Smart Contractor automatically schedules jobs using CPM Scheduling. See How Do I Use... CPM Scheduling? for information about CPM scheduling.
Schedules are automatically generated based on the Job Start Date and the schedule model that you specify in the Setup Schedule tab of the Edit Job form.
When a job is created, the job start date defaults to 6 weeks in the future, but you can change that (or the schedule model) at any time in the Setup Schedule tab of the Edit Job form, or in the Schedule Setup form.
Only items with Schedule Item checked in the Edit Job Estimate form will appear in the schedule. The Schedule Item box will be automatically checked if that item's Job Phase is included in the Schedule Model entry form.
To Edit A Schedule
To edit a job schedule, click on Schedule in the shortcut menu, then click Edit Schedule. This will display the schedule in the Job Schedule entry form.
The schedule entry form is a grid, with items down the left side, and dates across the top. Multiple jobs can be viewed and modified at the same time.
The schedule grid...
For complete information on how to edit a job schedule, see the Job Schedule entry form topic.
Schedule Phases
Smart Contractor allows you to schedule jobs in multiple Schedule Phases. (Note: a Schedule Phase is not the same as a Job Phase.) Each phase of a schedule repeats the sequence of job phases defined in the schedule model selected for the job. See the How Do I... Schedule Job Phases topic for more information.
Print The Schedule
The job schedule can be printed in a number of forms: the graphical form (a printed image of the schedule entry grid), in a calendar format, and as a columnar report. The columnar report schedule indicates the critical path, and the "date range" (earliest start, latest completion) for each item. The schedule report also shows the difference between the actual and estimated schedule to allow you to see how many days the schedule is off from the original estimated schedule. The schedule can be printed for one, or for multiple jobs.
Merge The Schedule
The schedule can be merged into documents to be emailed or printed for your customers. To merge the job schedule into a customer document, use the "<<Job Schedule List>>" merge field to merge the columnar report format schedule, or the "<<Job Schedule Grid>>" merge field to merge the schedule grid (in the Merge Documents setup form).
Print Materials Ordering Schedule
Once you have created a job schedule you can print a materials ordering schedule that is based on order lead times entered in the Edit Job Estimate form. See the Materials Ordering Schedule topic for more information.
Generate Purchase Orders Based On Order Lead Times
Once you have created a job schedule you can generate Purchase Orders for job materials based on the order lead times entered in the Job Edit Job Estimate form. See the Purchase Order entry topic for more information.
Print Work Orders
Once you have created a job schedule with Resources assigned you can print Work Orders. Work orders are printed forms that show the job site, dates, and work items scheduled for individual schedule resources. The work orders provide a space in which to indicate work completion for each date, so they can be used as time sheets, and to document job progress.
Reset The Schedule
If it ever becomes necessary to change the job start date (or the schedule model) after a job has been scheduled (surprise!), Smart Contractor can automatically re-schedule the entire job for you. To re-schedule a job, enter the new job start date and click OK in the Schedule Setup form. This will automatically re-schedule the entire job. When you re-schedule the job schedule, the program automatically schedules the job, exactly as it did when you created the job, based on the job start date, the schedule model selected, holidays to be skipped, and whether work is to be scheduled for Saturdays or Sundays. Note that this process sets the item durations to the "typical duration" that you set in the Schedule Model entry form, and these can be easily changed in the Edit Schedule form.
Correct Schedule Errors
Schedules can have various types of errors, including scheduling conflicts, or items with no resource assigned. Smart Contractor provides ways to handle scheduling errors. See the How Do I... Correct Schedule Errors topic for information.
Sometimes the schedule for a project may be too complicated or atypical to be scheduled under the principles of CPM scheduling. For example, some remodeling jobs have schedules that are very convoluted, with job activities following a sequence that would be difficult to define in a schedule model. In that situation, the best thing to do is to not use CPM scheduling, and just schedule the job manually.
Smart Contractor allows you to schedule a job manually. If you do not want to use CPM scheduling on a particular job, select the "Not CPM Scheduling" option in the prompt for Schedule Model (in the Edit Job form, or the Schedule Setup form). The program will automatically generate a schedule for the job based on the "New Construction" schedule model, but when you view the job in the Edit Schedule form, you will notice that the scheduled dates are all represented in the same color. You will also notice that when you change the schedule for any of the job items, the schedule for the rest of the job items will not be changed. To change dates for multiple schedule items, you can use the prompts available in the Item Resource form. See the "How Do I... Move The Schedule" topic for more information.