In a business where every minute counts, have you ever added up how much time your team actually spends ordering materials for each jobsite? It's one of the most underrated parts of project management—and one of the biggest drains on your productivity and your margins.
Let's break down what really goes into this seemingly routine task:
The Foreman's Request
It starts when a foreman needs specific materials on site. The ask sounds quick—but tracking down the office or the right person usually eats up 10 to 15 minutes of an already packed day.
Office Coordination
Once the request hits the office, the real work begins. Staff typically spend 15 to 20 minutes raising the purchase order in the ERP and checking warehouse stock in case some items can be pulled from inventory. Often you'll also need to split the list across multiple suppliers and create a separate PO for each one.
Shopping Around
If anything on the list is hard to source, buyers have to chase quotes from several vendors—calling around to confirm availability or request a formal price. Depending on the items, that alone can easily run 15 to 60 minutes.
Delivery Confirmation
After the order goes out, expect another 10 minutes of follow-up calls and emails to nail down delivery details. Getting materials there on time is what keeps the project on schedule.
On-Site Handling
When the materials land on site, the foreman's job isn't over. They'll need roughly 15 minutes to check the delivery note, confirm everything arrived, flag anything missing or damaged, and email a photo of the slip back to the office.
Invoice Reconciliation
Finally, your team spends 10 to 15 minutes scrutinizing the supplier's invoice. This last step is critical to make sure you're billed correctly: the invoice has to match the delivery note, and the prices have to match what was quoted on the PO.
The Bottom Line
Add it all up, and a single material order can consume a combined 75 to 135 minutes of your team's time. Multiply that by the number of orders you process every month, and it's clear just how much this workflow is quietly costing you.
materialpro is the AI-powered platform that reinvents how you order materials. It collapses the entire workflow so each order takes under 10 minutes. That's not just hours back every week—it's a leaner operation that frees your team to focus on building, not paperwork.
