Trigger
Prospect or repeat developer makes contact
Phase One
Opportunity Intake and Evaluation
Principal
PROCESS 1.1
Opportunity Intake Process
End state
Drawing set received and filed in Google Drive with its development level known
Trigger
Opportunity arrives in the office
End state
Superintendent aware a project is coming
Trigger
Repeat developer brings Slate in during architectural design
End state
Design aligned with the developer's intended budget before formal bidding
PROCESS 1.2
Opportunity Evaluation Process
Trigger
Drawing set received
End state
Go or no-go decision made on the opportunity
Trigger
UNKNOWN — no trigger defined; the codified screen does not exist yet
End state
Written screen that another person can apply to an incoming opportunity
Trigger
UNKNOWN — no trigger defined; the decline step is unmapped
End state
Decline reason recorded against the opportunity and the prospect answered
Phase Two
Historical Budget Development
Principal
PROCESS 2.1
Job Workspace Setup Process
Trigger
Opportunity accepted
End state
Job-specific budget workbook created from the master template
Trigger
Opportunity accepted
End state
Job project created and renamed from the template
Trigger
Job project created
End state
Open plan questions captured as tasks
Trigger
Internal job project created
End state
Client-facing job project created and shared with the owner and design team
PROCESS 2.2
Budget Build and Specification Process
Trigger
Job budget workbook created
End state
Job quantities established for every priced line item
Trigger
Job quantities established
End state
Budget populated from historical unit costs
Trigger
Budget populated from historical unit costs
End state
Every unselected finish carries a placeholder allowance
Trigger
Budget populated and allowances applied
End state
One-pager states coverage and assumptions and carries a single lump-sum price
Trigger
UNKNOWN — no trigger defined; the contingency line does not exist yet
End state
Budget carries a named contingency line sized against project risk
Trigger
UNKNOWN — no trigger defined; the review step does not exist yet
End state
Second reviewer has signed off on quantities, allowances, and assumptions
Trigger
A project completes
End state
UNKNOWN — source does not define what counts as variation or when the refresh is complete
Phase Three
Budget Presentation and Agreement
Principal
PROCESS 3.1
Budget Presentation and Agreement Process
Trigger
One-pager ready to send
End state
Owner has the lump-sum figure and has confirmed it is workable or named the gap
Trigger
Owner confirms the figure is workable
End state
Unpriced construction agreement in the owner's hands for legal review
Trigger
Owner confirms the figure is workable
End state
Pre-construction agreement signed and returned, or waived for a repeat developer
Trigger
Pre-construction agreement issued
End state
Pre-construction fee invoiced and paid
Trigger
UNKNOWN — no trigger defined; the allowance schedule does not exist yet
End state
Owner-signed allowance schedule listing every allowance category, amount, and selection deadline
Phase Four
Permitting and Project Release
Principal
PROCESS 4.1
Permit Submission Process
Trigger
Pre-construction agreement signed
End state
Plans submitted and under city review with fees paid and carried for reimbursement
Trigger
City returns review comments
End state
Architect has the comments and issues updated drawings
Trigger
Plans submitted and under city review
End state
Permit status visible and tracked to approval
PROCESS 4.2
Drawing Refinement Process
Trigger
Pre-construction agreement signed on a design development set
End state
Refined permit or bid set received from the owner
Trigger
Schedule pressure makes waiting for the refined set unacceptable
End state
Scopes carry the detail the drawings omit and solicitation can proceed
Trigger
Refined drawing set requested from the owner
End state
Outstanding drawing request visible with an expected date
PROCESS 4.3
Field Release Process
Trigger
Plans submitted to the city
End state
Superintendent has authorization to start on the job
Trigger
Superintendent has authorization to start
End state
Superintendent holds the budget and plans and has started the schedule
Trigger
UNKNOWN — no trigger defined; the handoff artifact does not exist yet
End state
Written release listing plan set, budget, permit status, and what the field owns
Phase Five
Subcontractor Solicitation and Award
Principal
PROCESS 5.1
Scope of Work Preparation Process
Trigger
Drawing basis for pricing settled
End state
List of trades requiring a formal scope of work set for the job
Trigger
Trades requiring a formal scope identified
End state
Trade-specific scope of work drafted for each selected trade
Trigger
Trade scopes drafted
End state
Job subcontractor roster set on the bid tracking sheet
PROCESS 5.2
Bid Solicitation Process
Trigger
