How to create a project in Sync
This guide explains how main contractors create a project in Sync. You will set up the customer and any trade partners first, then create the project with its details, address and team.
- Who creates it
- Main contractors create projects in Sync.
- Records come first
- Create the customer, and any trade partners, before the project.
- Where it lives
- The Projects section in the left-hand menu.
- Drop-downs
- Customer, department, workstream and user fields only show existing records.
Before you start
Before creating a project, check that the following are already set up in Sync:
- The customer has been created.
- Any relevant trade partners have been created.
- The correct project users are active in Sync.
- The required departments have been created.
- The required workstreams have been created.
- The project address and key information are available.
- The project lead has been confirmed.
- Any additional project contacts have been confirmed.
Create the customer first
A project must be linked to a customer. If the customer does not already exist, go to the Customers section in the left-hand menu and select Create customer.
Enter the required customer details:
- Customer type.
- Customer name.
- Customer abbreviation.
- Type of business.
- Registration number.
- Approved date.
- Year established.
- VAT number.
- Address details.
- Contact details.
Fields marked with a red asterisk are mandatory. When the details are complete, select Save Customer. The customer can then be selected when creating a project.
Create the trade partner first
If the project will involve a subcontractor, supplier or consultant, create the relevant trade partner too. Go to Trade Partners in the left-hand menu and select Create trade partner.
Enter the required trade partner details:
- Name.
- Type of business.
- Service provided.
- Partner type.
- Regions covered.
- Payment terms.
- Registration number.
- Approved date.
- Address details.
- Contact details.
Make sure the Type field is set correctly, as Sync uses it to organise records and support the correct workflows. For example:
- Supplier.
- Subcontractor.
- Consultant.
When the details are entered, select Save. The trade partner then appears in the Trade Partners table.
Go to Projects
From the main Sync dashboard, select Projects from the left-hand menu to open the Projects table. From here you can view, search and filter projects, change visible columns, save a table view, and create a new project.
Select Create project
In the Projects section, select Create project to open the project creation screen. It is split into three areas, which you complete before saving:
- Project details.
- Address details.
- Key contacts.
Complete the project details
In the Project details section, complete the required fields:
Select the customer from the drop-down. The customer must already exist in Sync, or it will not appear.
Enter the customer reference if one has been provided. This is the reference your customer sees on their documents.
Select the relevant department. Departments help define the general type of project. Missing options are added in Config Settings.
Select the workstream. This describes the type of work being carried out. Missing options are added in Config Settings.
Enter a clear project name your team will recognise. It helps when searching the project table later.
Sync may auto-generate the project name from the details entered. Review it before saving.
Enter the expected start on site date. This supports project visibility across dashboards and lists.
Complete the address details
In the Address details section, enter the project location. The required fields are Address 1, Town or city, County and Postcode. You can also add Address 2 and a what3words reference for a more precise location.
Add key contacts
In the Key contacts section, select the relevant project team members. These users must already exist as active Sync users.
The main person responsible for the project. This is a mandatory field.
Any contract managers connected to the project.
Any project managers connected to the project.
Any commercial team members connected to the project.
The designer, where applicable.
The CAD operator, where applicable.
Review the project before saving
Before creating the project, review all entered information carefully. Check that:
- The correct customer has been selected.
- The customer reference is correct.
- Departments are correct.
- Workstreams are correct.
- The project name is clear.
- The start on site date is correct.
- The address is correct.
- The what3words reference has been added if required.
- The correct project lead has been selected.
- The correct team members have been added.
This reduces the chance of project information needing to be corrected later.
Save and create the project
Once all required information has been entered, select Save and Create project. Sync creates the project and opens the project record, which you can then manage from the project area.
Review the project summary
After the project has been created, Sync shows the project summary. It includes key information such as:
- Customer and reference.
- Project location.
- Departments and workstreams.
- Start on site date.
- Completion date, where added.
- Project status.
- Project team.
Review this screen to make sure the project has been created correctly.
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire, ST1 5NX
Use the project tabs
Once the project has been created, use the project tabs to manage different areas. These may include Summary, Overview, Financials, Compliance and Documents. The available tabs may depend on your permissions and the project setup.
Share the project where required
If the project needs to be shared with a customer or subcontractor, use the Share project option. Shared projects let approved customer portal and subcontractor users access relevant project information. The main contractor controls what is shared and who can access the project.
More on sharing projects with customersAdd project compliance information
Once the project has been created, you can begin adding compliance information in the Compliance tab, where you may manage health and safety reports, site inductions, engineers and log entries. This keeps compliance activity linked to the correct project.
Add project documents
Use the Documents tab to manage project documents where required. This may include drawings, project files, site documents or other information that needs to be stored against the project.
Why a customer and trade partner come first
Every project must be linked to a customer, so the customer has to exist before you can create the project. Trade partners should also be created before they are needed, especially where the project involves subcontractors, suppliers or consultants. Creating these records first helps Sync:
- Keep project information organised.
- Link customers to the correct projects.
- Link subcontractors or trade partners to relevant work.
- Support shared project access.
- Maintain clear project records.
- Improve reporting and visibility across the platform.
Common issues
Check that the customer has been created and saved. Also check that the customer is active and that you have permission to view customer records.
Check that the trade partner has been created and saved. If it should be a subcontractor, check that the correct partner type has been selected.
Departments and workstreams are managed in Config Settings. If an option is missing, ask an administrator to add it.
The person may not have been created as a Sync user, or their account may not be active. Check the Users section in Account Settings.
You may not have the correct permissions. Contact your Sync administrator and ask them to check your project permissions.
Project creation checklist
Before creating a project, check the following:
- Customer has been created.
- Relevant trade partners have been created.
- Required users have been created and are active.
- Department is available.
- Workstream is available.
- Project name is confirmed.
- Customer reference is available, if required.
- Site address is available.
- what3words reference is available, if required.
- Start on site date is confirmed.
- Project lead is confirmed.
- Additional project team members are confirmed.
Summary
To create a project in Sync:
- 1Create the customer.
- 2Create any relevant trade partners.
- 3Go to Projects.
- 4Select Create project.
- 5Complete the Project details section.
- 6Complete the Address details section.
- 7Add the key contacts.
- 8Review the project information.
- 9Select Save and Create project.
- 10Open the project summary and check the details.
Once the project has been created, you can manage project information, documents, compliance, financials and shared access from the project record.