Your quote is out. Keep the next conversation moving.
A customer has the estimate, but the office cannot tell who is making the next call.
Explore the workflow and its current limitations.
For construction owners and managers
Know where every construction job stands before it is finished.
Bring the bid, crew plan, change orders and job costs into one project record. Follow what was agreed, what was spent and what still needs billing.
From the first estimate to the final draw. One clearer handoff between the office and the field.
One project thread, from estimate to final draw.
A workflow to review for your business. Each step shows its purpose and current availability.
Agree the work
An estimate becomes a tracked bid with a stage and an owner. Follow-up can be queued while the bid is open, and the outcome is recorded.
Construction bid intelligence (Level 1: trustworthy bid history), Estimate follow-up policyLimited release
Put the job in motion
Jobs carry status, assignment and schedule. A crew member cannot be assigned to two overlapping open jobs; the assignment is refused and names the conflict.
Crew double-booking refused at job assignmentLimited release
Follow the cost
Compare each cost code with its budget. Closed time, job-linked purchasing and inventory post against the job as they are recorded.
Job budgets by cost code (budget vs actual, variance)Limited release
Log the change
A change order is priced and routed for owner or architect acknowledgment. Until it is acknowledged, it does not change the billed total.
Owner and architect acknowledgment of change ordersLimited release
Keep subcontractors compliant
Track insurance, license, lien-waiver and W-9 expiry dates. Subcontractors submit certificates through a single-use sign-in link, and nothing counts until you accept it.
Subcontractor portal (scoped sign-in)Limited release
Bill against progress and close out
A draw is checked against logged field progress before submission. At substantial completion, retainage is flagged for release, and verified punch-list items clear the final draw.
Draw check against field progress, Retainage release flags at substantial completion, Punch list & closeout gateLimited release
Job costs and billing, visible before the month-end close.
Reading the labels. Each label is derived from the platform registry. Available: in general release on the plan shown. Limited release: released to selected customers on that plan; confirm it in your Fit Review before you plan around it. Configuration required: the code is present and the setting named beside it must be set for your account. Design preview: not released, shown with fictional data.
Product designs on this page are drafts and may change before release.
| View | What it answers | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Job budgets | Actual against budget by cost code, with unassigned cost shown separately. | Limited release |
| Daily labor cost | Which jobs are running over budget today. | Limited release |
| Draws and retainage | What is billed, what is flagged, and what retainage is eligible for release. | Limited release |
| Subcontractor compliance | Which required documents have expired or are close to expiry. | Limited release |
| Bid pipeline | Open bids, outcomes and conversion by estimator, client and project type once there is enough reviewed history. Win rate shows once at least five estimates are decided. | Limited release |
| Schedule board | Crew conflicts, subcontractor overlaps and slack in days. | Limited release |
One home for the decisions due today.
Fictional demo data. The panels below show the construction home for the fictional business DEMO Ridgeline Builders LLC. Not every panel is released yet; each row shows its current availability label.
- Projects and cash Limited release
- Active projects, draws paid and retainage held, with the fictional demo business shown in the sample.
- Draws and billing Limited release
- Draws in review, draws flagged against field progress, and the draw that needs an approver next.
- Subcontractors and compliance Limited release
- Documents expired, documents in the 30-day window, and subcontractor submissions waiting for review.
- Change orders Limited release
- Change orders sent for acknowledgment and the billed total each one will affect once it is acknowledged.
- Bids and preconstruction Limited release
- Open bids by stage, the bids due next, and the follow-ups queued for quiet estimates.
- Schedule Limited release
- Dated jobs, crew and subcontractor overlaps, and predecessor delays across active projects.
A total tells you what happened. Cost codes help you see where.
Materials arrive. Crew hours add up. Extra work changes the plan. Compare the recorded costs with the budget while there is still work ahead.
Availability and setupLimited release
Job budgets by cost code (budget vs actual, variance)
Each job can carry a budget broken down by cost code. Budget versus actual is calculated for each code on every read, with variance, percent used and an over-budget flag, and it shows unassigned cost on its own line. Budget changes are saved as numbered revisions, so earlier budgets are never overwritten.