Trade scopes drafted and roster set
End state
Every selected subcontractor has the scope, the plans, and a bid due date
Trigger
Bid requests sent
End state
Every solicited scope shows a current status on the tracking sheet
Trigger
Friction with an incumbent trade or a decision to trial a new contractor
End state
Two or three prices in hand for the contested scope
PROCESS 5.3
Bid Award Process
Trigger
Subcontractor prices returned
End state
Awarded contractor chosen for each contested scope
Trigger
Awarded contractor chosen
End state
Signed scope of work on file for the awarded contractor
Trigger
A contractor new to Slate is awarded a scope
End state
Master subcontractor agreement signed and filed in Google Drive
Trigger
UNKNOWN — no trigger defined; the leveling step does not exist yet
End state
Every returned bid normalized to the same inclusion list with scope gaps assigned
Trigger
UNKNOWN — no trigger defined; the verification step does not exist yet
End state
Current insurance certificate and license on file for every awarded subcontractor
Phase Six
Selections and Material Pricing
Principal
PROCESS 6.1
Owner Selections Process
Trigger
Finishes remain unselected after the budget meeting
End state
Owner has made their selections at the supplier
Trigger
Owner has made their selections
End state
Supplier has actual quantities and is re-quoting
Trigger
Supplier returns the re-quote
End state
Placeholder allowance replaced with real supplier pricing
PROCESS 6.2
Material Takeoff Process
Trigger
Scopes of work sent to subcontractors
End state
Slate-supplied material quantities established and priced for the job
Trigger
Material takeoffs required and office capacity available
End state
Takeoff work divided and assigned
Phase Seven
Final Budget and Contract Execution
Principal
PROCESS 7.1
Final Budget Assembly Process
Trigger
All subcontractor bids and supplier quotes returned
End state
Final budget reflects real prices for every line item and the gap against the owner's ceiling is quantified
Trigger
Final budget exceeds the owner's ceiling
End state
Final budget brought within the owner's ceiling
Trigger
Final budget brought within the owner's ceiling
End state
Owner has accepted the final budget and the acceptance is recorded
PROCESS 7.2
Contract Execution Process
Trigger
Final budget accepted by the owner
End state
Construction agreement carries the final contract amounts
Trigger
Construction agreement carries the final contract amounts
End state
Construction agreement executed by the owner
Trigger
Construction agreement issued for legal review
End state
Contract status visible from issue through execution
WORKFLOW MAP REVIEW
Notes & Assumptions
Sources and confidence
- Main source: the 2026-07-21 office and bidding session (OFF-F1 to OFF-F78). High confidence.
- Business context: the 2026-05-19 discovery conversation (DISC-F6, F7, F11, F12, F14, F15).
- Tool changes: the 2026-08-11 tech-stack session (STACK-F5 to F31). JobTread and Quo were confirmed by Patrick on 2026-08-25.
- Field-side evidence: Tom Kirk, 2026-08-05 (TOM-F4 to F8, F11, F12, F48) and Connor Fields, 2026-08-06 (CON-F2 to F8).
- Transcripts garble product names. Clean names are used: Asana, Instagantt, JobTread, Quo, Adaptive, Granola, ConX under Houzz, Buildertrend, OG&E.
- 41 active where the work happens today, 14 gap where a step should exist and does not.
Why the reduction is below the typical band
Some work in this map also appears in other maps.
Old-to-new activity map
| Draft | Final | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 to 1.1.3; 1.1.4 | 1.1.1; 1.1.2 | M1 |
| 1.2.1 to 1.2.5; 1.2.6 | 1.2.1; 1.2.2 | M2 |
| 2.3.1, 2.3.2; 2.4.x | 2.2.4; 2.3.x | M3, process merge and renumber |
| 3.1.1 to 3.1.4; 3.2.1 to 3.2.3 | 3.1.1; 3.1.2 to 3.1.4 | M4, process merge and renumber |
| 4.1.1, 4.1.2; 4.1.3, 4.1.4 | 4.1.1; 4.1.2, 4.1.3 | M5 |
| 6.1.2, 6.1.3; 6.1.4 | 6.1.2; 6.1.3 | M6 |
| 7.1.1, 7.1.2; 7.1.3 | 7.1.1; 7.1.2 | M7 |
| (new) | 1.1.3, 1.2.3, 2.1.4, 2.2.5, 2.2.6, 3.1.5, 3.1.6, 5.3.4, 5.3.5, 7.1.3 | Added; all other numbers unchanged |
Structure notes
- One owner. Almost everything is done by the Principal. Phase breaks mark real gates, not changes of hands.
- Where work changes hands: Owner (Phases 3 and 4), subs and suppliers (5 and 6), Office Manager (6.2), super (4.3).
- The super's workflow starts in Phase 4 and runs alongside Phases 5 to 7.
- Phase 3 has one process. It stays a phase because it holds the money line.
- Phases 1 to 3 are unpaid; 4 to 7 are paid. See question 2.
- One bid sheet. The Phase 2 budget and the Phase 7 final budget are the same tab at two points in time.
- Phase 6 runs alongside Phase 5. Ops map is sequential, so they are listed in order.
- Shared processes: 2.1, 2.3, 4.3, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2 (rows 1 to 6 in `_process-registry.md`). Unhappy paths are thin; see questions 6 to 8.
