Blog Summary:
1. Customization isn’t about adding complexity — it’s what makes systems easier to use and aligned with real-world service delivery.
2. Izzy’s implementation process is hands-on, guiding organizations from discovery through launch so the system reflects their programs, workflows, and reporting needs.
3. Clear, simple intake forms help reduce staff burden, improve data quality, and make it easier for clients to engage with services.
4. Sessions, automated reminders, and workflows work together to reduce administrative work while ensuring staff have the right information at the right time.
5. As organizations grow or change, Izzy continues to adapt — with flexible workflows, ongoing support, and no-cost updates for day-to-day changes.
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Many organizations struggle with systems that aren’t built for the realities of their work. When tools don’t align with your programs or workflows, staff end up navigating confusing processes, repeating data entry, and spending valuable time on administration instead of client support. Customization isn’t a luxury — it’s what makes technology usable.
Customizing Izzy isn’t about making things more complicated; it’s about making your system easier to use, more efficient, and better aligned with the way your team works. Whether you support a small focused team or coordinate services across multiple programs and locations, Izzy can be customized to reflect your workflows, communication style, and usability needs.
How Implementation Works
Every implementation is hands-on. Our team meets with you to understand your programs, workflows, and reporting needs, then sets up your Izzy system accordingly. You’re never left to figure things out on your own — we guide you from discovery through launch to ensure Izzy reflects your workflow, data capture, and reporting needs. As we learn how your team works, we don’t just replicate your current processes — we also suggest improvements and new workflow options that can make your day-to-day work easier.
During onboarding, we create your initial forms, sessions, and workflows based on your existing processes. Once everything is ready, we train your team to make updates, build new forms, or adjust workflows as needed. If you’d prefer our team to handle those updates, you can always reach out to Izzy Support — we’re happy to take care of day-to-day changes at no extra cost. If a request grows into something larger that requires deeper work, we’ll talk it through with you before making any updates.
Step 1: Designing Clear and Simple Intake Forms
For most organizations, the first step in customizing Izzy is setting up intake forms. These forms are the foundation of how information flows through into the system. A well-designed form makes it easy for staff to collect and review the right details without creating unnecessary barriers for clients.
Izzy offers several field types, so teams can build forms that fit their specific needs:
- Short answer and paragraph fields
- Searchable dropdown menus
- Single and multiple choice options
- Checkboxes
- Digital signatures
- File attachments
You can create separate forms for different programs or services, so each team collects only the information they actually need. For example, a counselling program may include fields about presenting concerns or safety planning, while an advocacy program might need space for case notes or supporting documents.
When designing forms, simplicity matters. Long or complicated forms can overwhelm staff and make data harder to manage. Mobile-friendly forms also ensure clients can complete them easily on their phones. A good rule of thumb: if the information isn’t essential for service delivery or reporting, leave it out.
When we set up your system, our team will recreate your existing forms within Izzy, adjusting layouts or question types as needed. Once your setup is complete, you’ll have the flexibility to continue building and editing forms on your own — or ask our team to create them for you.
If you’re moving from paper to digital forms, things might look a little different at first. We’ll work with you to find the best way to adapt your forms and make any adjustments to ensure they fit your workflow.
Step 2:Setting Up Sessions and Client Messages
Once your forms are ready, the next step is configuring how sessions and communication will work in Izzy. During onboarding, our team sets all of this up for you, and we train your staff so they can make updates later if your programs change.
This includes setting how sessions appear on your calendar, connecting the right forms to each service, and choosing when reminders or confirmations are sent. These settings help ensure staff see what they need, when they need it, without adding extra steps to their day.
Clear communication also supports trust and helps clients stay engaged. Izzy sends automated reminders and confirmations to help clients keep track of upcoming sessions. While the reminder messages themselves aren’t customizable yet, your team can still shape the overall communication style around them to keep things easy for clients to navigate. For example, across your emails, intake materials, or any additional messages your team sends, you can:
- Use plain language and short sentences
- Avoid jargon or complicated phrasing
- Keep messages warm, clear, and consistent
- Consider multiple languages if your community needs it
Automated reminders save staff time by handling routine communication—such as session confirmations and form reminders, while keeping information consistent across your programs. As Izzy continues to grow, additional scheduling and messaging options will be added to support even more customization.
Step 3: Automating Workflows and Referral Flows
The third piece of customization is workflows. Workflows enable your organization to automate time-consuming tasks, allowing staff to focus on direct support.
Workflows in Izzy can trigger new tasks, forms, or sessions based on the responses entered during intake or service delivery. For example, when a certain answer is selected on a form, Izzy can automatically create a task for the appropriate worker or generate a related form within the same session. Workflows can also copy information from one form to another, reducing double entry and keeping your team organized without extra steps.
Many organizations also use workflows to support smooth referrals between programs. For example, if a crisis line worker submits a ticket and selects a field indicating the client needs case management support, Izzy can automatically notify the case management team through a workflow. The workflow creates the appropriate program file in the client’s profile and carries over relevant intake information from the original ticket. This reduces duplicate data entry while ensuring the case management team has the context they need to begin follow-up.
Here are a few examples of what workflows can do:
- Send an email when a form is submitted or when a specific question is answered
- Automatically assign a task to a team member
- Generate follow-up forms or sessions based on how a question is answered
- Assign sessions to specific team members automatically
- Copy information from one form to another to reduce duplicate entry
When creating workflows, it helps to start by thinking about your service goals. Ask yourself:
- What information does the team need to act quickly and accurately?
- Which steps are repeated over and over again?
- What tasks could be automated to save time?
You can also schedule recurring forms to reappear automatically — for example, monthly check-ins or assessments — so nothing gets missed.
Every form that has been used in a client’s file is linked to their record, and Izzy automatically tracks any changes made — including who made them and when. This audit trail keeps communication clear and ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
By building clear, intuitive workflows, you make the system easier for staff to use and ensure clients can receive reminders and submit forms smoothly when needed.
A Platform That Grows With You
Izzy is more than just a set of tools — it’s a platform that grows with your organization. By creating clear forms and automating workflows, you can make your services more efficient, usable, and client-centered.
Each onboarding includes discovery and implementation sessions, followed by hands-on training for administrators, supervisors, and staff. Once training is complete, teams enter a beta testing phase to practice using Izzy day-to-day before going live. Don’t worry — we wipe all testing data before your live date so your team starts fresh.
Whether you prefer to customize your own workflows or have our team do it for you, we’ll make sure your Izzy instance continues to evolve alongside your organization — because better systems mean better support for the people who rely on you.