Contracting schedule and packages

What the contracting schedule is for

A site stops when a trade has no signed contractor on the day its work should start. The contracting schedule prevents this. For each package of work it shows the latest date to send the offer request, so that offers, choice, contract, delivery and mobilization all fit before the start on site. The page subtitle says it: "Plan when each package has to be requested, offered, chosen and contracted so the site never stops."

The contracting schedule is internal to the company that owns the project. Subcontractors and other companies on the project never see it. A company that is not the project owner gets no sidebar entry, even with the permission.

The contracting schedule appears from the Offer sent (Изпратена оферта) phase onwards: in Offer sent, Update requested, Contract proposal, CONTRACT DECLINED and Execution. It is hidden while the project is in Budgeting (Бюджетиране) or Offering (Офериране); both the sidebar entry and the card on the project page are missing in those phases. An investor project goes from Budgeting straight to Execution, so for an investor the contracting schedule appears once the budget is accepted.

Key terms

How the dates are calculated

BuildColab starts from the start on site and subtracts each step in working days, using the project's work calendar. Weekends and project holidays are skipped. See Working days and holidays.

With the default values the request must go out 55 working days before the start on site. Each step accepts 0 to 365 working days.

Where each step length comes from

Next to every step the package shows where its value comes from. BuildColab uses the first level that has a value:

1. set for this package (зададено за пакета): you changed the days on this package.
2. from the plan (от плана): a value set for the whole plan of this project.
3. from the category "{name}" (от категория „{name}“): the company default row for the package's filter category.
4. company default (по подразбиране за фирмата): the "Whole company" row of the company defaults.
5. normative (нормативно): the BuildColab defaults above (15 / 5 / 10 / 20 / 5).

There is no screen for the plan-level values. To set lead times for the whole plan of one project, ask BORO. See What BORO can do.

The contracting schedule page

1. The header shows Today (Днес), Deadline to the client (Срок към възложител) and Construction schedule (Строителен график) with the schedule name and version used for the start dates.
2. The View (Изглед) switch toggles between Table (Таблица) and Timeline (Времева линия).
3. Generate from category (Генерирай от категория) creates a package from all positions with one filter category.
4. Export (Експорт) downloads the whole plan as an Excel file.
5. Create package (Създай пакет) opens the package editor.
6. The summary tiles count packages by status, the uncontracted scope and the late packages.
7. Each table row is one package with its dates, request, status and actions.

Header

The header of the contracting schedule page shows today's date, the Deadline to the client (Срок към възложител) and the construction schedule in use ("{name} · version {n}", or "none yet"). The deadline to the client is the date by which the whole plan must fit. BuildColab takes it from the deadline of your contract with the client; it shows "not set" when there is none. There is no field for it on screen. To set or override the client deadline, ask BORO. See What BORO can do.

Summary tiles

The summary strip of the contracting schedule shows: Packages (Пакети) with the value in scope, In preparation (В подготовка), Out for offers (В запитване), With offers (С оферти), Awarded (Възложени), Contracted (Договорени) with amount and share, Uncontracted scope (Недоговорен обхват) and Late (Просрочени) with the most late package.

Table view

The Table (Таблица) view of the contracting schedule has one row per package. The columns are Package (Пакет), Scope (Обхват, number of positions), Start on site (Начало на обекта), Send by (Изпрати до), Offers by (Оферти до), Choose by (Избери до), Contract by (Договор до), Delivery / mobil. (Доставка / мобил.), Responsible (Отговорник; "No one responsible" when empty), Request (Запитване), Status (Статус) and Actions (Действия: Open / Отвори and Archive / Архивирай). Click a column header to sort. Late rows are marked Late (Просрочено).

The Request (Запитване) column shows "Not sent", "draft ready", "{received} offers · {waiting} waiting" or "{count} offers".

Timeline view

The Timeline (Времева линия) view of the contracting schedule, "Timeline — from sending to contract", draws each package as a bar from sending the request to the contract. Markers show Today (Днес) and the Deadline to the client (Срок към възложител). A package without dates shows "No dates yet".

