BuildSelections User Manual

Welcome

BuildSelections is a shared renovation workspace. Each project gives you one place to:

• keep track of decisions
• compare options
• finalize selections
• watch your budget
• store files and invoices
• invite the people working on the project

If you are brand new, start here:

1. Sign in or create an account.
2. Create your first project.
3. Add rooms and decisions.
4. Invite the people who need to review or help.
5. Finalize selections as you make them.

Getting Around

Home

Your Home screen is your starting point. It shows your projects and highlights what needs attention first.

Depending on your role, Home may focus more on:

• your main project and budget
• overdue or due-soon decisions
• approvals and finalized selections
• a read-only overview

Navigation

On desktop, the left sidebar helps you move between:

• Projects
• Home
• Favorites
• Help
• Profile
• Logout

On mobile, open the menu icon to reach the same main areas.

Inside a project

When you open a project, you will usually see:

• the project name and your role
• alerts for urgent items
• a quick summary of progress and budget
• the current work area, such as Decisions or Final Decisions

Sign In

You can sign in with:

• email and password
• Google

If someone invited you to a project, open the invite link first, then sign in or create your account.

Email verification

If you sign up with email and password, you will need to verify your email before you can use the app fully.

Until you verify:

• the main app stays locked
• project access stays blocked
• uploads and invites stay blocked

Google sign-in does not use that extra verification step.

Roles

BuildSelections shows slightly different screens depending on your role.

Homeowner

Best for the person making final choices on a home project.

You will usually focus on:

• pending decisions
• finalized choices
• project budget
• approvals

Contractor

Best for someone managing work across one or more projects.

You will usually focus on:

• what is due soon
• what is overdue
• project activity
• budget progress

Designer

Best for someone helping guide selections.

You will usually focus on:

• pending approvals
• final selections
• design board review
• favorites for reuse

Viewer

Viewer access is read-only.

A viewer can:

• review decisions
• read the feed
• open files
• look at finalized selections

A viewer cannot edit project content.

Create a Project

To create a project:

1. Open Home.
2. Select New Project.
3. Confirm your role on this project.
4. Enter the project name.
5. Add an address if you want.
6. Choose the rooms you want to include.
7. Review the suggested decision list for each room.
8. Add or remove decision points.
9. Select Create project.

You must enter a project name before you can continue.

Create project creates the workspace and takes you straight into it.

Room limits

Starter includes up to 2 rooms per project.

If you try to add a third room on Starter, BuildSelections will stop you and show the upgrade path right away.

Tip: Start with only the rooms you know you need right now. You can always add another room later if the project grows.

Project Settings

Open a project, then select the pencil icon beside the project name to open Project Settings.

Project Settings is where you manage the overall project, including:

• project name
• address
• project summary
• total budget
• active or completed status
• hero image
• team settings
• field QR access
• project export
• delete project

Here is what those settings are for:

• Project name
• the name people will see throughout the app
• use something simple and recognizable, like Smith Kitchen Remodel or Lake House Primary Bath
• Address
• the job-site address for the project
• this is especially helpful when you manage more than one property or project at the same time
• Project summary
• a short note about the work being done
• use this for a quick description like Kitchen remodel with pantry expansion and appliance replacement
• Total budget
• the overall target budget for the project
• this gives your team a reference point when option costs and final costs start adding up
• Active or completed status
• whether the project is still in progress or already finished
• mark it completed when the work is done and you want it out of the active list
• Hero image
• the large banner image for the project
• this is mostly visual, but it also helps people quickly recognize the right project at a glance
• Team settings
• where you manage roles, approvers, and access for the people involved
• use this when someone new joins the project or when approval responsibilities change
• Field QR access
• quick phone access for people who need to open the project on-site
• this is useful for walkthroughs, punch lists, installs, and field questions
• Project export
• downloadable project information for your records or handoff
• use this when you need to share a snapshot outside the app
• Delete project
• permanently remove the project
• use this carefully, because deleting a project cannot be undone

Completed projects

When you mark a project as completed, it moves out of your active list.

