Concrete subs face pour-day problems. Specialty subs face crew-week problems. Different verbs, different software needs. Manpower Tracker (part of Planning Ops) is the specialty-sub side of the platform — a live crew-week grid with projection, gap math, analytics, and a 4-tier role model so the foreman can edit roster but not pricing.
Specialties we work with
Masonry
Crews scale and shrink between phases. Foreman-grained tracking matters; cubic-yards-equivalent of brick laid per crew per week.
Framing
Wood framers, light-gauge metal framers. Project-by-project crew rotation with rapid scope changes.
MEP (mechanical / electrical / plumbing)
Trade-coordinated sequencing; one delay cascades to 3-4 other trades. Manpower-gap visibility is critical.
Drywall & Finishing
High labor variance project to project; specialized crews (taping, texture, level-5 finish) within the broader crew pool.
Painting
Specialty crews for industrial, commercial, residential, decorative. Day Mode matters because crews compress around weather windows.
Roofing
Weather-sensitive like concrete. Crew gap forecasting against a 6-12 week forecast of incoming jobs.
The five things specialty subs need software to handle
1. A live crew-week grid
Rows are employees grouped by foreman + package. Columns are weeks. Cells show project assignment, status (active / OFF / PTO / new hire), and any per-cell notes. The whole grid is editable and syncs across the team in real time.
2. Day Mode for tight crew weeks
When a crew compresses around a weather window or splits AM/PM between two projects, week-grained views hide the dynamics. Day Mode toggles the grid to show 7 columns per week with per-day assignments.
3. Projection with the manpower-gap strip
Rolling forecast 6-12 weeks ahead. For each week: total needed (from project work plans), total available (roster − PTO − training − bench), and the gap. A live chart shows where you're short and where you have bench, so you can hire ahead of need and accept bench-fill work when capacity is available.
4. Analytics by foreman / project / utilization
Foreman analytics: hours, headcount, project mix, conflict rate. Project analytics: man-hours, yards (where applicable), foreman attribution. Utilization analytics: billable vs idle, week-over-week trends. All exportable to branded XLSX/PDF.
5. A 4-tier role model
Admin (full access including pricing), Editor (roster + scheduling, no pricing), Coordinator (roster edit, no schedule edit — for HR-side users), Viewer (read-only). Each role is enforced at the database level via row-level security, not just hidden in the UI.
What's not in Manpower Tracker
Honest about scope:
- Not payroll — we capture hours but don't run payroll. Export to your payroll provider.
- Not estimating — bid creation lives upstream. We capture project-level man-hour assumptions but not takeoff.
- Not training records / certifications — basic role tagging only. If you need certification expiry tracking, use a dedicated tool.
Bundle with Place & Finish Hub for concrete subs
If you do concrete + something else (decorative, structural, formwork crews running independent of place & finish), both products work together. Same login, same branding, separate workflows.
Start a 14-Day Free Trial
Full Manpower Tracker. Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Link. Not charged for 14 days.
Get Started →