Question: Smart Contractor uses CSI Divisions and Job Phases. Aren't these similar ways of categorizing job items? What's the difference? Why does Smart Contractor use both?

Answer: CSI Divisions and Job Phases are both ways of categorizing job items, but there are significant differences.

CSI Divisions were devised as a means of providing a universal specification of the materials used in construction. CSI Divisions categorize job items by material type, or by a generalization of their function. Items within CSI Divisions have no significant relationship to one other other than that.

Smart Contractor Job Phases are significant for two reasons:

1. Cost analysis. Smart Contractor Job Phases are broken down to a low enough level so that they are meaningful for the purposes of cost analysis. And, Job Phases are generalized enough so that they can be applied commonly across all jobs. This allows you to do meaningful cost analysis within one job, as well as across all jobs. The Job Listing report, and the Estimated vs Actual Cost report (as well as others) list and summarize job items by Item Type.
   
2. Scheduling. Smart Contractor Job Phases are grouped to follow the time sequence of construction. This allows Job Phases to function as the unit of item definition in job Schedule Models (which are used in CPM Scheduling). Job Phases allow you to apply durations and sequences defined in a Schedule Model to job items in the Job Phase. This is the basis for the ability of Smart Contractor to generate job schedules automatically. See the CPM Scheduling topic for more information.

What Are CSI Divisions Used For In Smart Contractor?

Smart Contractor allows you to group and sequence job items in reports by CSI Division. To do this, job items need to be assigned to a CSI Division. Rather than require that you assign each job item to a CSI Division, and since job items are already assigned to Job Phases, Smart Contractor allows you to assign Item Types to CSI Divisions. This is done in the Job Phase entry form.