Automated lead-time monitoring that tells you exactly when to order every material — before it becomes a crisis. Every item is tied to the construction schedule, so BuildOS knows how much time you have before a late order delays your project.
The Procurement Problem
Windows for a custom home can take 12 weeks to arrive. Engineered lumber can take 4–6 weeks. HVAC equipment can take 8 weeks. Ordering too late causes schedule delays that cascade through dozens of downstream tasks. Ordering too early ties up cash and creates storage problems.
Most GCs manage this mentally — an experienced superintendent "just knows" when to order windows. The problem is that this knowledge lives in one person's head, doesn't scale across multiple projects, and fails when that person is unavailable. BuildOS externalizes this knowledge into a systematic, date-driven monitoring process.
How the Must-Order Date Works
For every material item in a project, BuildOS calculates a Must-Order Date — the last possible day the order can be placed and still arrive before the task that needs it is scheduled to start.
Example: Windows on a Spring Project
Windows are needed for WBS 13.2 (Window Installation), scheduled to start April 15. The supplier's lead time is 84 days (12 weeks). The weather buffer is 7 days. BuildOS calculates:
April 15 − 84 days − 7 days = January 14 — Must-Order Date
BuildOS will alert Sarah on January 1st (14 days before the deadline) with a WARNING status, and again on January 11th (3 days before) with a CRITICAL status.
Status Lifecycle
Every procurement item moves through four statuses as time passes and actions are taken:
What Each Item Tracks
Every procurement item in a project contains:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| WBS Code | Which construction phase this material belongs to (e.g., 13.2) |
| Item Description | What the material is (e.g., "Andersen 400 Series Windows — all units") |
| Lead Time Days | How many calendar days the supplier needs from order to delivery |
| Weather Buffer Days | Additional buffer for supply chain weather disruptions |
| Need-By Date | The task's early start date from the schedule — when the material must be on-site |
| Must-Order Date | Calculated: Need-By minus Lead Time minus Weather Buffer |
| Status | OK / WARNING / CRITICAL / ORDERED |
| Supplier | Vendor name and contact (optional, for quick reference) |
How Items Are Created
When a project is initialized from a permit, BuildOS automatically populates the procurement tracker from the WBS template — the standard set of materials associated with a residential build. This gives every project a complete procurement list from day one, with lead times pre-set based on typical supplier windows.
Sarah and admins can also:
- Add items that aren't in the standard template (custom millwork, specialty finishes)
- Adjust lead times for specific suppliers or current market conditions
- Adjust weather buffers for projects in markets with heavy seasonality
- Mark items as ORDERED when the purchase has been placed
Connection to the Notification Feed
The Procurement Agent checks every item daily and generates feed cards when items cross status thresholds:
| Transition | Feed Card Priority | Card Content |
|---|---|---|
| OK → WARNING | Urgent | "Order [item] for [project] by [date] — 14 days remaining" |
| WARNING → CRITICAL | Critical | "ACTION REQUIRED: Order [item] for [project] — deadline in 3 days or less" |
| CRITICAL (Tribunal) | Critical | "Tribunal recommends: Approve [item] order for $[amount]" — with Approve / Dismiss actions |
Tribunal Integration for Procurement Decisions
For CRITICAL-status items where the must-order date has been crossed or is imminent, the Tribunal ConsensusEngine is invoked. The Tribunal evaluates whether a purchase should be approved and generates a recommendation card for Tom or Sarah. See AI Agents for full detail on how the Tribunal works.
Long-Lead Items
Certain materials require especially long lead times and need to be ordered well before construction even begins. BuildOS flags these as long-lead items and surfaces them during the initial schedule setup:
| Item Type | Typical Lead Time |
|---|---|
| Custom windows and doors | 10–16 weeks |
| Engineered lumber packages | 4–8 weeks |
| HVAC equipment (custom tonnage) | 6–10 weeks |
| Custom cabinetry | 8–14 weeks |
| Specialty roofing systems | 4–8 weeks |
| Elevator / lift equipment | 12–20 weeks |
For long-lead items, the Must-Order Date may fall before the permit issuance date — meaning the order needs to be placed even before construction officially begins. BuildOS surfaces these immediately when a project is initialized, so Sarah can place them without waiting for the schedule to "feel urgent."