Approval rules, approved templates, exception routes and staff handover. Prepare agreed chases, classify replies and route exceptions to the named owner. Approval of client-facing messages during the live pilot and decisions on exceptions.
Tested connection methods for the signed inbox, tracker and document locations. Attempt permitted filing and tracker writes under the agreed approval, reconciliation and failure rules. System ownership, access authority and acceptance of any later change to write permissions.
Testing record, operating playbook and launch review structure. Record available outcomes, report failures and overflow, and provide the agreed Friday summary. Weekly review, change approval and the decision to widen or stop the scope.
  • Installed
    Workflow map, boundaries, named owners and output-floor structure.
    Operated every month
    Monitor the agreed workflow within the proposal-specific monitoring windows.
    Stays with your practice
    Professional judgement, policy decisions and the client relationship.
  • Installed
    Approval rules, approved templates, exception routes and staff handover.
    Operated every month
    Prepare agreed chases, classify replies and route exceptions to the named owner.
    Stays with your practice
    Approval of client-facing messages during the live pilot and decisions on exceptions.
  • Installed
    Tested connection methods for the signed inbox, tracker and document locations.
    Operated every month
    Attempt permitted filing and tracker writes under the agreed approval, reconciliation and failure rules.
    Stays with your practice
    System ownership, access authority and acceptance of any later change to write permissions.
  • Installed
    Testing record, operating playbook and launch review structure.
    Operated every month
    Record available outcomes, report failures and overflow, and provide the agreed Friday summary.
    Stays with your practice
    Weekly review, change approval and the decision to widen or stop the scope.
See what is included, separately scoped or excluded Review the exact setup, monthly-operation and authority boundaries.
Included, separately scoped and excluded work
IncludedSeparately scopedExcluded
Workflow mapping, approval rules, approved templates, build, testing and handover for the signed scope. Complex integrations, unusual connection methods, material data preparation and proposal-specific third-party tools. Replacing the practice-management system, bulk data migration and client-portal builds.
The signed chase loop, reply classification, governed write attempts, exception routing and agreed reporting. Additional or changed workflows, overflow, wider support or monitoring, and work outside the signed quantities or rules. Full inbox management outside the agreed workflow and autonomous client-facing sending during the live pilot.
Routing unclear, sensitive, unusual or risky work to a named practice owner. Proposal-specific training, rollout and service-level arrangements beyond the signed scope. Tax advice, accounting judgement, legal or regulated advice, and any replacement of professional judgement.
  • Included
    Workflow mapping, approval rules, approved templates, build, testing and handover for the signed scope.
    Separately scoped
    Complex integrations, unusual connection methods, material data preparation and proposal-specific third-party tools.
    Excluded
    Replacing the practice-management system, bulk data migration and client-portal builds.
  • Included
    The signed chase loop, reply classification, governed write attempts, exception routing and agreed reporting.
    Separately scoped
    Additional or changed workflows, overflow, wider support or monitoring, and work outside the signed quantities or rules.
    Excluded
    Full inbox management outside the agreed workflow and autonomous client-facing sending during the live pilot.
  • Included
    Routing unclear, sensitive, unusual or risky work to a named practice owner.
    Separately scoped
    Proposal-specific training, rollout and service-level arrangements beyond the signed scope.
    Excluded
    Tax advice, accounting judgement, legal or regulated advice, and any replacement of professional judgement.
Open the complete inclusion list The setup includes the workflow mapping, approval rules, templates, build, testing, monitoring, and reporting needed to make client-record chasing safer to delegate.
Complete inclusion list

What Quiet Quarter includes

What's inside Quiet Quarter

The monitored foundation

  • Every client-facing message held for human approval throughout the live launch pilot
  • Reply classification
  • Filing under separately agreed approval, reconciliation, and failure rules, where technically feasible
  • Tracker writes under separately agreed approval, reconciliation, and failure rules
  • Data-handling summary and agreed operating rules

Workflow coverage, in stages

  • Defined workflows agreed in the signed scope and brought live one at a time
  • Signed-scope inboxes or mailbox routes
  • Signed-scope trackers or task boards
  • Signed-scope document locations

Client-chasing capacity

  • Active client chase contacts within the signed quantity and counting rules
  • Approved chase and escalation templates agreed in the signed scope

Control and reporting

  • Exception routing by category, urgency, or staff owner
  • Approval workflow playbook
  • First-30-day output review against the signed acceptance plan
  • Weekly Friday summary

Proposal-specific adoption

  • Training, launch walkthrough and handover format agreed in the signed scope
  • Launch materials agreed in the signed scope
  • Contract-specific monitoring and support route agreed in writing
Owner-approved current term

The clock starts at go-live, means live days rather than working days, and the period is measured in human-approval mode.

