Client Dashboard
Your command center for managing all projects, approving contractor bids, tracking progress, and monitoring invoices. Everything you need to hire and oversee contractors in one place.
Why Use the Dashboard
Centralize project management and stay on top of every detail
Central hub — all projects, approvals, and updates in one place. No email hunting.
See contractor performance at a glance — alerts if they're falling behind schedule or unresponsive.
Accept bids quickly — compare multiple contractors side-by-side with ratings and pricing.
Track spending — invoices, payments, and project costs all visible and auditable.
Communicate with contractors directly — no email or phone tag; all messages in-platform.
Monitor progress with photos — contractors document work; you see proof and approve before final payment.
Dashboard Cards Explained
What you see and how to use it
Active Projects
Current work orders you've posted and accepted bids on
- Shows current project title, contractor name, and completion percentage
- Quick-click to view timeline, tasks, and payment status
- See at-a-glance: On schedule? Milestones completed? Contractor responsive?
- Red flag alerts: Project overdue, invoice pending, contractor unresponsive
Pending Approvals
Competing bids waiting for your decision
- Lists all open work orders with submitted bids from contractors
- Side-by-side comparison of contractor profiles, pricing, and timelines
- View contractor reviews (5-dimension: overall, quality, communication, timeliness, value)
- Accept best bid → Project created, contractor assigned, work begins
Recent Activity
Timeline of updates from your contractors
- New task completed, photos uploaded, payment received
- Messages from contractors (questions, updates, requests)
- Invoice sent or payment made
- Contractor uploaded progress photos or updated timeline
- Quick scan to see what's happening across all projects
Quick Actions
Fast paths to common tasks
- Post a work order (post a new job, get contractor bids)
- View my approvals (see pending quotes, make hiring decisions)
- Browse the job board as reference (see contractor bids, pricing trends)
- Message a contractor (follow up on quote, ask clarification)
- Approve payment (review invoice, release payment)
Client vs. Contractor Dashboard
How they differ and serve each party
Purpose
Client
Manage multiple projects, monitor progress, hire contractors
Contractor
Find work, complete projects, track invoicing
Primary Cards
Client
Active projects, pending approvals, recent activity
Contractor
Jobs available, my quotes, my projects
Key Metric
Client
How much work is on track? Who is performing best?
Contractor
How much work won? How much revenue generated?
Decision Focus
Client
Hire the right contractors, keep projects moving
Contractor
Win more work, deliver on time, get paid
Common Scenarios
Real situations from a client's perspective
You posted a work order; 3 contractors submitted bids in 24 hours
Go to Pending Approvals. See all 3 bids side-by-side: contractor reputation, price, timeline, certifications. Read their reviews. Click 'Accept' on the best fit. Immediately, that contractor is assigned, a project is created, and work begins. Other contractors are auto-notified you chose someone else.
Your kitchen remodel is 2 weeks behind schedule
Dashboard shows the red flag. Click the project. See the Timeline tab. Contractor updated the finish date to +14 days (and likely filed a change order explaining why — weather, client-requested change, material delay). You get visibility and can plan accordingly (e.g., reschedule your move-in date).
Contractor sent an invoice for $5,000; you want to verify the work was done
Go to the project's Photos tab. See timestamped progress photos. Go to Tasks — see which are marked complete. Go to Materials — see exactly what was used. Go to Time Tracking — see hours logged. Now you're confident the invoice is legitimate and approve payment.
You have 5 projects running. You want a quick status update
Dashboard's Recent Activity feeds you the latest from all projects in one place. Contractor A uploaded photos. Contractor B sent a message. Project C just hit 50% completion. Contractor D requested payment approval. Scan, prioritize, act. No hunting through email.
What to Watch Out For
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Accepting the First Bid Without Comparing
The Problem
You get 3 bids but approve the first one immediately. Later, you see a better contractor submitted a cheaper, higher-quality option. Now you're locked in and regretful.
The Fix
Give bids 24-48 hours to roll in. Then compare all. Look at reviews, not just price. A $1,000 cheaper bid might mean the contractor cuts corners.
Not Paying Attention to Pending Approvals
The Problem
You posted a work order 2 weeks ago. You're so busy you never check for bids. Contractors assume you're not serious and move on. You lose the opportunity.
The Fix
Set a reminder: check Pending Approvals every 2-3 days. Contractors respond faster when they see clients are responsive. Delays hurt everyone.
Ignoring the Activity Feed
The Problem
A contractor uploaded 10 progress photos, but you never saw them (didn't think to check dashboard). Later, disputes arise because you don't know the state of the work.
The Fix
Scan Recent Activity weekly. Or enable notifications so you're alerted when contractors update projects. Stay in the loop.
Approving Payment Without Reviewing Supporting Documentation
The Problem
You approve an invoice without checking Photos, Time Tracking, or Materials. Later, you realize you paid for work not yet done or materials not delivered.
The Fix
Before approving any invoice, click the project and verify: 1) Photos showing the work. 2) Tasks marked complete matching invoice line items. 3) Materials logged. Takes 5 minutes but saves disputes.
Confusing Dashboard with Project Details
The Problem
You're looking for a task's details but search the dashboard instead of going into the project. You can't find what you need and get frustrated.
The Fix
Dashboard = 30,000 ft view (all projects, alerts, recent activity). Click a project to zoom in to 100 ft view (tasks, timeline, payment, photos). Different tools for different purposes.
Start Using Your Dashboard
Log in and explore your active projects and pending approvals. Post your first work order and see contractor bids roll in within hours.