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How Does Scaftra Handle Project Closeout?

How do you know a job is truly done and safe to close, not just installed?

Scaftra runs a per-project closeout checklist that derives completion from live data and blocks archiving until punch is clear, the client has accepted, and the money side is settled.

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The problem it solves

Every finish-trade job ends with a closeout package that proves the work is done and warrantied. Closeout is the gate between installed and done forever: you do not close a job, or stop being on the hook for warranty disputes, until the punch list is clear, the client has accepted every room, completion photos exist, sign-off is recorded, and the money side, final invoice, lien release, backcharges, is settled.

Why it matters

A PM's memory is not a closeout. If the closeout decision is not backed by live lifecycle truth, a job gets archived with punch open or retainage unreleased, and the unrecovered money becomes unrecoverable once the spine is frozen. A checklist that derives its system items from real data, and blocks the archive until they pass, is what makes closing a job a defensible decision.

Common mistakes

Try
Closing on the PM's say-so
Reality
Without live truth behind the checklist, a job gets closed with punch open or money still owed.
Try
Manually checking a system-derived item
Reality
Items like 'all punch resolved' are computed from live data; they cannot be hand-toggled to fake completion.
Try
Archiving with backcharges unrecovered
Reality
Archiving freezes the financial spine; an unrecovered backcharge after archive is unrecoverable money.
Try
Treating closeout as a status flip
Reality
Completing the closeout is not the same as closing the project; the terminal transition is a separate, role-gated step.

How it works

  1. Open the closeout
    Each project gets exactly one closeout, seeded from the company's published checklist template.
  2. System items derive from live data
    All punch resolved, all rooms accepted, completion photos exist, client sign-off, project complete, computed, not toggled.
  3. Settle the manual items
    Final walkthrough, warranty docs, final invoice, payment received, and lien release are checked off as done.
  4. Archive when ready
    Archiving is blocked until every item is checked and backcharges are cleared, and it requires a manager.

How Scaftra does it

Scaftra runs Project Closeout as a persistent orchestration layer, exactly one per project, seeded from the company's published checklist template. Five items are system-derived and recomputed from live lifecycle data on every save, all punch resolved, all rooms client-accepted, completion photos exist, client sign-off obtained, project marked complete, and cannot be manually toggled. Five are manual. The closeout mirrors lifecycle truth and never authors it. Archiving is blocked until every item is checked and approved backcharges are cleared, and the terminal transition from completed to closed and the archive flag both require a manager role. A completion proof pack snapshots room phases, punch totals, and turnover docs. This is built and live.

Scaftra backs the closeout decision with live lifecycle truth and blocks the archive until punch, acceptance, and the money side all pass.

Key capabilities

  • One closeout per project: Exactly one closeout per project is the single terminal ledger, so two PMs cannot disagree on done.
  • System-derived completion: Punch, room acceptance, photos, sign-off, and project status are computed from live data, not hand-checked.
  • Archive gate: Archiving is blocked until every item is checked and approved backcharges are cleared, manager-only.
  • Completion proof pack: A snapshot of room phases, punch totals, checklist state, and turnover docs is sealed at completion.

Benefits

  • A job cannot be closed with punch open, rooms unaccepted, or money unsettled.
  • System-derived items reflect real data, so completion cannot be faked.
  • Backcharge money is recovered before the spine is frozen.

Who it's for

Project managersGC owners and managers
  • Project managers.PMs running the final walkthrough and turnover who need a defensible close decision.
  • GC owners and managers.Roles that authorize the terminal close and archive once obligations are settled.

Frequently asked questions

Can I manually check off a system-derived closeout item?
No. System-derived items like all punch resolved are computed from live lifecycle data and cannot be hand-toggled, so completion cannot be faked.
What blocks a project from being archived?
Archiving is blocked until every checklist item is checked and approved backcharges are cleared. The terminal transition and the archive flag both require a manager.
Does completing the closeout close the project?
No. Completing the closeout and the terminal project transition are separate steps. The close from completed to closed is its own manager-gated action.

One job. One record. From the field to the books.

Bring one project onto Scaftra. We'll set up your trades, your rooms, your proof chain, and your vendor portal, and connect it to the financial system you already run.