Workflow one launches first in human approval mode. Each additional workflow included in the signed scope launches only after the preceding workflow passes its stability review; dates are proposal-specific.

Managed service, not reminder software

Why this costs more than reminder software

A reminder is one step. The managed work is the agreed loop after it: reply handling, governed write attempts, exceptions, records and reporting.

After the reminder

The send is one step. The agreed loop continues.

Scope summary. After an approved request or reminder is sent, Quiet Quarter is scoped to handle an agreed reply loop: identify in-scope contents, attempt permitted filing and tracker writes, route exceptions to a named person and produce the agreed Friday summary. Client replies and write completion are not promised, and professional judgement stays with the practice.

Reminder-only workflow boundary A scheduled reminder covers the send; Quiet Quarter is scoped around the subsequent agreed loop.
See the exact seven-stage after-reminder workflow Read the full ordered scope, from checking the tracker to the weekly summary.

  1. Request or reminder sent—after approval

    At launch, every client-facing message is held for practice approval. Once approved, the agreed request or reminder is sent through the scoped route.

  2. Reply received—if the client responds

    If a reply arrives through the agreed inbox route, it enters the scoped workflow. Client response is not a controllable workflow output.

  3. Contents identified under agreed rules

    In-scope contents are classified under the written rules. Unclear, sensitive, unusual or out-of-scope material becomes an exception.

  4. Agreed document filed—when the permitted write completes

    A permitted filing write is attempted under separately agreed approval, reconciliation and failure rules, and only where technically feasible.

  5. Tracker updated—when the permitted write completes

    A permitted tracker write is attempted under its separately agreed approval, reconciliation and failure rules. A failed or unavailable write becomes an exception.

  6. Exception routed to a person

    The workflow stops and hands the item, source context and available status to the named human owner. It does not make the professional decision.

  7. Friday summary produced

    The agreed Friday progress summary reports available workflow outputs, outstanding items and named exceptions. It is an operating output, not proof of a customer outcome.

Approved operating scope · execution evidence pending

This is the approved service scope, not evidence that a particular workflow has executed or that every step completes. The scope does not promise a client reply. Filing and tracker writes are permitted attempts under separately agreed approval, reconciliation and failure rules; filing is attempted only where technically feasible. Exact access, connection methods and limitations are confirmed before build. Professional judgement stays with the practice.

Compare where operating ownership normally sits.

The categories below can complement one another. The comparison shows typical operating patterns and the separately scoped role of Quiet Quarter; it does not rank named products or assume that one configuration represents a whole category.

Exact capabilities vary by product and configuration.

