Timeline Bidding
Timeline Bidding is ForgeX's visual scheduling system that lets you place equipment and labor on a day-based timeline and automatically distributes costs to overlapping scopes. Instead of assigning costs scope-by-scope, you manage resources at the bid level and let the timeline handle allocation.
Timeline Bidding can be enabled independently for equipment and labor. You can use timeline mode for equipment while keeping traditional mode for labor, or vice versa.
When to Use Timeline Bidding
Use Timeline Bidding When
- Equipment or labor spans multiple scopes
- You want visual scheduling across the project
- Cost allocation by timeline overlap makes sense
- You need to see the full project schedule at a glance
Use Traditional Mode When
- Equipment is unique to each scope
- You want direct per-scope cost control
- Simple projects with few scopes
- No scheduling overlap between scopes
Enabling Timeline Bidding
Timeline modes are toggled in Bid Settings.
On the bid detail page, click the ⚙️ Settings button in the top toolbar.
In the Settings modal, select the "Timeline Bidding" tab.
Enable timeline mode independently for each:
- Equipment Timeline Bidding — Toggle on to manage equipment at bid level with timeline allocation
- Labor Timeline Bidding — Toggle on to manage labor at bid level with timeline allocation
A confirmation dialog warns that switching modes will clear existing items for that module. Click "Switch Mode" to proceed.
Switching modes clears existing data. When you switch from Traditional to Timeline (or back), all existing items for that module are removed. Make sure you're ready before confirming.
The Timeline View
Open the timeline by clicking the "Timeline" button on the bid detail page. This opens a full-screen modal with the visual Gantt chart.
Timeline Grid
The timeline displays a day-based grid where:
- Rows represent scopes and resources
- Columns represent days (Day 1 through Day 50+)
- Bars show scope duration, equipment allocation, and labor allocation
- The grid auto-sizes based on your screen width for optimal readability
Key Areas
| Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Scope Rows | Horizontal bars showing each scope's position and duration on the timeline |
| Equipment Rows | Equipment bars positioned below scopes (when Equipment Timeline is enabled) |
| Labor Rows | Labor bars positioned below equipment (when Labor Timeline is enabled) |
| Scopes Library | Left panel listing scopes not yet positioned on the timeline |
| Equipment Library | Left panel with searchable equipment catalog (Equipment Timeline mode) |
| Labor Library | Left panel with labor types (Labor Timeline mode) |
Positioning Scopes
Before adding equipment or labor to the timeline, position your scopes:
Click the "Timeline" button on the bid detail page.
Unpositioned scopes appear in the Scopes Library panel on the left. Drag a scope onto the timeline grid at the desired starting day.
- Move a scope bar by dragging it left or right
- Resize by dragging the right edge to change duration
- Scope duration determines how costs get distributed
Click "Save Changes" to persist scope positions. Changes are tracked locally until you save.
Scope duration matters. If a scope doesn't have a user-set duration, it uses a calculated default. Set duration explicitly for accurate cost distribution.
Equipment Timeline Mode
When Equipment Timeline Bidding is enabled, equipment is managed at the bid level and placed on the timeline.
Adding Equipment
In the timeline view, the Equipment Library panel shows your searchable equipment catalog from the pricing database.
Drag an equipment type from the library onto the timeline. Position it on the desired start day.
- Move the equipment bar to change its start day
- Resize the right edge to change how many days you need it
Hover over any equipment bar to see the cost distribution tooltip showing how costs are allocated across overlapping scopes.
Click "Save Changes" to persist. All equipment changes are batched into a single transaction.
Rate Tiering
Equipment rates automatically tier based on duration:
| Duration | Rate Tier | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 days | Daily rate | $450/day |
| 4–21 days | Weekly rate | $2,250/week ($321/day effective) |
| 22+ days | Monthly rate | $6,500/month ($217/day effective) |
Rate tiering is automatic. When you resize an equipment bar, the effective rate recalculates based on the new duration tier.
Equipment Units
Equipment supports multiple unit types beyond standard day-based rentals:
| Unit | Use Case | Example |
|---|---|---|
| DAY | Standard daily rental | Dozer for 5 days |
| WEEK | Weekly rental | Excavator for 2 weeks |
| MONTH | Monthly rental | Shoring for 1 month |
| SF | Formwork by square footage | 5,000 SF of forms |
| HR | Hourly equipment | Crane for 16 hours |
Labor Timeline Mode
When Labor Timeline Bidding is enabled, labor is managed at the bid level with timeline-based scheduling.
Adding Labor
In the timeline view, the Labor Library panel lists available labor types (Foreman, Skilled Labor, Operator, etc.).
Drag a labor type from the library onto the timeline at the desired start day.
