projects

Objective

Using Project Dispatch with maestro*MOBILE allows employees working on a construction site to enter project-related data throughout the day before sending it to maestro*. More specifically, with maestro*MOBILE, foremen or employees can report their attendance, enter their work time, document a description of the work done, attach photos, make resource requisitions, see subcontractors and contacts, etc.

The foreman is usually in charge of maestro*MOBILE entries. However, the project manager, site supervisor, team leads, and employees can also make entries – with certain restrictions.

 

Summary

To access a specific section of the document, click the links below:

• Project Page
  • Project Hours Summary Button
  • Consult Hours Worked Button
  • Projects With Active Dispatch Only Box
  • Projects
• Project Details Page
  • Project Name
  • Project Status
  • Daily Entries
  • Additional Options on the Project Details Page
• Daily Entry Page
  • Take Attendance Button
  • Enter Time Button
  • Hour Summary Button
  • Daily Entry Summary Button
  • Close the Day Button
  • Additional Options on the Project Details Page
  • Delete Entry Button

 

Project Page

The Project page is displayed after selecting the Project interface from the maestro*MOBILE main menu. The project list can be presented By Project or By Date. If the By Date option is selected, the current date is the default. We can go back a maximum of one day, but a future date can be chosen without limit.

Project Hours Summary Button

The first available option is the Project Hours Summary that allows foremen to view project dispatch history. It shows the number of hours worked by all the employees present on a given day, as well as worked hours for ongoing dispatch projects.

Foremen managing more than one dispatch project on the same day – and for which all required daily steps Required steps reference to taking attendance, entering worked hours, and the Project Hours Summary or Daily Entry Summary. have been completed – can close the day from the Hours Summary (for each project) or the Project Hours Summary, by pressing the Complete button.

Consult Hours Worked Button

The Consult Hours Worked option allows a user to view all of their hours worked for a given pay period, after selection the start and end date of the period. The employee's worked hours will appear for every day of worked pay period, whatever the source: timesheet, daily entries, project hours, service calls, or work orders. The user will be able to view the total hours worked for the selected pay period, per day and assignment. In addition to the number of hours, the rate type (regular, half, or double time), the work shift, project, activity, and the trade are displayed in each tile representing a day.

The Approve button allows the user to confirm their hours, which they can see displayed on this page. Approving the hours will generate a form signed by the user (signature from their employee record) and this form will be added to the document management option for this employee.

Displaying Pay Periods

In addition to the current one, maestro*MOBILE limits the available pay periods to four. The recorded hours contain those from days that still have not been closed. As the displayed hours were entered by the users, they may not match the actual final hours if modifications are made in maestro* after the hour transfers. The worked hours can, however, be printed as a PDF document from maestro*MOBILE by using a mobile application.

Projects With Active Dispatch Only Box

The Projects With Active Dispatch Only check box enables allows users to display all or only dispatch projects to which they are allocated, if those are not closed. The objective of this option is to allow users to narrow down the dispatch project list displayed, making it shorter and more effective.

The Projects With Active Dispatch Only check box is not checked by default. However, the system will save the last choice made by the user, in order to limit the need to check the box with each use.

Projects

The Project page lists all dispatch projects that have not yet been closed and can be accessed by users for a set period configured in maestro*. Press a specific dispatch project to see its details.

 

Project Details Page

The Project Details page provides access to all the information related to a dispatch project. Any data displayed on the page applies to the entire dispatch project, not a specific date.

Project Name

Pressing a dispatch project first displays its name, at the top of the page.

Project Status

Located near the top of the page, a horizontal blue bar identifies the dispatch project’s status.

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Status	Description
Ongoing	Indicates the dates on which the day has not yet been closed. NOTES: Not started, cancelled and returned daily entries are displayed alongside those with an ongoing status. As opposed to ongoing daily entries whose date appears in blue, not started daily entries appear in grey, returned daily entries appear in yellow, and cancelled daily entries are preceded by a red X and appear against a grey background. If more than 20 daily entries are listed, a button labelled Show More Entries is displayed; users must press it to display additional entries.
Closed	Displays the project work days that have been closed in maestro*MOBILE. NOTES: When the status is closed, users can press a button to access a calendar and select the date for which closed and transferred daily entries (that were previously dispatched) should be displayed. The information on this page is only made available for consultation purposes. It is, however, possible to reopen a closed day that has not yet been transferred to maestro*; in maestro*MOBILE, press the day’s date. The transfer will later be processed by a maestro* user logged into maestro*.

