Learn Core Fieldwire Functionality

Create and manage tasks and plans; markup plans.

Six of Fieldwire's most important capabilities

Once you've signed up and created your first project, just follow the six steps on this page to view your plans, add markups, create tasks, manage tasks, and build reports.

Want more? We also have a simple guide to Fieldwire on Mobile.

Still haven't found what you're looking for? Search our Help Center or email Support.

Step 1: View plans

Fieldwire can store all of your plans, allowing you to navigate between plans very quickly and refer back to previous versions.

Automatic version control

Each Fieldwire plan contains the complete history of that drawing, including all versions that have been uploaded to Fieldwire. You can look back at previous versions by pressing the version description or swiping up and down on mobile.

Automatic callout hyperlinks

Once you've uploaded your plans, Fieldwire automatically activates the callout hyperlinks (which will appear red). Press a red hyperlink to navigate to that plan.

Step 2. Markup plans

Use the markup toolbar to create your as-built set. The markup toolbar has a few options:

Tasks

Tasks can be attached to specific locations on plans and are described in more detail in the following section.

Markups

Add text, lines, and shapes in a variety of colors.

Attachments

  • Attach files (such as RFIs and specifications) directly to plan.

  • Attach progress photos or videos directly to plans by pressing the camera icon.

Note: If you would like to mark up the photo or include a comment (e.g. if you're documenting an issue) you should include this photo in a task rather than using the photo attachment tool. Refer to Step 3 below for information about Fieldwire tasks.

Measurements

Once you've calibrated your scale, you can take area and linear measurements on the plan.

Step 3: Create tasks

Fieldwire tasks are used to document defects, punch items, safety issues, general to-do items, inspections, QA / QC issues, or any other observations.

Task contents

Tasks are a timestamped history of an issue, and can contain:

  • Back and forth communication
  • Photos and videos
  • Crop plans
  • Checklists
  • Attached files
  • Web links

Task attributes

Fieldwire's task attributes allow you to manage, track, and filter your tasks on the task dashboard or in reports.

  • Status: P1, P2, P3, Completed, and Verified.

  • Category: Typically trades or type of work, however categories can be tailored to your project by Project Admins.

  • Assignee: The person responsible for the tasks, who receives an instant notification. Having a single assignee on a task creates accountability and makes it clear who needs to take an action.

  • Plan: An optional field; if you'd like to create a general task (such as meeting minutes or drawing submissions) you can leave this attribute blank. Otherwise, this connects a task to a specific drawing.

  • Tags: Can be added in the "Tags" attribute, or by typing a hashtag (#) into the body of the task, for example "#punch". Tags allow you to filter for tasks in reports or on the task dashboard.

  • Location: A customizable field such as "Level 4" or "Unit 101". Locations can be managed in your Project Settings.

  • Start and end dates: Inputting dates will automatically display the task on the calendar view, so that you can track all upcoming items with lean means and methods including Kanban priority, Gantt chart, or calendar view.

  • Manpower and cost: Optional text fields, often used to track work associated with a variation.


Tip: Duplicate tasks

Long-press on mobile or right-click on web to duplicate a task. This copies over the task, including the task attributes and checklist, but will clear out the contents so it is ready to populate on site. This is a great way to speed up your site inspections.

Step 4. Manage and track tasks

The "Tasks" tab on web provides full transparency of your project in a number of views:

  1. Dashboard view

  2. Calendar view

  3. Gantt view


Tip: Drag-and-drop

The dashboard view is interactive, and allows you to drag and drop between priority levels. You can also drag and drop onto the calendar view and extend the duration of tasks. As with all task updates, these changes will be tracked (and date-stamped) in the body of the task. People associated with the task will also receive an instant notification.


Tip: Filter and sort

On the dashboards, use the filter and sort options to customize your view and display the relevant tasks. Selecting the category (left toolbar on web and mobile) will also filter this view. This is extremely useful for tracking your trades.

