How to Manage Construction Projects

What This Feature Does

The projects feature helps you organize and track your construction projects, manage client relationships, and handle contracts for better project oversight and billing accuracy.

Initial Setup

First-Time Configuration

1. Navigate to "Projects & Contracts" by clicking "Projects" in the left sidebar
2. You'll see three main tabs: "Clients", "Projects", and "Contracts"
3. Start by setting up a client: Click the "Clients" tab
4. Click "Add Client" to create your first client entry

Required Information

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• Client contact information and billing details
• Project specifications and timeline
• Contract documents or agreements
• Project budget and scope information

Day-to-Day Usage

How to Add a New Client

1. Go to "Projects" in the left sidebar
2. Click the "Clients" tab
3. Click "Add Client" button in the top right
4. Fill in the client information:
   • Client Name: Company name (e.g., "ABC Construction Ltd")
   • Contact Person: Primary point of contact
   • Email: Client's billing email address
   • Phone: Primary contact number
   • Address: Client's business address
5. Add billing details:
   • ABN/Tax ID: Client's business registration number
   • Payment Terms: Default payment period (e.g., "30 days")
6. Click "Save Client"
7. The client will appear in your clients list

How to Create a New Project

1. Ensure you have at least one client set up first
2. Go to "Projects" and click the "Projects" tab
3. Click "Add Project" button
4. Fill in the project details:
   • Project Name: Descriptive name (e.g., "Downtown Office Building - Phase 2")
   • Client: Select from your existing clients
   • Status: Choose "Planning", "Active", "On Hold", or "Completed"
   • Region: Select the geographic region
   • Description: Brief project overview and scope
   • Start Date: Project commencement date
   • Estimated End Date: Planned completion date
5. Click "Save Project"
6. The project will appear under the selected client

How to Import Projects from Assignar

1. Go to "Projects" in the left sidebar
2. If you have Assignar integration set up, click "Import from Assignar" button
3. Select projects to import:
   • Choose date range for projects to import
   • Select project status (Active, Completed, or All)
   • Choose specific projects if needed
4. Click "Import Selected Projects"
5. The system will create corresponding clients and projects in Pay
6. Review imported data and make any necessary adjustments

Common Tasks

Setting Up Project Contracts

1. Navigate to the "Contracts" tab in Projects
2. Click "Add Contract" or "Upload Contract"
3. Fill in contract details:
   • Contract Name: Reference name (e.g., "Main Construction Contract - Phase 1")
   • Project: Link to the relevant project
   • Contract Value: Total contract amount
   • Contract Type: Select "Fixed Price", "Time & Materials", or "Cost Plus"
   • Start Date: Contract commencement
   • End Date: Contract completion date
4. Upload contract documents:
   • Click "Upload Documents"
   • Select PDF files of signed contracts
   • Add any amendments or variations
5. Click "Save Contract"

Managing Project Status and Progress

1. Go to "Projects" and find your project in the list
2. Click on the project name to open project details
3. Update project information:
   • Status: Change from "Planning" to "Active" when work begins
   • Actual End Date: Set when project completes
   • Progress: Update completion percentage
4. Add project milestones:
   • Click "Add Milestone"
   • Enter milestone description (e.g., "Foundation Complete")
   • Set target and actual completion dates
5. Track variations:
   • Click "Add Variation" for scope changes
   • Enter variation amount and description
   • Link to approval documentation

Inviting Customers to View Project Data

1. Open your project details page
2. Click "Invite Customer" button in the top right
3. Select customer access level:
   • Project Only: Access to this specific project
   • Client Level: Access to all projects for this client
4. Enter customer details:
   • Name: Customer contact name
   • Email: Email address for login access
   • Role: Select "Customer" role
5. Choose what they can view:
   • Invoices for this project
   • Progress reports
   • Document uploads
6. Click "Send Invitation"
7. Customer will receive email with login instructions

Project Organization for Construction Teams

Creating Project Phases

1. For large construction projects, create separate projects for each phase:
   • "Downtown Office - Site Preparation"
   • "Downtown Office - Foundation"
   • "Downtown Office - Structure"
   • "Downtown Office - Finishing"
2. Link all phases to the same client
3. Use consistent naming conventions for easy identification
4. Set dependencies between phases in project descriptions

Managing Subcontractor Projects

1. Set up subcontractors as both clients and contacts:
   • Add subcontractor as a client for invoicing
   • Create projects for subcontractor work packages
2. Use project descriptions to reference:
   • Trade package (Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC)
   • Contract reference numbers
   • Coordination requirements
3. Link subcontractor projects to main project in descriptions

Tracking Multiple Sites

1. For companies working multiple sites:
2. Use region field to organize by geographic area
3. Create naming convention including site location:
   • "Brisbane CBD - Office Tower"
   • "Gold Coast - Residential Complex"
   • "Sydney West - Industrial Facility"
4. Use project status to track active vs. completed sites

Troubleshooting

If you can't create a new project

• Ensure you have "Projects" permission in your role
• Check that you have at least one client created first
• Verify your team subscription includes project management features

If Assignar import fails

• Check your Assignar integration is connected and working
• Verify date ranges aren't too large (try smaller periods)
• Ensure Assignar projects have required fields completed
• Check system status for any ongoing maintenance

If project data seems incomplete

• Verify all required fields were completed during creation
• Check that linked clients have complete information
• Ensure contracts are properly uploaded and linked
• Review project status settings

Tips for Construction Teams

• Use consistent project naming that includes location and project type
• Set up project templates for common project types (residential, commercial, infrastructure)
• Regularly update project status to track active vs. completed work
• Use project descriptions to include key contact information and site details
• Link related projects in descriptions for complex multi-phase builds

Advanced Project Management

Project Budget Tracking

1. Set up initial project budget in contract value
2. Track actual costs through:
   • Timesheet imports from project work
   • Material costs through purchase orders
   • Subcontractor payments through invoicing
3. Monitor budget vs. actual regularly
4. Update project value for approved variations

Integration with Other Features

• Timesheets: Workers log time against specific projects
• Invoicing: Create invoices linked to project work
• Cost Codes: Track costs by project and work type
• Schedule of Values: Set up progress billing for projects
• Documents: Store project plans, permits, and reports

What's Next

After setting up projects, you may want to:

• Configure Timesheets for project time tracking
• Create Cost Codes for project cost tracking
• Configure Invoicing for project billing