You can still open it to review past work.

If you later want to reopen it:

• it counts toward your active project limit
• it may be blocked if you are already at your limit
• it may be blocked if your access is currently read-only

Hero image

Each project has a large banner image.

You can choose:

• Default
• Auto
• Custom

Use Custom if you want to upload a project-specific image.

Field QR

Project Settings also includes Field QR tools for on-site use.

Use this when someone in the field needs quick access to the project from a phone.

From this area, you can:

• create a project QR link
• copy or share the link
• create a new link if you no longer want to use the old one
• allow temporary viewer requests from QR scans

If temporary access is enabled, a project member can approve or deny that request later.

Budget Tracking

Budget tracking helps you answer a simple question quickly: are we still on plan, or are selections starting to run over?

BuildSelections keeps budget information in a few simple places:

• Total Budget
• estimated option costs inside decisions
• actual costs after a final choice is made

That gives you a quick view of:

• the full project budget you are aiming for
• what you have tentatively planned
• what has actually been committed so far

Tip: Add rough costs early, even if they are not perfect yet. A rough number is much more helpful than an empty budget.

Working Inside a Project

A project is where your team tracks choices from start to finish.

Think of it as the shared workspace for one renovation. Instead of spreading updates across texts, email, saved links, showroom notes, and photos on different phones, everything lives together in one place.

Inside a project, the goal is simple:

• keep decisions moving
• keep everyone looking at the same information
• keep a record of what was chosen and why

The main tabs and views are usually:

• Decisions
• Final Decisions
• Design Board
• Feed
• Files

Decisions

A decision is any choice the project needs to make, such as flooring, appliances, plumbing fixtures, paint, or lighting.

Create a decision

1. Open the project.
2. Go to Decisions.
3. Select Add Decision.
4. Enter the decision title.
5. Choose a room.
6. Add a budget if you want.
7. Add a due date if you want.
8. Add one or more options.

Add options

Each option can include:

• item name
• vendor or provider
• estimated cost
• product link
• product image

Add as many options as you want so everyone can compare choices side by side.

Here is what each part is for:

• Item name
• the plain-language name of the choice
• examples: Brizo Litze kitchen faucet, Benjamin Moore White Dove, 12x24 porcelain wall tile
• use the name people will actually recognize later when reviewing the project
• Vendor or provider
• where the item comes from
• examples: Ferguson, Floor & Decor, Benjamin Moore, Homeowner supplied
• this is helpful later when ordering, pricing, or answering "where did we find this?"
• Estimated cost
• the expected cost for this option before the final purchase is made
• use this to compare choices and keep the project budget realistic while you are still deciding
• Product link
• a web link to the exact product page, if you have one
• this makes it much easier for everyone to reopen the exact item later instead of searching for it again
• Product image
• a photo or screenshot of the option
• use this when the look matters, such as tile, paint, lighting, hardware, or furniture

In practice, most teams use options like this:

• one option for each real item being considered
• a short recognizable item name
• a vendor so the team knows where it came from
• an estimated cost if budget matters for the choice
• a link or image when visual review will help the decision move faster

Save progress or finalize

Use Save Progress when the team is still deciding.

Use Finalize Choice when the winning option is ready to lock in.

Once a decision is finalized, it moves to Final Decisions.

Due dates

Add due dates when you want the app to help surface urgency.

A due date helps BuildSelections show:

• what is due soon
• what is overdue
• which projects need attention first

Tip: Use due dates for decisions that can hold up other work, like plumbing fixtures, tile, appliances, or lighting.

Filters on mobile

On mobile, the decision list keeps the main views visible and puts extra filters behind the Filters button.

Use mobile filters when you want to narrow the list by room or category without scrolling through everything at once.

Notes and discussion

Each decision has its own discussion space.

