GLOSSARY

4-Corners

Drivers performing equipment moves must document the condition of the equipment by taking four photos: one of each corner (front left, front right, back left, and back right). These photos are required both at pick-up and drop-off to ensure the condition of the equipment is accurately recorded.

Active Project

An Active Project is any project currently underway, with ongoing tasks, milestones, or reporting activities. It typically involves active participation from team members, resource allocation, and progress tracking, distinguishing it from completed, archived, or inactive projects.

Active User

A current employee who is actively using Tractics, such as crew members, foremen, drivers, project managers, etc.

Addenda/Addendum

Updates or modifications made to a bid or project, such as changes to dates, locations, or specifications, typically issued as official documents.

Alternate Bid

An amount to be added or deducted from the base-bid for alternate materials/methods of construction.

Application Programming Interface (API)

APIs allow two or more platforms to seamlessly transfer data between them. For example, Tractics uses an API to integrate with a third-party software service, such as QuickBooks for payroll.

Beacons

Devices installed on equipment to track location, usage, nearby equipment, and crew, etc. Beacons either actively send data back to the ‘mothership’ or passively connect with active beacons.

Bid Item

A number associated with a task for the formal bidding process.

Change Order

A written document between the owner and contractor authorizing a change in the work or an adjustment in the contract sum or time.

Clock-In/Out Icons

• Phone Icon: Crewmember clocked in/out via the mobile app.
• Tablet Icon: Crewmember clocked in/out via the kiosk on a foreman’s tablet.
• User Icon: Timesheet was manually created by a foreman or office staff.
• Green Icon: Clocked in/out within the project’s geofence.
• Red Icon: Clocked in/out outside the project’s geofence or had location services off.

Cost Code

Unique Company-specific identifiers tied to a category of work. Cost codes are used in the Tractics platform to assign time to specific jobs. Examples of cost codes include labor, laying pipe, excavating, sewer, seeding, etc.

Critical Path

The sequence of tasks that determines the minimum time required to complete a project. In Tractics, it appears as a section in the weekly report where users can note key critical tasks or milestones that occurred.

Cross Job Report

An admin report summarizing man-hour metrics across all projects, including estimated, reported, and earned hours, as well as over/under budget, hours remaining, percentage used, and trucking hours. The left side shows totals from the start of the project, while the right side focuses on the selected date range.

CDBG Program

The Community Development Block Grant Program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It provides funding to local governments to support community development activities aimed at benefiting low- and moderate-income individuals.

DBE/MBE/WBE

DBE/MBE/WBE refers to classifications of businesses that are eligible for specific government or private-sector programs aimed at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in contracting and procurement.

• DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise): A federal designation for small businesses owned and controlled (51% or more) by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
• MBE (Minority Business Enterprise): Refers to businesses that are at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by individuals from recognized racial or ethnic minority groups.
• WBE (Women’s Business Enterprise): Refers to businesses that are at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by women.

Division By Project Report

An admin report displaying monthly man-hours for each project, organized by division for clear tracking of labor distribution.

Divisional Labor Report

An admin report that gives a breakdown of monthly and year-to-date man hours for various divisions within a selected date range.

Early Start Date (ES)

The earliest date work is permitted to begin on a project.

Earned Man Hours

The amount of hours a task should have taken based on the reported quantity completed and the established production rate.

Employee Attendance Report

An admin report that provides a list of employees who were late or absent during the specified date range.

Employee Man Hours Report

An admin report that provides users with a detailed summary of the crew's man hours, including daily totals, their number of absent and late days, and cumulative hours for both the year and a specified date range.

Employee Time Report

An admin report that generates a comprehensive table of crew members' recorded work data within a selected date range, including work hours, allocation details, and project assignments. Users can filter the report by status (e.g., submitted, rejected, in-progress) for a more targeted report.

Engineer’s Estimated Contract Amount

The total project cost estimated by the engineer, typically based on the project's design, specifications, and anticipated materials and labor. This figure serves as a benchmark for evaluating bid submissions.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

A software system that centralizes and streamlines an organization's core processes, such as accounting, payroll, procurement, and project management. Tractics integrates with ERP systems to facilitate payroll and other operational functions.

Equipment Productivity

A fleet report that provides a detailed analysis of equipment performance over the past week, displaying daily productivity percentages, operational hours, idle times, distances traveled, and trip counts. Users can filter the report by project, search for specific equipment, and access detailed equipment and trip reports to improve operational efficiency and decision-making.

Equipment Timecard Report

An admin report that displays a list of all equipment usage within the selected date range, providing details such as operating hours, the job they were used for, cost class, cost code, and the dates of operation.