Limited release. The comparison depends on costs being recorded and assigned correctly; it is not a substitute for your accounting records. Projected cost at completion appears only when every cost code has a budget-to-complete.
- Budget
- $24,000
- Recorded costs
- $26,400
- Over budget
- $2,400
Labor + materials + subcontractors. Ask what changed before deciding what to do next.
See every open bid by stage before you plan the next handoff.
Open bids are listed by stage with their value, so you can see what is still being priced and what has gone out. Use the example to discuss your own bid-to-job process. Bid tracking: Limited release.
Shows open bids by stage and value only. It does not show a bid's pricing detail, win rate, change orders, draws, retainage or job costs, and it does not show a completed construction operation.
View the original sample screen ↗Keep the systems that hold the official record.
Your approved estimating, accounting and compliance systems still matter. Review where The Forge handles the job record and where a specialist system keeps the official record.
Keep what works. Replace what does not. Connect the rest through The Forge.
Check current connector availability ↗Tools and connection requirements
- Construction project-management and scheduling platforms
- Estimating and takeoff software
- Accounting and job-costing software
- Payroll and certified-payroll reporting systems
- Document management for plans, permits, and lien waivers
- Draw-schedule and progress-billing (AIA-style) tools
These are systems to discuss in your Fit Review, not a list of verified ready-to-connect integrations. Setup and provider support vary.
Start with the work you need to connect.
Bring one job, customer question or repeated admin task. We’ll review who handles it, which tools you use and what The Forge can help you keep, replace or connect.
Review plans and current pricing before choosing. Features depend on plan, configuration, permissions and current availability.
Plan and setup details
A starting point for your Fit Review. Check the plan’s current features, provider requirements and rollout status against the work you need to do; an industry recommendation does not guarantee that every described workflow is available.
Read the full industry requirements and plan recommendation ↗Can we keep the systems we already use?
Keep what works. Replace what does not. Connect the rest through The Forge. Review current connector availability and your industry requirements in a Forge Fit Review.
What does this product example demonstrate?
Local demo capture · sample data. A fictional demo contractor, not a live construction business. Shows open bids by stage and value only. It does not show a bid's pricing detail, win rate, change orders, draws, retainage or job costs, and it does not show a completed construction operation.
How do we choose the right starting plan?
Bring a real business handoff and the systems your team uses to a free Forge Fit Review. Check current pricing, plan features and availability before choosing a configuration.
Bring the job you are still piecing together.
Ask about construction
Ask The Forge is an AI assistant. Answers are generated from published Forge information and may be incomplete. Do not submit confidential, regulated, or customer-specific information.
The project detail, when you need it.
What contractors ask before they start.
Does The Forge replace our estimating or takeoff software?
No. The Forge does not replace estimating software, and it does not measure quantities from drawings automatically. It runs the bid tracking, subcontractor compliance, change orders, billing and job costing around the estimating software you already use.
Can subcontractors see their own compliance status and schedule without seeing the whole project?
Subcontractors sign in through a single-use invite link. They see only their own engagement, the project it is on (name and status), and their own compliance documents with the expiry window of each. They do not see other subcontractors' pricing or the owner's contract terms. A subcontractor schedule and draw amounts are not included in the portal today.
How does this handle certified payroll for public works?
The Forge drafts a certified-payroll report by project and week from your own time entries, with a WH-347-column CSV or printable export. It is a draft for review. It is not a certified report, it is not checked against agency rules, and filing stays with your payroll administrator and compliance process. You enter the wage rates and classifications.
Does it track retainage automatically?
Retainage is tracked per project. When the project's substantial-completion date passes, its paid retainage is flagged as eligible for release and a draft release invoice is created for review. Nothing is sent or charged until an Owner, General Manager or Finance approves it. The Forge does not determine which retainage statute applies in your jurisdiction.
What happens to our existing project and subcontractor data?
Your Fit Review confirms which active projects, subcontractor lists and compliance documents to load. Loading records is part of setup, not a self-serve import.
Each role sees the part of the job it owns.
