SubBase Terminology & Concepts
This document defines canonical terms used in SubBase user guides. All documentation should use these terms consistently and avoid synonyms unless explicitly noted.Platform Overview
SubBase is a construction procurement platform that helps subcontractors manage purchasing, inventory, invoices, and vendor relationships. The platform supports both individual companies and enterprise accounts with multiple branches.Core Roles
Subcontractor (Buyer)
A construction company or team that uses SubBase to procure materials, manage inventory, track deliveries, and process invoices. This is the primary user of the platform.Vendor (Supplier)
A company that supplies materials, equipment, or services to subcontractors. Vendors receive purchase orders and quotes via email or the Vendor Portal, and may submit quotes and confirm orders.User
An individual person who logs into SubBase. Users belong to a Company and have specific roles and permissions that determine what actions they can take.Organizational Structure
Account
The top-level organizational unit in SubBase. An Account contains one or more Companies and enables centralized procurement across multiple branches.- Used for Centralized Procurement where a parent organization needs visibility across multiple branch companies.
- Users can belong to multiple companies within the same account.
Company
A business entity within an Account. Each Company has its own:- Projects
- Vendors
- Materials database
- Orders, invoices, and inventory
- User permissions and settings
Branch Company
A subsidiary company within an Account that operates semi-independently but reports to a centralized parent company for procurement oversight.Project
A construction job or site where materials are delivered and work is performed. Projects are the primary way to organize and track procurement activity.- Each project has its own cost codes, addresses, and assigned users.
- Orders, invoices, and inventory can be filtered by project.
Project Group
A collection of related projects, often used to organize work by region, client, or business unit. Project groups help filter and report on activity across multiple projects.Warehouse
A physical or logical storage location for inventory. Warehouses can be:- Company-wide (shared across all projects)
- Project-specific (dedicated to a single project)
Material Management
Material Database (Catalog)
A predefined list of materials that a company uses for ordering, quoting, and invoice reconciliation. The material database ensures consistency across all procurement activities.Company Material
A specific material in a company’s database, including:- Description
- Unit of measure
- Cost codes
- Vendor pricing (if available)
- Manufacturer information
Unit of Measure
The standard measurement for ordering and tracking materials (e.g., EA, LF, CY, TON).Manufacturer
The company that produces a material. Manufacturers can be tracked separately from vendors to support specification compliance and reporting.Procurement Workflow
Draft Request
An internal request for materials created by a field user or requester. Draft requests must be reviewed and approved before becoming orders.- Can be converted to a Purchase Order or Request for Quote
- Supports multiple vendors for comparison
Material Request
A formal internal request from field workers for specific materials. Material requests can be fulfilled via:- Purchase Order (ordering new materials from a vendor)
- Inventory Request (drawing from existing warehouse stock)
Request for Quote (RFQ)
A request sent to one or more vendors asking for pricing on specific materials. RFQs allow comparing quotes before placing an order. RFQ States:- Unreviewed – RFQ created but not yet reviewed
- Quote Requested – Sent to vendor, awaiting quote
- Quote Received – Vendor has provided pricing
- Ordered – RFQ converted to a purchase order
- Cancelled – RFQ no longer needed
Quote
A vendor’s response to an RFQ, containing proposed pricing and terms. Quotes can be uploaded as PDF files or entered as line item pricing.- Quotes may have an expiration date
- Quotes can be extracted automatically using AI/OCR
Purchase Order (PO)
A formal order sent to a vendor requesting materials, equipment, or services at agreed pricing and quantities. PO States:- Draft – Created but not yet sent to vendor
- Requested – Internal request awaiting approval
- Approved – Approved internally, ready to send
- Ordered – Sent to vendor
- Confirmed – Vendor has acknowledged the order
- Partially Shipped – Some deliveries have shipped
- Shipped – All deliveries have shipped
- Delivered – All materials received
- Cancelled – Order cancelled
Order Number
A unique identifier assigned to each purchase order. Order numbers are sequential within a project and company.Line Item (Order Material)
A single material entry on a purchase order, including:- Description
- Quantity
- Unit price
- Extended cost (quantity × unit price)
- Cost code
Delivery & Fulfillment
Delivery
A scheduled or completed shipment of materials for a purchase order. A single order may have multiple deliveries. Delivery States:- Unscheduled – No delivery date set
- Requested – Delivery date requested
- Scheduled – Delivery date confirmed
- Shipped – Materials have left the vendor
- Delivered – Materials received at destination
Delivery Ticket
Documentation (usually a signed receipt or BOL) confirming materials were received. Delivery tickets can be uploaded and processed automatically.Fulfillment
The process of receiving and verifying materials against a purchase order. Fulfillments track:- Quantities received
- Receipt dates
- Any discrepancies or issues
Ship Request
A special type of order for transferring materials between locations within the same company.Inventory Management
Inventory
Materials that have been purchased and are stored in a warehouse. Inventory is tracked by quantity and value.Stock
A specific inventory item in a warehouse, with quantities tracked as:- Available – Ready to be requested
- Committed – Reserved for a request but not yet consumed
- Quality Hold – Under review or quarantine
- Rejected – Removed from usable inventory
Stock Types
- Consumable – Materials used up when consumed (e.g., lumber, concrete)
- Returnable Asset – Equipment that is checked out and returned (e.g., tools)
Inventory Request
A request to draw materials from warehouse inventory rather than ordering from a vendor. Inventory Request States:- Draft – Request being created
- Unreviewed – Submitted, awaiting review
- Approved – Request approved
- Prepare Materials – Warehouse preparing the order
- Ready for Pickup – Materials staged for pickup
- Delivered – Materials received
- Rejected/Cancelled – Request denied or cancelled