Archived packages

Archived packages are hidden. Click Show archived ({count}) (Покажи архивираните) to list them.

Package statuses

You never set a package status by hand. BuildColab derives it from real events on the package's requests and contracts.

Date labels

Each date cell of a package in the contracting schedule carries a label:

• Upcoming (Предстои): the date is ahead and not yet in the reminder window.
• At risk · in {days} w.d. (Риск · след {days} р.д.) or At risk · today (Риск · днес): the date is within the reminder window, by default 3 working days.
• Late · {days} days (Просрочено · {days} дни): the date has passed and the step is not done.
• Done (Изпълнено), Done {date}, Sent {date} (Изпратено), Chosen {date} (Избрано), Signed {date} (Подписан), or Done {days} w.d. late (Изпълнено със закъснение).
• {received} of {recipients} received ({received} от {recipients} получени) on the offers date.
• No request (Без запитване): the step does not apply.
• On the contract date: Contracted without an offer request (Договорено без запитване), Signed as an extension of an existing contract (Подписан като разширение на съществуващ договор), A draft contract exists (Има чернова на договор).
• The exact date is not recorded (Точната дата не е записана): the step is done but the system has no exact date for it.

Warnings

Above the table of the contracting schedule, a banner names a late package: "“{name}” is {days} working days late — the request should have gone out by {date}." with the button Open the package (Отвори пакета). Another banner says "{count} packages finish after the deadline to the client."

Rows can carry these warnings: "The request is {days} working days late", "Delivery falls {days} working days after the deadline to the client", "No start on site — no schedule covers the lines and no date was entered", "{count} lines were removed from the BoQ", "{count} lines are contracted elsewhere", "{count} lines are in no request", "The schedule moved by {days} working days".

How to create a package

1. On the contracting schedule page click Create package (Създай пакет), or Create the first package (Създай първия пакет) when the plan is empty.
2. The editor "New package — choose the scope" opens in selection mode (режим на избор). The BoQ is on the left and the panel New contracting package (Нов пакет за договаряне) is on the right.
3. Pick the scope on the left. Under Scope view (Изглед на обхвата) choose:
   • BoQ (КСС): tick positions. Ticking a category ticks every position under it. After filtering by categories, Select all filtered · {count} (Избери всички филтрирани) ticks every visible position.
   • Schedule (График): "Click an activity to add or remove its lines; click a category for every line under it." If the BoQ has no construction schedule yet, the editor says "There is no construction schedule for this BoQ yet — pick the lines in the BoQ."
4. Positions already in another package show the chip package {name} (пакет {name}).
5. In the right panel enter Package name (Име на пакета), for example "Electrical installations". The name is required: "Give the package a name."
6. Choose the Responsible (Отговорник), or leave "— nobody —".
7. Check the Scope (Обхват) summary: number of BoQ positions, the category, and the number of schedule activities.
8. Check the start on site. See "Start on site" below.
9. Check Working days for each step (Работни дни за всяка стъпка). Each step shows its due date. Change a value to override it for this package.
10. Read the key date "Send the request at the latest on {date}" with "in {n} working days" or "{n} working days late".
11. Click Create package (Създай пакет). The toast "The package was created." confirms it.

1. The Scope view (Изглед на обхвата) switch chooses between picking positions in the BoQ (КСС) or activities in the Schedule (График).
2. The Package name (Име на пакета) field is required.
3. The Scope summary counts what is selected on the left: BoQ lines with their value and schedule activities.
4. The start on site shows its source, from the schedule or entered manually.
5. Working days for each step (Работни дни за всяка стъпка) lists the five steps with their due dates.
6. The line "Send the request at the latest on {date}" is the key date of the package.
7. Create package (Създай пакет) saves the package.

