Subcontractor Management Overview
Manage the complete lifecycle of subcontracted work from defining work items and budgets through work order creation, progress measurement, and payment processing.
Access the Subcontractor module from the main menu: Execute > Subcontractor. All work item management, requisitions, work orders, and measurement functions are available within this section.
Subcontractor Workflow
The subcontractor management lifecycle follows a structured, approval-gated process that ensures proper authorization, competitive pricing, and accurate progress tracking at every stage:
- Create Work Items Break down the Job Scope into discrete tasks and deliverables that can be assigned to subcontractors. Organize them into Work Groups and Work Order Items.
- Create & Approve Budget Establish a budget for the defined Work Items. The approved budget controls spending limits for all subsequent subcontractor procurement.
- Work Requisition (WR) Raise a site request specifying the work items and quantities needed. The WR captures the demand for subcontractor resources and requires approval.
- Request for Proposal (RFP) Convert the approved WR into an RFP and circulate it to prospective subcontractors. Record and evaluate vendor offers.
- Vendor Offers & Selection Receive proposals from subcontractors, compare them side by side, and select the most suitable offer based on price, capability, and terms.
- Work Order (WO) Generate a Work Order from the selected vendor offer. Data auto-populates from the offer. The WO requires approval before the subcontractor can begin work.
- Measurements As work progresses, create Measurement Sheets to document the quantities and details of work completed by the subcontractor.
- Payment Based on approved Measurement Sheets, generate subcontractor bills and process payments through the Vendor Payables module.
Each phase depends on completion and approval of the previous phase. This ensures proper authorization before any work begins or payments are made, protecting the organization from unauthorized commitments.
Key Integration Points
The Subcontractor module integrates with several other modules in JobNext to provide end-to-end visibility:
| Integration | Description |
|---|---|
| Estimates & Budgets | Work Item budgets link to Job Estimates for cost control and variance analysis |
| Procurement | Material provisioned and issued to subcontractors is tracked in inventory; reconciliation reports available |
| Finance — Payables | Approved measurements generate vendor bills in the Accounts Payable module for payment processing |
| Monitoring — SCM Reports | Reports on work requisitions, material reconciliation, and subcontractor stock for management oversight |
Module Pages
Work Items & Budgets
Define work items, organize into groups, and create approved budgets for spending control.
Work Requisitions & RFP
Raise site requests, circulate proposals to subcontractors, and evaluate offers.
Work Orders
Generate work orders from vendor offers with approval workflows and material provisioning.
Measurements & Progress
Track work progress through measurement sheets and connect to payment processing.
Best Practices
- Define Work Items thoroughly — Invest time in clearly defining work items before starting the WR process to avoid scope ambiguity
- Get budgets approved early — Approve budgets well in advance to avoid delays in the procurement pipeline
- Circulate RFPs to multiple subcontractors — Ensure competitive pricing by soliciting proposals from at least three qualified subcontractors
- Record measurements promptly — Create Measurement Sheets as soon as work is completed to maintain accurate progress records
- Reconcile material regularly — Track material issued to subcontractors against provisioned quantities to prevent waste and discrepancies
- Ensure all approvals are obtained — Never allow work to begin without a fully approved Work Order to protect against unauthorized commitments