Compare typical ownership across five workflow categories See where operating ownership usually returns and which decisions remain human.
Typical ownership and human boundaries across five workflow categories
CategoryWhat it typically handlesWhere ownership normally returnsWhat remains human judgementNew client behaviour or platform use
Reminder software Typically drafts or configures and schedules or sends requests and reminders. Find-missing logic, reply reading, content identification, filing, tracker writes, exception routing and progress reporting vary by product and configuration. Normally when a reply, document or exception needs work outside the configured reminder rules. Message policy, exceptions and professional or client decisions stay with the practice. Varies: some products use email; others ask clients or staff to use a portal or app.
Client-information portal Typically structures information requests and receives uploads or portal messages. How those actions map to the nine-stage chase loop varies by product and configuration. Normally for clients or items outside the portal and for stages the selected configuration does not cover. Non-standard, sensitive and professional matters stay with the practice. Commonly asks clients to use an upload or message route; onboarding and email fallback vary.
Practice-management suite Typically manages jobs, deadlines, assignments and workflow records. Some configurations add requests, portals and automation. Normally at stages not covered by the selected modules, rules and connections. Professional decisions and non-standard client matters stay with the practice. Staff process and client experience depend on the modules and configuration selected.
Part-time administrator Typically handles the administrative stages assigned to the role, potentially across all nine, within agreed access and supervision. For work outside the role or authority, and for professional decisions. The practice also retains supervision and access control. Administrative judgement may sit with the person; tax, accounting, legal and regulated decisions remain with qualified practice staff. Can use existing processes; exact tooling and client experience depend on the role and setup.
Quiet Quarter Within the signed scope: find missing records; prepare the chase; hold and send approved messages; handle an in-scope reply if one arrives; attempt permitted filing and tracker writes; route exceptions; and report Friday progress. At approval gates, unclear or sensitive material, out-of-scope work, failed or unavailable writes, and professional judgement. Professional judgement, tax, accounting, legal or regulated advice, and client decisions stay with the practice. No blanket promise either way. The exact inbox, tracker, folders, access, connection method, limitations and extra tooling are confirmed before build.
  • Category
    Reminder software
    What it typically handles
    Typically drafts or configures and schedules or sends requests and reminders. Find-missing logic, reply reading, content identification, filing, tracker writes, exception routing and progress reporting vary by product and configuration.
    Where ownership normally returns
    Normally when a reply, document or exception needs work outside the configured reminder rules.
    What remains human judgement
    Message policy, exceptions and professional or client decisions stay with the practice.
    New client behaviour or platform use
    Varies: some products use email; others ask clients or staff to use a portal or app.
  • Category
    Client-information portal
    What it typically handles
    Typically structures information requests and receives uploads or portal messages. How those actions map to the nine-stage chase loop varies by product and configuration.
    Where ownership normally returns
    Normally for clients or items outside the portal and for stages the selected configuration does not cover.
    What remains human judgement
    Non-standard, sensitive and professional matters stay with the practice.
    New client behaviour or platform use
    Commonly asks clients to use an upload or message route; onboarding and email fallback vary.
  • Category
    Practice-management suite
    What it typically handles
    Typically manages jobs, deadlines, assignments and workflow records. Some configurations add requests, portals and automation.
    Where ownership normally returns
    Normally at stages not covered by the selected modules, rules and connections.
    What remains human judgement
    Professional decisions and non-standard client matters stay with the practice.
    New client behaviour or platform use
    Staff process and client experience depend on the modules and configuration selected.
  • Category
    Part-time administrator
    What it typically handles
    Typically handles the administrative stages assigned to the role, potentially across all nine, within agreed access and supervision.
    Where ownership normally returns
    For work outside the role or authority, and for professional decisions. The practice also retains supervision and access control.
    What remains human judgement
    Administrative judgement may sit with the person; tax, accounting, legal and regulated decisions remain with qualified practice staff.
    New client behaviour or platform use
    Can use existing processes; exact tooling and client experience depend on the role and setup.
  • Category
    Quiet Quarter
    What it typically handles
    Within the signed scope: find missing records; prepare the chase; hold and send approved messages; handle an in-scope reply if one arrives; attempt permitted filing and tracker writes; route exceptions; and report Friday progress.
    Where ownership normally returns
    At approval gates, unclear or sensitive material, out-of-scope work, failed or unavailable writes, and professional judgement.
    What remains human judgement
    Professional judgement, tax, accounting, legal or regulated advice, and client decisions stay with the practice.
    New client behaviour or platform use
    No blanket promise either way. The exact inbox, tracker, folders, access, connection method, limitations and extra tooling are confirmed before build.

These categories are not equivalents, and a practice may use more than one alongside Quiet Quarter. If software already in place—or a person already employed—solves the agreed loop safely and economically, keep it; the chase-loop assessment is allowed to say so.

Compare all nine stages Compare all nine operating stages without assuming any product's implementation.

Stages compared: find missing → draft chase → approve/send → read reply → identify contents → file record → update tracker → route exception → report progress.

