Subcontractors

Introduction

CommitCRM Subcontractors feature allows you to effectively manage subcontractors and track their work.

Using Subcontractors you can:

• Use Web portal access: Provide subcontractors with online access to Tickets you assign to them.
• Save time: Have subcontractors log Charges, add notes and update your system directly.
• Provide limited access: Subcontractors can view only details related to specific Accounts you choose for them.
• Use flexible licensing: Deactivate subcontractor licenses when they are no longer needed and use them for other subcontractors or employees.

In a Nutshell

Subcontractor licenses are fully-featured CommitCRM Employee licenses. You can let subcontractors access the system via the Commit Web Interface, restrict them to view only specific Accounts and give them limited privileges.

How it works

You can assign service tickets to any subcontractor or partner, even if they don’t have CommitCRM installed, by letting them use Commit Web Interface for Employees. Your subcontractor will have access to the tickets you assign to them, and as they work on the tickets, your system is automatically updated in real-time!

Using the Commit Web Interface subcontractors can:

• Manage Tickets assigned to them via the Web Interface.
• Be notified about new Tickets by automatic email notifications.
• View only details of Accounts which they have permission to view.
• Log their work using Labor, Expense and Product/Parts Charges.
• Add Notes to Tickets.
• And more… all according to the privileges they have.

Subcontractors who login using the Web Interface can search for tickets assigned to them and update their work, add time, charges, notes and attachments, print the ticket and close the ticket.

You can limit the subcontractor's employee Web access permissions to only specific Accounts, so the subcontractor cannot see tickets or information of other subcontractors using the portal. See more details in Subcontractors Permissions below.

Subcontractors Permissions

Subcontractors are managed like any other employee, which allows you to easily assign them with new Tickets, track their work and history notes, set special rates, and more. To assure they have access to only data you want them to see, you can manage their permissions on two levels:

1. Assign them with the Subcontractor privilege group
2. Limit them to access only specific Accounts.

Subcontractors Privilege Group

Each Employee in CommitCRM is assigned privileges group. The system comes with a predefined Subcontractors group which limits the user to have access to only their own data, providing maximum security. This group lets them view only their own tickets and the related data they added, such as documents, charges, appointments, and so on.

To set a user privileges group:

1. In the Employee window and open the Employee tab.
2. Click Configure User and choose the Configure User... option.
3. In the Privileges Group field, choose the Subcontractors group.
4. Save your changes.

See more details about setting up a Subcontractor user in Activating Subcontractors.

The Subcontractors group can be edited to allow more flexible options. See more details about the different privileges and how they are managed in Privileges FAQ.

Limiting Accounts Access

You can limit subcontractors to access only specific accounts so they cannot see all your customers. Important:The Account limitation takes effect only when logged in via the Web Interface. This means that sub contractors should login only via the Web Interface, using the Employee's Web User.

To define which Accounts subcontractors can access:

1. Go to the sub contractor's Employee window.
2. Under "Web User: Can access all Accounts?" click Edit.
3. In the Edit window, choose the Accounts this user can access. Note that changes take effect only when logging in again via Commit Web Interface.

Once the list is defined, the next time the user will log-in via the Web Interface they will be able to see only the Accounts they have access to, and only Tickets relating to these Accounts.

Activating Subcontractors

To activate subcontractor licenses, you need to create an additional Employee license, define the subcontractor privileges and select which Accounts they can access.

To activate subcontractors:

1. From the Employees window, click New in the toolbar to add a new Employee.
2. In the New Employee window.
   1. Enter general details: Name, phone numbers, and so on.
   2. In System Preferences, leave the Active Employee checkbox selected and select the Configure User checkbox
   3. Enter the username and password for the application user. (Important: Do not provide these credentials to your subcontractor)
   4. Choose the Subcontractors privileges group.
   5. Click OK to create the user
3. In the new Employee window, go to the Employee tab:
   1. Click Configure Web User to add Web access credentials. (Note: Provide only the Web credentials to the subcontractor).
   2. Under "Web User: Can access all Accounts?" click Edit and choose the Accounts this user can access. Note that these changes take effect only when logging again as via Commit Web Interface.
4. Log in as the Subcontractor Web User via the Web Interface.

Important: Subcontractors should login using Commit Web Interface only. Do not provide them with the application user credentials, only the Web user credentials because only the Web Interface limits them to specific Accounts.

Advanced features for Subcontractors

Email Alerts for Subcontractors

Subcontractors are Standard Employees who have specific privileges and permissions and should log-in using a Web user only. Since they are actually Employees in the system, they can receive Email Alerts from the Commit Alerts Server like any other Employee.

Alerts settings are configured by each user using the Tools > Options > Alerts tab when using CommitCRM client. Because you normally provide subcontractors with only Web access (i.e. you do not provide them with the CommitCRM client credentials), you’ll need to configure their alerts settings (if you want them to receive email alerts) by logging into CommitCRM using their client user credentials.

See more details about setting up email alerts in Commit Alerts User Settings.

Subcontractors as Email Recipients

Subcontractors are Standard Employees who have specific privileges and permissions and should log-in using a Web user only. Since they are actually Employees in the system, they can be defined as Ticket Recipients and receive all Email communication regarding tickets like any other Employee.

Email Recipients settings are configured by each user using the Tools > Options > Tickets-2 tab when using CommitCRM client. Because you normally provide subcontractors with only Web access (i.e. you do not provide them with the CommitCRM client credentials), you’ll need to configure their recipients settings (if you want them to receive emails) by logging into CommitCRM using the subcontractor client user credentials.

See more details about setting up email recipients in Recipients Options.