Actions

Working With Actions

Working With Actions

Create & Assign Actions

Summary

This tutorial guides you through creating and assigning actions in BuilderPal, such as scheduled work or other task types. Actions help organize tasks, assign responsibilities, and keep projects on track by notifying team members and integrating with schedules.

How-To Video

Prerequisites

Steps

  1. Navigate to your project. Go to https://app.builderpal.com/project/

  2. Open the New dropdown and select Action. This opens the action creation menu.

  3. Choose the action type. Select from the list, such as Scheduled Work for time-bound tasks.

  4. Enter the title and details. Provide a clear title and any additional information needed for the action.

  5. Set dates if applicable. For scheduled work actions, add start and end dates; refer to specific action guides for other types.

  6. Assign the action. Click Assign Scheduled Work (or equivalent) to choose a team member or subcontractor.

  7. Add participants. Include others who need updates on the action's progress.

  8. Publish the action. Click Publish to save and notify assignees.

  9. Review and interact. The action appears in the actions page and schedule; add comments or files as needed.

Confirmation

You can now make comments, add files and more! You can also view in your actions page and schedule. The assignee and participants will be notified in their inboxes.

FAQ

Q: Can I assign an action to multiple people?
A: Yes, select multiple assignees during the assignment step, or add participants for updates without primary responsibility.

Q: What happens if I forget to set dates for a scheduled work action?
A: The action will still create, but it won't appear on calendars until dates are added via editing.

Q: How do notifications work for assigned actions?
A: Assignees and participants receive inbox notifications; check the Inbox Feed for updates.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of actions per project?
A: No limit in BuilderPal Free, but organize them effectively using filters on the Actions page.

Q: Can I create custom action types?
A: Currently, use the predefined types; suggest new ones via support for future updates.

Working With Actions

What are Actions?

Summary

Actions are BuilderPal’s way of turning real construction work into trackable, accountable items. They capture what needs to happen, who owns it, and the conversation and documents around it—all in one place.

Why It Matters

The problem Actions solve

The Benefit to Contractors

Actions replace loose follow-ups with structure—without adding complexity.

How It Works

Actions are the core work items in BuilderPal.
Almost everything that happens on a project—work, questions, approvals, purchases, fixes—lives inside an Action.

At a high level, every Action includes:

Create a New RFI Action - Step 7.png

While Actions used to be called “tasks,” they go further than a basic task. An Action combines:

Different Action types add structure for different situations:

Some Actions can also be linked together, reflecting how real work, approvals, and costs connect on a project—but each one still stands on its own as a single source of truth.

When to Use Actions

Use an Action whenever:

If it matters to the project, it should be an Action.

Working With Actions

View Actions

Summary

This article explains where to find Actions in BuilderPal and how to open them. Actions can be viewed from your Inbox, To Do list, project Actions, or the Schedule, depending on how you prefer to work.

Prerequisites

Steps

1. View Actions from your Inbox

The Inbox is the main entry point for viewing Actions.

Your Inbox shows:

Click any Inbox item to open the full Action and view its details, conversation, and attachments.

2. View Actions from your To Do list

The To Do list shows all Actions you’re assigned to or participating in across all projects.

From the To Do list, you can:

This view is useful when you want to focus on your work without jumping between projects.

3. View Actions inside a project

Each project has an Actions view that shows all Actions within that project you have access to.

Use this view when you want to:

Click an Action to open it and review details, participants, and conversation history.

4. View Actions from the Schedule

Date-based Actions, such as Scheduled Work or Punch Lists with due dates, appear on the Schedule.

From the Schedule, you can:

This is helpful for planning work over time and understanding what’s coming up.

Confirmation

You’ll know it worked when the Action opens and you can see its title, status, assignee, requirements, and conversation in a single view.

Tips

Working With Actions

Edit, Update, Archive, or Delete an Action

Summary

This tutorial shows how to edit an Action, update its status, archive it, or permanently delete it in BuilderPal. These tools let you make changes after an Action has been created, while keeping work and communication accurate.