Daily Entries

In the Project Details page, daily entries created for the dispatch project are displayed one after the other, in chronological order. It is possible to press on each one to view previously entered information or to enter missing information. Incomplete daily entries are displayed in black and completed ones in blue.

Daily entries which were canceled in maestro*'s Project Dispatch option are greyed out and display a red X, as well as the reason why it as canceled. Canceled daily entries will be displayed for four days, after which they will disappear.

Daily Entry Returned to maestro*MOBILE User, in maestro*

When a day previously closed in maestro*MOBILE is refused and returned by the maestro* user, it is displayed in yellow at the top of the daily entry list. The maestro*MOBILE user must press the daily entry to see why it was returned, make the appropriate changes and close the day again. The customer’s or contact’s signature is not required when a day is closed a second time.

If no dispatch has been created for the current day, the foremen can add a daily entry directly from maestro*MOBILE by pressing the aptly named Add Daily Entry button. Two options are possible: create a new entry for the date (including all related information) or copy an existing daily entry.

Additional Options on the Project Details Page

Additional non-required options enable maestro*MOBILE users to view or include more information.

Non-Required Options

Option	Used to
Contacts	View the people who are involved in the project dispatch. NOTE: Contact information must first be entered in maestro* when creating the project in the Project Management option.
Material Requisitions	Create a requisition of items whether in or out of catalogue for the dispatch project or view ongoing or completed requisitions. Special equipment requisitions are processed from the daily entry as they are needed on a specific date.
Orders	If the employee has the necessary rights See Employee Management in maestro* (Time Management > Payroll > Employees > Employee Management). to do so, create a catalogue order pertaining to the visit: add at least one item to the order (modify the unit price if needed), specify the supplier and delivery address, and, if applicable, add photos/documents and a memo. Afterwards, send the order to the supplier and finish (transfer) the order directly through maestro*MOBILE. The committed costs will then be displayed in the project's summary.
Recommendations	Make one or several recommendations for a project dispatch or view existing ones.
Shop Drawings	View the project's various shop drawings, as entered in the Shop Drawing Management option in maestro*.
Photos/Documents	View documents attached to the project dispatch, such as contracts, technical specifications, layouts or diagrams, or photos.

 

Daily Entry Page

When users add a daily entry or select a previously created or closed entry, they access the Daily Entry page.

This page first displays the selected entry’s date as well as the project to which the entry is linked.

Take Attendance Button

The Take Attendance button enables users to confirm their presence on the work site. As the notion of attendance also applies to, the button can also be used to add them and indicate their attendance or absence. The employees, work teams, and equipment must, however, be previously configured in maestro* (in the Security Management option), and the user requires the necessary authorizations to add labour in maestro*MOBILE.

Enter Time Button

The Enter Time option allows users to post their worked time. They can also indicate the worked time for other employees, teams or equipment if, for example, they were added through the Take Attendance option. Adding time can be done individually or as a batch. Users are able to specify whether the work was done in regular, overtime or double rate, and add a bonus or an allowance if needed. Two time entry modes are available in the maestro*MOBILE Projects interface: standard and unified. The unified mode enables users to complete all the required fields on a single page.

Hour Summary Button

The Hour Summary is the last required step before a day can be closed in maestro*MOBILE. In addition to providing one final possibility to view and validate the resources and their worked hours, the summary is also used to indicate that resources have left the work site and finished their work day. The option only becomes functional once all the previous required steps have been completed (attendance and time entry).

Daily Entry Summary Button

The Daily Entry Summary displays a condensed report of the day. It shows employee hours (including time type – i.e. regular, overtime or double), equipment, material used, additional fields content, etc. The option is only available and visible to foremen. This condensed report can be shown to the customer or project manager to be approved and signed (optional feature). When the contact presses I Agree, a new page opens to capture his signature. Once the day is closed, the report can be printed or viewed from maestro*, as well as attached to an invoice. A copy of the report can also be emailed to a contact person after the signature has been saved. Maestro* first offers the project’s contact person as contact for the signature. If that information is not available, maestro* moves on to the customer’s dedicated contact person. Users can also enter the name and email address of any other contact person. The Daily Entry Summary page is divided in several sections that can be hidden if needed.

Close the Day Button

As its name indicates, the Close the Day button is used to end the work day and indicate that the employees have left. This step is the last one to be executed in the daily entry using a mobile application process. Any information specific to that day must have been previously entered or recorded using the options available on the page.

