FAQ
Questions people actually ask.
Pricing questions are answered on the pricing page. Everything else is here. If yours isn't, email [email protected].
Getting started
- Is there an app to install?
- Pinion runs in the browser on your phone, tablet, or computer at pinioncrm.com/app. There is nothing to install and nothing to update. On a phone you can add it to your home screen from the browser menu and it opens like an app.
- How long does set-up take?
- A few minutes. Sign up, name your business, add a client, book a job. Company details for invoices, such as your address, logo, and invoice number prefix, live in Settings and take about two more minutes.
- Can I import my existing clients?
- Not yet as a self-serve upload. Email us a spreadsheet and we will import it for you while import tooling is being built.
- Which kinds of business is Pinion for?
- Three, on one app: trades such as plumbers and electricians, solo practitioners such as coaches and consultants, and small agencies. Pinion changes its labels to match, for example Jobs and Quotes for trades, Clients and Sessions for solo work, Deals and Proposals for agencies.
Using Pinion day to day
- Does it work offline?
- You can read everything you have already opened while offline, because Pinion keeps a local copy. Creating or changing records needs a connection. If you try while offline, Pinion tells you straight away instead of silently queuing the change.
- How do I send an invoice?
- Open the invoice and tap Share. On a phone that opens the normal share sheet with a PDF attached, so you can send it by WhatsApp, email, or any other app. On a desktop it downloads the PDF.
- Can I attach photos to a job?
- Yes. Open the job, tap Add photo, and take one or pick it from your gallery. Photos stay with the job as proof of work.
- What is a service?
- A service is a template for work you do repeatedly, such as a geyser service or a monthly coaching session. It carries the usual price, line items, and stock used, and can recur on a schedule so Pinion reminds you when it is due.
- Does Pinion do accounting or send marketing emails?
- No, on purpose. Pinion tracks jobs, clients, quotes, invoices, payments, and stock. For accounting, email marketing, and calendars we link out to the tools that already do those well rather than building weaker versions.
Your team
- How do I add someone?
- Open Members, tap Invite member, and enter their email and a role. They get a link. Until they accept, the invite shows under Sent invites.
- What can each role do?
- Owner can do everything including billing. Manager can change anything except billing. Member can create and edit jobs, clients, and documents. Viewer can see everything and change nothing. The Max plan adds custom roles with per-module permissions.
- Can one person be in two businesses?
- Yes. One login can belong to several organisations, and you switch between them from the organisation picker. Each organisation has its own plan and its own data.
Your data and privacy
- Who can see my data?
- Only members of your organisation, according to their role. Pinion staff do not browse customer data. The full list of the providers that run the service is on the sub-processors page.
- Is Pinion POPIA compliant?
- Pinion is a South African company and the service is built around the Protection of Personal Information Act. The privacy policy is the section 18 notification, the operator agreement covers the data you store about your own clients, and the PAIA manual is published as required.
- Do you use tracking or analytics scripts?
- No. The website and the app run no analytics trackers and no advertising scripts, which is also why there is no cookie banner.
- How do I delete my account?
- Email us from the account owner address. Your data is removed from active systems within 30 days and from backups within 60. Export anything you want to keep first, because deletion is permanent.
- Where is my data stored and can I export it?
- Data is stored with the hosting providers listed on the sub-processors page. Invoices and quotes export as PDF from the app today, and a full data export on request is part of the service.
Help and support
- How do I get help?
- Email [email protected]. Free plan questions are answered from the community inbox as time allows. Paid plans include email support, with priority support on Max and dedicated support on Corporate.
- Where do I report a bug or ask for a feature?
- Same address. Include what you were doing and, if you can, a screenshot. Feature requests shape what gets built next, so they are genuinely read.
Still wondering? Try it.
The Free plan doesn't expire. Most questions answer themselves in the first ten minutes.