Feature deep-dive
Scheduling and Financial Management for Builders with The Site Book
BuildHer captures project dates in the setup wizard and carries them into every CDM document. Xero projects are created automatically. When you mark a job complete, a draft invoice appears. Signed PDFs go straight to Google Drive — no manual steps.
TL;DR
Set up your project in BuildHer with start and end dates. Generate RAMS, CPP, and COSHH. Export PDFs. Xero auto-creates the project and drafts the invoice when you mark it complete. Everything ends up in Google Drive.
In this guide
Setting Up Your Project with Dates
Every BuildHer project starts with the setup wizard. You enter the project name, client details, site address, and — critically — the planned start and end dates. Those dates are not just metadata: they flow automatically into your Construction Phase Plan, your site induction documents, and your compliance certificates. You type the dates once and they appear correctly everywhere.
For domestic extensions and loft conversions the wizard takes around four minutes. For commercial projects it runs slightly longer because there are additional CDM 2015 fields to capture. Either way, by the time you have finished the wizard you have a fully populated project record that BuildHer uses to generate every document you need throughout the job.
The wizard also captures the number of operatives on site, the type of work being carried out, and whether the project is notifiable under CDM 2015. If it is notifiable, BuildHer flags the F10 requirement automatically — no more missed notifications. The project dashboard shows you at a glance where you are in the compliance lifecycle: setup complete, documents generated, workers signed, project closed.
Generating RAMS, CPP, and COSHH
Once the project is set up, document generation is a few clicks. The AI wizard for a domestic job asks four focused questions about the specific hazards on that site — fragile roof lights, pre-2000 buildings that may contain asbestos, proximity of overhead services, confined spaces — and uses your answers to produce a RAMS that names those specific features rather than recycling generic template language.
The Construction Phase Plan is generated from the same project data. The start and end dates you entered in the wizard appear on the front sheet automatically, alongside the principal contractor details, the welfare arrangements, and the emergency contact information. For a typical domestic extension the CPP is ready to review within three minutes of starting the generator. Compare that to an hour of editing a Word template and you quickly see where the time saving comes from.
COSHH assessments follow the same pattern. Select the substances your operatives will be working with — cement, timber treatment, adhesives — and BuildHer generates a COSHH record with exposure routes, control measures, PPE requirements, and emergency procedures already filled in. All three document types are version-tracked: every time you regenerate a document, the previous version is archived with a timestamp.
For more detail on the CPP specifically, the BuildHer vs template CPP comparison walks through the quality differences side by side.
Exporting PDFs for Clients and Inspectors
Every document in BuildHer can be exported as a PDF with one click. The PDF includes the document content, the project header (client name, site address, dates, document reference), and a footer with the page number and version marker. Building control inspectors and clients receive a document that looks professionally produced because it is generated from a consistent template rather than a hand-formatted Word file.
Worker sign-off works differently. Instead of printing and signing on paper, workers receive a link from the site manager. They open the link on their phone, read the document, and sign digitally. The signed PDF — with the worker’s name, timestamp, and IP address embedded — is automatically pushed to the project’s Google Drive folder. No printing, no scanning, no manual filing.
For accountants and clients who need a full compliance pack, BuildHer lets you export all project documents as a single zip file. This is particularly useful at project completion, when you hand over the health and safety file to the client as required under CDM 2015. One export, everything included, correctly named. The best tools for builders’ paperwork guide puts this in context alongside the other options on the market.
Xero Integration: Invoicing on Autopilot
Connect your Xero account once via OAuth in BuildHer’s Integrations settings. The connection takes around five minutes and you only do it once. After that, every new BuildHer project automatically creates a matching project in Xero with the client name, project name, and start date synced across.
The more valuable automation happens at the other end of the project. When you mark a BuildHer project as complete, a draft invoice is automatically created in Xero. The invoice has the client details, the project reference, and the completion date pre-filled. You review it, add your line items if they are not already set up as a quote in Xero, and send. The average time from clicking “mark complete” in BuildHer to sending the invoice in Xero is under three minutes for builders who have done it a few times.
This matters because the gap between job completion and invoice sending is one of the most common cashflow drains for small builders. A job finished on a Friday afternoon that doesn’t get invoiced until Monday because the paperwork is on the site laptop means a week’s delay on payment. The Xero automation closes that gap by triggering the invoice the moment the compliance work is marked done.
The current integration is per-project-completion rather than milestone-based. If you want to invoice in stages, you do that manually in Xero as you reach each milestone. The BuildHer automation handles the final completion invoice specifically. Milestone billing workflows are on the product roadmap.
Google Drive: Your Compliance Archive
Connect Google Drive once and BuildHer automatically creates a “The Site Book / [Project Name]” folder for every new project. The folder structure mirrors the BuildHer project structure: a root folder for the project, subfolders for RAMS, CPP, COSHH, site inductions, and signed documents.
Every PDF you export lands in the correct subfolder automatically. Signed worker documents — the ones with the digital signature, timestamp, and IP address embedded — are pushed to the “Signed” subfolder the moment the worker completes sign-off on their phone. You never need to manually move a file, rename a document, or remember which project folder something belongs in.
This is particularly valuable at project completion. Under CDM 2015 you are required to hand over a health and safety file to the client containing all the compliance documentation for the project. With Google Drive connected, the entire file is already assembled in the project folder — you share the folder link and you are done. No last-minute document hunt, no missing signatures.