 

A day closed in maestro*MOBILE can be reopened if it has not been transferred by the maestro* dispatch grid user.

Additional Options on the Page

Options	Sert à Used to
Resource Requisition	View or requisition special equipment or the services of an additional or specialized employee for a later date.
Subcontractors & Contacts	Indicate a third party’s attendance and worked hours on a site. The information can be later used as reference. NOTE: Subcontractors assigned to a dispatch project for the day can be dispatched either from the grid in maestro* or from this feature in maestro*MOBILE. However, regardless of the method used, subcontractors must first be configured in maestro*. Contacts, on the other hand, can be added only through maestro* dispatch grid.
Orders	If the employee has the necessary rights See Employee Management in maestro* (Time Management > Payroll > Employees > Employee Management). to do so, create a catalogue order pertaining to the visit: add at least one item to the order (modify the unit price if needed), specify the supplier and delivery address, and, if applicable, add photos/documents. Afterwards, send the order to the supplier and finish (transfer) the order directly through maestro*MOBILE. The committed costs will then be displayed in the project's summary.
Material Used	Specify which material (catalogue or non-catalogue items) was used on site. It is also possible to directly scan items with a barcode scanner.
Weather	Identify the temperature, weather conditions, and precipitations as they can affect the work done.
Daily Notes	Enter additional notes. NOTE: These notes are displayed in the Daily Entry Summary page.
Production	Share the progress of various project-related activities if it’s a dispatch project. NOTE: This option is used with activities that are usually monitored by production (such as railroad construction, roadwork, etc.) It is generally completed by foremen.
Progress Percentage	Indicate the progress percentage of some predefined project activities. PREREQUISITE CONFIGURATIONS: This option is only displayed if the Type of Projection – as defined in Project Management – is one of the following: Progress % – Add Loss/Gain Progress % – Expense pace Rythm
Interruptions	Note down the time or moment of the day when work on the site had to be interrupted if required. NOTE: New work interruptions added by users in maestro*MOBILE don’t modify the resources’ work time, as opposed to breaks predefined in maestro* for which an activity was entered.
Text Message to Team	Send a text message to all employees entered in a future daily entry, to a maximum of 7 working days from the current date. This option is not available in a daily entry for the current date.
Documents/Photos	Add pictures or documents to the daily entry. If necessary, select a document category to create a pending transaction in maestro *. Otherwise, the default category will be assigned. NOTES: If the selected document category is linked to a specific transaction type, it is possible to create a pending transaction in maestro*. See maestro * online help for more information. The Documents/Photos options on the Daily Entry and Project Details pages each have their own behaviour. While the option on the Project Details page can only be used to view the contents depending on the users’ security level, photos and documents can be added to the Daily Entry page’s Documents/Photos option.
Production by Bid Item	Indicate how much work was done in order to partly bill the customer based on the progress that was made, in quantity or in percentage. NOTE: This option is only displayed if the Production by Bid Item option is installed in maestro*.
Skills & Certificates	View the certificates or skills of the dispatch project’s employees. Documents attached to employees’ human resources files in maestro* can also be displayed.
Additional Fields	Specify additional information required by the employer if needed. The Additional Fields option can be used to create a standardized form where users can insert details other than those entered in existing options. ADDITIONAL FIELDS CONFIGURATION: The configuration is made under the Additional Fields tab of the Daily Entry option ( maestro* > Projects > Project Costing > Daily Entry > Daily Entry). An update or reset of the maestro* DDF/ODBC is required to ensure the newly created additional fields appear in maestro*MOBILE.
Employee Evaluation	Evaluate site employees when needed based on parameters previously configured in maestro*. Using the Employee Evaluation option is not required. EVALUATION PARAMETERS CONFIGURATION: The parameter configuration must previously be completed in maestro*: maestro* > Time Management > Human Resources > Crew Management > Define Evaluation Criteria.
Equipment Meters	Enter the values indicated on the meters of the equipment on site for a given day. NOTES: This option is available to companies using the Preventive Maintenance module. Values indicated on the meters are updated in maestro*: When saving the daily entry (in the Daily Entry option); When transferring the daily entry (to the equipment file).

Delete Entry Button

As its name indicates, the Delete Entry button can be used to delete a daily entry without it recording any data or making it look as a closed day. An entry can be deleted if no actions were performed or if only attendance was taken.

 

see also

• Using the Projects Interface

 

Last modification: août 06, 2024