Creating Scheduling Templates

Overview

Schedule templates let you start a schedule from a template that matches the size of the project, the scope of work and its phases. You build a template once in your schedule settings, then apply it to any estimate's schedule.

A template is built from three levels:

• Phases: The broad parts of a project, such as planning, design, pre-construction, procurement, construction and post-construction. A smaller job like a deck may only need a design phase and a construction phase.
• Stages: The work inside a phase (for example, a Deck Framing & Decking stage inside the construction phase).
• Tasks: Optional tasks inside a stage. You can preset tasks in the template, or add them as you build your estimates.

Open Schedule Templates

1. In the left-hand menu, click Settings.
2. Click Schedule settings. It's a good idea to set up all of your scheduling settings on this page.
3. Under Templates, click View and edit templates. The Schedule templates page opens.

Create a Template

1. In the top right corner, click the + button to create a new template. The New schedule template window opens.
2. In Template name, enter a name (for example, Deck Template).
3. In Description, add a description (for example, Scheduling Template).

Add Phases and Stages

1. Click Add first phase and select the phase (for example, Design).
2. Inside the phase, add a stage and select it (for example, a Design stage).
3. Click Add Phase and select the next phase (for example, Construction).
4. Inside the new phase, click Add Stage and select the stage (for example, Deck Framing & Decking).
5. To add more stages to the same phase, click Add Stage again (for example, Porch Construction).

Add Tasks

1. On the stage, click + Task.
2. Enter a name for the task (for example, Deck Build).
3. Optionally, click Assign and select who does the task.

If you assign a task in a template, it is always assigned to that person whenever the template is used. This works well for tasks that are always done by the same person or subcontractor.

Generate the Gantt Chart and Save

1. At the bottom right, click Generate Gantt to build the timeline.
2. Click Save as new to save the template.

The template is now available whenever you create a new estimate.

Apply a Template to an Estimate

1. Create or open an estimate.
2. In the estimate's left sidebar, under Production, click Schedule.
3. In the top right corner, click Templates, then click Apply from template. The Load schedule template window opens.
4. Under Select template, click Choose a template and select your template (for example, Deck Template).
5. Click Apply template.

Applying a template replaces the estimate's current schedule with the template's phases, stages and tasks. You can then move, delete, add and complete tasks on the schedule as usual.

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Summary

Go to Settings > Schedule settings and click View and edit templates. Click + to create a template, name it, add phases, stages and tasks, click Generate Gantt and then Save as new. To use it, open an estimate, click Schedule under Production, then Templates > Apply from template, choose the template and click Apply template.