Use it for:

• questions
• comments
• follow-up reminders
• decision-specific discussion

Decision Status Banner

At the top of a project, BuildSelections may show a banner when decisions need attention.

That banner helps you quickly spot:

• overdue decisions
• decisions due today or tomorrow
• decisions due within the next week

Select View decisions to jump straight to the list.

Final Decisions

Final Decisions is where you review locked selections after a choice has been made.

Final Decisions is where locked choices live, separate from everything still in progress.

For a finalized option, you can still add:

• actual cost
• invoice files
• procurement details
• delivery details

Procurement and delivery

Use the procurement section to track what happens after a choice is approved.

You can record details such as:

• whether it has been ordered
• who placed the order
• order number
• ordered cost
• shipping status
• tracking number
• ETA
• whether it has been received

Here is how most teams use those fields:

• Ordered
• marks whether the item has actually been purchased yet
• this helps separate approved-but-not-bought items from items that are already moving
• Ordered by
• shows who placed the order
• helpful when someone needs to answer a vendor question or find the receipt later
• Order number
• the confirmation or purchase number from the seller
• use this when you need to look up the order, confirm status, or contact support
• Ordered cost
• the real purchase amount
• this is useful when the final amount differs from the original estimate
• Shipping status
• the current delivery stage, such as ordered, shipped, delayed, or delivered
• this gives the team a quick status check without digging through email
• Tracking number
• the package tracking code, if one exists
• add this so anyone on the team can follow the shipment
• ETA
• the expected arrival date
• use this when delivery timing affects scheduling, installs, or inspections
• Received
• confirms the item has physically arrived
• this is especially helpful for checking whether the site is ready for install day

Example: A contractor might mark a vanity as ordered, add the vendor order number, paste the tracking number, and update the ETA so the plumber knows whether the install can stay on schedule.

Change orders

Use a change order when a finalized selection needs to be reopened for review.

In plain language, a change order is the formal way to say, "We already approved this, but now we need to change it."

Common reasons:

• the client changed their mind
• the product is no longer available
• the scope changed

To submit a change order:

1. Open a finalized decision.
2. Select Request change order.
3. Enter the reason.
4. Add a reference number if you want.
5. Submit the request.

After approval, the decision returns to pending so the team can review it again.

The project owner always has approval access. Projects can also assign final approvers and one change-order approver in Project Settings.

Tip: If you are only adding an invoice or actual cost, you do not need a change order. Use a change order only when the choice itself needs to change.

Design Board

The Design Board shows finalized selections in a more visual layout.

Use the Design Board when you want to step back from the decision list and see how the approved pieces work together.

Use it to:

• review completed rooms
• compare finished selections
• open a finalized decision for more detail
• rename a room across all decisions in that room

Designers and contractors can also save finalized work to Favorites from here.

Rename a room

If you need to rename a room after the project is underway:

1. Open the project.
2. Go to Design Board.
3. Find the room card you want to rename.
4. Select the pencil icon beside the room name.
5. Enter the new room name.

BuildSelections renames that room across every decision in that room.

If the new name already exists, BuildSelections automatically creates the next numbered version instead, such as Bedroom 2 or Living Room 2.

Add more than one of the same room

Projects can include more than one room with the same base name.

When you add a duplicate room, BuildSelections automatically numbers it for clarity:

• Bedroom
• Bedroom 2
• Bedroom 3

The same rule applies to built-in room types and custom room names.

Feed

Each project includes a Feed tab.

The Feed is the shared running conversation for the project. Use it when something matters to the team as a whole, not just to one decision.

Use the Feed to:

• post project-wide updates
• keep notes in one shared timeline
• review decision activity
• open linked decisions from the feed

This is a good place for updates like:

• site notes
• schedule changes
• quick status updates
• reminders the whole team should see

Viewers can read the feed, but they cannot post new notes.

Project Files

The Files tab is for shared project documents and invoice attachments.