Owner
- Sees job budgets, draws, retainage and bids for the construction module (job costing also requires finance access)
- Owner, General Manager or Finance approves draws and retainage release
- Records the reason when a draw flagged against field progress is submitted
- Exports a draw as a G702/G703-style application, and reviews the certified-payroll draft
General Manager
- Approves bids and records the reason when a flagged draw is submitted
- Owner, General Manager or Finance approves draws and retainage release
- Sees the construction module, including draws, retainage and subcontractor compliance
- Exports a draw as a G702/G703-style application
Operations
- Runs projects day to day: schedule board, punch-list items and subcontractor assignments
- Logs field progress against the schedule of values and records punch-list fixes
- Requests change orders from a job screen; the office reviews them before they go anywhere
- Cannot approve draws, release retainage, or write job budgets
Finance
- Writes job budgets and cost codes, and approves draws and retainage release
- Exports draws and reviews the certified-payroll draft
- Sees billed, collected and retainage totals across projects
Sales
- Prepares bids and records bid outcomes
- Sees the construction module without bid cost or margin, which is limited to money roles
Subcontractor (sign-in link)
- Sees their own engagement, the project it is on (name and status), and their own compliance documents
- Submits compliance certificates; nothing counts until the office accepts it
- Cannot see other subcontractors' pricing, the owner's contract terms, or other projects
Role names follow the platform’s construction roles. Confirm the role mapping for your team in your Fit Review.
How a firm moves its jobs over.
Project and subcontractor setup
Typical duration: 2-3 weeks
Your Fit Review confirms which active projects, subcontractor lists, current compliance documents and open change orders to load. Loading records is part of setup.
Billing and compliance configuration
Typical duration: 1-2 weeks
Draw structure, change-order routing, retainage terms and document expiry rules are set to match how your contracts run.
Integration connections
Typical duration: 1-2 weeks
Each estimating, accounting and payroll system you keep is confirmed in your Fit Review. Where no connector exists, records are entered or exported by hand.
Training and go-live
Typical duration: 1 week
Operations staff, Finance users and the owner are trained on their role before the firm cuts over from prior tracking methods.
Durations are planning estimates. Your Fit Review confirms the scope before a launch date is set.
What The Forge does not do for you.
- Jobsite safety records — incident records (injuries, near misses, property damage) kept per job where linked, and toolbox-talk and required-posting records kept per project. The Forge does not generate OSHA Forms 300, 300A or 301, and does not decide whether a talk or posting meets a legal requirement.
- Lien-law and notice deadlines — preliminary notices, lien filings and notices of completion depend on the jurisdiction. The Forge does not calculate these deadlines; keep them on your own calendar.
- Prevailing-wage and certified payroll on public work — the certified-payroll draft shows hours, classifications and rates paid against the rates you enter. Filing remains the responsibility of your payroll administrator and compliance process.
- Subcontractor license and insurance-certificate compliance — expiry dates are tracked per document per project. The Forge does not verify a license or certificate with the issuing authority.
- Retainage-release timing statutes — many jurisdictions set maximum timeframes for releasing retainage. The Forge flags retainage at the substantial-completion date you record; it does not determine the statute that applies.
- Contractor licensing and bonding status per jurisdiction — license and bond records carry an expiry date with alerts. The Forge does not verify them with any authority.
Review the detailed requirements, configuration and roadmap with your team. Not every described workflow is available today. Plan, provider and rollout limits apply; check current availability before relying on a feature.
Optional deep diveDetailed industry requirements
Roles, workflows, requirements and launch considerations for your team to review.
The business and its requirements
A signed bid is only the start. Materials, crew hours, subcontractors and scope changes all affect what is left when you get paid. The Forge connects the project's bid, cost records and billing trail so the office and jobsite can work from the same job history. Bring the bid, crew plan, change orders and job costs into one project record. Follow what was agreed, what was spent and what still needs billing without rebuilding the story at closeout.
How can general contractors and specialty subcontractors get real-time job-cost visibility and stop losing margin to untracked change orders?
The Forge keeps each project's schedule of values, subcontractor compliance documents, change orders, draw requests and job budgets in one record. A change order counts toward the billed total only after it is acknowledged. Draw requests are checked against logged field progress, subcontractor document expiry dates are tracked, and owners can see job costs against budget and retainage across projects without waiting for the month-end close.
