Construction projects involve many different people: owners, architects, engineers, construction managers, general contractors, consultants, inspectors, subcontractors, and other project stakeholders.
Each person needs the right level of access.
Some users only need to view documents. Others need to post items, process workflow steps, review submittals, respond to RFIs, or manage contacts for the project team. eComm® helps teams organize that access through Project Members, security levels, the Invite feature, Manage Contacts, and required signatures.
Together, these tools help construction teams control who can view, post, and process items while keeping project communication organized and accountable.
Why project member setup matters
Project member setup is one of the first steps in keeping a construction project organized.
In eComm, the Project Members area gives teams visibility into who has access to the project, their company, contact information, and security level. This helps ensure the right people can access the right project information.
That matters because construction communication moves through many different roles.
An architect may need to review a submittal.
An engineer may need to respond to a technical question.
A contractor may need to upload documentation.
An owner may need visibility into project activity.
A consultant may need access to a specific item or workflow.
When project members are set up correctly, the right people can access the right information at the right time.
Project teams also change over time. A new project manager may join. A backup reviewer may need access. A contractor may add another team member. A consultant may need to be brought into the workflow after RFIs or submittals are already in progress.
That is why access setup is not just an administrative step. It directly affects workflow visibility, Ball in Court accountability, and the project record.
Typical security levels in eComm
eComm uses security levels to help manage construction team permissions.
Typical security levels include:
- Subcontractor
- General Contractor
- Construction Manager
- Design Team
- Consultant
- Engineer
- Owner
These security levels help define how different users interact with project information.
Not every user needs the same access. A subcontractor may only need access to items related to their scope. An engineer may need access to review RFIs or submittals. An owner may need visibility into project activity. A construction manager may need broader access across item logs, workflows, and project communication.
The goal is simple: give each person access that matches their role and responsibility.
Good role-based access helps teams:
- Protect project information
- Reduce confusion
- Keep workflows moving
- Limit unnecessary access
- Support accountability
- Keep the project record organized
How permissions support the project workflow
Permissions do more than control visibility.
They support the way project work moves through eComm.
Different users may have different levels of access depending on their security level, company, role, project setup, item permissions, and required signatures. This helps control who can view, post, process, share, or manage project information.
For example, a user may have permission to view an item but not process it. Another user may be able to post a new item into a specific log. A project administrator or user with broader access may be able to manage contacts and help keep the project team current.
Permissions are especially important for workflow-based items such as:
- RFIs
- Submittals
- Change items
- Pay applications
- Reports
- Closeout documentation
- Project correspondence
When an item is active, eComm’s Ball in Court helps show who is responsible for the next action. If the item is assigned to a user or role, that person needs the right access to review it, add information, and move it forward.
This keeps work from getting stuck because the wrong person was added, the right person was missing, or a new user could not see items already assigned to their organization.
Using the Invite feature
eComm includes an Invite feature available to all users.
All users can invite someone from their same company and role to the project. This is helpful when a coworker needs the same level of access to help review, respond, monitor, or stay informed on project activity.
For example:
- A contractor may invite another person from the same company and role.
- An architect may add a coworker who needs the same access.
- An engineer may bring in another reviewer from their organization.
- A project team member may add a backup contact to help keep work moving.
The Invite feature helps teams stay flexible without waiting for every simple access update to become a larger administrative task.
This is especially helpful during active projects when people need access quickly and already match the company and role structure of someone on the project.
Using Manage Contacts
Some users have Manage Contacts turned on.
When Manage Contacts is enabled, those users can add contacts from any company and role to the project. This gives project administrators, construction managers, or designated team members broader control over project access.
This is helpful when a project needs to add:
- A new owner representative
- A consultant
- An inspector
- A contractor
- A design team member
- A new company
- A new role
- A project stakeholder outside the user’s own company
Manage Contacts helps keep the project team accurate as the project changes.
It also supports better workflow continuity. When new companies or roles are added correctly, project communication stays inside eComm instead of moving back into email threads or side conversations.
Copying required signatures when adding a new user
When a new user is added to an active project, it is important to copy required signatures when appropriate.
This step gives the new user access to items that have already been posted and assigned to someone in their organization.
That matters because many construction items are already in motion by the time a new user joins a project. RFIs may already be waiting for review. Submittals may already be moving through the approval process. Change items may already be assigned to a company or role.
Without copying required signatures, a newly added user may only be positioned for new activity going forward. They may not have access to previously posted items that are already assigned to someone in their organization.
Copying required signatures is especially important when:
- RFIs are already in progress
- Submittals are already in review
- A new project manager joins the project
- A backup reviewer is added
- A team member leaves and another person takes over
- Multiple people from the same organization need access to active workflow items
- A consultant, engineer, or contractor needs visibility into items already assigned to their company or role
For example, if a new engineer is added after several submittals have already been routed to that engineering firm, copying required signatures can help that person access the active submittals tied to their organization.
This helps prevent delays and keeps the project record connected to the right people.
Best practices for adding project contacts
Add the right people early
Start with the team members who will need access to documents, workflows, reviews, communication, or project records.
This may include owners, architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, inspectors, and other stakeholders.
Use the Invite feature for same-company users
All users can invite contacts from their same company and role.
This is a good option when someone needs the same type of project access as an existing user in their organization.
Use Manage Contacts for broader access
Users with Manage Contacts turned on can add any company or role to the project.
This should be used when adding contacts outside a user’s own company or role, or when a project requires broader contact management.
Copy required signatures when needed
When adding someone after a project has started, copy required signatures when that person needs access to items already posted and assigned to someone in their organization.
This is especially important for active RFIs, submittals, and other workflow items already in progress.
Match access to responsibility
Access should reflect what the user actually needs to do.
Avoid giving broad access when someone only needs limited visibility. At the same time, make sure users responsible for workflow steps have the access needed to complete their work.
Keep contact information current
Project communication depends on accurate names, email addresses, companies, phone numbers, and roles.
Outdated contact information can slow down notifications, workflow routing, and follow-up.
Review access when the team changes
Construction teams change throughout a project.
When a consultant is added, a contractor changes staff, or an owner representative needs visibility, project member access should be reviewed and updated.
Benefits
Managing project members and access in eComm helps construction teams:
- Control who can view project information
- Invite users from the same company and role
- Add any company or role when Manage Contacts is enabled
- Copy required signatures so new users can access active items assigned to their organization
- Support continuity when team members change
- Assign access by role, project, and item
- Support structured workflows
- Improve Ball in Court accountability
- Reduce unnecessary email forwarding
- Protect project documentation
- Keep contact information organized
- Help users focus on the items relevant to their role
- Improve project visibility without overexposing information
- Maintain a cleaner project record from planning through closeout
Good access management creates a better project experience for the entire team.
It helps people see what they need, act when they are responsible, and stay connected to the project without adding unnecessary noise.
Key takeaway
Project member setup, security levels, the Invite feature, Manage Contacts, and required signatures all play an important role in eComm.
All users can invite contacts from their same company and role. Users with Manage Contacts turned on can add any role or company to the project. When new users are added, copying required signatures helps them access items already posted and assigned to someone in their organization.
That is especially important for RFIs, submittals, and other active workflow items already in progress.
Together, these tools help construction teams keep project access accurate, maintain workflow continuity, and protect project visibility from planning through closeout.