Selections on Buildertrend's mobile app allows you to manage your selections from anywhere, keeping your project decisions organized and on track. Easily view selection items, review details, and submit or approve choices directly from your phone. Whether you're in the field or meeting with a client, you’ll have everything you need to keep decisions moving forward without delays.
Navigating to Selections
Start by choosing a job for your Jobs List.
Next, tap More, then choose Selections from the Project Management features list.
Note: Selections are job-specific. You must choose a job to view and manage selections.
Selections & Choices
Adding a new Selection
To add a new Selection, tap the + icon, enter the necessary details, and tap Save when you're finished.
Selection fields
Title – Give the Selection a clear name for quick identification.
Category – Groups the selection under a specific type (e.g., Flooring, Appliances) for organized tracking.
Location – Specifies where the selection applies within the project (e.g., Master Bathroom, Kitchen).
Link To – Toggle on to link the selection deadline to a schedule item for dynamic scheduling.
Deadline & Time – Set a specific date and time in which the selection choice must be made.
Single vs Shared – Determines whether the allowance amount is unique to this selection or shared across multiple selections.
Allowance – Sets the budget for this selection, helping to track costs and avoid overruns.
Choices – After saving the selection, you can add choices to give your clients clear options for products, materials, or finishes. This helps guide decision-making and keeps expectations aligned.
Required – Toggled on, the client will be required to make a selection before the job progresses.
Allow Multiple Selected Choices – Toggled on, the client can select multiple choices offered on the selection
Selection Instructions – Visible to clients, this field provides clear guidance or requirements related to the selection, such as specs, installation notes, or decision details.
Internal Notes – Only visible to internal users, this section is used for documenting background details, reminders, or internal instructions that don’t need to be shared with the client.
Attachments – Take photos, scan documents, or upload supporting files related to the selection.
Participation
Client: Allow to Add/Edit Choices – The client can add or modify selection choices in addition to approving selection choices, offering flexibility if they want to explore or suggest their own options.
Choices added by clients are not automatically approved; you will be required to add cost information, including the client price.
The client will not have access to your internal cost. After that information has been entered, the client will need to approve.
Vendors – Choose the subcontractors or vendors you want to involve in the selection process.
Vendors: Allow to Add/Edit Choices – Allows selected vendors to add new options or modify existing selection choices.
Installers – Assign subcontractors or vendors who will be responsible for installation. They will only see the approved choices, no pricing or editable access is granted.
Adding Choices to a Selection
Once your selection is created and saved, tap the newly created selection from your Selections dashboard and click Edit.
Scroll to the Choices section of the selection and tap Add Choice. Fill in the details like Title, Pricing, Product Link, and more, then tap Save when you're finished.
Repeat this step to add as many choices as needed!
Selection Choice fields
Title – Give the choice a clear name for quick identification.
Attachments – Take photos, scan documents, or upload supporting files related to the choice.
Cost Format – Select the pricing format for the choice item
Flat Fee – Enter a single total price for the choice without itemizing costs.
Line Items – Break down the total cost into individual components for more detailed budgeting and transparency.
Request From Vendor – Send a request to a subcontractor or vendor to provide pricing for the choice.
Show Line Items to Client – If Line Items was selected as the cost format, toggling this on will allow your client to see all cost lines for the choice.
Include in Budget – Indicates whether the cost of this choice should be included in your Job Costing Budget prior to being chosen by your client.
Builder Cost & Client Price:
If Line Items was selected as the cost format – your builder cost & client price totals will auto-populate based on your itemized line items.
If Flat Fee was selected as the cost format – you can manually set your builder cost & client price. These totals will be assigned to the Buildertrend Flat Fee cost code.
If Request From Vendor was selected as the cost format – you can manually set your client price, however, the builder cost field will not be present as that can't be determined until it is provided by the vendor.
Client Price TBD? – If Flat Fee or Request from Vendor was selected as the cost format, you can have the client price be displayed as TBD until you have accurate pricing to display.
Line Items – If Line Items was selected as the cost format, by selecting Add Line Item you can add itemized costs associated with the Change Order.
Product Link – Include the URL to the product page or resource where clients can view more details.
Description – Use this field to provide detailed information about the selection choice, including specifications, features, or any relevant details that help clarify what is being chosen.
Vendor – Select a vendor from the list of subs/vendors that were included on the selection. *This field is required if you are requesting pricing from a vendor.
Releasing the Selection
Once you've created your selection and added all applicable choices, tap the paper airplane icon from the saved selection, or choose Save & Release if you're in edit mode, to send it to your client for review and approval.
Approving Selection Choices
After you've created the selection, added choices, and released it, your client can review and make their selection directly from the client portal, including through the mobile app.
If your client is inactive or does not have access to the client portal, you can approve the selection choices on their behalf to maintain project momentum.
From the selection, tap the choice you want to approve and select Approve. Confirm you’re approving on behalf of your client and add any relevant comments.
Once a Choice has been approved, a notification will be sent to your team and any subs, vendors, or installers listed.
Allowances
Buildertrend’s Allowances feature provides a clear and efficient way to manage client budgets within the Selections process. By assigning a specific budget to either single or shared Selections, you give clients visibility into their spending limits while guiding them toward informed decisions.
Any cost differences between the set allowance and the actual selection choice are automatically tracked, making it simple to identify overages or savings. This not only improves financial transparency but also helps streamline budget adjustments and communication with clients.
Begin by navigating to the Allowances tab from your Selections dashboard. Tap the + icon, enter the necessary details, and tap Save when you're finished.
Allowance fields
Title – The name or label of the allowance, used to identify the budget allocation.
Selections – Links the allowance to one or more existing selection items where the budget will apply.
Notes – Additional context or instructions related to the allowance, such as client expectations or installation details.
Use Line Items – Toggle on to break down the total cost into individual components for more detailed budgeting and transparency.
Builder Cost & Allowance Totals:
If Use Line Items was toggled on – your builder cost & allowance totals will auto-populate based on your itemized line items.
If Use Line Items was left off – you can manually set your builder cost & allowance totals. These totals will be assigned to the Buildertrend Flat Fee cost code.
Line Items – If Use Line Items was toggled on, by selecting Add Line Item you can add itemized costs associated with the Allowance.
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