Getting Started
4 guides
How do I use the Import Tool in Bolster?The Import Tool lets you import items, clients, and vendors using a Sheets-style grid. For items, it supports categories, match/update vs. create logic, and highlights what changed so you can review imports quickly and accurately.
→How do I import clients using the upgraded workflow in Bolster?Drop a spreadsheet into Settings > Import data, confirm it is a Customers import, check the AI column mapping, and save the imported changes.
Video · 1:59→Vendor Import ToolThe Vendor Import Tool lets you quickly add subcontractors and suppliers to Bolster in bulk using a spreadsheet. This is the fastest way to set up your vendor list.
→Using Bolton: AI-Powered SearchOpen Bolton from the top right corner to ask how to do things in Bolster or give it a task to complete for you.
Video · 2:36→Leads, Clients & Pipeline
2 guides
How to Add a Client LeadLearn how to add a new client or lead into your Bolster pipeline using the Add Lead button or the multi-create Plus button.
Video · 1:15→How do I generate reports in Bolster?Use the filters on the Financial > Reports page to generate a report, then export it to Excel or adjust columns and zoom.
Video · 0:52→Estimating
4 guides
Client Notifications & Activity TrackingThe Client Notifications & Activity Tracking feature provides clear, real-time visibility into how clients interact with your estimates, proposals, and invoices.
→Manually Accepting ProposalsBook a project without electronic approval, for example after a verbal or handshake deal, using Mark as booked in your pipeline.
Video · 0:56→Adding tax to estimate pricingSave your tax rates under Settings, then choose a tax rate for each estimate from its job totals.
Video · 1:07→Material Tab Overview and ProcessUse the Materials view in Budget to review every material in your estimate, create vendor orders, and export your materials list.
Video · 2:18→Proposals & Client Experience
5 guides
How to Download & Print ProposalsThis guide explains how to download and print proposals from Bolster. These steps are useful for saving proposals in your office files, on your computer, or for sharing printed copies with clients.
Video · 0:42→Approving a job and project termsClients review work, approve items, and pay online through their secure Client Portal—where they can track the project progress.
→Keeping up to date with the Project & Payment ProgressLearn how to track project and payment progress from your dashboard. This guide shows clients how to review payments, access invoices, download receipts, and stay informed.
→How your clients receive payment requestsThis article shows you how it looks when your clients receive payment requests from Bolster.
→Viewing of Invoices & downloading ReceiptsLearn how to view invoices, track payment progress, and download receipts after a payment is completed. This guide shows clients where to find and manage their billing records.
→Project Management
7 guides
Introduction to the new Budget TabThe new Budget Tab gives teams a clearer, faster, and more flexible way to manage project budgets. By aligning estimating, expenses, and purchase order data in one place, it ensures your financial insights stay accurate, connected, and up to date.
Video · 13:17→How to Use the Budget TabThe Budget tab lets you compare estimated vs. actual costs for every line item, tracking materials, labor, payments, and profit across your project.
Video · 0:59→How do I track budget vs actual costs in Bolster?Use the Budget page on a booked job to add actual costs and see how each item compares to its budget.
Video · 2:21→How do I add and categorize project expenses in Bolster?Track a project's bills and expenses by uploading a receipt or entering it manually, linking each line to an estimate item and expense account.
Video · 1:51→How to Track Bills & Expenses for a Booked ProjectOnce a project is booked and in progress, it's important to properly track all bills, expenses, and receipts to maintain accurate job costing and financial reporting.
Video · 0:56→How Change Orders Affect Payment TermsWhen a change order is approved, Bolster does not create new payment term records or modify segment percentages. Instead, payment terms are dynamic — they always calculate their amounts based on the current quote total.
Video · 2:16→Bolster Drive – File ManagementBolster Drive is the centralized file repository inside the Bolster platform where users can store, organize, and access documents, images, and other project-related files directly from within the app.
→Vendors & Purchasing
11 guides
Vendor Management overview: from bid request to paidSend bid requests, award the best bid, track the order and pay the bill, all from the job.
→Add vendors and request their documentsAdd your subs and suppliers, then keep their insurance and licence documents up to date.
→Managing Vendors and Subcontractors in Your PipelineLearn how to efficiently manage vendors and subcontractors in your project pipeline. This guide covers bulk importing vendors, adding them individually, and tagging them to proposals or assemblies for clear assignments and streamlined workflows.