Field Log

A record in Tractics that tracks crew hours, tasks performed, quantities completed, and equipment and labor types used on a specific project day. Field logs are submitted by foremen and reviewed by Project Managers and Payroll for approval and payment processing.

Field Notes

Comments or observations recorded in Tractics by crew, foreman, or office to document on-site activities, issues, or updates for a specific project day. Field notes can include text, photos, and links to tasks, and are organized by date for easy review and inclusion in weekly reports.

Fleet Reports

Analytical reports within the Fleet section of Tractics, run by dispatch to provide detailed insights into fleet performance, including metrics such as equipment productivity, trip counts, operational hours, idle time, and geofence activity. These reports assist in optimizing operations and supporting project management decisions.

Forced Quantity

A manually entered value used during estimate conversion in Tractics to override the system-calculated or estimated quantity of a task. This allows users to specify a fixed quantity for a task or material when adjustments are needed to align with project-specific requirements or constraints.

GC Project Number

This is a number assigned by the General Contractor (GC) managing the construction work. It’s used by the GC to track and manage the project within their internal systems, such as for reporting, scheduling, or accounting.

Geofence

A user-created polygon mapped around a worksite, headquarters, or area of concern in Tractics. Geofences enable features such as clock-in/out alerts, equipment tracking, and more.

Geofence Report

An admin report that provides a list of all individuals who clocked in or out of a project within a selected date range, allowing you to see whether they were inside or outside of the project's geofence at the time of clocking in or out.

Job Board (Documents)

A section on the project's dashboard in the Foreman App that provides quick access to important project-specific documents. Project Managers can add items to the Job Board folder on the project's Documents page, which then appear in the Foreman App for quick access.

Job Tracking Labor Summary Report

An admin report that provides an overview of a project's progress, detailing man-hours, quantities at each per diem rate, and the status of each task within the selected date range.

Labor Type Set

A predefined group of labor types created in admin settings and assigned in a project's settings to simplify adding relevant labor types based on the project's specific requirements.

Late start date (LS)

The latest possible date a project or task can begin without delaying the overall schedule or impacting subsequent milestones. This date is often determined by project dependencies and critical path analysis.

Lump Sum

A fixed price agreed upon for completing an entire project or specific scope of work, regardless of actual time or costs incurred.

Milestones

A significant event or achievement in a construction project's timeline that marks progress toward completion. Milestones often represent key dates, deliverables, or phases, such as project kickoff, foundation completion, or final inspection.

Mobilization

The process of preparing for and moving equipment, materials, and workforce to the construction site to begin work. This includes tasks like setting up temporary facilities, securing permits, and transporting resources necessary to start the project.

Missing Trade

A field log issue indicating that a labor type has not been assigned to a crew member's time for a specific task. This is critical for prevailing wage jobs where assigning labor types is required to ensure compliance. If detected, it must be corrected before the field log can be approved or exported.

Open Bid

A bid that has been created and is still under consideration, meaning it has not yet been awarded, rejected, or closed.

Over Threshold

A status indicating that a crew member's timesheet has exceeded the maximum allowable work hours set by the project or company. This serves as a flag within Field Management to review and address potential overages.

Owner Project Number

This is a number assigned by the project owner (the entity funding or commissioning the project, such as a municipality, developer, or private company). It’s typically used by the owner to track and reference the project internally.

Permissions

Settings that define what actions a user can perform or what areas of the platform they can access. Permissions are assigned to roles, which are then assigned to users, streamlining control over access and functionality within the system.

PM Quantity

A quantity value in the Estimate Conversion process that allows the Project Manager to adjust the estimated quantity of materials to align with project needs. The PM QTY reflects the quantity the Project Manager plans to track and manage during the project's execution.

Pre Bid Meeting

A meeting held before the bid submission deadline to provide potential bidders with project details, clarify requirements, and answer questions about the scope of work.

Pre-Construction (Pre-Con)

The project planning phase that occurs before construction begins, involving activities such as budgeting, scheduling, design finalization, and risk assessment to ensure a successful project execution.

Prevailing Wage (PW)

The minimum hourly wage, including benefits, that must be paid to workers on public works projects, as determined by government agencies based on local wage rates for similar work.

A prevailing wage project is typically funded by public entities that requires contractors to pay workers the prevailing wage rates set by government agencies for the region and type of work being performed.

A prevailing wage project in Tractics is denoted by a red PW icon, located to the left of the project name.

Proposal Guarantee Amount

A monetary guarantee, often in the form of a bid bond, cashier’s check, or certified check, submitted with a bid to ensure the bidder's commitment to the project. It protects the project owner by covering potential losses if the bidder fails to honor their bid or provide required performance bonds after being awarded the contract.

