Project Setup
Creating a new project
When starting a new project, you can navigate to the pink projects tab and select +new. This will immediately bring up a window called the ‘Project Details’, here is where you will fill out key project information like;
● Project Name & Number (if you do not use a project # just add a . or -)
● Project Type (Let support know if you are not seeing a project type here that you would like added to your account)
● Description
● Assigned Office (This applies to Pro Tier licenses & multi-office firms)
● Currency (applies to your budget setup)
● Address
If these are the only details that apply, you can select save, for more advanced settings scroll down.
Upload a Project Logo
Drag and drop an image file or upload one from your device. This can be a client/brand logo or a project concept image. It can be set up on a custom header/footer or a cover page in the report setup area.
Customize The Project Date Format
The default date format is currently month, day, year. You can change the order or choose a different format for each project. The date will change everywhere in the project from issue/revision dates, report date, and all-time stamped changes on the interface. The date can be changed at any time; you are not limited to only selecting the date during the project setup.
Project management
Project Overview Tab
Every time you log in and go into a project, you will be brought to the project overview tab. Here you can review some of the project details, an activity log, as well as project contacts and recent revision dates and client portal submissions.
On the left, you will see additional project level tabs – hover over the tabs to see their names.
Revisions & Submissions Tab
On this tab you will be able to capture submittal dates for issuances and revisions as well as create client portal packages.
Issue & Revision Dates
Used to track spec package submittals. These dates can be automatically assigned to specifications as an issue date, and if they have had changes after the initial issue date, additional dates can be added to reflect revisions.
The toggle turned on, auto assigns dates to specs. If left off, dates can be added here, and manually assigned on the specs tab.
Revision Date Tutorial Videos – check out our online tutorial videos to learn more.
Submissions (Client Portal)
The client portal is an option available to all accounts to send a spec package through email. Packages can be set up on this tab by issue/revision date or by spec stage.
To start the set up click +New within the submission’s column.
Once a package has been reviewed and submitted, you can come here and click on the 3 dots to view package details.
Selection options for your client are set up on the Pink ‘Approvals’ tab.
** Please note that specs are only able to be sent to one contact at a time. Specs can only be in one spec package at a time, once the package has been submitted back, specs can be added into a second package and sent to another contact.
To learn more, watch the Client Portal Tutorial Videos
Project Contacts
Setup project specific contacts on either the company or individual level. All these contacts flow into the procurement area and can be used to set up the ship to or bill to information.
There is an excel export option if you would like to extract a list of contacts from the project.
**If there are contact types that you need added to your account, please let us know by emailing us at support@designspec.com
Project Files
Upload documents to the files tab to keep more information in your account. You can preview them here, download or share them with a link. Click on 3 dots to see available options.
You can also save generated reports here, directly from the print log tab.
Comments Tab
This is an internal notes feature, use this tab to leave project level notes or comments to your team. All messages are ‘time stamped’ and show the username who created the note.
Comments can be left on the specification, Purchase order and Project level, within the projects tab you can view all project messages and filter on a specific type.
**These notes are internal only, they will not show on any reports.