Start on site: from the schedule or entered manually

Start on site — from the schedule (Начало на обекта — от графика): BuildColab finds the construction schedule activities linked to the package positions and takes the earliest: "the earliest of {count} activities: “{name}”". See in the schedule (Виж в графика) shows these activities.

Start on site — entered manually (Начало на обекта — въведено ръчно): use it when the project has no schedule or no activity covers the positions. Under No schedule? (Без график?) click Enter the start manually (Въведи началото ръчно) and pick a date. Use the schedule (Използвай графика) switches back.

A package needs a start on site. Without one, saving fails with "No schedule covers the selected lines — enter the start on site manually." To link BoQ positions to the schedule, see Linking the BoQ: distribution and matching.

Messages when saving a package

• "{count} lines are already in another package" — "Nothing was created. Remove them from the selection, or leave them in the other package." Click Remove them from the selection (Премахни ги от избора).
• "{count} lines are no longer in the BoQ and were removed from the selection".
• "{count} lines were carried to new BoQ lines by a partial budget acceptance" — "Nothing was saved. Swap them for the current lines to keep them in the package." Click Swap for the current line (Замени с актуалния ред). See Partial acceptance.
• "The package could not be created." for any other error.

How to generate a package from a category

If you tag BoQ positions with filter categories, one click can turn a category into a package. See Labels, filters, search, copy and move.

1. On the contracting schedule page click Generate from category (Генерирай от категория).
2. In the dialog Generate a package from a category (Генериране на пакет от категория) choose the Category (Категория). The dialog explains: "One package of the BoQ lines tagged with the category; lines already in another package stay there."
3. Optionally type a name. By default the package takes the category name.
4. Click Generate package (Генерирай пакет).

Results and messages: "The package was created. {count} lines are already in other packages and were left there."; "No BoQ line carries this category — no package was created."; "Every line of this category is already in another package — no package was created."; "The project has no filter categories yet — tag BoQ lines with categories first."

The package page

Open a package with Open (Отвори) in its row. The package page, "Package “{name}”", is where you drive contracting to the end. The header shows the start on site and its source ("from the schedule", "entered manually" or "from the category"), "Responsible: {name}", and a pill Late by {count} working days when late. The toggle Only the package (Само пакета) shows only the package positions in the BoQ view.

1. Change the scope (Промени обхвата) reopens the editor to add or remove positions.
2. More actions (Още действия) holds Rename, Change the responsible, Change the days, Archive and Delete.
3. The section Dates — planned and actual (Дати — планирано и реално) compares each planned date with what happened.
4. The section Requests (Запитвания) lists the linked offer requests with each partner's state.
5. New request from the package (Ново запитване от пакета) creates an offer request from the package positions.
6. The section Offers and award (Оферти и възлагане) shows the offers received and the lowest offer.

Coverage of the package positions

Each position of a package carries a coverage label: uncovered (непокрита), in a request (в запитване), awarded (възложена), contracted (договорена), contracted elsewhere (договорена другаде) or stale (остаряла, removed from the BoQ). A position carried to a new BoQ row by a partial budget acceptance is marked moved (пренесена).

Budget · Commitment · Certified

The block Budget · Commitment · Certified (Бюджет · Ангажимент · Сертифицирано) on the package page shows, for the package positions: Budget (the BoQ value), Commitment (contracted with subcontractors), Certified (approved in payment applications) and Margin (budget minus commitment, also as "{percent}% of the budget"). See Financial dashboard: committed, certified, margin.

Dates — planned and actual

The section Dates — planned and actual (Дати — планирано и реално) lists each step with its planned date and, once done, the actual date: Send the request by / Request sent, Offers by / Offers received, Choose an offer by / Offer chosen, Sign the contract by / Contract signed, and Delivery and mobilisation. Done steps show "actual {date}" and, if early, "{count} w.d. early". Delivery shows the buffer to the start on site: "{days} w.d. buffer", "0 days buffer" or "{days} w.d. late".