Prerequisites

Edit an Action

Use Edit Details when you need to change the Action’s title, requirements, dates, or other fields.

Steps

  1. Open the Action you want to edit.
  2. Click the three-dot menu next to the Action title.
  3. Select Edit Details.
  4. Make your changes.
  5. Click SAVE in the top-right corner to apply the updates.

Changes are not saved automatically. If you exit without clicking SAVE, your changes will be lost.

Update Action Status

Updating an Action’s status helps communicate progress without changing the Action details.

Steps

  1. Open the Action.
  2. Click the status button (for example, Incomplete).
  3. Select the new status.

The updated status is immediately visible to all participants.

Archive an Action

Archiving removes an Action from active views without deleting it.

Steps

  1. Open the Action.
  2. Click the three-dot menu next to the Action title.
  3. Select Archive Action.

Archived Actions are no longer active but remain stored for reference.

Delete an Action

Deleting an Action permanently removes it from the project.

Steps

  1. Open the Action.
  2. Click the three-dot menu next to the Action title.
  3. Select Delete Action.
  4. In the confirmation dialog, click Confirm.

Deleted Actions cannot be recovered.

Next Steps

Working With Actions

Communication with Actions

Summary

In BuilderPal, communication is built directly into Actions. Messages, files, and updates live inside the Action itself, keeping conversations tied to the work they relate to.

Why It Matters

The problem Actions solve

The benefit to contractors

Actions eliminate the need to manage work in one place and talk about it in another.

How Communication Works in Actions

Every Action includes a built-in conversation thread. This thread is the default place to discuss anything related to that Action.

Inside an Action, communication includes:

All communication becomes part of the Action’s history, creating a single source of truth.

Automatic Updates

BuilderPal automatically records key changes as system messages inside the Action, including:

These updates keep everyone informed without relying on someone to manually explain what changed.

Inbox Notifications

When activity happens on an Action, participants receive notifications in their Inbox.

The Inbox is designed to surface changes and bring attention back to the Action. Clicking a notification always opens the Action, where the full context and conversation live.

Controlling Notifications

Participants can control how they receive updates from an Action:

This keeps communication focused without overwhelming people with noise.

Next Steps

Working With Actions

Permissions & Participants in Actions

Summary

This article explains how Action visibility and permissions work in BuilderPal—who can see an Action, who can interact with it, and how roles affect editing, assigning, and deleting.

Prerequisites

How Action Visibility Works

Action visibility is based on project access and participation.

You can see an Action if:

There is no follower mode and no read-only mode.
If you are a participant, you can see the entire Action.

You cannot see an Action if:

What Participants Can Do

All participants—regardless of role—can:

Participants always see the full Action, including attachments, descriptions, comments, fields, and history.

Editing and Deletion Rules

Editing and deletion are determined by role permissions, not participation.

Assigning Actions

All users can assign Actions.

When assigning:

GCs can assign Actions to subcontractors.
Subcontractors cannot assign Actions to GC users or GC team members.

Actions do not move between projects.
They stay inside the project where they were created.

Action Permissions Across Project Types

GC-Owned Projects

GC team members can:

Subcontractors can:

Subs cannot:

Subcontractor-Owned Projects

These projects belong exclusively to the subcontractor’s company.

Subcontractors can:

GCs:

My Tasks

Every user has a private project called My Tasks.

This space is ideal for private notes, drafts, and personal planning.

Editing and Deletion Permissions

Editing and deleting Actions follow role permissions:

Participation does not override these permissions.