Click on a labor bar to open the Hours per Day dialog. Enter:
- Quantity — Number of workers
- Hours per Day — Hours each worker works daily
- Rate per Hour — Hourly wage (auto-filled from defaults)
Move and resize labor bars just like equipment bars.
Hover over a labor bar to see cost distribution across overlapping scopes.
Click "Save Changes" to persist all labor changes in a single batch transaction.
Cost Distribution
The core of timeline bidding is automatic cost distribution. When equipment or labor overlaps multiple scopes, costs are split proportionally based on the number of overlapping days.
How Distribution Works
For each scope overlapping with a resource:
overlapDays = min(resourceEnd, scopeEnd) - max(resourceStart, scopeStart)
percentage = overlapDays / totalResourceDuration × 100
allocatedCost = totalResourceCost × (percentage / 100)
Example
Consider a Skid Steer rented for Days 5–15 (10 days) at a total cost of $4,500:
| Scope | Scope Days | Overlap Days | Percentage | Allocated Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation | Days 1–10 | 5 days | 50% | $2,250 |
| Grade Beam | Days 8–20 | 5 days | 50% | $2,250 |
Fuel charges and delivery fees are also distributed proportionally. Each scope's allocation includes its proportional share of fuel and delivery costs.
Viewing Distributions
In the Timeline View:
- Hover over any resource bar to see the distribution tooltip
- The tooltip shows each overlapping scope, overlap days, percentage, and dollar amount
In the Scope View:
- When viewing a scope's Equipment or Labor tab, allocated timeline items appear in a read-only section
- Shows what equipment/labor is allocated to that scope from the timeline
Batch Save Operations
All timeline changes are tracked locally and saved together:
- Scope positions — Drag scopes to new positions
- Equipment changes — Add, move, resize, or delete equipment bars
- Labor changes — Add, move, resize, or delete labor bars
Click "Save Changes" to commit everything in a single transaction. This ensures consistency — either all changes succeed or none do.
Save Changes
Persist all pending changes to the database
Reset
Discard all pending changes and revert to last saved state
Export Screenshot
Download the current timeline view as a PNG image
Unsaved changes warning: If you try to close the timeline with unsaved changes, a warning dialog will prompt you to save or discard.
Export
Click the Export button in the timeline toolbar to download the current view as a PNG screenshot. This is useful for:
- Including in bid proposals
- Sharing schedule with project managers
- Documenting the planned timeline for internal records
How Timeline Costs Roll Up
Timeline equipment and labor costs integrate into the standard cost rollup:
Timeline Equipment/Labor Item
↓
Distributed to Scopes (by timeline overlap)
↓
Scope Cost (includes allocated timeline costs)
↓
Scope Cost × Multiplier
↓
Bid Total (sum all scopes)
↓
Apply Overhead + Profit
↓
Grand Total
Timeline-allocated costs appear alongside traditional costs in each scope's totals. The cost rollup treats them identically for overhead and profit calculations.
Role-Based Access
| Action | ADMIN | ESTIMATOR | PM |
|---|---|---|---|
| View timeline | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Position scopes | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Add/edit equipment | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Add/edit labor | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Change bidding mode | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Export screenshot | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Tips for Effective Timeline Bidding
↔️Position All Scopes First
Before adding equipment or labor, position all your scopes on the timeline. This ensures cost distribution calculations are accurate from the start.
🔀Use Timeline for Shared Equipment
Timeline mode shines when equipment serves multiple scopes. A dozer that grades across Foundation, Grade Beam, and Slab scopes is perfectly modeled on the timeline — costs distribute automatically.
ℹ️Review Distribution Tooltips
Always hover over resource bars to verify the cost distribution looks right. If a scope is getting too much or too little allocation, adjust the scope positions or resource duration.
💾Save Frequently
Don't accumulate too many unsaved changes. Save periodically to avoid losing work if you accidentally close the modal.
📄Export for Proposals
The timeline screenshot export is a powerful visual for client proposals. Include it alongside your PDF bid export to show the planned schedule.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment bar won't drop | Target day is outside grid range | Scroll the timeline grid to reveal more days |
| Costs not distributing | Scopes not positioned on timeline | Drag scopes from library to timeline first |
| Mode switch grayed out | Insufficient permissions | Only ADMIN and ESTIMATOR can change modes |
| Changes not saving | Network error | Check connection and retry; changes are preserved locally |
| Distribution shows 0% | No overlap between resource and scope | Adjust positions so resource bar overlaps scope bar |
Related Documentation
Equipment Module
Traditional per-scope equipment estimation
Labor Module
Traditional per-scope labor estimation
Equipment API
Equipment API endpoints (Traditional + Gantt)
Labor API
Labor API endpoints (Traditional + Gantt)
Bid Settings
Configure timeline modes and other bid parameters
Cost Rollup
How timeline costs integrate into bid totals