Typical category roles across the nine-stage chase loop
StageReminder softwareClient-information portalPractice-management suitePart-time administratorQuiet Quarter
Find missing Typically uses configured schedules or missing-item lists; how the gap is found varies. Typically shows outstanding requests from a configured checklist. Typically tracks jobs, deadlines and configured missing-information tasks. Typically checks the assigned records, inboxes and trackers within the role. Within signed scope, checks the agreed source to identify missing records.
Draft chase Typically creates a configured reminder from a template or rule. Typically prepares a configured portal notification or request. Typically offers templates or workflow prompts; drafting automation varies. Typically drafts the message within the role and the practice’s instructions. Prepares the agreed chase and holds client-facing wording for the required approval.
Approve/send Typically sends on a configured schedule; approval options vary by product and setup. Typically notifies the client through the configured route; approval options vary. Typically sends configured workflow communications; approval and release rules vary. Typically acts within delegated authority; internal approval depends on the role. During the live approval-mode period, holds every client-facing message for practice approval and sends through the scoped route only after the required approval.
Read reply Typically returns reply handling to the practice; capture and response features vary. Typically captures uploads or portal messages; interpretation and follow-up vary. Typically records communications against a job or contact; reply handling varies. Typically reads replies in the channels assigned to the role. If a reply arrives through the agreed inbox route, handles the in-scope reply under written rules.
Identify contents Typically leaves document, promise, question and exception identification to the practice; features vary. Typically associates an upload with a request; content and question classification vary. Typically links communication to a job; content identification depends on configuration. Typically interprets administrative contents and escalates professional matters. Classifies in-scope documents, promises and questions under agreed rules; ambiguous or sensitive material becomes an exception.
File record Typically leaves filing to the practice; document and connector features vary. Typically stores or links an upload in the portal; filing elsewhere varies. Typically stores or links documents when configured; destination writes vary. Typically files permitted records under the practice’s procedures and access controls. Attempts a permitted filing write under separately agreed rules and only where technically feasible; a failure becomes an exception.
Update tracker Typically records reminder status; writes to a separate workflow tracker vary. Typically updates request or completion state in the portal; external tracker writes vary. Typically updates its own configured tasks or jobs; cross-system writes vary. Typically updates assigned trackers under the practice’s procedures and supervision. Attempts the permitted tracker write under separately agreed approval, reconciliation and failure rules; a failed or unavailable write becomes an exception.
Route exception Typically returns exceptions to the practice; alerting and assignment features vary. Typically returns non-standard items to the practice; notification and routing vary. Typically supports configurable task assignment or escalation; a person still decides. Typically routes work outside the role or authority to the named practice owner. Stops and routes the item, source context and available status to the named human owner without making the professional decision.
Report progress Typically reports reminder, delivery or chase status; reply-to-resolution reporting varies. Typically reports checklist, request or upload progress. Typically reports job or workflow status from the configured records. Typically reports assigned work through the practice’s chosen process. Produces the agreed Friday summary from available outputs, outstanding items and named exceptions; it does not prove a customer outcome.
  • Stage
    Find missing
    Reminder software
    Typically uses configured schedules or missing-item lists; how the gap is found varies.
    Client-information portal
    Typically shows outstanding requests from a configured checklist.
    Practice-management suite
    Typically tracks jobs, deadlines and configured missing-information tasks.
    Part-time administrator
    Typically checks the assigned records, inboxes and trackers within the role.
    Quiet Quarter
    Within signed scope, checks the agreed source to identify missing records.
  • Stage
    Draft chase
    Reminder software
    Typically creates a configured reminder from a template or rule.
    Client-information portal
    Typically prepares a configured portal notification or request.
    Practice-management suite
    Typically offers templates or workflow prompts; drafting automation varies.
    Part-time administrator
    Typically drafts the message within the role and the practice’s instructions.
    Quiet Quarter
    Prepares the agreed chase and holds client-facing wording for the required approval.
  • Stage
    Approve/send
    Reminder software
    Typically sends on a configured schedule; approval options vary by product and setup.
    Client-information portal
    Typically notifies the client through the configured route; approval options vary.
    Practice-management suite
    Typically sends configured workflow communications; approval and release rules vary.
    Part-time administrator
    Typically acts within delegated authority; internal approval depends on the role.
    Quiet Quarter
    During the live approval-mode period, holds every client-facing message for practice approval and sends through the scoped route only after the required approval.
  • Stage
    Read reply
    Reminder software
    Typically returns reply handling to the practice; capture and response features vary.
    Client-information portal
    Typically captures uploads or portal messages; interpretation and follow-up vary.
    Practice-management suite
    Typically records communications against a job or contact; reply handling varies.
    Part-time administrator
    Typically reads replies in the channels assigned to the role.
    Quiet Quarter
    If a reply arrives through the agreed inbox route, handles the in-scope reply under written rules.
  • Stage
    Identify contents
    Reminder software
    Typically leaves document, promise, question and exception identification to the practice; features vary.
    Client-information portal
    Typically associates an upload with a request; content and question classification vary.
    Practice-management suite
    Typically links communication to a job; content identification depends on configuration.
    Part-time administrator
    Typically interprets administrative contents and escalates professional matters.
    Quiet Quarter
    Classifies in-scope documents, promises and questions under agreed rules; ambiguous or sensitive material becomes an exception.
  • Stage
    File record
    Reminder software
    Typically leaves filing to the practice; document and connector features vary.
    Client-information portal
    Typically stores or links an upload in the portal; filing elsewhere varies.
    Practice-management suite
    Typically stores or links documents when configured; destination writes vary.
    Part-time administrator
    Typically files permitted records under the practice’s procedures and access controls.
    Quiet Quarter
    Attempts a permitted filing write under separately agreed rules and only where technically feasible; a failure becomes an exception.
  • Stage
    Update tracker
    Reminder software
    Typically records reminder status; writes to a separate workflow tracker vary.
    Client-information portal
    Typically updates request or completion state in the portal; external tracker writes vary.
    Practice-management suite
    Typically updates its own configured tasks or jobs; cross-system writes vary.
    Part-time administrator
    Typically updates assigned trackers under the practice’s procedures and supervision.
    Quiet Quarter
    Attempts the permitted tracker write under separately agreed approval, reconciliation and failure rules; a failed or unavailable write becomes an exception.
  • Stage
    Route exception
    Reminder software
    Typically returns exceptions to the practice; alerting and assignment features vary.
    Client-information portal
    Typically returns non-standard items to the practice; notification and routing vary.
    Practice-management suite
    Typically supports configurable task assignment or escalation; a person still decides.
    Part-time administrator
    Typically routes work outside the role or authority to the named practice owner.
    Quiet Quarter
    Stops and routes the item, source context and available status to the named human owner without making the professional decision.
  • Stage
    Report progress
    Reminder software
    Typically reports reminder, delivery or chase status; reply-to-resolution reporting varies.
    Client-information portal
    Typically reports checklist, request or upload progress.
    Practice-management suite
    Typically reports job or workflow status from the configured records.
    Part-time administrator
    Typically reports assigned work through the practice’s chosen process.
    Quiet Quarter
    Produces the agreed Friday summary from available outputs, outstanding items and named exceptions; it does not prove a customer outcome.
Category-level comparison · exact capabilities vary

