In this article, we will see the six best practices and tips to configure your issue library on our Finalcad Manager platform. 

Finalcad is first and foremost a communications tool. It is essential to configure your project clearly, explicitly, and simply to facilitate fluid communications between the different companies working at your site.

When creating your library, you need to configure three types of elements:

• The trades at your site
• The companies (associated with each trade)
• The issue types (a list of standard defects)

Let’s look at the differences between these elements and the best practices for an optimal library. 

1. Understanding issue types (or issue example) 

An issue type may be compared to a situation that needs to be dealt with, a defect in the works. Issue types will be recorded in the issue library. They allow the user to select the defect directly in the list without needing to type it in. This saves time at the site and allows the user to focus on added-value activities instead.

The list of issue types is specific to each company. Standard defects are different, from painting to plumbing.

Here are some examples of typical issues: 

• “Repainting second coat” for the painters
• “Removing the valve” for the plumbers
• “Replacing the fixture” for the lighting crew
• Etc.

We suggest formulating the issues using an action word and the designated term for the object in question. This will make the defect to be corrected clearly identifiable. 

After selecting the issue type, the issue will be created in your project and you can then add photos or comments in the activity flow.

During the handover phase of the work, the issue becomes a snag added to the statement with the owner and will have a contractual value.

2. Using one Company/Trade pair 

When creating an issue in the Finalcad application, you must attribute it to the company in charge of fixing it. 

Each company stakeholder on your site will, therefore, have a specific entry in your issue library. Of course, in the case of a trade divided among several companies, we could have the following configuration:

• “Roller Kings/Painting”
• Company: “Roller Kings”
• Trade: Painting 
• “Painting Expert Pte Ltd/Painting”
• Company: “Painting Expert Pte Ltd”
• Trade: Painting 

In the mobile app,  this configuration  appears as follows  when creating  the issue.

3. Differentiating between an issue type and a comment 

Issue types will allow you to pre-define a list of standard issues from the most common issues in each trade. When a user wants to create a new issue, they just need to choose from the list. 

Each issue type list is independent and specific to each company. The “Plumbing” list will be different from the “Framing” list.

On the other hand, a comment is a more detailed description of the issue completed directly by the user. It will not be added to the issue type list and must be manually completed each time an issue is created. 

Photos may accompany the comment. The number of comments per issue is unlimited. 

4. Limiting the number of issue types 

In order to facilitate issue creation, best practice consists of limiting the list of issue type per company/trade pair to 20 entries maximum. 

This ensures the list is sufficiently exhaustive without being too long. For example, it’s often not necessary to state the location of the issue. The location will be indicated by the mark on the blueprint.

A few examples:

5. Reducing library editing to one or two users

Restricting editing will help you control and maintain fluid communication between the different stakeholders. The ability to edit the library allows each user to add, delete, or modify the companies and their associated issue types. 

The more users are allowed to add issue types, the greater the risk of getting a confusing, unusable issue library.

With a view to harmonising and analysing your project data, we recommend you restrict this option to one or two users in charge of supervising list cohesion. 

Otherwise, with each user having their own syntax and vocabulary, the following may result:

• One company with many trades: Lifts, Lifts Companies, ETS Lifts, Lifts ETS. You would not be able to filter a subcontractor’s snags during a visit to the field.
• Many equivalent issue types: Repainting, Paint to be redone, Painting to be redone, etc. The longer the list, the harder it is to select/find the right issue type and the longer the loading time as well.

To restrict editing, you just need to amend each user’s rights on the Finalcad Manager platform. 

1. Select the “Users” section.
2. Edit the user.
3. Select “No” for the “Library Editor” option.

6. Adding an “Other” issue type

The “Other” issue type will allow users without editing rights who haven’t found the appropriate issue to register their issue into the project. They can then add a description of the defect in the comments section. 

This defect can then later be added to the issue type list by the user in charge of supervising the library. 

Once the new issue type is added, the defect can be re-attributed to the issue type for easier follow-up.