When a step is late, the package explains what happens if you act today, for example: "The request should have gone out on {date}. Today is {today}. If it goes out today, delivery lands on {date} — {days} working days before the start on site, a buffer of {days} working days." If the delivery passes the start, the sentence ends with "the start on site moves by {days} working days to {date}".

Requests

The Requests (Запитвания) section of the package page lists the linked offer requests. A draft shows "Draft — not sent". A sent request shows "Sent {date}", "offers by {date}" and each partner's state: offered (оферира), preparing (подготвя), declined (отказа) or waiting (чака). Revisions show as "{name} · revision {n} (current)" and "revision {n} · replaced"; a new revision says "Replaces: {name} (sent {date})". Open the request (Отвори запитването) opens its panel next to the BoQ. Detach (Откачи) unlinks it.

Offers and award

The Offers and award (Оферти и възлагане) section of the package page shows "{received} of {invited} offers." and "Lowest offer: {company} — {amount}". Compare and award (Сравни и възложи) opens the offer comparison of the package's request. To award, click Compare and award again in the comparison toolbar. See Comparing offers and Awarding (whole or by line items).

Contracts

The Contracts (Договори) section of the package page lists linked contracts with their status: Signed (Подписан), Draft (Чернова), Replaced (Заменен) or Status unknown, the signing date and the mark extension (разширение). Open the contract (Отвори договора) opens the contract details.

Reminders

The Reminders (Напомняния) section of the package page shows the next reminder, "Next reminder: {date} — {stage}", or an escalation, "Next reminder: {date} — escalation, overdue: “{stage}”". It also shows the recipient: "To: {name}" or "To: the plan's editors ({count})". If nobody would receive them, it says "Nobody will get the reminders — set a responsible person." with the button Set a responsible person (Задай отговорник).

Link to the schedule

The Link to the schedule (Връзка с графика) section explains which activities give the start on site. When the construction schedule changes, the package does not move its own dates. It shows the difference and offers the new dates:

• "The schedule matches the plan": nothing to do.
• "The schedule moved by {delta} w.d. — apply the new dates?": click Apply (Приложи) or Ignore for this version (Игнорирай за тази версия).
• "The schedule now gives a start on site of {date} — apply it?": for a package with a manual start that the schedule now covers.

How to start an offer request from a package

1. On the package page, in Requests (Запитвания), click New request from the package (Ново запитване от пакета). When the package is late, the late banner offers the same as Send the request now (Изпрати запитването сега).
2. The dialog New offer request (Ново запитване), "From the package “{name}”", opens. Fill in:
   • Request name (Име на запитването): prefilled with the package name.
   • Offers by (Оферти до): prefilled with the package's offers date. "You can change it — the package will show the difference."
   • Note to the contractors (Бележка към изпълнителите): optional.
3. Check the line count "{count} lines from the package". Positions no longer in the BoQ are listed as "will not be requested".
4. Read the warning "Creating the request locks version {version} of the BoQ and starts version {next} for further work."
5. Click Create the request (Създай запитването). The toast says "The request was created and version {version} of the BoQ was locked — choose the partners and send it."
6. The request panel opens inside the package page. Choose partners and send. See Creating and sending an offer request.

1. Request name (Име на запитването) is prefilled with the package name.
2. Offers by (Оферти до) is prefilled with the offers date counted back from the start on site.
3. Note to the contractors (Бележка към изпълнителите) is optional.
4. The line {n} lines from the package with the hint that you choose the partners and send it next, in the panel that opens.
5. Create the request (Създай запитването) creates the request as a draft; nothing is sent yet.

If none of the package positions is still in the BoQ, the dialog says "None of the package lines is in the BoQ any more — there is nothing to request." Without the request permission you see "You do not have permission to create offer requests."

Attach an existing request or contract

A request or contract made before the package existed can be linked to it. On the package page click Attach an existing one (Прикачи съществуващо). The dialog Attach an existing request or contract lists requests and contracts that share positions with the package. Search with "Search by name or company". Each suggestion shows its kind (Request / Запитване or Contract / Договор), its state, "{count} of {total} lines" and "+{count} outside the package". Click Attach (Прикачи).