Inventory Draw Down
The act of allocating materials from existing inventory to a project, reducing available stock quantities.Stock Transaction
A record of any inventory movement (add, consume, transfer, adjust).Transfer
Moving inventory from one warehouse to another within the company.Commitments
Commitment
A long-term agreement with a vendor that defines expected pricing, quantities, or spend over time. Orders can be linked to commitments to track progress. Commitment States:- Drafted – Being created
- Confirmed – Active and approved
- Partially Delivered – Some orders delivered
- Delivered – All obligations fulfilled
- Cancelled – No longer active
Commitment Types
Material Commitment
An agreement for specific materials at negotiated prices. Tracks:- Committed quantities and pricing
- Ordered quantities
- Remaining quantities
Concrete Commitment
A specialized commitment for concrete pours, including:- Mix designs
- Pour schedules
- Delivery locations
- Vendor coordination
Lot Budget Commitment
A budget-based commitment allocating funds to specific material categories or item types.Invoice Processing
Invoice Inbox
A centralized location where invoices are received (via email or upload) and processed automatically using AI/OCR extraction.Invoice
A request for payment from a vendor. Invoices are matched to purchase orders and commitments during reconciliation. Invoice States:- Unreviewed – Received but not yet processed
- Approved – Verified and ready for payment
- Rejected – Invoice disputed or incorrect
- Posted – Synced to accounting system (ERP)
Invoice Reconciliation
The process of matching invoice line items to purchase orders, deliveries, and commitments to verify accuracy before payment.Invoice Material
A line item on an invoice, matched to order materials during reconciliation.Financial & Accounting
Cost Code
A project-specific accounting code used to categorize and track spending. Cost codes typically include:- Phase – Project phase or stage
- Class – Category of work or material type
- Number – Specific line item identifier
Tax Code
A tax classification applied to materials or orders for accurate tax calculation.Terms and Conditions
Standard contract terms that can be attached to purchase orders as PDF documents.Vendor Management
Company Vendor
A vendor relationship specific to a company, including:- Contact information
- Payment terms
- Default pricing
- Performance history
Vendor Contact
An individual contact person at a vendor company who receives orders and communications.Price Sheet
A document containing vendor pricing for specific materials over a time period. Price sheets can be:- Uploaded and matched to the material database automatically
- Linked to specific projects or company-wide
- Set to expire after a certain date
Vendor Portal
A web interface where vendors can:- View and respond to purchase orders
- Submit quotes
- Confirm orders
- Upload delivery documentation
- Communicate with buyers
Integrations
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)
External accounting and job cost systems that SubBase connects to, including:- Foundation – Accounting software for construction
- Sage 300 CRE – Construction management ERP
- Viewpoint Vista – Construction ERP
- QuickBooks Online (QBO) – Small business accounting
- CMIC – Construction management software
- Procore – Construction project management
PO Sync
Automatically syncing purchase orders between SubBase and an ERP system. Keeps both systems up-to-date with order status and details.Invoice Sync
Automatically syncing approved invoices to an ERP for payment processing.Agave
Integration platform used to connect SubBase with various ERP systems.Workflow & Approvals
Order Flow
Configurable workflow rules that determine how orders progress through approval stages. Companies can customize:- Required approvals by dollar amount
- Automatic routing rules
- State transitions
Flow State
A customizable status in an order or invoice workflow. Companies can create custom states beyond the defaults to match their approval processes.Assignee
The user responsible for taking action on an order, invoice, or request at the current workflow stage.Watcher
A user who receives notifications about an order or request without being the primary assignee.Centralized Procurement
Centralized Procurement
An enterprise feature allowing a parent company to have visibility and control over procurement across multiple branch companies.Centralized Company
The parent company in a centralized procurement setup that can view and manage data from all branch companies.Branch Company
A subsidiary company whose procurement data flows up to the centralized parent company.Notifications & Communication
Notification
An in-app or email alert about important events like:- Order status changes
- New invoices received
- Approvals needed
- Delivery updates
Comment
Internal notes or messages attached to orders, invoices, or other records for team communication.Reporting & Analytics
Order Planning
A feature for planning future material needs and scheduling orders in advance.Reports
Analytics and summaries of procurement activity, including:- Spend by vendor, project, or cost code
- Order status summaries
- Delivery performance
- Invoice aging
AI-Powered Features
Invoice OCR
Automatic extraction of invoice data (vendor, amounts, line items) from uploaded PDF documents using AI/OCR technology.Quote Extraction
Automatic extraction of pricing from vendor quote documents.Material Matching
AI-powered matching of invoice or quote line items to the company material database.Status & State Language
Use the following state names exactly as written in documentation:Order States
- Draft – Created but not sent
- Requested – Internal request submitted
- Approved – Approved internally
- Ordered – Sent to vendor
- Confirmed – Vendor acknowledged
- Partially Shipped – Some deliveries shipped
- Shipped – All deliveries shipped
- Delivered – All materials received
- Cancelled – Order cancelled
Invoice States
- Unreviewed – Awaiting review
- Approved – Ready for payment
- Rejected – Disputed or incorrect
- Posted – Synced to ERP
Writing Rules for AI-Generated Docs
- Prefer concrete nouns over abstractions (e.g., “Purchase Order” instead of “request”)
- Use title case for feature names (e.g., “Material Database” not “material database”)
- Do not invent features, workflows, or permissions not in the product
- If a workflow differs by role (Subcontractor vs Vendor), call it out explicitly
- If behavior is unclear, mark it as TODO instead of guessing
- Always specify which states or features are configurable vs fixed
- Reference specific screens or navigation paths when describing how to do something