Management questions to review
What management can see
Job cost versus budget
Actual cost against each job's budget by cost code, with variance, percent used and unassigned cost on its own line. Projected cost at completion appears only when every cost code has a budget-to-complete.
Limited release
Daily labor cost
Each morning, owners, general managers and finance see a labor-cost digest in the app: hours and cost for each job against its budget, and the most over-budget jobs.
Limited release
Bid pipeline and win rate
Open bids by value and stage, and conversion by estimator, client and project type once there is enough reviewed history. Win rate shows once at least five estimates are decided.
Limited release
Subcontractor compliance status
Which required documents have expired, which fall within the 30, 60 or 90 day window, and which subcontractor submissions are waiting for review.
Limited release
Draws and billing
Draw requests by status, draws flagged against field progress, and draws paid.
Limited release
Retainage outstanding
Paid retainage held per project, flagged once the project passes its substantial-completion date.
Limited release
Change orders awaiting acknowledgment
Change orders that have been sent but not yet acknowledged by the owner or architect, by project.
Limited release
Plan requirements to discuss
Forge Pro
$799/moBroader coverage — several teams and locations connected, with approvals you control and a quarterly review to keep improving how you run.
Contractors running several concurrent projects need workforce and scheduling data — crew assignments, subcontractor role-scoping, field-progress logging — layered on top of the client and project record, which is exactly what Forge Pro adds over Core. The role-based dashboards and advanced reporting in Pro also match how job costing and subcontractor compliance need to be seen in real time, by project and by trade, rather than assembled after the fact.
- Up to three locations, thirty operator users
- Unlimited view-only users
- Everything in Core
- Advanced workforce, scheduling, and capacity planning
- Advanced payroll and wage-summary visibility
- Role-specific dashboards and advanced reporting
- Thirty workflows, eight integrations, and API access
- Reviews and reputation from your connected Google Business Profile
- Prospecting audit reports, social publishing, and in-composer image generation
- A daily deck of 20 ready-to-post marketing ideas
- Configurable business-process approvals and advanced permissions
- Priority support and quarterly optimization review
Commonly added
- Advanced integrations
- Advanced reporting
- Priority support
Every plan launches Guided or Managed — see plan and launch-path details for the full comparison.
Speaking the language of this industry
Schedule of values
The itemized breakdown of a contract's total price by phase or component, used as the reference point for every draw request and percent-complete calculation.
Draw request / pay application
A periodic billing submission (often AIA-style G702/G703) requesting payment for work completed to date against the schedule of values.
Retainage
A percentage of each payment withheld until a project reaches substantial completion or a contractually defined milestone, protecting the owner against incomplete work.
Change order
A documented amendment to a contract's scope, price, or schedule, created when work is requested outside the original agreement and requiring acknowledgment before it is billable.
Lien waiver
A document in which a subcontractor or supplier waives their right to file a mechanic's lien for a specific payment, typically required before or alongside that payment.
Punch list
The list of outstanding, typically minor, corrective items identified near project completion that must be resolved before final acceptance and final payment.
Substantial completion
The contractually defined point at which a project is usable for its intended purpose, even if minor punch-list work remains — the date that typically starts retainage-release and warranty clocks.
Certified payroll
A weekly payroll report required on public (prevailing-wage) projects, documenting hours, classifications, and wages paid to confirm compliance with prevailing-wage law.
Notice of completion
A jurisdiction-specific filing that starts the statutory clock for lien-filing and final-payment deadlines once a project is finished.
Backcharge
A cost deducted from a subcontractor's payment to cover corrective work, damages, or costs the GC incurred because of that subcontractor's performance.
Signs you're outgrowing your current setup
- A bid is submitted and no one follows up until the prospect calls to say they went with someone else
- A subcontractor's certificate of insurance expired two weeks ago and no one on the project knew
- A verbal change order on site never makes it into the contract file before the invoice is disputed
- A draw request goes out for 70% complete on a job that is visibly behind that mark in the field
- Two superintendents double-book the same crew because neither could see the other's schedule
- Job costs are a surprise at the month-end close instead of a running number anyone could check
- Retainage sits uncollected for months after a project reaches substantial completion
- A punch-list item is fixed but final payment is held up because no one can confirm it was closed
- The same subcontractor insurance certificate is requested by three different PMs because no one can find the last one
Other places this industry loses time and margin
Bids go out and no one tracks whether they convert to a signed contract
Every submitted bid is a tracked record with an owner and an outcome. Estimate follow-up can queue a reminder once a bid has gone quiet for the delay you set. The reminder is queued, not sent by The Forge on its own.