Summary Table

Area GC Team Members Subcontractors My Tasks
See Actions All project Actions (role-based) Only assigned Actions Only their own
Create Actions Yes Yes (sub project or subcontractor scope) Yes
Assign Actions Yes (GC + Subs) Only their own team Only self
Edit Actions Role-based Yes (assigned or created) Yes
Delete Actions Role-based Cannot delete GC-created Actions Yes
Full Visibility as Participant Yes Yes Yes
Working With Actions

How Actions Flow Between GCs and Subs

Summary

BuilderPal uses a directional flow model to handle work between general contractors and subcontractors. Actions flow downstream when work is assigned and flow upstream when updates, responses, and completion move back to the GC—without transferring ownership or exposing internal work.

Why It Matters

The problem this model solves

Without clear direction, projects either become too restrictive or too exposed.

The benefit to contractors

The flow model allows collaboration without collapsing company boundaries.

How Action Flow Works

Actions always belong to the project where they are created. They do not move between projects or change ownership.

Instead, BuilderPal controls how Actions are shared and responded to between companies.

Downstream Flow (GC → Sub)

Downstream flow happens when a general contractor assigns an Action to a subcontractor.

Common examples include:

In a downstream flow:

This is the primary way GCs coordinate work with subs.

Upstream Flow (Sub → GC)

Upstream flow happens when a subcontractor responds or submits information inside an Action assigned by the GC.

This can include:

Although subcontractors cannot assign Actions to GC users, their updates flow upstream through the same Action. The GC is notified and sees the response in context.

Upstream flow is about information and progress moving back, not ownership changing.

Why Actions Don’t Move Between Projects

Actions never transfer between GC and subcontractor projects.

Instead:

This prevents duplicate Actions, lost context, and conflicting versions of work.

What This Means in Practice

Responsibility moves, but ownership stays clear.

Next Steps

Action Types

Action Types

Punch Lists

Action Types

Scheduled Work

Action Types

Purchase Orders

Action Types

Change Orders

Action Types

RFI's

Summary

This tutorial covers how to create and manage Requests for Information (RFIs) in BuilderPal to seek clarifications on project details, ensuring timely resolutions and maintaining project documentation.

Prerequisites

Steps

There are two ways to create an RFI in BuilderPal: from the project overview or from the Actions tab.

Method 1: From the Project Overview

  1. Log in to BuilderPal and select your project. — Open the BuilderPal app, enter your credentials, and choose the project from the dashboard.

    Screen Shot 2026-03-06 at 12.25.09 PM.png

  2. Access the project. — In the project overview screen, click New+ to access the dropdown menu located in the top right corner, select Actions > RFI.

    screenshot.webp

Method 2: From the Actions Tab

  1. Navigate to your project. — Log in to BuilderPal and select the desired project from the dashboard.


  2. Go to the Actions tab. — On the left sidebar, click Actions to open the actions overview.


  3. Click the + New button. — In the top right corner of the Actions screen, click the + New button to open the add action menu.


  4. Choose Request For Information (RFI). — From the dropdown menu, select Request For Information (RFI) to start creating a new RFI.


  5. Enter RFI details. — Fill in the subject, detailed question or description, assign to responsible party (e.g., architect or engineer), set due date for response, attach any supporting documents or images, and add cost or schedule impact if applicable.


  6. Preview and save the RFI. — Click Preview to review, then Save or Submit to send it to the assignee and notify the team.


Confirmation

You'll know it worked when the RFI appears in the Actions overview, and the assignee receives a notification requesting their response.

FAQ

Q: What should be included in an RFI description? A: A clear question, context from plans or specs, and any potential impacts to help the responder provide accurate information.

Q: Can RFIs be linked to other actions? A: Yes, you can reference related change orders, punch lists, or site instructions within the RFI details.

Q: How are RFI responses handled? A: Responders can reply directly in BuilderPal, updating the status and attaching answers or revised documents.

Q: What if an RFI requires urgent attention? A: Set a short due date and use notifications to alert key stakeholders; escalate via job chat if needed.

Q: Are RFIs auditable for project records? A: Yes, all RFIs and responses are logged with timestamps and user details for compliance and disputes.

Action Types

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