Exact capabilities vary by product and configuration. For human support, scope also varies by role, access and supervision. “Typically” describes a category pattern, not every supplier, plan or deployment. No named competitor, third-party price or universal category limitation is asserted.

The calculator below includes an existing-software route so you can price your own comparison instead of relying on a generic benchmark.

What is manual chasing costing your practice?

A rough cost model that starts at zero. Enter the hours you can see on the chase work itself — then we price the full drain, not just the clocked minutes.

Starting state: workload and cost fields are blank; the calendar conversion and cash-destination share are labelled illustrative presets.

Leave blank if unknown. Decimal values are accepted.

Use a loaded staff cost; leave blank if unknown.

Illustrative calendar preset; change it if your planning convention differs.

Outputs start from the values in these fields. Full chase-loop cost applies a labelled ×3 modelling factor; advanced released-capacity figures stay on direct hours. No practice workload or saving is assumed.

Direct staff time only
— / month
Full cost of the chase loop
— / month
Estimated initial-term full cost
—

Why full cost is higher than clocked time

  • Context switching — leaving billable or deadline work, rebuilding focus after each chase interruption
  • Draft mistakes and rewrites — wrong client, wrong ask, missing attachment, tone that needs a second pass
  • Proofreading before send — reading every chase email carefully because a slip lands on the practice

Direct hours × 3. Modelling assumption for hidden drag around each chase — not a measured result for your practice, and not applied to released-capacity or cash-effect figures below.

Owner-approved screening model · not observed proof

These are owner-approved screening rules and modelling assumptions, not evidence of typical workload, savings, customer outcomes or delivery capacity.

Model released capacity, possible cash effect and payback Add approval time, setup involvement, a cash-destination share and an optional software-route cost.

What would the setup have to release to pay for itself?

Extend your numbers across the initial term: the whole fee, your own setup and approval time, and the difference between released-capacity value and a possible cash effect. Every figure here is arithmetic on your inputs — a planning aid, not a promised outcome.

Subtracted from each released-capacity scenario and added to gross break-even.

Valued once at the hourly cost you entered.

Illustrative preset. Raise it only where released time has a credible cash destination.

Optional. Leave blank when there is no software route to compare.

Time becomes cash only where it displaces paid cover — overtime, temporary help, a planned hire — or becomes billable work. Start at half unless you have a firmer plan.

If software you already run solves this safely and economically, keep it — we say so.

Time released and cash effect, by modelling scenario
Scenario Share Modelled gross hours/week Net released capacity/week Released capacity value/month Possible cash effect/month
Conservative 30% — — — —
Planning 50% — — — —
Strong 70% — — — —
  • Conservative (30%) — Deliberately below our screening share — a cautious plan should survive this case.
  • Planning (50%) — The screening share our own fit rules apply before recommending a paid step.
  • Strong (70%) — A strong result. Plan on it only once a measured month supports it.

Break-even and payback against the current tariff

The configured initial-term fee is £8,789, excluding VAT: eleven paid monthly periods after the free measured period, with the configured setup treatment applied.

Owner-approved derived tariff total

£8,789 excludes VAT and is the configured initial-term fee from eleven paid monthly periods after the free measured period; proposal-specific third-party costs remain separate where stated.

Twelve monthly fees at the current tariff total £9,588, excluding VAT; this is an arithmetic comparison, not the initial-term invoice total or a customer outcome.