Assumptions to verify
- Role names. `Principal` is the business owner. `Owner` is the client. Superintendent maps to Site Supervision. Confirmed once, in the Field Execution map (question 4).
- The office manager is a single point of failure on cost data. One person keeps the unit costs every budget is built from.
- Acceptance is mostly undefined. Nobody has said how the owner accepts the one-pager, what opens paid work for repeat developers, or how the super confirms the field release.
- Budget ownership. Budget and scope ownership is unclear. Patrick says he does nearly all of it. Tom says he did it on one live job. See question 3.
- Sub-functions are tentative. Fourteen across 55 activities; largest are Budget Estimating (10), Contract Administration (8), Bid Management (8).
- Estimating volume. About five bids a year against seven to eight jobs finished, so some repeat jobs may skip full bidding. Unresolved.
Rule deviations
[Rule deviation] Twelve activity titles name the person receiving something (1.1.2, 2.1.4, 3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.1.6, 4.1.2, 4.2.1, 5.3.2, 6.1.1, 7.1.3, 7.2.2). Eleven name an outside party; 1.1.2 names the super. Accepted, following the Paxus maps.
[Rule deviation] Phase breaks mark gates, not changes of hands, because one role does nearly everything. Accepted.
[Rule deviation] The release to the super is written in Phase 4 (the sending side) because the receiving side lives in another map. Accepted.
Tool transitions
| Tool in this workflow | Where it appears | Decided target | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asana | Job project, tasks, schedule template (2.1.2, 2.1.3, 4.3.2) | JobTread | Decided. Running jobs finish in Asana |
| Instagantt | Schedule editing (4.3.2) | JobTread Gantt | Decided. Retires with Asana |
| Excel and Google Sheets | Master budget, bid tracking, sub database (2.1.1, 2.2.2, 2.3.1, 5.1.3, 5.2.2, 6.1.3, 7.1.1) | JobTread | Decided for most sheets; master budget open |
| Personal cell | Calls and texts (1.1.1, Phases 5 and 6) | Quo | Decided. Number porting undecided |
| In-person conversation | Super notification and field release (1.1.2, 4.3.1) | Slack, channel per job | Proposed, after JobTread and Quo |
| Gmail and Google Drive | Drawings, bids, quotes, agreements (throughout) | Staying | No replacement |
| Adaptive | Fee invoicing, city fees (3.1.4, 4.1.1) | Staying | Untouched |
| ConX under Houzz | Takeoffs (2.2.1, 6.2.1) | No decision | Stays by default. One super prefers Bluebeam |
Granola is available but no meeting here is recorded today. JobTread selections is the target for 6.1.1.
FOR THE MAPPING SESSION
All open questions (19)
Phase 1: Opportunity Intake and Evaluation
Jump to phase ↑- Q14
Is a declined opportunity recorded anywhere today?
Phase 2: Historical Budget Development
Jump to phase ↑- Q11
Is the spec one-pager a template today?
- Q16
Should the budget carry a visible contingency line?
- Q17
Should a second person, likely the office manager, review the budget before it is presented?
Phase 3: Budget Presentation and Agreement
Jump to phase ↑- Q4
On repeat-developer jobs, is the owner's verbal yes at the budget meeting the go-ahead to spend sub time?
- Q5
Is there a set path when the presented number is far above the owner's ceiling?
Phase 4: Permitting and Project Release
Jump to phase ↑- Q6
Should the office own permit tracking as a status field on the job?
- Q7
Should the field release become a written list (plans, budget, permit status, what the field owns) that the super confirms in writing with a schedule due date?
Phase 5: Subcontractor Solicitation and Award
Jump to phase ↑- Q8
Is price variance the whole rule for which trades get a formal scope?
- Q18
Do returned bids get checked against each other for scope gaps today?
- Q19
Is sub insurance and license re-verified on each job today?
Phase 6: Selections and Material Pricing
Jump to phase ↑- Q9
Is the split that the office manager takes repeatable takeoffs and the principal keeps the judgment-heavy ones?
Phase 7: Final Budget and Contract Execution
Jump to phase ↑- Q1
Is the signed construction agreement the single end of this workflow?
- Q12
Does a final budget review with the owner happen before the contract amounts are filled in?
Workflow-wide
- Q2
[P1-P7] Do we split this at the pre-construction agreement, with Phases 1 to 3 as unpaid bidding and 4 to 7 as paid pre-construction?
- Q3
[P2, P5] Who owns the budget, scopes, bid requests, and the schedule, and when does a super step in?
- Q10
[P2, P3] Should QuickBooks be added as the accounting system behind Adaptive?
- Q13
[P6, P7] Does whoever runs a takeoff also price it and enter it into the final budget?
- Q15
[P2, P3] Should allowances become a signed exhibit with amounts by category and a selection deadline?