Project By Division Report

An admin report displaying each project with a breakdown of division types and their corresponding man-hours. The report organizes division data under each project, showing daily man-hours for each division within the selected date range for detailed tracking of labor allocation.

Project Requirements

Specific criteria or conditions that must be met for a project, such as Pre-Bid Meetings, Bid Bonds, or compliance with regulatory programs. These requirements are set on the Bid or Project Settings page to ensure proper planning, documentation, and adherence to project specifications.

Request for Change Order (RFC)

A formal request submitted to modify the original scope, cost, or schedule of a construction project. This document initiates the process of reviewing and approving changes before they are officially incorporated into the contract.

Request for Information (RFI)

A document submitted during a construction project to clarify or request additional details about project plans, specifications, or requirements. RFIs help resolve ambiguities and ensure all parties have the necessary information to proceed.

Request for Proposal (RFP)

A formal document issued to solicit proposals from contractors, suppliers, or service providers. The RFP outlines the project scope, requirements, and evaluation criteria, allowing recipients to submit detailed bids for consideration.

Retainage Amount

A percentage of the total contract value withheld by the project owner until the project is substantially complete. Retainage ensures the contractor completes all work according to the contract terms.

Retainage Cap

The maximum dollar amount that can be withheld as retainage, regardless of the percentage applied to the contract value. The cap limits the total retainage withheld to prevent excessive withholding.

Request for Quote (RFQ)

A document issued to solicit price quotes from vendors, suppliers, or contractors for specific goods or services.

Role

A predefined set of permissions assigned to a user, determining what they can access and perform within the platform. Roles streamline user management by grouping permissions based on responsibilities, such as Administrator, Project Manager, or Foreman.

Runner

The person responsible for physically delivering a bid to the project owner or submission location by the specified deadline. This role ensures the bid is submitted accurately, on time, and in compliance with the required procedures.

SRF Required

Indicates that a project is funded through the State Revolving Fund (SRF), a program providing low-interest loans for public infrastructure projects like wastewater treatment, drinking water systems, and stormwater management. Projects with this designation must comply with specific documentation, reporting, and regulatory requirements to qualify for and maintain funding.

Submittal

Documents, samples, or data submitted by contractors to the project owner, architect, or engineer for review and approval before work begins. Submittals ensure materials and methods comply with project specifications.

Substantial Completion

The stage in a construction project when the work is sufficiently complete to allow the owner to use or occupy the space for its intended purpose, though minor punch-list items may still need to be addressed.

Takeoff

The process of measuring and quantifying materials from project plans to prepare a detailed estimate of costs and resources required for construction.

Telematics

The use of technology to monitor and manage construction equipment and vehicles, typically involving GPS tracking, diagnostics, and performance data to improve efficiency, safety, and maintenance.

Time and Materials (T&M)

A contract type where the contractor is paid based on the actual time worked and materials used, typically at pre-agreed rates.

Timesheet

Records used to track crew member work hours and related details like lunch, drive time, and per diem. After foremen allocate time to tasks, timesheets also show task assignments, equipment used, and labor types, if applicable, ensuring accurate reporting and payroll processing.

Trade Code

A classification used to identify specific types of labor or trades on a project, such as carpentry, electrical, or plumbing. Trade codes are used to track labor allocation, ensure compliance with prevailing wage requirements, and support accurate reporting and payroll processing.

Trip Reports

A fleet report that allows dispatch to view detailed reports of trips taken by drivers for trucking and hauling jobs, helping to monitor performance, manage equipment usage, and enhance operational efficiency.

Trucking Audit Report

A fleet report providing an overview of trucking activity for a selected date, including the total number of trucking hours, equipment moves, tons moved, loads hauled, and trips made.

Trucking Cost Report

A fleet report that displays trucking activities grouped by project for the selected week, showing details such as truck/trailer, driver, hours worked, equipment cost per hour, and total cost. It includes total hours and costs for each project and across all projects combined.

Targeted Small Business (TSB)

A designation for small businesses that meet specific criteria, often related to ownership by minorities, women, disabled individuals, or veterans, and are eligible for certain bidding preferences or participation goals in government or private sector projects.

Unallocated Time

Hours logged by a crew member that have been claimed by a foreman but have not yet been assigned to a task and submitted in a Field Log.

Unclaimed Timesheet

Hours logged by a crew member that have not yet been claimed by a foreman for review or assignment.

Unit Price Bid (UPB)

A bidding method where contractors submit prices per unit of work (e.g., cubic yards, linear feet, or tons) for specified quantities. The total bid is calculated by multiplying the unit prices by the estimated quantities provided in the bid documents.