This is the best place for project-wide paperwork that more than one person may need later.

Use it for:

• contracts
• permits
• inspection reports
• inspiration images
• specification sheets
• invoices

Upload a file

1. Open the project.
2. Go to Files.
3. Select Upload File.
4. Choose the file from your device.

On iPhone, you may also be able to take a photo directly from the upload prompt.

Supported file types:

• JPG
• PNG
• GIF
• WebP
• HEIC
• HEIF
• PDF
• Word documents
• plain text files

Maximum file size: 20 MB.

Delete a file

You can delete files you uploaded. Project owners can also delete project files.

Deleting a project file is permanent, so confirm before removing it.

Favorites

Favorites help designers and contractors reuse past work.

This is useful when you often recommend the same fixture, finish, or room setup across multiple projects.

Favorite decisions

From Final Decisions, select the heart icon on a finalized decision to save it as a favorite.

Favorite rooms

From the Design Board, select the heart icon on a completed room to save the whole room as a reusable bundle.

Use a favorite in another project

1. Open Favorites.
2. Choose the saved decision or room.
3. Pick the destination project.
4. Rename the room if needed.
5. Select Use in Project.

The imported favorite becomes a new editable decision in the destination project.

Invite People

Project owners can invite people by link or by email.

Before you invite someone, choose the role that best matches how they will use the project:

• Homeowner
• best for the client or household decision-maker who needs to review choices, comment, and approve
• example: the couple renovating their kitchen who want to review tile, lighting, and appliance options
• Contractor
• best for the person managing execution, field coordination, and install timing
• example: the builder or project manager keeping track of what has been approved, ordered, and delivered
• Designer
• best for the person shaping the selections and presenting options
• example: the interior designer or architect proposing finishes, fixtures, and room concepts
• Viewer
• best for someone who only needs to look, not edit
• example: a spouse, assistant, family member, or consultant who wants visibility without changing anything

If someone should be able to make decisions, add notes, or manage the work, give them a working role. If they only need visibility, make them a viewer.

Invite by link

1. Open the invite window.
2. Choose the person's role.
3. Select Share Invite Link.
4. Copy or share the link.

Invite links are single-use and expire after 7 days.

Invite by email

1. Open the invite window.
2. Choose the role.
3. Enter the person's email address.
4. Select Send Invite Email.

The person will receive an email with a button to join the project.

Examples

Here are a few simple examples of how teams often use BuildSelections in practice.

Example project setup

A homeowner creates a project called Smith Kitchen Remodel.

The rooms might be:

• Kitchen
• Pantry
• Mudroom

The project summary might be: Full kitchen remodel with new cabinetry, countertops, appliances, plumbing fixtures, and paint.

That gives everyone one shared place to track the work instead of scattering updates across texts and email.

Example decision

A designer creates a decision called Kitchen faucet.

They add three options:

• Brizo Litze Pull-Down from Ferguson with an estimated cost and product link
• Delta Trinsic from Build.com with an estimated cost and product image
• Homeowner supplied faucet with a note that the client is comparing outside options

Now the homeowner can review the options side by side, ask questions, and approve the final choice.

Example feed update

A contractor posts a feed note that says: Tile delivery moved to Friday, so backsplash install will shift to Monday.

That kind of update belongs in the Feed because it affects the project as a whole and helps everyone stay on the same page.

Profile

The Profile page is where you manage your account and plan.

You can:

• update your name
• update your phone number
• update your email
• review your plan
• review project usage
• start a Pro trial when needed
• export project data if your plan allows it
• delete your account if you no longer own active projects

Starter plan

Starter is the default plan for new accounts.

Starter has limits on things like rooms, collaborators, viewers, and exports. You can always check your current plan details from the Profile page.

Pro trial

The 14-day Pro trial does not start automatically when you sign up.

