Introducing the New Bolt

Summary: Bolt’s latest update positions the platform as a faster, more comprehensive project management and scheduling solution purpose-built for residential trade contractors. The release introduces redesigned, high-speed screens with saved views and improved filtering, enabling office teams and schedulers to quickly access critical job and scheduling data, reducing repetitive tasks and improving operational efficiency. A major enhancement is the addition of jobsite video documentation, allowing contractors to capture real-time, contextual proof of work alongside photos—helping reduce disputes, verify compliance, improve training, and protect against liability. Additional features strengthen financial and operational visibility, including a “Partially Invoiced” status to track billing progress, integrated labor cost insights for more accurate estimating and margin protection, and dedicated inspection-tracking fields to centralize compliance workflows. 

Managing residential trade work usually feels like trying to catch a dozen falling hammers at once: juggling messy schedules, bouncing between job sites, and praying nothing hits the floor. We get it. 

That’s why we built Bolt: The trade-built project management and scheduling system designed specifically for the pros, the electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs, and roofers keeping production builders on track. 

We just released a major update that makes Bolt faster and adds tools that help you stay organized and protect your business. Here's what's new. 

Work at the speed of a pro 

The new Bolt screens just got a boost. We’ve revamped the design to make life easier for your office team and crews alike. Whether you’re slamming through schedules, tracking live job progress, or digging into contract fine print, the new sorting and filtering cuts through the noise so you can find exactly what you need in a heartbeat. 

Once you save a view, you can pull it up with a single click instead of manually filtering data every time. 

Why it matters: Your office managers and schedulers spend less time searching for information and more time coordinating work. For trades managing dozens of jobs at once, this cuts out repetitive tasks and keeps operations moving. 

Who benefits: Schedulers coordinating multiple crews. Office managers tracking job status and billing. Anyone who looks at the same data multiple times a day. 

Jobsite videos: Receipts in real-time 

Photos have always been part of how trades document their work. But photos only show a single moment. They don't always capture the full picture, especially when you need to prove site conditions or show the scope of work your crew completed. 

Bolt now supports video uploads alongside photos. You can record and upload video clips directly to job records, giving you a more complete way to document job sites.  

Why video matters for trade contractors 

 While a snapshot shows a moment, video captures the story. You can walk the site, call out exactly what you're seeing in real-time, and lock in the "before-and-after" reality of the job. 

When a builder starts asking questions or tries to pin a back-charge on your crew for damage they didn’t do, you don’t need to argue. You just need to hit play. Video is your "get out of jail free" card, providing proof that keeps your reputation and your paycheck safe. 

Video documentation also helps with: 

• Showing compliance with builder requirements 
• Training new crew members on proper procedures 
• Reducing disputes and liability risk 
• Communicating site conditions to office staff who aren't on-site 

Why it matters: Residential trades working with production builders face tight schedules and high expectations. Clear documentation protects your business and reduces back-and-forth when questions arise. 

Who benefits: Field supervisors managing crews on-site. Business owners who want to reduce liability. Office teams who need better visibility into what's happening in the field. 

Additional updates in Bolt 

The money map: Partially Invoiced status for better billing visibility 

Bolt now shows a "Partially Invoiced" status on contracts, so you can see exactly what's been billed and what's still outstanding. This helps you track change orders, extras, and progress billing without losing track of unbilled work. 

Who benefits: Your office managers handling invoicing. Owners who want real-time visibility into cash flow and outstanding revenue. 

Know your numbers: Labor cost visibility in estimates and contracts 

Labor costs now appear directly in contract line items and pricing searches. This gives you a clearer picture of job profitability and helps you price work more accurately. 

Who benefits: Estimators pricing new jobs. Owners who want to protect margins and understand true job costs. 

Seal of approval: Dedicated inspection tracking fields 

Bolt now includes dedicated fields for tracking third-party inspections, including status, dates, and notes. Instead of using workaround fields or keeping inspection info in separate systems, everything lives in one place. 

Who benefits: Office teams coordinating inspections with builders. Field supervisors who need to know if a job is ready to proceed. 

Bridge the gap: Import builder tasks into work orders 

You can now import tasks directly from builder systems into Bolt work orders. This eliminates manual re-entry and reduces errors when setting up jobs. 

Who benefits: Schedulers and office managers who coordinate with builder portals and project management systems. 

One team, one screen: Multi-office reporting and team management 

For trades operating in multiple locations or regions, Bolt now supports multi-office reporting. You can assign employees to multiple departments and run reports across your entire operation from a single view. 

Who benefits: Owners managing multiple offices or service areas. Operations managers who need visibility across the whole business. 

Built for residential trade contractors 

Bolt is designed specifically for trades working with production homebuilders. That means it's built around the workflows, schedules, and challenges that electricians, plumbers, HVAC contractors, and other residential trades deal with every day. 

These updates make Bolt faster, more flexible, and better at helping you: 

• Coordinate crews and schedules across multiple job sites 
• Track job progress and communicate with builders 
• Document your work and protect your business 
• Manage billing and job costs 
• Scale your operations without losing control 

If you're currently using spreadsheets, text messages, or generic project management tools to run your trade business, Bolt gives you a purpose-built alternative that fits how residential trades operate. 

Getting started with the new Bolt 

The wait is over because the new Bolt is live and ready to roll. 

If you’re already part of the Bolt family, don’t sweat the change; you’ve got a six-month "choose your own adventure" window to switch over at your own pace. The ECI Bolt squad is standing by to make sure your transition is as smooth as a fresh pour. 

New around here? If you’re ready to see how Bolt can put your trade business in the fast lane, there’s no better time than right now. Let’s get you on the books for a demo today. 

Learn more about Bolt 

Recap: Bolt’s newest update focuses on speed, visibility, and protection for residential trade contractors. The platform now features faster, redesigned screens with saved views that simplify scheduling and job tracking, as well as new jobsite video uploads that provide real-time proof of work to reduce disputes and improve communication. Additional enhancements include improved billing visibility with the “Partially Invoiced” status, labor cost insights for more accurate estimating, inspection-tracking fields, builder task imports to reduce manual work, and multi-office reporting to scale operations. Altogether, these updates make Bolt a more efficient, all-in-one solution for managing crews, jobs, and business performance.