Refusals: "It is already attached to this package."; "The offer request covers none of the package's lines."; "An internal contract (the budget's own, or the one with the client) can't be attached to a package."

Detach (Откачи) asks "“{name}” will no longer count for this package. The request or contract itself does not change."

Automatic linking

Requests created from package positions, and contracts made from offers on a package request, link to the package automatically. Other contracts of your company link automatically when all their positions fall in one package. Otherwise they appear as suggestions under Attach an existing one.

How to change, archive, restore or delete a package

• Change the scope (Промени обхвата) opens the editor ("Change the package") to add or remove positions. Positions removed from the BoQ are listed as dropping out on save.
• More actions (Още действия) → Rename (Преименувай), Change the responsible (Смени отговорника), Change the days (Промени дните).
• More actions → Archive (Архивирай): "“{name}” will be archived and its lines become free for other packages. Its offer requests and contracts are not changed." An archived package shows "The package is archived — Restore it to change it or to send requests from it." with Restore (Възстанови). Restoring fails if some positions are now in another package.
• More actions → Delete (Изтрий): "“{name}” will be deleted and its lines become free for other packages. This cannot be undone." Delete is disabled for a package with requests or contracts: "A package with requests or contracts cannot be deleted — archive it instead."

Reminders

The contracting schedule sends in-app reminders in the notification category Schedule (График). Only the first pending step of a package reminds. A step becomes due when it enters the reminder window, 3 working days before its date by default. When the date passes without the step done, an escalation follows.

Reminders go to the package's responsible person. If there is none, they go to the people who can edit the plan. Reminder texts include "Send the request for quotation for package “{name}” — project “{project}”", "Collect the offers…", "Choose the contractor…", "Sign the contract…" and the late versions such as "The request for quotation for package “{name}” was not sent on time". When the schedule shifts a package start, you get "The schedule moved the start of package “{name}” {count} working days later". See Notifications and their settings.

The reminder window (0 to 60 working days) has no screen. To change it, ask BORO. See What BORO can do.

Company default lead times

Default lead times apply to every new package in all projects of the company. Set them in Admin (Админ) → Organization (Организация), section Contracting schedule — default lead times (График на договаряне — срокове по подразбиране).

1. The row Whole company (За цялата фирма) applies to every package.
2. Add a category (Добави категория) adds a row for one filter category. It replaces the company row for packages of that category. Remove the row (Премахни реда) deletes it.
3. The columns are the five steps in working days. "An empty cell inherits the value shown in grey."
4. Save. Every category row needs a name, and a category may appear once.

Changing defaults changes only inherited values. Days set on a package stay. The section is shown only to people with the Contracting schedule permission; saving needs Edit. See Organization profile.

Export

Export (Експорт) on the contracting schedule page downloads an Excel file named "Contracting schedule — {project} — {date}.xlsx". The first sheet lists packages with responsible person, line count, value, start and its source, planned and actual dates, stage statuses, package status, uncovered count and warnings. The second sheet lists every package position with description, section, unit, quantity, value and coverage. View permission is enough.

Plan settings without a screen

Some settings of the contracting schedule have no field on screen. Ask BORO to change them; in the BORO panel it shows an approval card by default before anything changes (over MCP no approval is asked). See What BORO can do.

• The client deadline override (instead of the deadline from your contract with the client).
• The reminder window in working days (0 to 60, default 3).
• Plan-level lead times for this project.
• The BoQ the plan works from. This can change only while there are no active packages.

The schedule overlay

The construction schedule's Gantt view can show a group "Contracting — {name}" for each package, with milestones Request sent, Offers due, Choice by, Contract by, Delivery and package start. See Gantt view and dependencies.

Common questions

Related

• Creating and sending an offer request
• Comparing offers
• Awarding (whole or by line items)
• Schedule
• Organization profile
• What BORO can do