OpSpot Blog

On a renovation or fit-out, most of the work is done by subcontractors: the plasterer, the electrician, the tiler, the joiner. The usual pain is that the subbie gets a vague text, does roughly what was asked, and invoices whatever they think it's worth. Then someone in the office spends Friday reconciling invoices against what was actually quoted.

OpSpot closes that loop. The work order is built from the same scope you quoted, the subbie ticks off each line on site (with photos where you require them), and every completed line lands in Subcontractor Payments at the agreed cost, ready to approve.

At a glance

1. Invite your subcontractors once. They join with their own company and team.
2. Book the work on the project and assign the subcontractor's people.
3. Build the work order from your scope's labour lines, and add any extra checks.
4. Send Work Order. Everyone assigned is notified.
5. On site, the subbie ticks off each item. Items marked as needing a photo can't be ticked without one.
6. In Subcontractor Payments, approve or reject each completed line, priced at cost.

Step 1: Invite your subcontractors

Go to Subcontractors and click Send Invitation. You can invite a business by:

• ABN: link a company that's already on OpSpot
• Email: send the invitation to their manager, e.g. manager@company.com
• OpSpot ID: connect using their company's @companyOpSpotId

While inviting, choose which of your companies they work for and which stages or statuses of your projects they can see. A tiler doesn't need to see your sales pipeline.

The subcontractor then sets up their own company in OpSpot:

• They add their team (at least one person, who becomes their manager).
• They decide which of their people you can see and assign. Their manager is always visible to you, so you always have a contact.

Their staff stay in their company: you can assign them work without making them your employees.

Step 2: Book the work and assign people

Open the project and create a booking for the work: dates, address, and the people doing it. Assign the subcontractor's team members just like your own crew. They see the booking in their OpSpot app and calendar.

Step 3: Build the work order checklist from your scope

Open the booking's checklist. Instead of typing tasks from memory, pick lines straight from the project's scope of works (see Scope of works and quotes):

• Only labour lines marked include in work order are offered. Materials and internal notes stay out.
• The subcontractor sees your cost price, never your marked-up sell price. Your margin stays private.
• Add your own checks too, such as "Protect floor coverings" or "Photo of finished set-out".

Require photo proof where it matters. Tick file upload required on any item. The person on site then can't tick that item off until they attach a photo or file. Use this for waterproofing before tiling, in-wall services before sheeting, or set-out before cabinetry.

Step 4: Send the work order

Click Send Work Order. Everyone assigned to the booking gets a notification: "Sent Work Order for Booking under Project …" with the dates. Changed something? Click Resend Work Order.

Step 5: Work gets ticked off on site

On site, the subcontractor ticks off each item from their phone. OpSpot records who completed each item and when, and keeps any photos with the item. You see progress without calling anyone.

Step 6: Approve payments in Subcontractor Payments

Every completed scope line appears in Subcontractor Payments, grouped by person → project → category (for example Construction → Tiling), with quantity, unit, unit price, total and completion date.

• Priced at cost: quantity × the cost on the scope line. That's what you agreed to pay; your markup stays your profit.
• Approve or Reject each line. The status is shown as Pending, Approved, Rejected or Paid.
• No double counting: if the same person ticks the same scope line more than once, it's counted once (the first completion).
• The summary cards show Pending Approval, Approved, Paid and Total Tasks at a glance.
• Filter by Time Period (past month, quarter or six months), Project and Attendees, or search by subcontractor or project.
• Only people with the payment approval permission can approve or reject.

When a subcontractor's invoice arrives, compare it with their approved lines. Anything not on the list wasn't in the work order.

Example: office fit-out

Example: bathroom renovation

FAQ

Do subcontractors need to pay for OpSpot? They join as their own company through your invitation and work on the bookings you assign them. Ask us how this works for your team during your discussion.

Can subcontractors see my prices? They see the cost on their work order lines, which is what you're paying them. Your marked-up sell price and margin are never shown on a work order.

What stops a subbie ticking items they haven't done? Mark key items as file upload required. They can't be ticked off without a photo or file, and every completion records who and when.

What if the job changes after I've sent the work order? Update the checklist and click Resend Work Order so everyone gets the new version.

Can I see everything I owe one subcontractor across all projects? Yes. Subcontractor Payments groups completed lines by person, then project, with totals for each.

Related guides

• Scope of works and quotes
• Site checklists with photo proof
• Subcontractor licence and insurance tracking