What are Building Phases?
Building phases represent major work segments in your construction project. Examples:
Foundation
Framing
Electrical
Plumbing
Drywall
Finishing
Phases can have:
Sub-phases: Break down main phases into smaller tasks
Dependencies: Some phases must complete before others start
Duration: Estimated work days
Dates: Start and end dates
Status: Pending, In Progress, Completed, On Hold
Accessing Phases
Open your project
Click "Schedule" tab
Select "Phases" subtab
Note: Phases tab is only available after project moves past "Estimating" stage.
Creating a Phase
Step 1: Add New Phase
Click "Add Phase" button
Fill in phase details:
Name: Clear, descriptive name (e.g., "Foundation")
Description: Optional details about the phase
Phase Type: Main phase or sub-phase
Parent Phase: If creating a sub-phase, select parent
Estimated Duration: Work days needed
Start Date: When phase begins
End Date: Calculated automatically or set manually
Step 2: Set Dependencies (Optional)
Select phases that must complete first
System will prevent scheduling conflicts
Shows dependencies in Gantt chart
Step 3: Save Phase
Click "Save" to create the phase.
Organizing Phases
Main Phases vs Sub-Phases
Main Phases: Top-level work segments
Examples: Foundation, Framing, Electrical
Appear at top level in lists
Sub-Phases: Breakdown of main phases
Examples: "Rough-in" under Electrical
Nested under parent phase
Can have their own dates and status
Reordering Phases
Use drag-and-drop in phase list
Or edit phase and change order number
Order affects Gantt chart display
Phase Status
Phases have four statuses:
Pending: Not started yet
Default for new phases
Shows in gray
In Progress: Currently being worked on
Update when work begins
Shows in blue
Completed: Finished
Mark when phase is done
Shows in green
Locks dates
On Hold: Temporarily paused
Use for delays or issues
Shows in yellow
Updating Status
Open phase details
Change status dropdown
Save changes
Status updates across all views
Phase Dates
Estimated Dates
Start Date: When phase should begin
End Date: When phase should complete
Duration: Work days between dates
System calculates based on work days (excludes weekends/holidays)
Actual Dates
Actual Start: When work actually began
Actual End: When phase completed
Update as work progresses
Used for performance tracking
Date Calculations
System uses work days configuration
Excludes weekends and holidays
Automatically calculates end date from duration
Can override with manual dates
Phase Views
List View
Simple list of all phases
Shows name, dates, status, duration
Easy to scan and edit
Default view
Gantt Chart View
Visual timeline of phases
Shows dependencies and overlaps
Drag to adjust dates
See critical path
Access via "Gantt" subtab
Calendar View
Monthly calendar display
Phases shown as events
See phase overlaps
Filter by phase status
Access via "Calendar" subtab
Phase Dependencies
Setting Dependencies
Edit phase
Select "Dependencies" section
Choose phases that must complete first
Save changes
How Dependencies Work
System prevents starting dependent phase early
Shows relationships in Gantt chart
Calculates critical path
Alerts if dependencies conflict
Phase Templates
Using Templates
Create project from template
Or apply template to existing project
Phases pre-populate with:
Standard phase names
Typical durations
Common dependencies
Creating Templates
Templates are managed by admins in company settings.
Tracking Phase Progress
Update Progress
Open phase
Update status
Set actual dates
Add notes or comments
Save changes
Phase Metrics
Schedule Performance Index (SPI): On-time performance
Duration Variance: Difference from estimated
Completion Percentage: Based on status and dates
Tips
Break Down Large Phases: Use sub-phases for complex work
Set Realistic Durations: Base on experience and team capacity
Use Dependencies: Prevent scheduling conflicts
Update Status Regularly: Keep progress current
Review Gantt Chart: Visualize overall schedule
Common Questions
Q: Can I change phase dates after creating?
A: Yes, edit the phase and update dates. System will recalculate dependent phases.
Q: What happens if a phase runs late?
A: Update actual dates. System calculates SPI and shows variance. Dependent phases may need adjustment.
Q: Can I delete a phase?
A: Yes, but check dependencies first. Deleting a phase may affect dependent phases.
Q: How do sub-phases affect the main phase?
A: Main phase dates can auto-calculate from sub-phases, or be set independently.