Include Document File Structure in Project Templates + Allow Template-Based Project Creation from External Triggers

[Emberton Electrical]

Feature Request: Include Document File Structure in Project Templates + Allow Template-Based Project Creation from External Triggers

I’d like to request two related improvements to project setup in CompanyCam.

1. Include document file structure in project templates​

Right now, we can standardize parts of project setup with templates and checklists, but we can’t seem to have the Documents tab file structure / folders automatically created when a new project is made.

For our company, this matters a lot. We use the Documents tab as part of our operational workflow, not just file storage. Every project should start with the same document structure so the office and field know exactly where things go.

Example of the structure we want every new project to inherit:

• Intake
• Scope
• Load Calculations
• Manuals
• Field Reports
• Materials
• Reports
• Inspection
• Testing & Commissioning
• Handoff

Today, this appears to require manual setup, which creates inconsistency and extra admin time.

Why this matters​

• keeps office and field organized the same way every time
• improves handoff between intake, estimating, permitting, install, and closeout
• reduces missing documents and duplicate uploads
• makes CompanyCam much more useful as an operations system, not just a photo record

2. Allow projects created from external triggers to inherit a chosen project template​

We also want projects created from external systems to be able to apply a selected CompanyCam project template automatically.

Examples of external triggers:

• Jobber lifecycle event
• QBO-created job/customer workflow
• website intake form
• phone/email intake workflow through middleware

Ideal workflow:

1. external intake creates or triggers a new project
2. a template type is selected or mapped
3. CompanyCam creates the project from the chosen project template
4. the project automatically includes:
   • document structure
   • checklist structure
   • any other setup rules tied to that template

This would save a lot of manual setup time and make project creation much more reliable.

Mobile workflow note​

This is especially important for teams that work mobile-first. On desktop, it’s easier to clean things up after creation. On mobile, we really need projects to open already structured correctly.

Main ask​

Please allow:

• document file structure / folders in the Documents tab to be saved as part of a project template
• new projects created from integrations or external triggers to inherit that template automatically

If anyone has already solved this with a native workflow or a workaround, I’d love to hear it.

 

[Shayla C.]

Hey there! This is a great writeup, really appreciate the detail on both asks.

On the document structure piece, that's not something we have today, meaning there's no way to have folders in the Documents tab auto-populate from a template. I've passed it along to our product team since the operational reasoning behind it (consistent handoff between intake, install, and closeout) is exactly the kind of context that helps them prioritize.

Good news on the second half, though: you can actually solve that one today. Set up a Project Template with the checklists and documents you want included, then mark it as your Default Template. That default carries over to projects created through integrations too, so a project spun up from a Jobber event, a QBO workflow, or your intake form will come in already structured instead of landing empty. Here's how to set it up: https://help.companycam.com/en/articles/7216986-create-and-use-project-templates#h_243e734554

That should also cover the mobile-first concern you mentioned, since the structure is already there the moment the project opens rather than needing cleanup after the fact. Let me know how it goes setting it up!

 

[Emberton Electrical]

Thanks Shayla — that clarification is really helpful.

I hadn't realized the Default Template also carries through to projects created by integrations. That's actually a big piece of what I'm trying to accomplish.

I'm building out our project workflow now around intake → design/pre-construction → install → closeout, with CompanyCam becoming the field-facing project record. I'll set up the Default Template and test what comes across when a project is created externally, particularly from Jobber.

The Documents folder structure is really the remaining piece. Having those folders created with the template would mean the entire project can arrive ready for the crew without someone having to manually build the filing structure each time.

I'll put the current setup through a few real projects and report back on what works well and where we hit friction.

Thanks again for the quick response and for passing the folder-template request along to the product team.