Limited release
See how The Forge fixes estimate follow up →Job costs are not visible until the month-end close, after the budget is already blown
Closed time, job-linked purchase orders, inventory movements and equipment allocations roll into each job's cost-code budget as they are recorded, so budget against actual is visible while there is still time to act. Costs with no code stay on an Unassigned line. Labor and purchasing use the job's default cost code until per-entry coding is added.
Limited release
See how The Forge fixes labor cost visibility →Subcontractor insurance certificates and lien waivers expire without anyone noticing
Each subcontractor's required documents carry an expiry date. When a document enters the 30, 60 or 90 day window, or lapses, the office gets an alert. The subcontractor gets an email notice from a connected email sender; without one, the notice stays queued and is not shown as sent.
Limited release
See how The Forge fixes software fragmentation →Change orders are agreed verbally on site and the paper trail never catches up to the invoice
A change order is logged against the project when it is requested and routed to the owner or architect for acknowledgment. Until it is acknowledged, it does not change the project's billed total.
Limited release
See how The Forge fixes work falling through cracks →Draw requests are submitted without matching real percent-complete in the field
Each draw line is checked against the progress logged in the field. A claimed percent complete above the latest logged value, beyond your tolerance, is flagged before submission. A flagged draw can be submitted only with a recorded reason from an Owner or General Manager.
Limited release
See how The Forge fixes manual reporting →Running six projects at once means the schedule lives in the PM's head, not a system anyone else can see
Active dated jobs appear on one schedule board across your companies. Overlapping crew assignments show as conflicts, subcontractor bookings show on their own lane, and finish-to-start chains show slack in days. Milestones are not on the board yet.
Limited release
See how The Forge fixes performance visibility →Retainage held across a dozen projects is never reconciled until the year-end audit
When a project's substantial-completion date passes, its paid retainage is flagged as eligible for release and a draft release invoice is created for review. Nothing is sent or charged until an approver acts.
Limited release
See how The Forge fixes profitability visibility →Punch-list items get fixed in the field but never marked closed, so final payment stalls
Punch-list items are tracked from identification to verified fix, with a different person recording the verification. A final draw cannot be approved or paid, and the project cannot be closed, while any item is still open.
Limited release
See how The Forge fixes work falling through cracks →Information to review for this workflow
Project
The core unit of work — a contracted job carrying its schedule, budget, subcontractor roster, change orders, and billing history from bid to closeout.
Bid / Estimate
A priced proposal for a prospective project, tracked for value, stage, and follow-up status until it converts to a signed contract or is lost.
Subcontractor
A trade partner assigned to one or more projects, carrying insurance, licensing, and lien-waiver compliance status alongside their scope and schedule.
Change order
A documented scope, price, or schedule amendment against an active project, tracked from request through acknowledgment to billing.
Draw / pay application
A periodic billing request tied to the project's schedule of values and logged field progress, tracked from submission to payment.
Punch-list item
A single outstanding corrective item identified near completion, tracked from identification through verified close-out.
Compliance document
An insurance certificate, license, lien waiver or W-9 tied to a subcontractor or project, carrying an expiry or requirement date.
Workflow and automation details
Example workflows
- 1
Bid tracking to outcome
An estimate becomes a tracked bid with a value, a stage and an owner. Follow-up can be queued while the bid is open, and the outcome is recorded so win and loss can be reviewed by estimator, client and project type.
- 2
Subcontractor documents to compliance tracking
A subcontractor is added to a project with its insurance, license, lien-waiver and W-9 requirements. Each document carries its expiry date, so compliance status is visible before a lapse. Subcontractors can submit certificates through a single-use sign-in link; nothing counts toward compliance until you accept it.
- 3
Change order to billed total
A field-requested change is logged, priced and routed for owner or architect acknowledgment. Only the acknowledged amount changes the project's billed total.