Owner-approved derived tariff total

£9,588 excludes VAT and is an arithmetic twelve-month tariff comparison at the current monthly fee; it is not the first-term invoice total or a statement of customer outcome.

The first 30 live days are free and measured in human-approval mode.

Owner-approved current term

The clock starts at go-live, means live days rather than working days, and the period is measured in human-approval mode.

The 12-month initial agreement starts at go-live.

Owner-approved current term

The initial term starts at go-live; the signed agreement governs termination, dependencies and any contract-specific consequences.

On your numbers, the full initial-term cost needs — gross hours a week; the recurring fee needs —. If 50% has a cash destination, the recurring cash-effect break-even needs — gross hours a week.

Initial-term position and cumulative payback, by modelling scenario
Scenario Possible cash-effect position / initial term Modelled cumulative payback
Conservative — —
Planning — —
Strong — —

A monitored setup still costs your team time — approvals, exceptions and the weekly summary. Every scenario nets your weekly approval estimate out of the released hours.

Released capacity value and possible cash effect are separate: Time released and realised cash effect are different things. The released-capacity column prices every net hour; the possible-cash-effect column keeps only the share you entered for time with a credible cash destination. Recovered minutes scattered across a week do not automatically create a saving.

We do not yet publish measured results for this workflow. Where a useful baseline exists, an estimate may be reviewed in the chase-loop assessment, but it is not a promised saving. The measured launch-period review against a signed acceptance plan, not this page, is the evidence that matters for your practice.

This calculator is illustrative only. It does not promise a number of hours released. The ×3 full-cost factor models context switching, rework and proofreading around each chase; it is not itself a saving and is not used to inflate released-capacity value. Actual impact depends on workflow scope, data quality, staff usage, approval speed and client behaviour.

Illustrative model · user inputs · no promised outcome

Every output is arithmetic on user inputs and explicit assumptions. Time released is not cash saved, payroll reduction, revenue, avoided headcount or a promised outcome.

Operating commitments. Contract-specific terms.

This is the proposed operating approach. The signed proposal and service agreement—not this page—set acceptance, remedies, fees, cancellation, ownership, support, data processing, and liability for your workflow.

1. Fit decision before full build.
If the workflow is not safe, practical, or worth automating, we will say so before you commit to a full setup.

2. Approval-only live launch.
Every client-facing message is held for your team at launch and throughout the live approval-mode pilot. Only after that pilot is reviewed may the practice consider a workflow-specific, tested, written change for later operation.

3. Written output floor and conditional review.
Before go-live, the signed proposal defines controllable outputs, available evidence, dependencies and exclusions. The live-day-60 process shown above remains conditional and governed by the signed agreement.

4. Separate rules for write actions.
Filing, tracker updates, and other writes each receive an agreed approval and reconciliation rule. A permitted write can fail, be unavailable, duplicate, or produce an unexpected result. Some external actions cannot be reversed.

Quiet Quarter supports operational admin only. It does not provide tax, accounting, legal or regulated advice. This page does not promise a number of hours released, a particular client response, operation without mistakes, an implementation date, a refund or another result.

Read contract administration, support and issue-response detail See how the proposed operating response and the signed-terms boundary work.

Issue review with known limits.
If something goes wrong, we triage it, pause or adjust the affected workflow where possible, inspect the available action records, correct the configuration where appropriate, and record what changed. The workflow records the available outcome and routes the exception according to the signed scope.

Contract-specific terms.
The published price, timeline and conditional exit above are implemented in the signed agreement. The agreement also confirms payment administration, cancellation outside that review route, intellectual property, data return/deletion, liability and workflow-specific acceptance evidence.

Quiet Quarter support uses hey@machlilies.com. Monitoring windows, response targets, third-party or tool costs, holiday cover and service levels are proposal-specific and recorded in signed terms.

Proposal-specific service levels · no public SLA

No public response-time or availability SLA is approved. Monitoring windows, response targets, third-party/tool costs and service levels are proposal-specific and governed by signed terms.

What the operating terms mean

The signed proposal applies these definitions to the exact workflow, quantities, evidence and responsibilities agreed for your practice.

