Plan a job in phases and tasks

A job's Plan tab breaks the work into phases (such as Strip, Re-roof and Spouting) and the tasks in each phase. Crews tick tasks off as they go, and a phase can only close once its required tasks are done.

Every job starts with a plan:

• If the job's category has a plan template, the job gets a copy of its phases and tasks when it is created, whether it is made directly, from a booking or from a quote.
• Otherwise the job gets one phase called Work with one task, named after the first line of the job description. This puts the job in the Schedule view so it can be scheduled.

Changing the plan needs Jobs: Edit. Without it you can see the plan but not change it.

Open a job's plan#

Open the job and select the Plan tab. If the job has no phases yet you'll see No plan on this job yet.

Add and arrange phases#

1. Add a phase

   Type a name in Add a phase, such as Strip or Spouting and select Add phase.

2. Put the phases in order

   Drag a phase by its handle on the left to move it up or down.

3. Rename or remove a phase

   Select Rename to change its name, or Remove to take it off the job. Removing a phase also removes its tasks, and asks you to confirm first. The days it was scheduled on stay on the calendar.

Each phase shows how many of its tasks are done, how many required tasks are still open, and the dates it is scheduled for.

Add tasks#

1. Add a task

   In the phase, type the task in Add a task to …. Tick Required if the phase can't close until it is done, then select Add.

2. Assign it

   Use the person menu on the task to give it to someone, or choose Nobody in particular. Only people who can be scheduled are listed.

3. Change it later

   Tick or untick Required, use Move to… to put it in another open phase, or select Remove. Removing a task asks you to confirm first.

A task shows who finished it, the day it is planned for, or Not scheduled. Tasks get their day when you drop them onto a crew in the Schedule view, or when you lay out the plan (below).

Tick tasks off#

Tick the box beside a task when it is done. Crews can also tick tasks off in the field app. The first task ticked moves its phase from Planned to In progress.

Close a phase#

Select Close phase when the phase is finished.

• The button stays unavailable while required tasks are open (Finish the required tasks first).
• If your company has compliance gates turned on, a required milestone form for the phase must also be completed.

Closing a phase is recorded on the job's activity feed. A closed phase can be opened again with Reopen. Closing the last phase does not complete the job.

Schedule a phase#

You need Jobs: Edit and Scheduling: Edit for this.

Select Schedule on an open phase to choose its start date, number of days, crew and people. The days you schedule belong to that phase.

Lay out the whole plan#

Lay out the plan places every open phase on working days for one crew in a single step. It appears when an open phase still has tasks with no day.

1. Choose the first day and crew

   Select Lay out the plan, pick the First day and a Crew, and tick Include weekends if the crew works them.

2. Preview it

   Select Preview to see each day, its phase and the tasks placed on it. Nothing is saved yet.

3. Apply it

   Select Lay out … days. A note shows how many days and tasks were placed, with Undo if you change your mind.

Phases from a plan template start on their template day and last their template length in working days. A phase you added yourself follows the one before it for one day. The crew is checked for clashes with its other work, just as it is when you schedule a job.

Apply a plan template to an existing job#

Jobs created before a plan template existed don't get one by themselves. To give a job one, choose it in Apply a plan template… and select Apply. Its phases and tasks are added to the job. If the job only had its single starting task, untouched, that task is replaced.

Troubleshooting#

Close phase is greyed out#

The phase still has required tasks open. Finish them, or untick Required on any that don't apply.

“… needs the … completed before it closes”#

The phase has a required milestone form that hasn't been completed. Complete it on the job's Compliance tab, or waive it there if it doesn't apply. See Compliance forms on a job.

I can't see Schedule or Lay out the plan#

Both need Scheduling: Edit as well as Jobs: Edit. Lay out the plan only appears while there are tasks with no day.