BuildingConnected Glossary of Terms

This glossary describes key BuildingConnected terminology and products. Use this glossary to become familiar with our product so that you can make the most of your BuildingConnected account.


BC Pro: BC Pro is the name of the paid subscription for main contractors. For more information on the additional features that are included in a subscription to BC Pro, please click here reach out to our sales team. 


Tenders dashboard: BuildingConnected’s free tool for subcontractors. Tenders allows subcontractors to accept and submit tenders, access project files, and message main contractors.  


Tender form: The form created by main contractors that is sent to subcontractors as part of their tender invitation. This form is completed by subcontractors when submitting their proposal to the main contractors. The main contractor can save tender forms as templates and use them in future projects. For BC Pro subscribers, tender forms can also be customized to request scope-specific information. Click here for resources pertaining to tender forms. 


Tender form template: A BC Pro feature that allows main contractors to save customized tender forms for future use. Tender form templates are organized by category of trade. Tender form templates can be imported into future projects to ensure that subcontractors include specific information in their proposals. Click here for more information on tender form templates.


Sub group: In BuildingConnected, "Sub Group" is the name we use to refer to a company that has been invited to tender on a project. The Sub Group will include all the individuals you have selected to receive the ITB. Sub groups also contain the company’s submitted proposals and a record of actions taken by the invited company. 


Sub list template: A tool to organize subcontractor information by category of trade. Templates can be imported into future projects to ensure that specific subcontractors are invited to tender. Click here for more information on sub list templates. 


Tender Comparison: A BC Pro feature that allows main contractors to accurately, effectively, and collaboratively identify the tenders for projects in a side-by-side format. Click here for more information about BuildingConnected’s Tender Comparison feature. 


BC Standard: BuildingConnected’s free tool for main contractors. BC Standard allows main contractors to invite subcontractors to three projects a month, send out requests for pricing, download project reports and centralize project messages. 


Tender package: Categories of trades within a project. Main contractors can add subcontractors to tender packages to send invitations to tender. Click here to learn more about tender packages in BuildingConnected. 


Tender package lead: The member of the project team that receives all communication for a specific scope. Anyone who is a part of the Project Team can assign tender package leads. Click here for more information on tender package leads. 


Company profile: The details of a company’s account in BuildingConnected. Company profiles consist of the company name, contact information and business details. Company profiles are visible to other main contractors in the BuildingConnected network. For resources pertaining to user profiles, please click here. 


Contact: In BuildingConnected, a contact refers to the subcontractor companies that have been invited to tender by a main contractor. 


Flag and hide: A feature that allows main contractors to remove subcontractors from appearing in search results for the wrong trade. Click here for more information about this feature.   


Follower: A follower is someone within the subcontractor’s company who has been added to an opportunity. Followers are able to view all opportunity information including files, messages, tender forms, and tracking. Click here to learn more about followers. 


Jump to: A feature used to quickly find tender packages or specific companies within a project. Click here for more information about the “Jump To” feature. 


Network: Hundreds of thousands of subcontractors that main contractors and owners can search based on their specific project needs. Designated by scope of work and location, main contractors use our network to find subcontractors and vendors to invite to tender on their projects. Click here for resources pertaining to BuildingConnected’s network. 


Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA):  A contract by which subcontractors agree not to disclose confidential information that they have received about a project. BC Pro subscribers can send out invitations to tender NDA protected projects which requires that the subcontractor consent to the agreement before they can view project details. Click here for more information about NDA protected projects. 


Office Lead: The designated point of contact for a company to manage who can join the company account. Specifically, Office Leads have to approve new users who join the company account without an invitation. Click here to learn more about Office Leads. 


Opportunity group: A way for subcontractors to organize competitive tenders in a single entry in their Tenders dashboard. Click here for more information about Opportunity Groups. 


Preferred company: A feature that allows BC Pro subscribers to privately highlight companies that they prefer to work with within the BuildingConnected network. Click here to learn more about this feature.  


Preferred contact: A feature that allows BC Pro subscribers to privately designate specific points of contact within subcontractor companies. Click here to learn more about this feature. 


Profile: The details of a user’s account in BuildingConnected. Profiles consist of the user’s name, contact information and title. Profiles are tied to a company in the network and are visible to other main contractors in the BuildingConnected network. For resources pertaining to user profiles, please click here.


Project lead: The member of the project team that receives all project communication. Anyone who is a part of the Project Team can assign project leads. Click here for more information on project leads. 


Publish: The action taken by main contractors to send out invitations to tender. Click here for instructions on how to publish projects.


Recommendation engine: The algorithm built into the search tool that is used by main contractors to find subcontractors to invite to a project. This algorithm generates a list from the BuildingConnected network, based on the information provided by subcontractors in their company profiles (location, work performed, etc). Click here for more information about our recommendation engine. 


Search tool: The tool used by main contractors to invite new subcontractors to a project. The search tool allows main contractors to search by a variety of filters like business types. Click here for more information about BuildingConnected’s search tool.


Single Sign-On (SSO): A BC Pro feature that gives users an alternate way to log into BuildingConnected. SSO allows a company’s leadership team and their IT administrators to manage accounts in BuildingConnected using the company’s corporate identity providers. Please click here reach out to our sales team for more information about SSO.


Suggested Edit: A feature used to flag a company or individual contact whose information in BuildingConnected needs to be updated. Any user of BuildingConnected can suggest edits on profiles either directly to the target user, or to BuildingConnected Support. Click here for more information about this feature. 


Tag: Short internal notes that main contractors can add to company profiles. Tags are private and help to easily flag important information. Click here for more information on company tags. 


Vendor (BuildingConnected): In BuildingConnected, a “vendor” refers to someone who has limited access to an opportunity’s details. Vendors can only view high-level project information (due date, location, description) and access project files. Click here for more information about vendors in BuildingConnected.