Open the operating glossary Definitions for approval mode, workflow, output floor, monitoring, support, writes and rollout.
Approval mode
Client-facing messages are held for a named person to approve; filing, tracker updates and other writes follow their separately agreed approval and reconciliation rules.
Workflow
One documented end-to-end chase loop with an agreed source, inbox route, document location, rules, approval route, exception owner and output floor.
Chase cycle
One agreed reporting period covering the complete chase loop and its summary.
Active client chase contact
One distinct client record with at least one in-scope missing-record request during an agreed chase cycle, counted once per chase cycle.
Exception
An item encountered by the workflow that the written rules require it to stop or hand to the named human owner because it is unclear, sensitive, unusual, risky or outside a permitted action.
Output floor
The minimum controllable workflow outputs and evidence agreed in the signed proposal before go-live; it excludes client replies, realised financial effect, revenue, tax outcomes and other third-party results.
Monitoring
The proposal-specific windows and checks used to observe the agreed workflow and record available failures or exceptions for review; no generic availability or coverage window is promised.
Support
The issue-reporting route for Quiet Quarter is hey@machlilies.com; response targets, cover and service levels are proposal-specific.
Write action
A permitted attempt to file a document, update a tracker or change another agreed system under separately agreed approval, reconciliation and failure rules; the attempt and its available outcome are recorded, and a failed or unavailable write becomes an exception.
Customer effort
The practice work needed for discovery, access, testing, approval, review and exception handling; each proposal states conservative estimates for the scoped workflow, and no generic low-effort claim is made.
Overflow
Work beyond the signed quantity or handling rules is held and reported for a written scope decision; it is never silently dropped or treated as included.
Third-party cost
A supplier, software, licence, usage or tool charge connected with the scoped workflow; the signed proposal states whether it is included or customer-paid, and no generic amount is promised.
Rollout schedule
The first signed workflow launches first in approval mode; each additional workflow launches only when included in the signed scope and after the preceding workflow passes its stability review, and dates are proposal-specific.

Quiet Quarter supports an agreed client-record chase loop, including separately governed filing and tracker-write attempts where technically feasible. Mach Lilies does not provide tax, accounting, legal or any other regulated advice — professional judgement stays with the qualified people at your practice.

Is Quiet Quarter right for your practice?

For UK accountancy and bookkeeping practices with a safe, repeatable inbox-based client-record chase loop. Fit and signed scope are confirmed before build.

If the workflow is not safe, practical, or worth automating, we will say so.

Check the exact fit signals and screening thresholds Compare the offer mechanics with the versioned strong-fit and not-yet-fit criteria.

The offer makes sense when:

  • MTD is creating a quarterly chasing burden across several record types: records, onboarding, VAT, self-assessment, year-end.
  • Your team needs exception routing, training, templates, and better reporting.
  • You want implementation support and an output review against a signed acceptance plan after the first 30 live days.
  • You are comfortable starting with one workflow in approval mode and widening in stages.
Owner-approved current term

The clock starts at go-live, means live days rather than working days, and the period is measured in human-approval mode.

A strong fit

  • You run a UK accountancy or bookkeeping practice, roughly 6–30 people.
  • Recurring chasing covers roughly 151–250 contacts per cycle at the strongest fit — 76–150 also works.
  • 23 or more staff hours a week go on chasing, checking, filing, tracker updates, exception review and reporting.
  • The loaded cost of that time is around £20–£25 an hour or more.
  • Replies land in a shared or controllable mailbox, a tracker your team actually trusts drives the chase list, and filing and chase wording are reasonably consistent.
  • A named person can own approvals and exceptions, and clients mostly reply by email.
  • You run Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace; the exact connection method and permissions still need review.
  • The released hours have a real destination — avoiding recruitment or overtime, absorbing MTD growth, or redeploying time to fee-earning work.

Not a fit (yet)

  • Under 8 staff hours a week sit in the workflow, or fewer than 25 recurring chase contacts per cycle.
  • Chasing runs mainly on phone, paper or WhatsApp.
  • There is no tracker or source of truth, no named approval owner, or no appetite to standardise one.
  • Heavy bespoke integration would be needed before any value lands.
  • You want tax or accounting judgement automated, or unsupervised sending from day one.
  • There is no productive use for the released time, or first-year payback would sit beyond 12–18 months.
  • Software you already run solves this safely and economically — if so, we will say to keep it.

Fit criteria v1.1, effective 12 July 2026. One versioned rule set drives this list, the scorecard and how we qualify enquiries.

Owner-approved screening model · not observed proof

These are owner-approved screening rules and modelling assumptions, not evidence of typical workload, savings, customer outcomes or delivery capacity.

Book an AI workflow assessment for a plain fit decision, see exactly what the assessment covers, or see how the workflow runs day-to-day in a practice.

Not sure whether the workflow fits?

Take the scorecard and see whether your chasing workflow is ready for a monitored setup — or better served by workflow foundations first.

Take the scorecard

Questions about the offer

What is included in the monthly price?

