Creating your first project

Creating a project is a 3-minute job if you have the basics to hand. This guide covers the fields, the decisions, and the small gotchas that save you grief later. By the end you'll have a configured project ready for the team to join.

Before you start

Have these to hand:

• Project name — the human-readable name. Doesn't need to be unique across your tenant.
• Project code — 3–6 character identifier. Will appear in every document number for this project (e.g. KIH for "Kampala International Hospital"). Hard to change later — pick well.
• Client name — the appointing party.
• Site address — for GPS lookup. Approximate is fine; you can refine later.
• RIBA stage — current stage (1 to 7). If unsure: pre-design = Stage 1, planning = Stage 3, construction = Stage 5.

Step 1 — Click + New Project

From the tenant dashboard or any other project, click + New Project in the top-right.

Step 2 — Project basics

Fill these fields:

• Project name — e.g. "Kampala International Hospital — Wing B".
• Project code — e.g. KIH-WB. Used in every document number.
• Description — optional 1–2 sentences for the team.
• Sector — Healthcare / Education / Commercial / Residential / Transport / Industrial / Other. Drives the default BEP template and COBie preset later.
• Client — the appointing party.
• Project value — optional. Used in dashboards.
• Start date / target completion — feeds the 4D scheduling tools.

Step 3 — GPS coordinates

This is what powers the mobile GPS site map. Three input methods:

Search by address

Type the site address. We geocode it with Mapbox. Result usually within 50 m of correct.

Drop a pin

Click "Pick on map", pan to the site, click the exact location. Most accurate.

Enter coordinates directly

If your surveyor gave you exact lat/lng, paste them. Format: decimal degrees, comma-separated (e.g. 0.3136, 32.5811).

Step 4 — ISO 19650 setup

Quick choices that drive the whole project's file naming + workflow:

Originator code

Defaults to your tenant's originator code (set in tenant Settings). Override per-project if you're delivering for a JV or another firm.

Volume code

For most projects: ZZ (whole project). For multi-building or multi-zone work: 01, 02, etc.

BEP template

Pick from:

• Standard — generic ISO 19650 BEP.
• UK Public Sector — adds IR cross-references.
• NHS / Healthcare — adds HBN / HTM document requirements.
• Donor-funded — adds DFI / IFC reporting fields.
• Blank — generate later from scratch.

Suitability schema

Defaults to standard S0–S7. Override if your client uses a custom schema.

Revision schema

Defaults to P/C/A (pre-construction / construction / as-built). Custom options available for clients with bespoke schemes.

Step 5 — RIBA stage & phases

Pick the current stage (1–7). Planscape pre-loads the Revit phase list to match (Existing, Demolition, New Construction, etc.) when the plugin first syncs.

You can add custom phases later for staged handovers (e.g. Phase 1 / Phase 2 of a multi-building site).

Step 6 — Initial team members

Optional at create-time. Pick from your tenant's existing users to add as project members. You'll be added as Project Lead automatically. See Inviting your team for the full role model.

Step 7 — Click Create

You land on the project dashboard. Behind the scenes Planscape has:

1. Created the project record in your tenant's database.
2. Created CDE containers (WIP / Shared / Published / Archived).
3. Generated an initial BEP (.docx) under Deliverables → BEP.
4. Created the project's Mapbox map config and pre-warmed tiles for the 5km radius.
5. Set up the audit log with a Genesis record.
6. Issued you a project-scoped email-to-issue address.

What to do next

• Invite your team — see Inviting your team
• Set up the ISO 19650 workflow — see ISO 19650 workflow setup
• Install the Revit plugin and sync the first model — see Installing the Revit plugin
• Build your MIDP — Project › Deliverables › MIDP view

Common mistakes

• Vague project code. "PROJ1" makes the next 10,000 document numbers harder to read. Use the project's actual initialism.
• Default GPS pin. The default GPS is Kampala. If you don't change it, every coordinator on site sees a blank map.
• Wrong sector pick. Drives BEP + COBie defaults. Healthcare project mis-set as "Commercial" misses the HTM/HBN preset.
• Skipping the BEP. Even a draft BEP is better than no BEP. The auto-generated one captures most of what auditors look for.

Cloning a project from a template

Once you have a few projects on a similar pattern (e.g. you do 5 similar district hospitals a year), save one as a template: Project Settings → Save as template. Future projects can be cloned from it, inheriting CDE setup, BEP draft, team defaults, and MIDP skeleton.