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How it works

The paper trail, without the paperwork.

No new software for your project team — just the email they already send. Plumb Record reads what's copied to the project address and keeps one shared record of what was decided, what changed, what was paid and what is still waiting.

Your team sends email. The record does the rest.

  1. 1. Copy the Project Address

    Each project gets its own address. The owner or a partner shares it at kickoff, and the team copies it on the email they were already sending. That's the whole change for most people.

    CC: riverside-4107@plumbrecord.com (example)

  2. 2. Bring the History with You

    Starting mid-project? Forward the important threads or add the documents you already have: the contract, change orders, pay applications, reports. The record fills in the past as well as the present.

  3. 3. The Record Connects It

    Each email and attachment is linked to the item it belongs to: an RFI, a change order, a payment, a permit, a deadline. Numbers, dates and amounts are pulled out and kept with the source.

  4. 4. A Person Confirms What the AI Suggests

    When Plumb Record isn't sure an email belongs to an item, it says so and shows how sure it is. Someone on the project confirms or dismisses the link. Nothing inferred is shown as an approval.

  5. 5. Everyone Sees Where Things Stand

    Each item shows its status in plain words, who has the next action, and how many days each party has held it. Every authorized party sees the same history.

Riverside Community Centre

Shared project record · filed 12 minutes ago

Phase 5 of 8 · Construction

Open items
14
Waiting on you
3
Pending changes
$18,900
  • PCO 017 · Fire separation upgrade at the link corridorApproval needed

    Required by the City's plan review. Reviewed by the architect; the owner's approval is needed.

    Next step: Owner · Updated Oct 12 · 3 linked emails

  • RFI 21 · Roof drain locationsNo recent update

    With the architect for 19 days. The roofer is waiting on it to finish the parapet.

    Next step: Architect · Updated Oct 14 · 2 linked emails

  • Pay application 8 · AugustComplete

    Certified by the architect on Sep 16. The contract sum matches the signed change orders.

    Updated Sep 16 · 5 linked emails

  • Email from M. Tanaka · Oct 12Suggested link· 82%

    This email may relate to PCO 017. Review and confirm the link.

    Confirm · Dismiss

Example project. Names, dates and amounts are fictional.

Logins are optional

Email stays the main channel.

For most of the team

Nothing changes. Keep sending email the way you do now, with the project address copied. Nobody else has to log in.

For anyone who wants to look

Sign in to look things up, confirm a suggested link, see who signs next, or check what changed since last week.

Sign-offs

Who reviews and signs, in order.

Emails often leave this vague. For each change order, payment or draw, the record shows every step it has to pass through, which steps are done, and whose turn it is now. When a step can't be established from the email, it says “not yet recorded” rather than guessing.

  • Each completed step links to the email or document that recorded it.
  • “Looks good” in an email is shown as a comment, not as a signature.

Who reviews and signs

Draw 4 · $214,380.00 to Prairie Credit Union

  1. 1
    Submits · Northstar ConstructionDone · Oct 18
    Pay application 12, from the contract
  2. 2
    Certifies · Halden ArchitectsDone · Oct 22
    Certificate for payment, signed
  3. 3
    Signs · Owner · Jordan EllisDone · Oct 23
    Authorized signer 1 of 2
  4. 4
    Signs · Owner · Sam OkaforTheir turnWaiting
    Authorized signer 2 of 2, per the loan agreement
  5. 5
    Releases funds · Prairie Credit UnionNot yet
    After both owner signatures are recorded

Each step links to the email or document that recorded it.

Example project. Names, dates and amounts are fictional.

Plain language

The terms, explained where they appear.

RFI
Request for information: a question from the builder to the design team that needs an answer before work continues.
Change order
A signed change to the contract's scope, price or schedule.
Pay application
The contractor's monthly bill for the work completed so far, usually certified by the architect.
Draw
A request to the lender to release part of the construction loan, built from a pay application.

What it doesn't do

A record, not a replacement.

  • It doesn't replace the tools your contractor or architect already use. It works alongside them.
  • It doesn't approve or sign anything on anyone's behalf. People decide; the record shows what they decided.
  • It doesn't assign blame. It shows days each party held an item, including the owner's own.
How we handle project data

Nothing gets buried.

Walk through a sample project record and talk about how it would fit your project.

Request a Demo