I’ve seen snapshots save time, onboard clients faster, and turn chaos into clean, repeatable systems.
But I’ve also seen them wreck live accounts, confuse teams, and cost people hours of clean-up because of sloppy testing and documentation.
If you’ve ever hit “update snapshot” and crossed your fingers, yeah, I’ve been there too.
So in this post, I’ll walk you through how I personally build, test, and document snapshots so they’re bulletproof before they ever touch a client’s account.
Let’s get into it. 👇
Why Snapshots Matter and Why They’re Often a Mess
HighLevel snapshots are powerful templates packed with:
- ✅ Workflows
- ✅ Funnels
- ✅ Campaigns
- ✅ Forms
- ✅ Custom values
Basically, your whole system in a box
But here’s the deal: A messy snapshot = a mess you’re about to clone over and over again.
And once a broken system gets deployed to five clients? Fixing it is five times harder.
So let’s fix that.
Step 1: Test A LOT (Without Nuking Your Real Accounts)
This is where most people mess up.
They build and test inside their main agency account or worse—inside a live client account. Don’t do this.
Here’s what I do:
- Create a demo sub-account just for testing.
- Label it clearly, like:
testing:[system-name]
- Use dummy contacts and test pipelines to run every scenario.
Want to go next-level?
Use the +1 email trick to test automations with variations of your own email.
Example:
[email protected]
[email protected]
HighLevel sees each one as a new contact, but they’ll all come to your inbox.
Perfect for simulating drip sequences, appointment confirmations, or missed-call texts.
Need to test phone/SMS automation? Use a Google Voice number or a throwaway VoIP for realistic inbound testing.
🟧 Key takeaway: Always test workflows in isolation before snapshotting. If something’s going to break, let it break in the sandbox—not in front of a paying client.
Step 2: Document Like a Pro (Because Future You Will Thank You)
This is the part most people skip until they’re six clients deep and can’t remember where that “one trigger link” lives.
I used to use Google Sheets, then I saw the light: Airtable.
Unlike spreadsheets, Airtable lets me:
- 🔗 Link related assets (workflows, custom values, tags, forms)
- ✅ Track snapshot versions
- 📌 Add notes like “do not delete” or “used by X system”
- 🔍 Search everything fast when I need to debug
This helps me, and my team, know exactly what’s inside each snapshot, where it’s used, and when it was last updated.
Example tabs in my Airtable snapshot doc:
- Snapshot name
- Last updated
- Assets included
- Dependencies (custom fields, triggers, calendars)
- Notes for installation
🟧 Key takeaway: If it’s not documented, it doesn’t scale.
This one move alone has saved me countless hours of backtracking.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Let me save you some pain.
Here are the top snapshot sins I’ve made (and now dodge):
❌ Testing in live accounts
❌ Including half-finished workflows
❌ Not version-tracking changes
❌ Overwriting client-specific customizations
❌ No documentation = team confusion
Instead:
✅ Use sandbox sub-accounts
✅ Version-control every update
✅ Name assets clearly (e.g., [niche]-lead-nurture-v2)
✅ Keep Airtable or Notion docs linked and updated
Bonus: The Magic of Modular Snapshots
One last tip: Don’t cram everything into one massive snapshot.
Break them into modules like:
- Lead Nurture
- Onboarding
- Appointment Reminders
- Reputation Management
That way, you can mix-and-match based on the client’s needs—without bloating or breaking anything.
Wrap-Up
Snapshots are the foundation of any scalable HighLevel agency system. But without solid testing and documentation, you’re building on sand.
Treat your snapshots like software builds. Test, version, document—and deploy with confidence.
Want to take your HighLevel game up a notch?
Check out HLProTools.com, we’ve built tools, templates, and workflows designed specifically for serious HighLevel users like you.
Cool Free Thing: My Testimonial Workflow
Before businesses will buy your service, they need to trust you.
And the fastest way to build that trust?
⭐️ Testimonials.
So here’s a free gift: My team’s complete Testimonial Workflow, designed to make collecting, organizing, and showcasing testimonials ridiculously easy.
No fancy setup. No fluff. Just plug it into your HighLevel account and start building trust faster.
You’ll be surprised how much easier client acquisition gets when you’ve got proof in your pocket.