- 4
Draw to substantial completion and closeout
A draw is checked against logged field progress before it is submitted. At substantial completion, paid retainage is flagged for release and a draft release invoice is created for review. Punch-list items must be verified before the final draw can be approved or the project closed.
Automation ideas to confirm before use
- 1
Expiring compliance-document alert
When a required document enters the 30, 60 or 90 day window, or lapses, the office gets one workflow alert per window. The subcontractor gets one email notice per window through a connected email sender; without one, the notice stays queued and is not shown as sent.
Limited release - 2
Change-order acknowledgment
A change order that has not been acknowledged does not count toward the project's billed total.
Limited release - 3
Draw-versus-progress flag
A draw whose percent complete runs ahead of the latest logged field progress, beyond your tolerance, is flagged before it is submitted.
Limited release - 4
Punch-list closeout reminder
Open punch-list items near the target closeout date create one task for the project manager per project and target date.
Limited release - 5
Retainage-release flag
When a project passes its substantial-completion date, its paid retainage is flagged for release and a draft release invoice is created for review. Nothing is sent until someone approves it.
Limited release - 6
Estimate follow-up
An estimate that stays unanswered past the delay you set has a follow-up queued. The Forge queues the message; it does not call an email or text provider by itself.
Limited release
Proposed views to review
Job budgets
A per-job view of actual cost against each cost-code budget, so overruns are visible while there is still time to act.
- Actual versus budgeted cost by cost code
- Unassigned cost on its own line
- Projected cost at completion, when every cost code has a budget-to-complete
- Daily labor cost against budget
Limited release
Subcontractor compliance
A firm-wide view of required documents across every active project.
- Documents expired
- Documents in the 30, 60 or 90 day window
- Lien waivers on file by project
- Submissions waiting for review
Limited release
Draws
Every draw request across active projects, checked against field progress.
- Draws in review
- Draws flagged against field progress
- Retainage held and eligible for release
- Draws paid
Limited release
Portfolio schedule board
Dated jobs across your companies, with crew conflicts and subcontractor bookings shown where they overlap.
- Overlapping crew assignments flagged
- Overlapping subcontractor bookings
- Slack in days along finish-to-start chains
- Jobs affected by a late predecessor
Limited release
Who can see and do what
Owner
- Sees job budgets, draws, retainage and bids for the construction module (job costing also requires finance access)
- Owner, General Manager or Finance approves draws and retainage release
- Records the reason when a draw flagged against field progress is submitted
- Exports a draw as a G702/G703-style application, and reviews the certified-payroll draft
General Manager
- Approves bids and records the reason when a flagged draw is submitted
- Owner, General Manager or Finance approves draws and retainage release
- Sees the construction module, including draws, retainage and subcontractor compliance
- Exports a draw as a G702/G703-style application
Operations
- Runs projects day to day: schedule board, punch-list items and subcontractor assignments
- Logs field progress against the schedule of values and records punch-list fixes
- Requests change orders from a job screen; the office reviews them before they go anywhere
- Cannot approve draws, release retainage, or write job budgets
Finance
- Writes job budgets and cost codes, and approves draws and retainage release
- Exports draws and reviews the certified-payroll draft
- Sees billed, collected and retainage totals across projects
Sales
- Prepares bids and records bid outcomes
- Sees the construction module without bid cost or margin, which is limited to money roles
Subcontractor (sign-in link)
- Sees their own engagement, the project it is on (name and status), and their own compliance documents
- Submits compliance certificates; nothing counts until the office accepts it
- Cannot see other subcontractors' pricing, the owner's contract terms, or other projects
What this industry has to stay ahead of
- Jobsite safety records — incident records (injuries, near misses, property damage) kept per job where linked, and toolbox-talk and required-posting records kept per project. The Forge does not generate OSHA Forms 300, 300A or 301, and does not decide whether a talk or posting meets a legal requirement.
- Lien-law and notice deadlines — preliminary notices, lien filings and notices of completion depend on the jurisdiction. The Forge does not calculate these deadlines; keep them on your own calendar.
- Prevailing-wage and certified payroll on public work — the certified-payroll draft shows hours, classifications and rates paid against the rates you enter. Filing remains the responsibility of your payroll administrator and compliance process.
