Product Update: Buildforce Introduces New Activity Log & Flexible Time Approval Process

At Buildforce, we're always listening to our community of electrical specialty contractors and their teams. You've told us that clear communication and flexibility are key to keeping your projects running smoothly. That's why we're excited to introduce our latest update: Activity Log and Comments for Time Entries, along with a more flexible time approval process.

A New Chapter in Managing Time

With our new Activity Log and Comments feature, you can now leave a comment directly on time entries. Electricians receive a notification on their phone and can respond with context. All of this happens within the Buildforce platform, creating a clear record of the conversation.

What's New

• Chat right on time entries: Leave comments, ask questions, or provide context directly on any time entry. No more phone tag or email chains
• Snap and attach: Add photos to time entries with a tap. Show completed work or document site conditions instantly.
• See the whole picture: Check out the new activity log that shows all changes and comments. Every edit, every note, all in one place.
• Update projects: Contractors can now change the project associated with each time entry.
• Improved design: With new intuitive time entry editing features, smart filtering options, and quick approval tools, you can manage time approvals faster and more accurately than ever before.‍
• Approve anytime: Contractors, you're no longer tied to Monday approvals. Review and green-light time entries any day of the week, up until Wednesday's cutoff.

Previously, contractors had to wait until Monday to approve time for the previous week, with a Wednesday deadline. Now, you can approve time entries at any point during the week, up until the Wednesday payroll deadline. This means you can address issues as they arise, rather than trying to recall details from days ago.

Key Benefits:

This product update is the first step in bringing everyone on your team into the loop.

For Contractors:

• Spot and solve issues fast: See something odd in a time entry? Ask about it right away, not days later.
• Approve on your schedule: Review time entries when it works for you, any day before the Wednesday deadline.
• Get the full story: Access a complete record of time entry changes and discussions. No more piecing together information from different sources.

For Workers:

• Explain your time, your way: Add context to your hours right when you log them. Overtime due to an unexpected issue? Note it down immediately.
• Show your work: Attach photos to showcase completed tasks or document site conditions.
• Stay in the loop: Get notified when there are questions about your time, and respond right in the app.

For Operations Teams:

• Less back and forth: With all communications in one place, you can say goodbye to playing the telephone game when coordinating communications between team members.
• Smoother payroll processing: Clearer time entries and faster approvals mean fewer hiccups when it's time to run payroll.
• Time savings: We estimate these updates could free up 2-3 hours per week previously spent on time disputes and clarifications.

These features work together to cut down on confusion, speed up problem-solving, and save you precious time. It's all about helping you focus on what really matters—getting the job done right.

Building a Better Buildforce, Together

This update is more than just a new feature—it's a step towards a more transparent, efficient way of working. By bringing time-related communication onto the platform and offering more flexibility in the approval process, we're not just solving today's problems. We're also gathering valuable insights that will help us continue to improve Buildforce.

As we roll out this update, we're already hard at work on some continued improvements to time approvals for the coming months.

Thank you for being part of the Buildforce community. We can't wait to see how you use these new features to help you continue to do great work.