🔄 Change Orders User Guide

Field Entry Portal, Change Order Creation & Management

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Overview

The Change Orders module manages scope changes during construction projects. It provides a field-friendly entry portal for creating change orders on-site and a management dashboard for tracking approvals and costs. Access change orders under Project Management → Change Orders in the navigation menu.

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Change Order Dashboard

Navigation: Project Management → Change Orders

Features

• Change Order List: View all change orders across projects
• Status Tracking: Draft, Submitted, Under Review, Approved, Rejected
• Cost Impact Summary: Total change order value and impact on project budget
• Rate Settings: Configure billing rates for change order labor

Dashboard Metrics

Metric	Description
Total COs	Number of change orders across all projects
Pending Approval	COs awaiting review and approval
Approved Value	Total dollar value of approved changes
Budget Impact	Net change to project budget

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Field Entry Portal

Navigation: Project Management → Change Orders (Field Entry Portal)

Mobile-Friendly Entry

The Field Entry Portal is designed for on-site use with mobile devices:

• Simplified Forms: Quick entry fields optimized for mobile
• Photo Capture: Attach photos of the work requiring a change
• GPS Location: Automatically tag the location of the change
• Offline Support: Create entries without internet and sync later

Creating a Change Order

1. Navigate to the Change Orders page
2. Click "+ New Change Order" or "Field Entry"
3. Fill in change order details:
   • Project: Select the associated project
   • Title: Brief description of the change (e.g., "Add electrical outlets – 2nd floor east")
   • Description: Detailed explanation of the scope change
   • Reason: Why the change is needed (Owner Request, Design Change, Unforeseen Condition, Code Requirement)
   • Cost Estimate: Estimated additional cost
   • Time Impact: Additional days required
   • Supporting Documents: Photos, sketches, specs
4. Submit the change order

Change Order Fields

Field	Description
CO Number	Auto-generated reference number
Project	Associated construction project
Title	Short description of the change
Description	Detailed scope of the change
Reason Code	Category of why the change is needed
Estimated Cost	Dollar value of the change
Time Impact	Schedule impact in days
Priority	Low, Medium, High, Critical
Status	Draft, Submitted, Under Review, Approved, Rejected

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Change Order Approval Workflow

Draft → Submitted → Under Review → Approved / Rejected
                                        ↓
                                  Budget Updated
                                        ↓
                                  Work Authorized

1. Field Worker creates the change order (Draft)
2. Project Manager reviews and submits for approval
3. Owner/Client reviews the cost and scope impact
4. Approval or Rejection with notes
5. If approved, the project budget is automatically updated
6. Blockchain record created for the change (if project is on-chain)

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Rate Settings

Navigation: Available from the Change Orders dashboard

• Configure standard billing rates for labor categories
• Set markup percentages for materials and equipment
• Define overhead and profit margins for change orders
• Rates are used to auto-calculate change order costs

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Viewing Change Order Details

Click any change order to see the full details view:

• Complete Cost Breakdown: Labor, materials, equipment, markup
• Timeline Impact: Original vs. revised schedule
• Approval History: Who reviewed and when
• Supporting Documents: Photos and attached files
• Blockchain Record: Immutable record of the change (if applicable)

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Tips & Best Practices

• Document changes immediately in the field — don't wait until you're back in the office
• Attach photos to provide visual evidence of the changed condition
• Get approval before starting changed work whenever possible
• Track all cost changes even small ones — they add up

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Last Updated: February 2026