> Source: https://builder-docs.ema.ai/getting-started/effective-discovery/lead-to-cash > Title: Lead to Cash Discovery Guide # Lead to Cash Discovery Guide This guide provides a structured framework for conducting discovery for AI Employees that address friction points across document-heavy and sales workflows -- from data extraction and rule validation through document generation and outbound sales. ## Product Suite Overview The Lead-to-Cash suite includes document intelligence agents and AI-powered sales tools: AI Employee Purpose **Data Extraction** Parses structured information from documents of any format (PDFs, scans, Word files) and prepares it for downstream consumption. **Rule Validation** Evaluates extracted data against customer-defined business rules or regulatory constraints to flag errors, omissions, or compliance risks. **RFP Writer** Generates tailored responses to RFPs by leveraging prior submissions, product knowledge, and document structure. **Document Generator** Automates creation of enterprise-ready documents such as contracts, memos, performance summaries, and customer-facing letters. **AI-SDR** Automates outbound sales prospecting: sources leads, generates personalized messaging, and executes outreach via CRM integration. These AI Employees can be deployed independently or as a cohesive solution depending on input data complexity and pipeline maturity. ## Discovery Preparation ### Required Knowledge - Document formats, intake processes, and downstream output usage. - Validation rules and audit/compliance dependencies. - Sales outreach stack: enrichment, sequencing, CRM integration. - Document automation workflows (e.g., RFP lifecycle, doc generation templates). ### Stakeholders to Involve - Admins managing AI configuration and user access. - Business users (SDRs, proposal managers, legal analysts). - Sales leaders and revenue operations. - Procurement, legal, and compliance stakeholders. - IT/Security responsible for integration and data governance. ### Recommended Pre-Work - Collect sample input documents (contracts, RFPs, forms) and desired outputs. - Document validation rules and doc generation templates. - Audit lead sourcing tools and current sales messaging flows. - Confirm target KPIs and measurable outcomes. ## End-to-End Workflow Mapping ### Document and Sales Process Discovery **What to capture:** - **Document lifecycle stages:** Intake, data extraction, validation, drafting, review, and delivery. - **Sales engagement flow:** How leads are sourced, segmented, contacted, and handed off to AEs. - **Template and rules management:** How frequently used templates and validation rules are stored and maintained. - **Tool and system transitions:** How data or content moves between CRM, shared drives, CMS, or via manual handoffs. - **Approval and review checkpoints:** Which stakeholders review or approve documents and at what stage. - **Manual effort and bottlenecks:** Areas where teams spend time on formatting, data entry, or chasing approvals. ### Data Extraction **What to capture:** - Source document formats and intake channels. - Target fields or tables routinely parsed, especially sections with the most errors today. - Volume and variety of documents processed per day or week. - Error and delay points where staff correct low-confidence outputs. - Process handoffs: who receives the output, in what format. ### Rule Validation **What to capture:** - Validation logic: key rules, ranges, or flags for quality or compliance. - Rule sources: where rules are defined, stored, and who owns them. - Failure handling: what happens when a record fails (escalation, rejection, manual fix). - Review checkpoints: where humans intervene to approve or override. - Recurring gaps: rules that often fail or require frequent human intervention. ### RFP Writer **What to capture:** - Intake methods: how RFPs arrive and are triaged or assigned. - Drafting workflows: who writes each section, whether content is reused or started fresh. - Content reuse: availability of answer banks, past responses, or shared templates. - Review cycles: how drafts are reviewed and by whom. - Collaboration process: which teams contribute and how responses are assembled. ### Document Generator **What to capture:** - Common document types produced across departments. - Template logic: structure, dynamic fields, conditional content. - Content sources: manual input, historical examples, system data. - Approval flows by document type. - Brand and tone controls: formatting, tone, or legal checks. ### AI-SDR **What to capture:** - Team structure: SDR responsibilities, quotas, relationship to AEs. - Prospecting process: how leads are selected, segmented, and approached. - Tooling stack: CRM, enrichment, sequencing, and personalization tools. - Conversion metrics: meetings booked, conversion rates, cost per lead. - Efficiency blockers: time spent on research, copy-pasting, or personalizing content. ## Success Metrics AI Employee Metric Description Data Extraction Throughput Number of documents parsed daily. Data Extraction Accuracy Percentage of correct field extractions. Rule Validation Precision Percentage of rules correctly flagged. Rule Validation Compliance Percentage of outputs compliant to policy. RFP Writer Time Saved Average hours saved per RFP. RFP Writer Draft Quality SME rating of first draft usability. Document Generator Creation Efficiency Average time saved producing documents. Document Generator Review Success Rate Percentage of generated content approved without edits. AI-SDR Meetings Generated Meetings per SDR per month. AI-SDR Cost Efficiency Cost per qualified lead. ## Pre-Launch Evaluation Checklist - Golden input/output pairs validated. - Error thresholds defined for extraction and validation. - Template formats and field mappings aligned. - Integration feasibility assessed (CRM, storage, etc.). - Pilot timeline and success metrics confirmed. ## Stakeholder Roles Role Responsibility Executive Sponsor Strategic alignment, budget ownership. Proposal Owner Oversees RFP and structured document workflows. Content Owner / Department Lead Manages document categories across HR, Legal, Marketing. End Users SDRs, proposal writers, document reviewers. Sales / Revenue Ops Sales metric tracking, CRM workflows.