SpecPlanner provides a structure that is both consistent and flexible to help you and your team compile product specifications.

There are two main ways to use the SpecPlanner, depending on whether you:

Have products ready to be added to your specifications, or
Want to create a structure (like a checklist) to which you can add products later

Use Case 1: Starting with Products You've Saved

In this case, you will first find products, save them to you project, and add them to your specifications using the following steps:

Find products:
Use the Search Bar at the top, the Product Search button in the left-side menu, or the Start a New Search option fro the Research History button in your project to begin your search.
Save products to your project:
Hover over any product of interest and hit Save Product. You will be prompted to select a project where the product should be saved.
Manage your saved products in Schedules:
All products you save to a project will be added to their respective schedules. In Schedules, you can collaborate with stakeholders and track approvals.
Add products to SpecPlanner:
In Schedules, select the products you want to add to SpecPlanner by checking box right to each product. You can also uncheck the boxes to remove product.
See your products organized by category:
The products you added to SpecPlanner are automatically placed in masterfomat sections.
Change masterformat section, if needed:
You can change products to different masterformat sections according to your preference or firm standards.
Add or edit custom fields:
Custom fields from Schedules are added to SpecPlanner. Use them to track approval status or add comments, for example. Change which custom fields are added to SpecPlanner to suit your needs.

Use Case 2: Creating a structure to add products later

In this case, you will begin by setting up SpecPlanner with the sections and subsections you will need. This can work as a checklist to guide product selection and help you identify any gaps. Follow the steps below to create a structure for specifications.

Begin with a blank page:
If you haven't saved any products to the project, you won't have any products in Schedules and your SpecPlanner will start empty.
Add masterformat sections:
Add sections manually (either one at a time or several at once), or add sections from a Template. Review your project scope to add all sections and subsections you will need for the project.
Add products to each section:
Once you have your sections, you can add products in a few ways:
1. From Firm Library: Select products already saved to your Firm Library.
2. From Schedule: Choose from saved products in schedule.
3. From the Manufacturer: Find products using search by manufacturer/brand name.
4. By Adding Placeholder Products: Add a placeholder for products that are not yet in our database.
Keep track of selected products:
All products added to SpecPlanner are automatically placed in their designated masterformat section. It is easy to see any gaps, or sections where selections have not yet been made.
Change masterformat section, if needed:
You can change products to different masterformat sections according to your preference or firm standards.
Add or edit custom fields:
Custom fields from Schedules are added to SpecPlanner. Use them to track approval status or add comments, for example. Change which custom fields are added to SpecPlanner to suit your needs.