Video · 0:56→Award a bid and create a purchase orderCompare the bids that come back, award the work and send the purchase order.
→Track your vendor ordersEvery purchase order and work order in one list, filtered the way you need.
→Review and pay a vendor billCheck the vendor's invoice against the purchase order, accept it and pay it from Bolster Wallet.
→How vendor costs show up in your job budgetSee where every vendor dollar stands, from budgeted to committed, billed and paid.
→How to Create an Itemized Purchase Order (PO) for a ProjectOpen a project's Vendor orders page, pick a vendor, check the line items you need, and save or send the order.
Video · 0:59→How to Create and Send a Lump-Sum Purchase Order (PO)Create a vendor order with a single lump-sum price and send it to your vendor.
Video · 0:46→How to Create Purchase Orders or Work Orders from the Vendor Orders TabThis article explains how to create purchase orders (POs) or work orders (WOs) from the Vendor Orders tab in Production, as well as from the Budget tab using itemized budget items with estimate pricing and manual cost overrides.
Video · 0:53→How to Add Vendor Terms and Conditions to OrdersAdd default terms and conditions for all vendor and subcontractor orders, or set terms for one specific vendor order.
Video · 1:10→Payments & Invoicing
13 guides
Why use Bolster Payments?Bolster Payments is a fully integrated feature designed to help contractors in the construction industry automate and streamline their payment processes.
Video→How to activate Bolster PaymentsComplete the KYB & KYC process to get paid on Bolster!
Video · 13:14→FAQs: What problems does Bolster Payments Solve?We know payments can be one of the biggest pain points for contractors. Here’s how Bolster solves the most common challenges around cash flow, client trust, and admin headaches.
→Financial features overviewBolster’s financial tools help you collect payments, manage cash flow, and keep your books clean. You’ll onboard once through verification, then use dashboards to track balances, payments, payouts, and invoices.
→How projects, subcontractors and progress billing works togetherThis article covers everything from setting up modules and assigning vendors to tracking project progress and enabling clients to approve and pay for items.
Video · 20:14→How to Collect a Deposit Using Progress PaymentsBolster doesn't have a dedicated "deposit" button — instead, deposits are handled naturally through your payment term type. Every payment term type supports collecting upfront money; the method is just slightly different for each.
→Percentage Based Payments (segmented)Learn how Percentage Based Payments work in Bolster, from setting payment terms to sending progress-based payment requests and tracking approvals through the Client Portal.
→Phase Based PaymentsBolster gives you several ways to manage how you get paid during a project. These options make sure you’re not waiting until the very end of a job to receive money, while also giving your clients clarity and flexibility.
→Stage Based PaymentsLearn how Stage Based Payments in Bolster work, from setting up payment terms to sending milestone-based payment requests and tracking client approvals throughout a project.
→Rolling Basis PaymentsBolster gives you several ways to manage how you get paid during a project. These options make sure you’re not waiting until the very end of a job to receive money, while also giving your clients clarity and flexibility.
→Creating and Sending Traditional InvoicesCreate an invoice from an approved estimate for a dollar amount, a percentage of the project, or specific items.
Video · 2:15→How to Send an Invoice on a Estimate That Hasn’t Been Sent YetManually book the estimate by changing its job status, then create and send an invoice from Payments without sending the estimate first.
Video · 1:46→Bolster Business Account (Wallet)Bolster Business Account is your built-in wallet. After you complete verification, Bolster creates this account automatically. All payments you collect through Bolster settle here first.
→Integrations
4 guides
Bolster - QuickBooks Integration guideConnect your QuickBooks account in Bolster Settings to sync clients, vendors, expenses, purchase orders, and work orders.
Video · 0:51→Bolster + QuickBooks = Automatic Accounting SyncWith Bolster, your payments don’t just get collected — they flow directly into your accounting system, saving you time, avoiding errors, and keeping your books clean.
Video · 5:07→Syncing Expenses to QuickBooks from BolsterHow to create an expense or bill in Bolster and sync it automatically to your QuickBooks account — no double entry.
Video→Syncing Purchase Orders to QuickBooksHow to create a purchase order in Bolster and sync it to your QuickBooks account.
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