3 Tools That Actually Help SEs Take PTO

Sales engineers are the unsung heroes of complex deals. They’re answering RFPs, running demos, navigating procurement, and translating between teams.

But when SEs take PTO (as they should), many teams hit a wall. Suddenly the RFP deadline gets stressful, the AE needs that security doc again, and no one’s quite sure who owns that last procurement answer.

It’s not a people problem. It’s a systems problem.

You shouldn’t have to choose between giving your SEs real time off and keeping deals on track. If your stack is built right, you can do both.

Here are 3 tools that actually help SEs take PTO—because they reduce dependency, not value.

1. Iris – For Proposal-Ready Knowledge That Doesn’t Live in Someone’s Head

RFPs and technical validations don’t wait for your SEs to get back from vacation. Iris helps teams centralize answers from sales engineers, SMEs, and legal so proposals don’t fall apart when someone’s OOO.

Why it works:

• AI-suggested responses that pull from past deals, not static templates
• Ownership routing and async approvals to reduce Slack back-and-forth
• A single system for sourcing answers—so no one’s hunting across docs, threads, or decks

Real scenario: A mid-market sales team we work with closed a deal during summer break—with zero SE involvement in the last two weeks—because everything the AE needed was already structured, approved, and easy to access in Iris.

2. Google Drive (or Dropbox, Box, etc.) – For Easy Access to SE-Approved Materials

It’s basic—but a well-organized shared folder can prevent hours of delay when someone’s out.

When docs live across people’s desktops, email threads, or unsearchable Slack messages, you lose valuable time just trying to find what should be obvious.

Why it works:

• Pre-approved collateral avoids last-minute reviews
• Helps AEs self-serve without waiting on presales
• Creates structure around what “good” looks like when SEs aren’t there to explain it

Pro tip: Create a “Top 10” folder—your most used docs (SOC 2, ROI deck, integration overview, case studies). One folder, zero fire drills.

3. Notion (or Confluence) – For Presales Playbooks Anyone Can Follow

The most efficient presales teams build playbooks—so when someone’s out, others don’t have to guess how things work.

Use a shared workspace to document your RFP process, demo flow, buyer FAQ, and internal checklists.

Why it works:

• Guides sales and proposal teams through technical steps
• Cuts down repetitive asks (“Do we have a SOC 2?” “Where’s the latest ROI deck?”)
• Helps new hires and cross-functional partners step in faster

Real scenario: One Iris customer built a lightweight RFP hub in Notion with step-by-step tasks for legal, SEs, and product. When their lead SE took 2 weeks off, the AE and proposal lead ran the entire response off the playbook—no delays, no missed steps.

What Happens When You Don’t Have This Stack?

• Deals slow down while people dig through inboxes and old files
• SMEs get pinged during vacation
• AEs make do with outdated or unapproved content
• Buyers lose confidence in your process

This isn’t just inefficiency—it’s risk. A late proposal can cost you the deal. A wrong answer can cost trust. And burned-out SEs don’t stick around.

Your Stack Doesn’t Replace SEs—It Protects Their Time

The goal isn’t to run without SEs forever. It’s to make their work scalable, reusable, and independent of time zones and PTO calendars.

Because when your systems are strong, your people can rest—and still come back to momentum, not a mess.

Quick Checklist: Is Your Stack PTO-Ready?

• Can you source technical answers without Slack pinging someone?
• Are your most-used docs centralized and current?
• Is there a clear playbook for proposals or demo follow-ups?
• Can an AE or proposal lead run the basics if SEs are offline?

If not, start here.

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