DenchClaw Zero to CRM: Full Setup in Under an Hour

Get DenchClaw running as your full CRM in under an hour. Step-by-step setup guide covering install, objects, fields, and your first pipeline.

Mark Rachapoom

March 26, 2026·6 min read

DenchClaw Zero to CRM: Full Setup in Under an Hour

You can go from zero to a fully working CRM with DenchClaw in under an hour. I've done it dozens of times, and this guide is the fastest path I know.

By the end of this, you'll have DenchClaw installed, a contacts database running, a sales pipeline configured, and your first AI-assisted workflow active. No cloud accounts, no credit card, no support tickets.

Step 1: Install DenchClaw (5 minutes)#

Open your terminal and run:

npx denchclaw

That's it. The installer:

Bootstraps an OpenClaw profile called dench on port 19001
Initializes a local DuckDB database
Launches the web frontend at localhost:3100
Copies your Chrome profile so you're already logged in everywhere

Add localhost:3100 to your Dock as a PWA (in Chrome: three-dot menu → More Tools → Create Shortcut → Open as window). It'll feel like a native app.

While it's installing, connect a messaging channel. Telegram is the fastest: create a bot via @BotFather, get the token, and paste it into DenchClaw settings. Now you can talk to your CRM from your phone.

Step 2: Create Your First Object — People (10 minutes)#

DenchClaw stores everything in Objects — think tables in a CRM. Let's start with people.

In the web chat or Telegram, type:

Create a People object with fields: Full Name (text), Email (email), Phone (phone), Company (text), Status (enum: Lead/Prospect/Customer/Churned), Last Contacted (date), Notes (richtext)

The AI will create the object, set up the fields, and generate a v_people pivot view in DuckDB. You'll see it appear in your sidebar immediately.

If you prefer manual setup, navigate to Objects → New Object in the sidebar.

Step 3: Create a Companies Object (5 minutes)#

Create a Companies object with fields: Company Name (text), Website (url), Industry (enum: SaaS/Fintech/Healthcare/Ecommerce/Other), Size (enum: 1-10/11-50/51-200/200+), ARR (number), Primary Contact (relation to People)

Now link people to companies. Go back to your People object and add:

Add a Company relation field to People, linking to Companies

The AI adds a many_to_one relation. Now each person has a linked company, and you can query across both.

Step 4: Set Up a Sales Pipeline (10 minutes)#

Create a Deals object:

Create a Deals object with fields: Deal Name (text), Value (number), Stage (enum: Discovery/Proposal/Negotiation/Closed Won/Closed Lost), Close Date (date), Company (relation to Companies), Owner (text), Notes (richtext)

Switch to Kanban view in the Deals object — each stage becomes a column. Drag deals between stages, or tell the AI:

Move "Acme Corp deal" to Negotiation stage

For your pipeline dashboard, ask:

Show me total pipeline value by stage as a bar chart

A Chart.js visualization renders inline. Save it as a report and it appears in your sidebar.

Step 5: Import Your Existing Contacts (10 minutes)#

From CSV: Navigate to Import or tell the AI:

Import this CSV into my People object [attach file]

The AI maps columns to fields and handles mismatches. It'll ask you to confirm before inserting.

From HubSpot: If you have a HubSpot account, say:

Import my HubSpot contacts

DenchClaw opens your browser (you're already logged in), exports the data, and maps it to your objects. See the full HubSpot import guide for details.

From Google Sheets:

Import contacts from my "Sales Q1" Google Sheet

Step 6: Add Your First AI Workflow (10 minutes)#

This is where DenchClaw separates from any other CRM.

Create an Action field on your People object:

Add an action field called "Enrich" to People that fetches company info from the web and updates the Company, Industry, and Size fields

Now every person in your database has an Enrich button. Click it, and the AI looks up their company on the web and fills in the fields. No API key required.

Set up a follow-up reminder:

When I mark a deal as Closed Won, remind me to schedule an onboarding call within 3 days

Create a saved filter view:

Create a view called "Hot Leads" showing people with Status=Lead, Last Contacted more than 14 days ago, sorted by Company

This view now appears in your sidebar as a permanent filter. Every morning, open Hot Leads and work down the list.

Step 7: Connect Your Calendar and Email (10 minutes)#

Tell the AI:

Connect my Google Calendar and Gmail

This uses the gog skill. Once connected:

DenchClaw can add follow-up reminders to your calendar
You can ask "what meetings do I have today?" from Telegram
Email drafts can be generated from CRM context: "Draft a follow-up to Sarah Chen referencing our call last Tuesday"