- Subcontractor license and insurance-certificate compliance — expiry dates are tracked per document per project. The Forge does not verify a license or certificate with the issuing authority.
- Retainage-release timing statutes — many jurisdictions set maximum timeframes for releasing retainage. The Forge flags retainage at the substantial-completion date you record; it does not determine the statute that applies.
- Contractor licensing and bonding status per jurisdiction — license and bond records carry an expiry date with alerts. The Forge does not verify them with any authority.
What may be replaced, and what stays
What The Forge may replace
Tools and manual processes that may no longer be necessary.
- Spreadsheet-based bid trackers and job-cost logs
- A paper or shared-drive folder of subcontractor compliance documents
- Manual change-order logs kept in email threads
- Disconnected punch-list tracking apps or paper lists
- Per-PM personal schedules that no one else can see
- Manual retainage-reconciliation spreadsheets
What The Forge may integrate with
Systems you keep — The Forge becomes the layer above them.
- Your construction project-management or scheduling platform
- Your estimating and takeoff software
- Your accounting and job-costing system
- Your payroll and certified-payroll reporting system
- Your document-management or plan-hosting tool
Illustrative week — not customer results
Fictional example: a commercial GC running five build-outs
Illustrative example, not a demonstrated automatic workflow or customer result. This is a fictional example, not a customer result. A retail build-out is estimated and submitted as a bid, and follow-up keeps it visible while it is open. Before mobilization, three subcontractors are added with their insurance certificates and licenses logged by expiry date. One enters the 60-day window, which prompts an early renewal request. Two weeks in, the electrical sub reports conduit work outside the original scope. The change is logged, priced and routed to the owner's representative for acknowledgment, and until it is acknowledged it does not change the billed total. At 60% complete, the PM's draw request is checked against the superintendent's logged progress and flagged because the claim runs ahead of the field. At substantial completion, the retainage on that project is flagged for release and a draft release invoice is created for review, not sent. At closeout, each open punch-list item must be verified before the final draw can be approved.
Proposed launch stages — agree scope and timing
Project and subcontractor setup
2-3 weeksYour Fit Review confirms which active projects, subcontractor lists, current compliance documents and open change orders to load. Loading records is part of setup.
Billing and compliance configuration
1-2 weeksDraw structure, change-order routing, retainage terms and document expiry rules are set to match how your contracts run.
Integration connections
1-2 weeksEach estimating, accounting and payroll system you keep is confirmed in your Fit Review. Where no connector exists, records are entered or exported by hand.
Training and go-live
1 weekOperations staff, Finance users and the owner are trained on their role before the firm cuts over from prior tracking methods.
Typical timeline for a business of this profile — not a contractual commitment. Actual duration depends on data readiness, integration count, and whether you choose Guided or Managed Launch.
Where this typically goes next
Where contractors typically grow next inside The Forge
- 1Add advanced integrations for specialized estimating, takeoff, or industry-specific project-management platforms beyond the standard set
- 2Layer on advanced reporting for deeper job-cost variance and subcontractor-performance analysis as project volume grows
- 3Add a second office, division, or bonding entity as a distinct business, moving toward Forge Operations for cross-entity reporting
- 4Formalize custom industry modules for public-works certified-payroll and prevailing-wage reporting as government work grows
- 5Adopt priority support once the firm's dependence on uptime during active-project hours increases
Explore by the problem you feel most
Estimates go out and disappear
A proposal is sent, and from that moment forward nobody tracks whether the customer opened it, has questions, or went with a competitor. The estimate ages silently until someone finally asks what happened.
ExploreWe cannot see labor cost until payday
Overtime, unapproved hours, and weak-margin jobs are invisible until the payroll run closes. By then the money is already spent and the only option is to absorb it.
ExploreWork falls through the cracks
A job is sold, then it depends on someone remembering to hand it off, order the parts, and schedule the crew. When one step is missed, the work stalls and nobody notices until the customer calls.
ExploreWe do not know what is profitable
Revenue comes in. Expenses go out. But nobody can say which jobs, services, clients, or crews actually make money — and which ones quietly lose it.
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