Upgrades and Extras

Start by completing the section Upgrades and Extras (this article). It will explain the processes that must be completed before you continue with the next 3 articles described below.

The article Creation of a Color Chart Selection explains types of Selection Packages and is a great introduction to the subject.

Afterward, you can navigate to Lot Selection Packages and review Lot Selection Choices. Although the content is divided into 2 articles, it might be practical to attempt to read all of them at once to comprehend the whole Colour Charts (Lot Selection Packages) process and system functionality as the articles are closely interconnected. Color Selections (Phase) describes the process from the perspective of a Phase rather than a Lot.

Pre-amble

• The Lot Selection Packages (a.k.a. Color Chart) is a process to allow the purchaser (customer) to make selections in their home. These can be all the way from choosing the color of a carpet to increasing the height of a wall.
• This function is designed to be used with a tablet or a PC to make the experience with the purchaser better.
• Lot Selection Packges work effectively with things like hardwood flooring, carpets, bathtub, and sink selections but people often reach a “diminishing return” stage with things like kitchen cabinets; there are just so many choices with kitchen layouts that it is not always worth entering these details into the system but rather have one item called “Kitchen Installation” and have the salesperson manually enter the price and a brief description.

Setup and Process

• Before you get to this point you should have created the following:
  • Fully setup Construction Items flagged as Color Chart assigned to the correct House Area.
  • Pushed these Items to Model Items (which also pushes to Phase Items).
  • Assigned a Vendor Contract to each Phase Item (not mandatory but recommended).
  • Setup Model Item prices (not mandatory but recommended).
• Once that setup is complete then go down the list:
  • Complete the setup in Color Selections from the Phase Page.
  • Create a Lot Selection Package from the Lot page.
  • Select the Lot Selection Choices from the Lot Selection Package.
  • Link in the vendor (trade) with Vendor Work Orders.

Tip

Setting up the items for color chart selections can seem daunting especially if you are considering putting every single option in the system. The system can certainly cope with this, but it is worth thinking about what makes sense before you start. Take advantage of our consulting team to help you. Contact homebuilder@suiteengine.com.

Overview of Concept and Process

• This part of the system allows you to define possible Upgrades and Extras as well as Color Choices for standard Selections. Any item where the field "Color Chart" is flagged will be allowed to be used here.
• Next, you should define default options to guide the décor designer and purchaser in a décor center. This happens in the "Color Selections" template on a Phase level.
• Purchaser's Upgrades and Extras are listed in a Lot Selection Package. One purchaser may arrange multiple Lot Selection Packages.
• After a purchaser makes choices for Upgrades and Extras, a décor designer (a user of the system) prints "Color Chart" and "Purchaser Extras" reports which get mutually signed.
• Payment for Upgrades and Extras listed in a Lot Selection Package can be managed in two ways. The most common way is getting a deposit check which will be recognized and a payment toward house purchase on Lot closing. Another way is to treat Upgrades and Extras as sales, i.e. to post a sales invoice and to accept the payment check as a payment for that invoice.
• Statuses of the Lot Selection Package:
  • After finishing work on a Lot Selection Package, a décor designer closes the Lot Selection Package which means that further changes in it get disabled.
  • A décor manager reviews and approves the Lot Selection Package.
  • Typically, an operations manager, releases Lot Selection Packages for construction. This action creates Lot Planning Lines which are Budget lines and allows the purchasing process to pull in the budgeted amounts.
• With the final step, an operational manager may also wish to create POEs (Purchase Orders for Extras) to inform vendors on upcoming Upgrades and Extras the vendors are responsible for.