Business
Laboratory Casework Website vs Project and Installation Software: What Should Own What?
Compare a lab casework website and ordinary CRM with project systems. Decide what should own RFQs, drawings, submittals, fabrication, delivery, installation, punch and certification records.
Overview
A laboratory casework company can use a public website/CRM and specialist project systems together.
The clean boundary is:
the website wins and qualifies the opportunity; the project stack controls the awarded laboratory project.
What the public website should own
Usually:
Current OneStudio features fit this layer.
- product pages;
- industries;
- service areas;
- project portfolio;
- public RFQ;
- ordinary prospect/client history;
- marketing analytics.
What project and installation systems should own
The awarded laboratory project may need:
Construction software currently exists specifically for:
Those records need one authoritative project source.
- current drawings;
- submittals;
- approvals;
- shop drawings;
- procurement;
- fabrication status;
- delivery;
- field installation;
- punch;
- closeout.
- submittals;
- RFIs;
- drawing revisions;
- daily records;
- punch;
- closeout.
Keep the RFQ separate from the project
Prospect:
Renovating two chemistry labs. Steel casework, six benches and two fume hoods. Plan attached. Installation needed in July.
Awarded project may later contain:
Keep both.
The RFQ preserves what was requested and quoted.
The project record controls execution.
- revised plans;
- approved product selections;
- shop drawings;
- final quantities;
- delivery releases;
- field punch.
Keep current drawings controlled
A project can move through:
The website attachment is an intake artifact.
It should not silently remain the current project drawing.
- bid plan;
- addendum;
- approved layout;
- shop drawing;
- field revision.
Keep submittals specialist
Submittal workflows can include:
Current construction platforms such as SpecsLine, Raken and TuttoHQ are built to keep those records traceable.
- product data;
- shop drawings;
- samples;
- reviewer comments;
- approval status;
- revisions.
Keep fabrication specialist
A manufacturer may need:
That belongs in manufacturing/ERP systems.
- approved configuration;
- material;
- BOM;
- production status;
- QA;
- packing/delivery.
Keep delivery and installation specialist
Accepted project operations may need:
Do not maintain this as CRM activity notes.
- delivery release;
- receiving;
- staging;
- installer/crew;
- site access;
- daily progress;
- field photos;
- damage/shortage.
Keep punch tied to project location
A punch item can connect to:
Current field/punch software is designed to preserve that context.
- room;
- cabinet/hood;
- drawing;
- photo;
- responsible party;
- due date;
- completion.
Keep fume hood testing and certification separate
If the supplier provides or coordinates testing/certification, the technical workflow should own:
The marketing website should only present verified general capabilities.
- device identity;
- test date;
- qualified tester;
- result;
- corrective action;
- certificate/report.
Use one explicit handoff
Choose:
Laboratory casework RFQ accepted into project operations
Before handoff:
After handoff:
- website;
- RFQ;
- ordinary prospect/client;
- marketing source.
- project;
- drawings;
- submittals;
- fabrication;
- delivery;
- installation;
- punch;
- certification/closeout.
Source-of-truth matrix
| Object | Recommended owner |
|---|---|
| Public website | OneStudio/front office |
| Public RFQ | OneStudio/front office |
| Ordinary prospect/client | OneStudio/front office |
| Awarded lab project | Project/ERP system |
| Current plan/shop drawing | Document control |
| Submittal | Project/document system |
| Approval/revision | Project/document system |
| Fabrication/BOM | Manufacturing/ERP |
| Delivery/receiving | Project/ERP |
| Installation record | Field/project system |
| Punch | Field/project system |
| Testing/certification | Qualified technical system |
| Operational invoice | Project/finance |
| Public analytics | OneStudio/front office |
A 28-point buyer test
- Website and project systems have explicit roles.
- RFQ and awarded project are separate.
- Client and lab project are separate.
- Submitted quantities remain historical.
- Handoff has one explicit trigger.
- Project ID has one owner.
- Current drawing revision has one owner.
- Submittal has one owner.
- Approval status has one owner.
- Shop drawing has one owner.
- Product selection has one owner.
- BOM has one owner.
- Fabrication status has one owner.
- Delivery release has one owner.
- Receiving has one owner.
- Installation schedule has one owner.
- Field report has one owner.
- Damage/shortage has one owner.
- Punch item has one owner.
- Punch completion has one owner.
- Testing record has one owner.
- Certificate/report has one owner.
- Public CRM excludes current technical drawings.
- Public CRM excludes fabrication truth.
- Public CRM excludes installation progress.
- Website can survive project-software changes.
- Public analytics exclude controlled project records.
- Staff can explain the boundary in one sentence.
Give the website the opportunity and the project stack the laboratory truth
The public layer should make the supplier easy to evaluate and invite to quote.
The project layer should make every drawing, submittal and installation action traceable.
Explore OneStudio features, compare plans, or review the turnkey website service.
Questions businesses ask
Can OneStudio replace lab project management software?
No. OneStudio should remain the public website, enquiry and ordinary client layer.
Should drawings and submittals live in CRM?
Early proposal files can support the sales conversation. Current controlled drawings and submittals should move to the awarded-project system.
Can OneStudio track fabrication?
Do not position OneStudio as manufacturing or BOM software.
Should fume hood certificates live on the public website?
Publicly display only the verified information appropriate for marketing. Project-specific test/certification records belong in the technical workflow.