The signed workflow scope covers the agreed approval rules, build, testing, monitoring, exception handling and reporting described on this page. The approved tariff and setup treatment are stated below.

The current new-order tariff is £799 per month, excluding VAT, and applies to the proposal-specific scope.

Owner-approved current tariff

£799 per month is excluding VAT, applies to the signed scope, and is not a was-price comparison or a statement of total customer cost.

The current Quiet Quarter offer has a £0 separate setup fee because setup is included; proposal-specific third-party or tool costs can still be separate.

Owner-approved current tariff

Setup is included in the current offer; proposal-specific third-party or tool costs are separate where stated in the signed scope.

How does the measured launch period work?

The approved launch-period and conditional-exit terms are stated below. The signed agreement governs how they apply to the scoped workflow.

From go-live, the first 30 live days are free and measured in human-approval mode before the first invoice on live day 31.

Owner-approved current term

The clock starts at go-live, means live days rather than working days, and the period is measured in human-approval mode.

On live day 60, cumulative dependency-adjusted evidence is reviewed against the signed controllable output floor. A recorded supplier-responsible miss can open a process requiring notice within 5 business days and an unsuccessful 10-business-day cure review; the signed agreement controls.

Owner-approved conditional exit term

Exit is not unconditional: it requires a recorded miss within Mach Lilies' responsibility, five business days' notice and an unsuccessful ten-business-day cure review; the signed agreement controls.

Do all signed workflows go live at once?

Workflow one launches first in human approval mode. Each additional workflow included in the signed scope launches only after the preceding workflow passes its stability review; dates are proposal-specific.

How does the day-60 exit work?

It is a conditional process tied to the signed controllable output floor, dependency evidence, notice and cure review. The approved public term is stated below.

Owner-approved conditional exit term

Exit is not unconditional: it requires a recorded miss within Mach Lilies' responsibility, five business days' notice and an unsuccessful ten-business-day cure review; the signed agreement controls.

How is Quiet Quarter different from reminder software?

Reminder software and portals typically cover configured requests, sends or uploads; capabilities differ across products and configurations. Depending on that setup, operating ownership can return when replies need reading, contents need identifying, permitted filing or tracker writes need completing, or exceptions need a person. Quiet Quarter is a managed service for implementation, workflow design, monitoring, exception handling and the separately agreed operating scope, while professional judgement stays with your practice. If a tool you already run solves the loop safely and economically, keep it — we say so.

Category-level comparison · exact capabilities vary

Exact capabilities vary by product and configuration. For human support, scope also varies by role, access and supervision. “Typically” describes a category pattern, not every supplier, plan or deployment. No named competitor, third-party price or universal category limitation is asserted.

Will Quiet Quarter email clients automatically?

No client-facing message is sent automatically at launch or during the live approval-mode pilot. Only after that pilot is reviewed may the practice consider a workflow-specific, tested, written change for later operation.

Does Quiet Quarter give tax advice?

No. It does not give tax, accounting, legal, or regulated advice. It handles operational admin: chasing, classifying, filing, updating, and flagging exceptions.

What if our systems are messy?

That is normal. The chase-loop assessment and workflow map identify what can be handled safely, what needs cleaning, and what should stay human-led.

How is the initial measured period reviewed?

The signed proposal defines expected workflow outputs and the acceptance method before go-live. Available evidence covers prepared or approved chases, classified replies, attempted or completed writes, flagged exceptions and produced summaries. The approved period is stated below; signed terms govern acceptance, remediation, fees and remedies.

Owner-approved current term

The clock starts at go-live, means live days rather than working days, and the period is measured in human-approval mode.

Do you promise a specific number of hours released?

No. Where a useful baseline exists, an estimate may be reviewed, but no saving or service level follows from that estimate. Client replies, staff approval speed, data quality and third-party systems can all affect the outcome.

What can affect the acceptance review?

Missing access, changed scope, inaccurate source data, unsupported systems, third-party outages, staff non-use, client non-response, and work outside the signed scope can all affect what is available to review. The signed proposal defines the acceptance method and contract-specific consequences.

What happens if Quiet Quarter makes a mistake?

If something goes wrong inside the agreed workflow, we triage it, pause or adjust the affected workflow where possible, inspect the available action records, correct the configuration where appropriate, and record what changed. Write actions can fail or produce an unexpected result, so filing and tracker changes have separately agreed approval, reconciliation, and escalation rules.

Put one repeatable chase loop under control.

Book an AI workflow assessment. We will tell you whether Quiet Quarter is a good fit, what the workflow should cover, and what should stay human-led.

Book an AI workflow assessment