FAQ: Client Selections

Frequently asked questions about Client Selections

What should my Client Selections management process look like in ConstructionOnline? 

What is the difference between a Category, Selection, and Choice?

Can a client select multiple Choices?

How do I add the selection picker tool to my browser? 

How can a client add their own selections? 

Can I make a selection for a client?

How can my client sign off on their selections?

How do I print a selection sheet for clients?

How can my clients make selections if they do not want to use the ClientLink™ Portal?

How do selection overages affect my estimate? 

Can my client see the tax and markup I put on my selections? 

If a client changed their mind, do I have to delete the selection and start over?

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What should my Client Selections management process look like in ConstructionOnline? 

As part of the industry's leading online platform for construction project management, ConstructionOnline offers intuitive solutions designed to help construction pros quickly & easily manage their online selection sheets. To learn more about the recommended process for creating, reviewing, approving, and managing Client Selections in ConstructionOnline, visit our Client Selections Workflow here!

What is the difference between a Category, Selection, and Choice?

Client Selections in ConstructionOnline™ are organized in 3 tiers - Category > Selection > Choices. 

Categories are the broadest level of organization within Client Selections and include Name & Description. Categories can support multiple Selections. 

Selections are the secondary level of organization within Client Selections and include Name, Location, Due Date, Allowance, Milestone, Cost Code, Trade, and Notes. Selections can support multiple Choices, however only a single Choice per Selection can be "Approved." Any Selection and its Choices can be made visible to construction clients for convenient review & approval through the ClientLink™ Portal. Conversely, this access may also be disabled during Selection creation when preferred.

Choices are the most granular level of organization within Client Selections and include Name, Vendor(s), Item Webpage, Model Number, Universal Product Code (UPC), Stock Keeping Unit (SKU), Description, Cost, Quantity, Tax, Markup, Total Price, and Attachments. Only a single Choice per Selection can be "Approved." Approvals may be submitted by clients through ConstructionOnline's ClientLink Portal, or Company Users may use the option to "Approve for Client" to document the approved Choice. 

Can a client select multiple Choices?

No. Only one Choice per Selection can be "Approved." 

How do I add the selection picker tool to my browser? 

Adding ConstructionOnline's Selection QuickPick Tool to your browser is very simple! 

Go to the Client Selections category of ConstructionOnline and click on the grey 3-dot action menu . This can be found in the top right corner of the Selections dashboard. Then, select the option Get Selection Picker Tool and click the blue "Go to the Web Store" button. After landing on your browser's web store page, click on the "Add to..." button and confirm your installation of the extension. 

Alternatively, you can install the extension by searching for "Selection QuickPick" in your browser's web store, then follow the instructions on your screen to add it to your browser.

How can a client add their own selections? 

Part of what makes ConstructionOnline's ClientLink Portal unique is the ability for construction companies to allow clients to view, approve, track, and create Selection Choices all within one cloud-based location. ClientLink Users with Client Selections permissions set to "Can create Client Selections" have the ability to add Selection Choices from the Portal. Once added, the Selection Choice must be reviewed by a Company User before it can be marked as "Approved" by you or your client. 

Step-by-step instructions for clients adding Selection Choices from the Portal can be found here. 

Can I make a selection for a client?

Yes! Company Users with "Can Create, Edit, or Delete" Client Selections permissions can mark "Pending" Choices as "Approved" within ConstructionOnline. For step-by-step instructions visit the Approve a Selection Choice for a Client article. 

How can my client sign off on their selections?

Signatures are required for clients marking a Choice as "Approved" from the ClientLink Portal. When prompted to provide a signature, clients can either draw their signature using their cursor (or finger if using a touch screen device) OR they can import an existing signature saved in their account. 

More information about Client Selections in the Portal can be found here. 

How do I print a selection sheet for clients?

Beyond online access, ConstructionOnline provides a variety of professional Selections Reports that can be quickly & easily created and shared via email, download, or printing. Depending on your needs, you can generate print-ready documents from your construction selection sheet data through the following Selections Reports - 

• All Selections Report: Summary of all Allowances and available Selections for a Project
• Pending Selections Report: Compilation of "Pending" Selections for a Project
• Selections Book: Includes details of all "Approved" Selections chosen for a Project
• Selections Overview: Detailed overview of Project Selections, including Allowances and Due Dates
• Selections by Location Report: Summary of Selections organized by Location
• Approved Choices Overview: Summary of all "Approved" Choices for a Project 

All available Selections Reports can be found within the Financial Reports library. Certain Selections Reports can be accessed through the gray three-dot action menus within Client Selections. 

How can my clients make selections if they do not want to use the ClientLink™ Portal?

In instances where your client may not want to use the ClientLink Portal, we recommend building out your selection sheets in ConstructionOnline and presenting your clients their options through one of our Selections Reports. To present all "Pending" Selections for a Project, we recommend using the Pending Selections Report. Once your client has made their choices, you can then "Approve" the desired options for your client in ConstructionOnline to keep all your data safely stored in one location. If you would like to present all of the Client Selections for a Project, we recommend using the All Selections Report or the Selection Book. 

How do selection overages affect my estimate?

The total amount of all "Approved" Selections (including any overages) is compared against the total Allowance value for all Selections. If the total "Approved" amount is greater than the the total Selections Allowance, the difference will be added to the original total from your estimate.

Can my client see the tax and markup I put on my selections? 

No, clients cannot see any tax or markup you've applied to your Selections. When viewing Selections in the Portal, your clients can only view the final price of each Selection. The final price automatically includes any applied tax or markup; however, clients cannot see the individual tax and markup costs that were applied to generate the final price. 

If a client changed their mind, do I have to delete the selection and start over?

No! We understand that just as quickly as clients may make their choices and hit "Approve," there will be times when a change is required—for whatever reason. Because of this, ConstructionOnline's Client Selections toolkit includes an option for Company Users to revert "Approved" fixtures and finishes back to "Pending" as needed.

More information and step-by-step instructions on reverting Clients Selections can be found here. 

Have more questions? 

We're here to help! Chat with a Specialist by clicking the orange Chat icon in the bottom left corner or Contact UDA Support for additional options.