For builders with their own archive structure, the Google Drive integration can write into a specific parent folder rather than creating a new root-level folder. Configure the target folder once in Integration settings and BuildHer respects it for every subsequent project.
The Full Project Lifecycle in BuildHer
Pulling the pieces together: a typical domestic extension project through BuildHer from first contact to final invoice looks like this.
- 1
Project setup (4 minutes)
Enter client details, site address, start and end dates, operative count. Xero project auto-created. Google Drive folder auto-created.
- 2
Document generation (3–8 minutes)
Run the RAMS wizard, CPP generator, and COSHH assessments. All documents reference the project dates and client details automatically.
- 3
Client and worker sign-off (ongoing)
Share a link with the client for approval. Send sign-off links to workers. Signed PDFs land in Google Drive automatically as each person signs.
- 4
Project completion
Mark the project complete in BuildHer. Draft invoice appears in Xero. Google Drive folder contains the full compliance pack ready to share with the client.
The whole loop — from project setup to invoice in Xero — runs without switching between apps for the compliance and admin side of the job. For builders managing multiple projects simultaneously, the dashboard shows every project’s compliance status at a glance: which documents are outstanding, which workers haven’t signed, which projects are approaching their end date.
The What is RAMS guide and the What is a CPP guide cover the underlying CDM 2015 requirements that this workflow fulfils if you want more background on the legal context.
BuildHer Scheduling vs Manual Spreadsheets
Pros
- Project dates captured once in the wizard — auto-carried into all CDM documents
- Xero project created automatically on BuildHer project setup
- Draft invoice triggered automatically when project is marked complete
- Signed PDFs pushed to Google Drive with zero manual export steps
- One source of truth for client details, dates, and compliance documents
Cons
- Xero and Google Drive integrations require OAuth setup (one-off, ~5 minutes)
- No Gantt chart or task dependency scheduling — BuildHer is compliance-focused, not project-management-focused
- Xero invoice timing is per-project-completion, not milestone-based
| Step | BuildHer | Spreadsheet + Word templates |
|---|---|---|
| Set start/end dates | Wizard captures dates once, carried into CPP automatically | Typed into each document manually |
| Generate RAMS + CPP | AI wizard — 4 questions for domestic, full for commercial | Template editing, 30–60 min per doc |
| Send to client | Share link — digital sign-off from phone | PDF email attachment — print and sign |
| Xero project | Auto-created on project setup | Manual entry in Xero |
| Invoice on completion | Draft auto-created when project marked complete | Manual invoice creation |
| Compliance archive | Signed PDFs pushed to Google Drive automatically | Manual save and rename |
“The bit that used to take the longest was writing the CPP — now I do the wizard on the way to site and it's done before I park up. The Xero invoice appearing automatically when I close the job is just a bonus.”
Connect Xero and Google Drive in under ten minutes
BuildHer’s integrations are included in all plans. Set up once and every project from that point forward auto-creates in Xero, archives to Google Drive, and triggers the completion invoice automatically.
See all integrations →Frequently asked questions
Does BuildHer have a project scheduling calendar?
BuildHer captures project start and end dates in the setup wizard, which are used to populate your CPP and compliance documents. It is not a Gantt chart tool — for task-level scheduling, it pairs with your existing project management software. BuildHer focuses on the CDM compliance side of the project lifecycle.
How does the Xero integration work?
Connect your Xero account once via OAuth in the Integrations section. After that, every new BuildHer project automatically creates a matching project in Xero and syncs client details. When you mark a project complete in BuildHer, a draft invoice is created in Xero ready for you to review and send.
Can I export BuildHer documents as PDFs for my accountant?
Yes. Every document generated in BuildHer (RAMS, CPP, COSHH, site induction) can be exported as a PDF with one click. Signed copies are automatically pushed to the project folder in Google Drive when all required signatures are collected.
Does BuildHer integrate with Google Drive?
Yes. Connect Google Drive once and BuildHer automatically creates a 'The Site Book / [Project Name]' folder for each new project. Any document exported as a PDF, and all signed PDFs when workers complete digital sign-off, are automatically saved to that folder.
What financial management features does BuildHer include?
BuildHer is a CDM compliance tool, not accounting software. Its financial management value comes from the Xero integration: project auto-creation, client detail sync, and automatic draft invoice generation on project completion. For full accounting, use Xero alongside BuildHer.
Is the Xero integration free?
The integration itself is included in all BuildHer plans. You need an active Xero subscription separately. The OAuth connection takes around five minutes to set up in BuildHer's Integrations settings.
Related guides
What is a Construction Phase Plan?
The CDM 2015 document that carries your project dates, welfare arrangements, and site-specific hazard controls.
Best Tools for Builders’ Paperwork 2026
How BuildHer, Xero, and Google Drive fit together with the other tools small builders use every day.
What is RAMS?
Plain-English explanation of Risk Assessment and Method Statements — what they are, who needs them, and how to write one.
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Set up a project in BuildHer and the compliance documents, Xero project, and Google Drive folder are ready before you leave the office. The invoice writes itself when the job is done. No credit card required.
Sources
- Xero Integration — The Site Book — The Site Book · Accessed 21 April 2026
- CDM 2015 Guidance for Builders — HSE — Health and Safety Executive · Accessed 21 April 2026