FAQ: Warranty Tracking
Frequently asked questions about Warranty Tracking in ConstructionOnline™
What is the difference between a Warranty, a Warranty Issue, and a Service Appointment?
What is the difference between an Active and a Draft Warranty?
Can clients submit Warranty Issues?
What can clients see in the ClientLink™ Portal?
Can I set reminders for warranty expirations or upcoming Service Appointments?
Can I save a Warranty as a template for future use?
Can I view Warranties across all projects at once?
What is Warranty Tracking?
Warranty Tracking is a feature within ConstructionOnline that gives contractors a centralized, structured system for managing Warranties. It covers the full post-construction service lifecycle—creating and documenting warranty coverage, tracking Warranty Issues as they arise, scheduling and managing Service Appointments, and keeping clients informed throughout the process.
Without a centralized system, warranty management can quickly become scattered across email threads and spreadsheets. Warranty Tracking consolidates all of that into one organized workspace, reducing the risk of missed claims, expired coverage, or delayed service responses.
What is the difference between a Warranty, a Warranty Issue, and a Service Appointment?
These three records work together as a sequence within Warranty Tracking:
- Warranty — A Warranty is the foundational record that documents the coverage provided for a specific project. It defines the Coverage Type(s), duration, start date, and key details such as the underwriter, policy number, and service fee. A Warranty must be created and set to Active before it can be referenced by a Warranty Issue.
- Warranty Issue — A Warranty Issue is a detailed record of a specific claim or area of concern that requires attention under an existing Warranty. It documents what the issue is, where it's located, which trade is involved, who requested it, and its current status. Warranty Issues can be created by Company Users directly or submitted by clients through the ClientLink Portal. Once created, a Warranty Issue becomes a service request that a designated Service Manager can review and act on.
- Service Appointment — A Service Appointment is the scheduled response to a Warranty Issue. It establishes an appointment window for the builder to arrive on-site and address the service request. Appointments are sent to the client's email and portal for approval or rejection.
What is a Coverage Type?
A Coverage Type defines a specific category of warranty coverage—such as structural, mechanical, or appliances—along with its default duration. Coverage Types are assigned to Warranties to specify exactly what is and isn't covered, and for how long.
What is the difference between an Active and Draft Warranty?
- Active — The Warranty is in effect and can be seen by ClientLink Users with the appropriate permissions. Active Warranties display the Warranty Name, Coverage Type(s), and Duration within the Warranty Dashboard.
🗒️Note: By default, Warranties are created with an Active status. - Draft — The Warranty has been created but is not yet in effect. Draft Warranties are not visible to ClientLink User, regardless of their permission settings. Use Draft status when a Warranty is still being set up or reviewed before being made client-facing.
Can clients submit Warranty Issues?
Yes. ClientLink Users with the appropriate permissions can submit new Warranty Issues directly through the ClientLink Portal. This gives clients a structured, documented way to report coverage concerns without requiring a phone call or email, and ensures that every submission is captured in ConstructionOnline as a formal record that the team can review and act on.
Step-by-step instructions for the client-side submission process can be found here.
What can clients see in the ClientLink Portal?
ClientLink Users with Warranty Tracking permissions can see:
- Active Warranties — The associated Warranty details for each Warranty with an Active status.
- Warranty Issues — All details included in a Warranty Issue once it has been created, whether submitted by the client or logged internally by the company.
- Service Appointments — Proposed appointment windows sent by the builder, which clients can approve or reject directly from the portal.
Can I set reminders for warranty expirations or upcoming Service Appointments?
Yes. ConstructionOnline's Warranty Tracking includes automated reminder settings for warranty and coverage type expirations as well as upcoming Service Appointments. Reminders are managed through Warranty Settings and can be configured with custom email templates, send timing, and recipient lists—including both internal Company Users and external contacts such as the client.
Step-by-step instructions for configuring reminders can be found here.
Can I save a Warranty as a template for future use?
Yes. Warranty Templates can be created in two ways:
- From an existing Warranty — If you have a Warranty that's already set up the way you want, you can save it directly as a template. This is the fastest option when a Warranty you've already built reflects the structure you plan to reuse.
- From Scratch — You can also build a Warranty Template independently from any existing project Warranty, which is useful when setting up standard templates before any Warranties have been created.
Once a template exists, new Warranties can be created from it rather than built from scratch each time.
Can I view Warranties across all projects at once?
Yes. Warranty Tracking can be accessed at both the project and company levels. The company-level view displays all Warranties, Warranty Issues, and Service Appointments across every project in one place—giving your team a complete picture of active coverage, open claims, and upcoming appointments without having to navigate project by project.
HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
- If you need additional assistance, chat with a ConstructionOnline Specialist by clicking the orange Chat icon in the bottom left corner or visit the UDA Support Page for more options.