Communication Folder Overview

Contents

Use Contract Management communication logs to track items sent and received during a project, record telephone calls, save notes, and manage safety-related documents.

Record incoming and outgoing documents in the correspondence logs. Create letters in various fonts and formats in the Letters log. Gather and send information using the Request for Information, Notices, and Noncompliance Notices logs. You can keep track of important details such as insurance information, work lists, and reminders using the Notepads log.

Use the Safety feature to document safety violation notices, record injuries on the job site, and conform to federal safety regulations.

Correspondence Sent and Received

Use the Correspondence Sent log to record outgoing documents and prepare form letters. Use the Correspondence Received log to record incoming documents, especially those that require follow-up. These logs consolidate incoming and outgoing documents and provide a historical reference when you need supporting information, such as in a contract dispute.

Use the Send To command in the Select an action list to automatically send an open document to a Correspondence log. You can also manually create correspondence documents and enter the information directly on each tab.

Letters

During a project, participants often exchange important information through letters. You can record this information in the Letters log. For example, letters that outline contractual obligations or clarify a delay can later function as supporting evidence in a claim.

Letter templates are now done through BI Publisher; Microsoft Word is no longer required. However, letters are created and stored in .rtf format, so if you have Microsoft Word installed on your system, you can still use it to modify letters.

Meeting Minutes

Every project includes a number of meetings used to discuss progress, delays, specifications, and designs. Use the Meeting Minutes log to record the details of every meeting—the attendees, discussion items, decisions, and persons responsible for action items.

Using the Meeting Minutes log, you can locate meeting details or create agendas for upcoming meetings by moving the unresolved items forward.

Notepads

Use the Notepads log to track important details, such as comments, work lists, and reminders. Create a different notepad for each category of information you need.

Writing notes is a two-step process:

1. Add a notepad that refers to a specific subject.
2. Add as many items as you want to that notepad.

Notices and Noncompliance Notices

Use the Notices log to inform project participants of the latest project developments including changes in condition, bulletins, or change sketches.

Use the Noncompliance Notices log to inform project participants of deviations from the contract specifications. For example, the owner might send a noncompliance notice to the general contractor because of a contract safety and health requirement violation. The general contractor will then send a noncompliance notice to the appropriate subcontractor. In most cases, the recipient will need to respond with brief details of corrective actions required or taken.

Request for Information

Use the Requests for Information log to enter request and answer documents. These requests and the answers they solicit provide additional information or clarify some aspect of the project, such as procedures, equipment, and materials.

Safety

Use the Safety log to record information about safety violations, injuries, or illnesses. You can also keep records for federal regulations such as Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

Telephone Records

Project participants often communicate important project information via telephone conversations, such as follow-up calls that clarify work included in bid estimates. Use the Telephone Records log to document the date, content, and names of persons involved in each call.

Transmittals

Transmittals are memos or cover letters that accompany submittals, drawings, and material samples sent during a project. Use the Transmittals log to automatically generate transmittals from most Contract Management module document types, including submittals, various change documents, drawings, contracts and purchase orders, and requisitions.

The module uses names and addresses from predefined distribution lists that you set up in the Company Directory so you can prepare transmittals quickly. You can also attach files to generated transmittals, such as drawings, that were attached to the original document.