It starts only when you choose it from an upgrade prompt, such as:

• adding more rooms than Starter allows
• trying to create more active projects
• trying to use a Pro-only action

Project export

If your plan includes export, BuildSelections can create a ZIP file containing your project data.

That export may include:

• a project snapshot
• feed entries
• decision images
• invoice files

If exports are not included in your plan, the app will show the upgrade path instead.

Delete account

You can delete your account only when you do not own any active projects.

If you still own active projects, delete or transfer them first.

Billing and Limits

BuildSelections may stop certain actions when your plan has reached its limit.

Common examples:

• creating another active project
• reopening a completed project
• restoring a deleted project
• adding more rooms than your plan allows
• exporting project data

When that happens, the app should explain:

• what is blocked
• why it is blocked
• what you can do next

In many cases, the next step is to:

• start your Pro trial
• open the archive area in Project Settings
• archive another active project first

If you are starting a new project and your plan is already at its active project limit, BuildSelections handles the next step based on your plan:

• Starter users see the paid upgrade options for Homeowner or Pro
• paid users can be taken straight to the archive area in Project Settings so they can retire an active project and free a slot
• self-serve Pro currently supports up to 3 active owned projects before the app points you to archive recovery or custom-capacity contact options

The same limit dialog can also show your active owned projects directly so you can retire one without navigating away first.

Inside the archive area in Project Settings, you can now select more than one active owned project to retire at once if you need to free multiple slots before continuing.

If you are already on Pro and need more active capacity than the current plan allows, that same dialog can also point you to custom plan options instead of only showing a dead end.

Saving and Sync

Most changes save quickly and then finish syncing in the background.

If you see a Syncing message:

• your change is still being confirmed
• you can usually keep working
• it should clear on its own after the save finishes

If the app shows an error instead, try the action again after your connection is stable.

Uploads are different

Files and images take longer than simple text changes because they must finish uploading completely.

If you close the page in the middle of an upload, that upload may be interrupted.

Before leaving a page, wait for upload progress to finish if possible.

Troubleshooting

I uploaded an invoice but cannot find it

• Open the finalized decision again.
• Check the winning option.
• Check the Files tab too, because invoice attachments appear there as well.
• Make sure you saved the finalized record after uploading the invoice.

A decision image looks blurry

• Small cards may show a smaller image preview.
• Open the decision or the Design Board for a larger view.

A project was deleted by mistake

• Check the restore area on Home if the deletion was recent.
• If the project is still inside the recovery window, you can restore it there.

A file upload failed

• Confirm the file type is supported.
• Confirm the file is under 20 MB.
• Try again with a stronger connection if the upload was interrupted.

I closed a decision by mistake

• Open it again from the decision list.
• If you saved your changes, they should still be there.
• If you chose to discard changes, those unsaved edits will be gone.

The app still says Syncing

• Wait a little longer if your connection is weak.
• Refresh and check whether the change finished saving.
• If a red error message appeared, the save did not finish and should be tried again.

I see an example project after signing up

• Some new accounts may see a read-only example project first.
• It is there to show how a live project looks.
• You can leave it if you do not want to keep it.

The example walkthrough is open

• The walkthrough should move focus into the tour window automatically.
• Use Tab to move between the walkthrough buttons.
• Use Escape to close it.
• When you close it, focus should return to the button that opened it.

Support

If something in the app does not behave the way this guide describes, we want to help.

Email support: [email protected]

For general company contact details, the public site also has a shareable contact page at https://buildselections.com/contact with the BuildSelections business email and phone number.

Before contacting support, collect these details if you can:

• what you were trying to do
• what happened instead
• the exact error message, if there was one
• the device and browser you were using

That helps us figure out the problem faster and get you unstuck sooner.

Support

If the app does not behave the way this guide describes, we want to help.

Email support: [email protected]

Before contacting support, collect these details if you can:

• what you were trying to do
• what happened instead
• the exact error message, if there was one
• the device and browser you were using

That helps us figure out the problem faster and get you unstuck sooner.