Step 5: Generate reports

Reports are a fantastic way to formalize your Fieldwire communication in a PDF (or spreadsheet). You can send reports to any recipient, regardless of whether they have a Fieldwire account.


Report type

The most popular report type is the "PDF detailed report" which allows you to include all task information, such as photos, checklists, messages and files. PDF reports are formatted with your company logo, and are perfect for distributing to clients or trade partners.


Filtering reports

Using the task attributes, you can refine the report to display particular tasks. A couple of popular filters are:

  • Inspection report: Filter by "last modified", and then set the relevant time period to generate a report that includes the tasks updated during your inspection.

    This is a great way to instantly formalize defects or observations from your site inspection, without spending time compiling and formatting a manual report.

  • Trade-specific reports: Filter by the relevant category then, using the "Status" filter, choose all open (or all completed/verified) tasks associated with a particular trade.

    As an example, you can report on open electrical tasks, and send this PDF to the sub to formalize outstanding work. Alternatively, if you're a sub, you can report on all completed/verified work, and send this to your client.


Tip: Recurring reports

By selecting "Schedule report", you can send automatically recurring reports. For example, you could send the report of all open electrical tasks to the electrical subcontractor, every Monday. Alternatively, you can choose to send all closed tasks to your client every week.

Step 6: Customize forms

And now, a way to customize construction forms to suit your needs! Our Business and Premier users can create forms from scratch, or customize the templates we already offer, for the field team to complete on the go. Our existing templates include the following:

  1. Daily reports
  2. Inspection requests
  3. RFIs
  4. Timesheets
  5. Safety audit forms
  6. Time and materials tag

Each form can be tailored to suit your needs and existing jobsite processes using the custom form template builder.

Custom construction forms

Congratulations, you have covered the core of Fieldwire's functionality!

In the following section, we will outline some more advanced features.

Additional features

Set up projects


Fieldwire on mobile

  • To learn how to set up your projects, refer to the following article: Fieldwire on Mobile.

  • The Fieldwire app (iOS and Android) allows you to use Fieldwire both online and offline. Even when offline, you can access your documents, complete inspections, take photos, and use Fieldwire as if you're connected. Once you reconnect to cellular data or wifi, your updated information will seamlessly and automatically sync.

  • When a task is created or updated, all people involved in that task will receive an instant push notification, so it's important to enable notifications on your device!


Manage plans

  • Use Fieldwire's compare tool to overlay two different plans. The overlay will show similarities in greyscale and differences in color, perfect for change control and coordination between disciplines.

  • Scale your plans on mobile by calibrating the scale on the markup toolbar or in bulk on web. This allows you to take linear and area take-offs in the field.

  • Plan tags can be used to manage your plans and allow you to search them very quickly.

Tip: If you have multiple buildings for example, you could set up tags for "#Building1" and "#Building2" to quickly search for the relevant projects on web or on your mobile device.


Streamline tasks

  • Related tasks are a fantastic way to link two (or more) tasks that are related to each other. This means that when someone opens one of the tasks, the related task is listed right there so it isn't missed.

  • Fieldwire's quick-assign shortcuts "@" and "#" are a great way to speed up your task designations.

    1. "@" will immediately assign the task to an assignee, category, or change the priority. For example, "@Concrete @P1 @BobSuper" will make the task Priority 1, assign the task to Bob and add it to the Concrete category.

    2. "#" will create a tag in the task (e.g. "#punch"), which will allow you to later filter in the task dashboard or in reports.

  • Checklist templates and locations can be managed in bulk in your project settings on web.

Tip: Checklists and locations (along with settings, people, reports, and folders) can be cloned from existing projects to speed up your project set-up process.


Additional Settings

  • Fieldwire has three permission levels: admin, member, and follower. Refer to the previous article (Get Started on Fieldwire for information about permission levels and billing.

  • Your company logo (uploaded in your Project Settings) will be used to customize PDF reports generated within Fieldwire. This lets your PDF reports reflect your brand so that you can directly give them to another contractor or your client.

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